OTTAWA,
ON, July 26, 2024 /CNW/ - Earlier this week,
the Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business and
the first Filipina Cabinet minister and member of Parliament in
Canada's history, concluded her
official visit to the Philippines,
marking 75 years of strong bilateral relations between the two
nations. Minister Valdez took part in productive bilateral
engagements with Filipino government officials, women community
leaders, entrepreneurship organizations, and leaders in the small
business and start-up communities. She advanced discussions on
strengthening bilateral economic ties and highlighted opportunities
for further cooperation on supporting small businesses in both
countries, as well as in the Filipino-Canadian community.
Minister Valdez met with her Filipino counterpart,
Undersecretary Cristina A. Roque of the Micro, Small and Medium
Enterprise Development Group of the Department of Trade and
Industry, and with Robert Bastillo,
President and CEO of Small Business Corporation. They discussed
their respective approaches to supporting the growth and innovation
of small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). During the meeting,
Minister Valdez also showcased Proto, a Canadian start-up that is
using artificial intelligence to transform Filipino government
agencies' service delivery to people.
The Minister also met with executives from the Asian Development
Bank to discuss Canadian leadership in supporting the region's
economic and social development, including through the recently
announced Canadian Climate and Nature Fund for Private Sector in
Asia agreement, which will help
support private sector companies in the region in reducing
pollution, transitioning to low-carbon options and improving
climate resilience.
Minister Valdez engaged with StartUp Village, a Filipino
incubator that is collaborating with the DMZ at Toronto Metropolitan University to support
Canadian and Filipino start-ups in expanding into each other's
dynamic markets.
The Minister met with women-led SMEs and women leaders to
discuss the challenges and opportunities that exist for women in
the entrepreneurial ecosystem and in politics. She spoke about how
more women can be encouraged to enter these spaces, sharing and
reflecting on her personal experience as a small business owner.
She also connected with women entrepreneurs who were supported
through Canadian international development funding to start their
businesses.
Minister Valdez held bilateral discussions with the Indo-Pacific
Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (IPAAO) in Manila, during which they explored
opportunities to support Canadian and Filipino SMEs in the
agriculture, agri-food and seafood industries. The IPAAO, which was
established through the Government of Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy, focuses on
supporting Canadian agriculture and agri-food businesses in
exporting to fast-growing consumer markets in Asia, including the
Philippines.
Quote
"The relationship between Canada and the
Philippines has never been stronger, and this was evident
during my visit. As we celebrate 75 years of bilateral relations
between our great nations this year, we will continue to work
together on our shared priorities of creating more growth
opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses and cultivating
strong people-to-people ties for Filipinos abroad and in
Canada. I am both proud and
honoured to be Canada's first
Filipina Cabinet minister and member of Parliament, and I am
committed to being a strong voice for the nearly one million
Filipino Canadians who call Canada
home."
– The Honourable Rechie Valdez, Minister of Small Business
Quick facts
- In 2022, Canada–Philippines bilateral merchandise trade
totalled $3.1 billion, up from
$2.7 billion in 2021. Canadian
merchandise exports to the
Philippines in 2022 amounted to $1.2
billion.
- In 2022, Canadian merchandise imports from the Philippines were valued at $1.9 billion, up from $1.4
billion in the previous year. Canada's stock in direct investments abroad in
the Philippines in 2021 was
approximately $1.6 billion.
- In February 2024, the Government
of Canada announced an investment
of $28.15 million in development
programming for the Philippines,
emphasizing support for climate adaptation, for resilience against
natural disasters and for improved health care services.
- In 2023, the Government of Canada announced the opening of a new
application processing centre in Manila,
Philippines, to help boost immigration application
processing within Canada and
abroad.
- In 2023, the Government of Canada announced the addition of the Philippines to the electronic travel
authorization program, making it more efficient and affordable for
families to reunite and easier for individuals to visit
Canada.
- In 2023, Minister Valdez accompanied Minister Sajjan in the
Philippes to visit Canada-funded
projects and meet with development and humanitarian partners and
beneficiaries.
- In Budget 2024, the Government of Canada committed to establishing a Filipino
cultural centre in British
Columbia that will create a designated space for the
Filipino community to come together and celebrate its culture and
heritage.
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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada