President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he had a “very good conversation” with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as the two leaders discussed strengthening cooperation between the Philippines and Canada on trade, defense, and regional peace.
The phone call took place at around 8:45 p.m. on Thursday and lasted approximately 20 minutes, according to the Presidential Communications Office.
In a social media post on Friday, Mr. Marcos said he and Carney explored ways to deepen bilateral relations and reaffirmed their commitment to mutual goals in the Indo-Pacific.
“We discussed how our two nations can further strengthen and deepen cooperation in trade, defence and maintaining peace in our region,” the president said.
The president also expressed appreciation for Canada’s swift response and support for Filipinos affected by the recent stabbing incident at the Lapu-Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver.
“I conveyed our gratitude for Canada’s swift assistance to the Filipino community in Vancouver following the tragic incident,” he said.
Canada is home to a large Filipino diaspora, and officials from both countries have long emphasized people-to-people ties as a cornerstone of their partnership.
President Marcos said he looked forward to building on the discussions to enhance cooperation for the benefit of both nations.