Philippines, Canada to hold meeting to strengthen relations

MANILA -- A Canadian delegation has arrived in the Philippines for the inaugural meeting of the Philippines-Canada Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation (PHL-CA JCBC) on Tuesday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Monday.

The foreign delegation is headed by Peter McGovern, Assistant Deputy Minister for Asia and Chief Trade Negotiator for the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT-Canada), the department said.

The JCBC was created in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario for the Philippines, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade John Baird for Canada in June 2012.

"Within the ambit of the JCBC, the Philippines and Canada will work to promote initiatives to strengthen bilateral cooperation in economic, political, security, education, labor and other aspects of PHL-Canada relations," the DFA said.

McGovern called on Del Rosario on Monday. He was accompanied by Ambassador of Canada to the Philippines Christopher Thornley, and officials from the DFAIT and the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines.

The latest in a series of high-level exchange visits between the two nations in the past 12 months, McGovern noted that this is proof of Canada's engagement in Asia, and in the Philippines in particular, following the visit of Prime Minister Harper last November. (SDR/Sunnex)