PH, Canada affirm bilateral commitments at 7th JCBC

Philippine Canadian Inquirer
February 15, 2026

(Photo courtesy: Embassy of Canada in the Philippines/Facebook)

MANILA, Philippines — Officials from the Philippine and the Canadian governments convened at the 7th Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) held on Thursday, February 12, at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) office in Manila.

The meeting was mainly led by Usec. for Policy Leo Herrera-Lim for the Philippine delegation and Asst. Deputy Minister for Indo-Pacific Weldon Epp for the Canadian delegation, to discuss bilateral economic and development cooperation, including collaborations on energy security, critical minerals, and cybersecurity.

(Photo courtesy: Embassy of Canada in the Philippines/Facebook)

“The Philippines considers Canada a credible, reliable, and principled partner in supporting both our bilateral and collective efforts in promoting peace and security in the region,” Herrera-Lim said, highlighting the two countries’ reinforced bilateral relations through the Philippines-Canada Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) and discussions toward a Philippines-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Similarly, Epp affirmed Canada’s continued support for collaborations that bear the mutual interests between the two vibrant democratic nations.

Amid developments in global politics, the delegations from the Philippines and Canada reaffirmed their shared commitment to upholding the rules-based order and promoting peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.