Canada FTA seen boosting PHL competitiveness

THE PHILIPPINES and Canada are viewed as complementary markets well-suited for a free trade agreement (FTA), with a prospective deal expected to help the Philippines stay competitive with regional peers like Indonesia, Christopher A. Ilagan, president of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, told BusinessWorld.

- By Justine Irish D. Tabile

"In agriculture, for example, they grow wheat, and we need wheat for our bread, while they do not have tropical fruits, so that alone is a good reason why there should be an FTA," he said.

He said there is also an opportunity for Philippine manufactured goods like semiconductors to penetrate the Canadian market.

"The Philippines also remains the largest source of business process outsourcing for Canada, largely because of our English-speaking population," he said.