Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. met with Canadian trade officials to boost Iloilo’s bid as a prime destination for foreign investments, with a strong pitch to scale up the agri-food industry of the province.
Over a working lunch, Defensor sat down with Senior Trade Commissioner Janine Fiddler and Trade Commissioner Dodjie Fabian of the Embassy of Canada to the Philippines to explore potential areas of collaboration.
At the forefront of the discussion was agriculture—long considered Iloilo’s economic backbone.
Defensor highlighted the province’s strength as a major food producer and underscored the need to attract investments in value chain development, food processing, and agribusiness modernization.
The governor emphasized that moving beyond raw production toward higher-value processing would significantly boost farmers’ incomes and expand export potential.
Fiddler responded positively, expressing interest in connecting the provincial government with Canadian firms looking to invest in agricultural innovation and food systems.
Canada, known for its advanced agri-tech and food processing sectors, could provide both capital and technical expertise, she noted.
Beyond agriculture, the talks branched into emerging sectors, including digital health, business process outsourcing, smart city technologies, and solid waste management—areas where Canadian companies may offer technology-driven solutions.
The meeting also underscored the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.
Fiddler shared that Filipinos make up the largest migrant community in her hometown of Winnipeg, while Defensor noted having relatives in Canada.
She further cited the growing Filipino footprint across Canada, including the presence of 27 Jollibee branches nationwide.
Both sides floated the possibility of pursuing a sisterhood agreement to formalize partnerships and deepen economic and cultural exchanges.
Joining Defensor in the meeting were Provincial Legal Officer Atty. Dennis Ventilacion, Local Economic Development and Investment Promotions Center (LEDIP) Chief Aulynn Yue Sin, Provincial Planning and Development Office Acting Head Jigger Labergue, Provincial Population Officer and Head Executive Assistant Atty. Ruel Von Superio, LEDIP Development Management Officer II IJ M. Salcedo, and Protocol Officer Mary Ann Ybañez.
The engagement signals Iloilo’s intensified push to attract foreign capital and position itself as a competitive agri-industrial hub in Western Visayas, leveraging both its agricultural strength and expanding economic sectors.IMT
