CEBU CITY – To boost its presence in the Philippines, the Canadian government has brought in not just its established brands but also its emerging artisanal products.

In partnership with the Metro Retail Stores Group Inc., Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Bruce Hartman on Thursday, February 15, led the launching of Explore Canadian Flavors Promotion at Metro Supermarket at the Ayala Center Cebu here.

CANADIAN Ambassador to the Philippines David Bruce Hartman (center) leads the launching of Explore Canadian Flavors Promotion on Thursday, February 15, at Metro Supermarket at the Ayala Center Cebu in Cebu City. (Calvin D. Cordova)

“We’re just really intent to promote Canada as a business partner in the region. I think we have a good story to tell and most importantly, we have very good products to sell and I think, in a very competitive marketplace, we just want to make sure that the local consumers, the local business understand the value proposition of Canada,” Hartman said.

From February 15 to March 15, some 200 Canadian products, ranging from beverages and snacks to cooking essentials, will be featured with exclusive discounts, such as “Buy 1, Get 1” and complimentary gifts with in-store purchases.

This retail promotion is presented in partnership with the province of British Columbia and the province of Ontario and will be available in seven participating Metro locations – Ayala Center Cebu, Market! Market! in Taguig City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City; Pasig City, Bacolod City, Mandaue City, and Angeles City.

“We want to up our gain in the Philippines. We want to play our strengths. We have a million Canadian citizens of Filipino heritage. We have very strong people-to-people ties and so we want to make sure to build upon the decent place of brand that we have here just to find more opportunities for our businesses to connect,” added Hartman.

Hartman said the promotion will allow Filipinos to get a taste of Canadian products right in their own country.

“People of the Philippines are such an incredibly, globally minded, globally integrated community. People sometimes, when they come back home, want to have a little bit of taste of Canada that they may have experienced in Canada or anywhere in the world for that matter. That’s pretty much what we want to do here, make sure that we remain on people’s radar screen so to speak, and they know Canada is here. We are expanding our presence in the Philippines and we are proud of that,” Hartman said.

“We have to trade with the world. We are the second largest country in the world, with only 40 million people and so we can’t consume what we produce,” Hartman added.

Hartman said Canada will further enhance its trade partnership with the Philippines putting up more investments in the country to help create jobs.

“It doesn’t matter what industry sector it may be in from all sectors of the economy. We have a very, very strong and compelling value proposition to be able to bring to the region. And we want to create jobs and prosperity for both of our sides. We want make sure to find those economic partnerships and pairings that are truly a win-win for both the local economy here in Cebu and then the wider region and the Canadians as well,” Hartman said.