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BBoreal Trade

Market · Philippines

Exporting Canadian food to Philippines

Agreement status and duty implication

Not in force: in negotiation. Global Affairs Canada records the Canada–Philippines Free Trade Agreement as “In negotiations”: exploratory discussions were announced in a joint ministerial statement on 5 December 2024, and a Notice of Intent to enter into negotiations was tabled on 5 November 2025. The Philippines is not a CPTPP party. A Canada–Philippines Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement has been in force since 13 November 1996, but it governs investment, not tariff treatment.

The Philippines is an English-language market, which removes one barrier and quietly creates another: because the paperwork reads easily, exporters tend to assume the requirements are lighter than they are. They are not. Registration is a documented process with a defined holder, and the duty position depends on your tariff classification rather than on the trading relationship in general. We publish the classification and rate per product with the source and the date. Where they read "available on request", we have not verified that line and will not put a plausible number in its place.

Registration pathway

  1. 01 · Confirm the product falls within Philippine FDA food scope

    Philippine FDA

    Determines whether a Certificate of Product Registration is required.

    Typical duration: On request

  2. 02 · Appoint an importer holding a Licence to Operate

    Commercial arrangement

    The CPR is issued against an importer LTO; the exporter cannot hold it.

    Typical duration: On request

  3. 03 · Importer secures or confirms its Licence to Operate

    Philippine FDA

    Must be current and cover the relevant product category.

    Typical duration: On request

  4. 04 · File the Certificate of Product Registration application

    Philippine FDA

    Includes specification, labelling, certificate of free sale and CFIA certification.

    Typical duration: On request

  5. 05 · Label review

    Philippine FDA

    English-language labelling is accepted; specific mandatory particulars apply.

    Typical duration: On request

  6. 06 · Customs clearance and first import

    Bureau of Customs

    Tariff treatment depends on classification and applicable preference.

    Typical duration: On request

Available on request: send your specification and destination and we'll confirm within five working days.

Who holds the registration

The Certificate of Product Registration is issued against an importer that holds a current Licence to Operate, so the entity you appoint as importer is the entity your registration lives with. Two consequences follow, and both are commercial rather than technical. First, the importer must actually hold an LTO covering your product category before anything can be filed, and a licence that covers a neighbouring category does not carry across. Second, your regulatory standing and your route to market are bundled into one counterparty, so what happens to the registration if you change importer is a question for the distribution agreement, not for later.

Logistics

Main ports: Manila (North and South Harbour), Subic Bay, Cebu

Transit from Vancouver: On request

Transit from Montreal: On request

Canadian suppliers registered for Philippines

Federally registered establishments in the categories where Canada publishes establishment numbers, with whatever Philippines has approved shown first.

Common questions

Is there a free trade agreement between Canada and the Philippines?
Not in force: in negotiation. Global Affairs Canada records the Canada–Philippines Free Trade Agreement as “In negotiations”: exploratory discussions were announced in a joint ministerial statement on 5 December 2024, and a Notice of Intent to enter into negotiations was tabled on 5 November 2025. The Philippines is not a CPTPP party. A Canada–Philippines Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement has been in force since 13 November 1996, but it governs investment, not tariff treatment. This was read from Global Affairs Canada on 2026-09-01.
What are the steps to register a food product in the Philippines?
6 stages: confirm the product falls within philippine fda food scope, appoint an importer holding a licence to operate, importer secures or confirms its licence to operate, file the certificate of product registration application, label review, customs clearance and first import. Each is set out on this page with the authority that handles it.
Which authority regulates imported food in the Philippines?
Philippine FDA, Bureau of Customs. Which one you deal with depends on the stage: classification, the product filing and customs clearance are not handled by the same body.
Who holds the product registration in the Philippines?
The Certificate of Product Registration is issued against an importer that holds a current Licence to Operate, so the entity you appoint as importer is the entity your registration lives with. Two consequences follow, and both are commercial rather than technical.
What are the food labelling requirements in the Philippines?
Labelling here is in English, which makes the review faster but not optional. The mandatory particulars, how they must be expressed, and which claims are permitted are set by the destination regulator and differ from Canadian requirements in specific places: nutrition presentation and permitted claims are the usual sou...

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Sources

Last reviewed: September 1, 2026