Bohol First District Representative Edgar Migriño Chatto was among the lawmakers who met with Canadian Parliament officials on March 1, 2023 to discuss ways to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.
Chatto, who is also an Assistant Majority Floor Leader of the House of Representatives, joined Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and other House leaders in welcoming Canadian Parliament Minister of International Development Harjit S. Sajjan and Parliament Member Rechel Valdez, the first Filipina to be elected to sit in the House of Commons.
The meeting was also attended by Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines David Hartman, who expressed his support for strengthening cooperation between Canada and the Philippines in various areas such as trade, education, and inter-parliamentary relations.
Romualdez said he was optimistic that the brief meeting would lead to more opportunities for collaboration and mutual benefit between the two nations. He thanked Hartman for his assistance in facilitating the dialogue.
Sajjan said that the objective of their visit was to listen, learn, and understand the plight of Filipinos. He said that Canada was not interested in imposing its own agenda but rather wanted to see what was better for the Philippines.
Chatto said he was honored to be part of the official House delegation and thanked Romualdez for inviting him. He said he hoped that their exchange would result in more concrete actions and projects that would benefit both countries.
Chatto is a lawyer and a veteran politician who has served as a congressman, governor, vice governor, board member, mayor, and assemblyman of Bohol. He is known for his advocacy on sustainable development goals and human rights.
In the same report, MP Valdez conveyed Canada’s launch of its Indo-Pacific Strategy, which seeks Canada’s long-term growth through the enhancement and diversification of its economic relationships with key Indo-Pacific economies, including the Philippines.
She said she looks forward to working with the Philippines to help the almost one million Filipinos staying in Canada.
Meanwhile, Valdez expressed delight that the Philippine and Canadian governments are aligned in terms of priorities, such as in addressing climate change, attaining food security, ensuring democracy, and fighting for human rights.
In the afternoon of the same day, Israeli Ambassador His Excellency Ilan Fluss paid a visit to Chatto in his office to discuss Climate Change, Agriculture, Water Management and Innovations.
Earlier, Chatto was also invited to be part of House contingent in talks with US Senators and Congressmen.