The Philippine government has resumed its official interaction with Canada after it retrieved the heaps of garbage illegally shipped to the country years ago.
Malacañang has issued a formal order “lifting the restrictions on travels to Canada and official interaction with representatives of the Canadian government.”
The memorandum, signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea last June 4, was addressed to all department secretaries and heads of agencies, government-owned and or -controlled corporations, and government financial institutions.
“This refers to this Office’s Memorandum, dated 20 May 2019, directing all department secretaries and heads of agencies, GOCCs, and GFIs to refrain from issuing travel authorities for foreign trips to Canada, and to reduce official interaction with representatives of the Canadian Government,” the memo said.
“In view of the Canadian Government’s retrieval and reshipment to Canada of the containers of garbage mentioned in the aforesaid directive, please be informed that such directive is hereby LIFTED, effective immediately,” it added.
Medialdea’s memorandum was released to the public by Malacañang yesterday.
President Duterte earlier threatened to declare war if Canada fails to ship back to their country the tons of garbage that arrived in the country between 2013 and 2014.
Duterte gave Canada until May 15 to retrieve the trash but Ottawa missed the deadline. It was then the Philippines sought “diminished diplomatic relations” with Canada that included recalling the country’s ambassador and consul general, and banning official trips to Canada by government officials.
Sixty-nine containers of garbage from Canada were eventually shipped back to its place of origin late last month, ending the dispute between the two countries. (Genalyn Kabiling)