By supplychainreport
The Philippine government has expressed optimism following recent discussions in Washington, D.C. regarding reciprocal tariffs, emphasizing a mutual desire to enhance bilateral trade relations with the United States.
Frederick Go, Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, led the Philippine delegation and described the outcome as “very positive,” highlighting that the welfare of local industries was a priority during the talks.
“We made sure to put the welfare of Philippine local industries at the center of our negotiations. We are hopeful that these discussions mark the beginning of a process toward arrangements from both sides that will not only strengthen US-Philippines trade ties but also help diversify our country’s export markets,” Go said in a statement released on May 4.
Joining Go were Trade Secretary Cristina Roque and Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez. The delegation met with US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer to outline the opportunities and challenges surrounding current tariff arrangements, particularly for Philippine exports.
Currently, the United States levies a 17 percent tariff on exports from the Philippines, one of the lowest among Southeast Asian countries. However, the US recently announced a 90-day pause on the implementation of reciprocal tariffs, temporarily reducing the rate to 10 percent for most trading partners to allow room for dialogue.
“Our goal for this meeting is a partnership that benefits both sides and supports the growth of our industries at home,” Go stated.
Roque echoed this sentiment, noting that the delegation clearly communicated the interests and concerns of Philippine industries during the discussions.
“We were able to clearly convey to the USTR our local industries’ requests and concerns and we are hopeful this will yield our desired results,” Roque said.
Before the meeting, Roque had indicated that the Philippines would formally request a reduction of the reciprocal tariff to zero.
The United States remains a key trading partner for the Philippines, serving as the country’s top export destination in 2023, with shipments valued at $12.14 billion—accounting for 17 percent of total merchandise exports.
#PhilippinesTrade #TariffTalks #USPhilippinesRelations #ExportGrowth #SupplyChainNews
