Marcos urged to leverage PH-US alliance in Trump tariff meeting

President Marcos should remind United States (US) President Donald Trump that the Philippines is America’s “best ally” in Southeast Asia as the government pursues a beneficial trade deal amid the upcoming implementation of the 20 percent tariff, according to a prominent business leader.

Following a trilateral meeting with representatives of Japan and the Philippines, US State Secretary Marco Rubio announced that Marcos is scheduled to visit Washington, DC, “in a few days” to meet with Trump.

Malacañang later confirmed that the bilateral meeting is set within July 20 to 22.

Rubio said the US intends to build upon its strong economic and security ties with the Philippines.

So far, it is not certain if Marcos will join members of his Cabinet’s economic team who will visit the US next week to hold negotiations on tariffs.

Marcos’ first visit to the US since Trump assumed office in January comes after Trump’s move to raise the tariffs against Philippine goods entering America from 17 percent to 20 percent.

In his letter to Marcos, Trump said the tariffs are necessary to “correct” the Philippines’ trade deficits with the US, which he described as a “major threat” to the American economy and national security.

With the upcoming meeting, Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said Marcos should refrain from offering concessions to address the tariff issue.

When the tariff rate against the country’s goods was still at 17 percent, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) floated the potential of providing greater access to key exports of the US.

DTI Secretary Cristina Roque previously said the government may facilitate better access for exports such as vehicles and dairy products.

This is alongside importing a higher volume of frozen meat, soybeans, and other agricultural commodities.

Based on government data, the US accounts for approximately 20 percent of the country’s agricultural imports.

Ortiz-Luis has warned that such a move would cripple the agriculture sector, resulting in a substantial drop in the workforce while threatening food security.

“The best way for us is to just keep reminding them that what others are offering, you already have, we’ve already given it to you. We should remind them that we’re their best ally here,” he told Manila Bulletin.

Ortiz-Luis said the Philippines has essentially given “everything” to the US, from opening the country to Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites, purchasing defense equipment, and the planned establishment of an ammunition hub.

“Ano pa ine-negotiate natin? Binigyan na natin lahat sa kanila. (What else are we negotiating with? We’ve already given them everything),” he added.

The Philexport official said that instead of taking the Philippines for granted, the US should instead give the country “preferential treatment” given both nations’ long-standing trade relationship.

Based on the most recent announcements of update tariff rates, the Philippines remained the second-lowest tariff rate among member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

However, it is now joined by Vietnam, which earlier secured a deal with the US to cut its tariff down to 20 percent from 46 percent.

Ortiz-Luis said this is a “bad sign” as the initial 17 percent placed the country in an advantageous position to attract investments. By facing the same tariff as Vietnam, this positive outlook is now in deep jeopardy.

He said this uncertainty should drive policymakers to focus on strengthening the country’s programs related to the export industry, such as marketing and research and development.

Investing in the long-term, he said, means more funding for the DTI, which oversees the country’s exports.

In 2025, the DTI and its attached agencies were granted a total allocation of ₱8.60 billion, down 10 percent from ₱8.89 billion in the previous year. — Dexter Barro II