Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs Frederick Go on Monday announced “very productive” discussions between the Philippine delegation and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).
Go, who recently returned from Washington D.C., said the Philippine team—which included Trade Secretary Cristina Roque and Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez—brought up concerns raised by local export stakeholders during their meeting with American trade officials.
“The discussions were extremely well-received,” Go said during a Palace press briefing, adding that they focused heavily on the semiconductor and electronics industries, which are the Philippines’ top exports to the United States.
Other sectors discussed included coconut, garments, furniture, food processing, and automotive parts.
Although Go cited confidentiality agreements that limited the release of specific outcomes, he said technical working groups from both sides, led on the Philippine side by Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Allan Gepty, will now handle the detailed follow-through of the initial talks.
Go also confirmed the go-ahead of the Luzon Economic Corridor, a flagship infrastructure initiative linking Subic, Clark, Manila, and Batangas through a rail project. The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has approved a $3.8 million grant to support the project’s development.
“You know this Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas rail will be very important to industry and trade because this will link the most important ports in our country—the Subic Port, the Manila Port and the Batangas Port, which together comprise over 80 percent of all volume of port traffic in our country,” he said.
“That’s why the Subic-Clark-Manila-Batangas rail is extremely important to our development,” Go added.
The announcement comes amid a broader context of shifting U.S. foreign assistance under the current administration of President Donald Trump. Despite aid cuts to some countries, Go said the Philippines’ economic corridor project remains supported.
Asked whether the recent talks could lead to a free trade agreement (FTA) with the U.S., Go said it is “too early to say,” noting that both sides must first work on a framework during a 90-day moratorium period for discussions.
“There is a date towards which both sides will work to come up with a framework,” he added.
However, Go declined to give details about a possible reduction in the 17% tariff on Philippine goods, reiterating that the negotiation process must be allowed to run its course.
He also acknowledged that other countries such as Japan, Korea, and Vietnam have yet to finalize any agreements following similar meetings with USTR, underscoring the complexity and length of trade negotiations.
Coordination with ASEAN on trade talks with the U.S. is ongoing, though Go clarified there is no consolidated negotiation at the moment.