President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. left for the United States on Sunday and is set to meet US President Donald Trump as well as state, defense, and trade officials as well as American business leaders.
The state visit, he said upon his departure, was essential to continue advancing our national interest in strengthening our alliance. According to Mr. Marcos, his top agenda is to push for greater economic engagement in terms of trade and investment between the two nations.
The top-level meeting comes just after the Trump administration’s announcement of a 20-percent tariff on Philippine goods. The rate, which is scheduled to take effect Aug. 1, is higher than the 17 percent originally set for the Philippines that was announced in April.
The Philippines will seek to negotiate the rate through “constructive and mutually beneficial dialogue” with the US.
In fact the Philippines is one of six countries that were notified by the Trump administration of the new rates; they were told that these were a response to trade ties that are “far from reciprocal.” Adjustments to these rates, Trump wrote, could be considered if these countries changed their trade policies.
Indeed, US-Philippines relations are sturdier in some aspects than in others. In defense, particularly, the Americans have reiterated their ironclad commitment to helping us defend our territorial integrity from various threats, including incursions from the Chinese in the West Philippine Sea. On this front, the US – alongside other countries – has been unequivocal in its support for the Philippines.
It is on the economic front, then, that the true extent of the US-Philippine partnership will be tested. We will be following the progress of President Marcos’ conversation with Mr. Trump and truly hope that there is such a thing as a mutually beneficial convergence point.
After all, the ultimate beneficiaries – or casualties – of such high-level trade and investment arrangements will be the majority of the Filipino people who are trying to eke out a decent living for their families.
