Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque said the Philippines is now operating under a temporary 10-percent tariff imposed by the United States, which is in effect for 90 days as part of a broader reciprocal tariff policy announced by President Donald Trump on April 2, 2025.
Speaking at the sidelines of a Department of Trade and Industry (DTI)-led donation event Tuesday, Roque said she actively seeks a meeting with her US counterpart to clarify the Philippines’ long-term tariff standing.
“We’re now at 10 percent for 90 days. We’ve already requested a meeting three weeks ago, and they’ve acknowledged it. We’re just waiting for the schedule,” Roque said.
“Once we have that, we will definitely talk about it. This is not something we intend to keep under wraps. The Filipino people need to know, and globally, everyone is watching this development,” she said.
Roque said that while the 10 percent rate applies temporarily to most US trading partners, what follows after the 90-day period remains uncertain.
“We don’t want to speculate, whether it goes up to 70 percent or drops to 17 percent. Of course, if our ASEAN neighbors face higher rates, that could benefit us—but we can’t assume anything until we’ve had the meeting,” she said.
Former DTI undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba said the Philippines is emerging as the least affected among ASEAN countries under the new US tariff scheme.
While many nations face steep increases, the Philippines is subject to a relatively modest 17 percent rate once the temporary period ends, with high-value exports such as semiconductors and integrated circuits—accounting for roughly 30 percent of Philippine exports to the US—exempted entirely.
Vietnam and Thailand face significantly higher tariffs of up to 46 percent, impacting key sectors like electronics, textiles and automotive parts.
“The Philippines is uniquely positioned to benefit in this shifting trade landscape,” Aldaba said, citing the country’s young and skilled workforce, growing innovation ecosystem, and strategic location as potential draws for supply chain relocations.
Roque said that while awaiting final outcomes, the government is working closely with other agencies to refine the Philippines’ position and explore possible exceptions to the tariff regime.
“We’re crunching numbers, meeting constantly, and preparing our case. The goal is to secure the best terms possible for our exporters,” she said.
The DTI, on Tuesday, donated high-powered laptops to the Department of Education (DepEd) to support the integration of AI infrastructure into the education system.
Procured under the DTI’s Tatak Pinoy Strategy, the laptops are equipped for advanced AI and data analytics applications, showcasing inter-agency collaboration to advance educational technology.
