Marcos to take up tariffs, security ties with Trump
Economic cooperation and mutual defense and security will be the central issues that would be discussed during the bilateral meeting between President Marcos and US President Donald Trump next week, a foreign affairs official said on Thursday.
Mr. Marcos’ July 20-July 22 trip to Washington, his first official visit to the United States under Trump, will also include talks with American business leaders who are already in the process of investing in the Philippines, Foreign Assistant Secretary for American Affairs Raquel Solano said during a briefing in Malacañang.
“During the visit, the two leaders will discuss closer cooperation in economic, defense and security matters of common interest,” Solano said. “As you are all aware, the President’s official visit also aims to address the US tariff proposed to be levied on Philippine exports.”
The two leaders are also expected to exchange views on regional concerns and the issues linked to the West Philippine Sea would be “ultimately” discussed, according to Solano.
“As to the possible agreements, we’re hoping to secure the assistance or support of the US government in enhancing the capabilities of our AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and coast guard,” she said.
Solano did not specify the kinds of assistance that the Philippine military and coast guard were seeking from the United States.
First Asean leader invited
She said that Mr. Marcos was the first head of state from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to be invited to visit the United States for a meeting with Trump.
For his part, Mr. Marcos will invite Trump to attend the East Asia Summit in 2026 to be hosted by Manila, she said.
The East Asia Summit is a yearly forum focused on strategic dialogue and cooperation among leaders from East Asian countries, including China, South Korea and Japan.
“Coincidentally, our two countries will mark 80 years of our diplomatic relations and 75 years of the alliance next year and it will be an auspicious time for President Trump to come to Manila,” Solano said.
Little to bargain with
The President’s delegation includes Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., Trade Secretary Christina Roque and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año.
Solano said Mr. Marcos would be unable to meet with the Filipino community in the US capital due to the limited time he would have on this trip.
Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr., honorary chair of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the Philippines would have little to bargain with when the talks between the two leaders turn to the US tariffs.
“We already gave everything,” Ortiz-Luis told the Inquirer on Friday when asked what other privileges the country could offer the United States.
According to Ortiz-Luis, the Philippines will “just have to keep reminding [the US] that we are their best allies” and among the region’s top customers of American military equipment. Trump may just budge on the tariff issue if reminded about this, he said.
Earlier this year, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced the proposed sale of 20 F-16 fighter jets and related equipment worth around $5.58 billion to the Philippines for a major upgrade of the air force of a key US ally in the Indo-Pacific.
The Philippines also recently approved a US proposal to build two new boat maintenance facilities (BMFs) in Palawan—one in a naval detachment in Puerto Princesa and another in the coastal town of Quezon—both facing the West Philippine Sea.
17 became 20
The US Embassy said last Wednesday that the US Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command issued two public solicitations for private contractors regarding the BMF’s design and construction on July 7.
During his “Liberation Day” tariff announcement in April, Trump imposed a 17-percent duty on all goods coming from the Philippines. After a 90-day pause, this rose to 20 percent effective on Aug. 1. The higher tariff is expected to affect the electronics, garments, agriculture and food sectors the most.
“Everybody was negotiating on the side,” Ortiz-Luis said. “We have to offer something, and we may not have been able to offer anything.”
The only thing left now, according to Ortiz-Luis, was the agriculture sector, although using this as a bargaining chip may hurt Filipino farmers.
Earlier this week, the Federation of Free Farmers warned the government against using the agriculture sector to lower the tariff, saying that it could have “devastating” effects.
In 2024, the United States was the Philippines’ leading export destination, accounting for $12.14 billion, or 16.6 percent, of the total $73.27 billion export sales, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show.
First lady again not joining
First lady Liza Araneta-Marcos won’t be able to join the President on his trip to the United States this time as she would just be heading home from Saudi Arabia as the presidential party departs for Washington.
Undersecretary Claire Castro, the Palace press officer, said the first lady was on a “working visit” to Riyadh, which began on July 18.
The President’s wife was to meet overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there and attend the launching of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration Serbisyo Caravan.
She will also visit Bahay Kalinga 1 and 2, which shelter distressed women OFWs, children and babies, Castro said.
Her trip “will highlight the steadfast commitment of the Marcos administration to the welfare of OFWs and their families,” Castro said.
This will not be the first time the first lady had skipped the President’s foreign trip. She did not accompany him on his visit to Washington in April 2024 for the trilateral meeting with then US President Joe Biden and then Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Tantoco death
Her absence, however, follows the controversy surrounding the death of businessman Juan Paolo “Paowee” Tantoco, the husband of her deputy social secretary Dina Arroyo-Tantoco, in Los Angeles last March.
Some US and local reports said that he was part of the first lady’s official entourage promoting the Manila International Film Festival in Miami, Florida, and Los Angeles, California, from March 5 to March 8, and that she was in the same Beverly Hills hotel room when Tantoco died of supposed cocaine use. These were denied by Malacañang. —WITH A REPORT FROM INQUIRER RESEARCH
