PH to push for US tariff exemption of local goods
The Philippine government is pushing for tariff exemptions on local products not produced in the United States, as trade talks with Washington continue.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said tariff negotiators are aiming at this concession. This, even if US President Donald Trump’s tariff policy was not discussed in the recently concluded Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) agriculture and forestry ministers’ meeting in Manila.
“They (US-Asean Business Council) have mentioned that there is openness, there’s a possibility of exemptions on certain products that are not produced, planted, manufactured or processed in the US,” Tiu Laurel said on Thursday.
“The Philippines will be pursuing that angle … as we knew about the position recently,” he said in a press briefing on the 47th meeting of the Asean Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry.
Tiu Laurel also said the US tariff was raised in informal talks.
“But in general, the discussion on tariffs is mostly done over lunch by a simple question: have you resolved or have you closed … do you have a final agreement on the US tariffs with your country or the United States?” he added.
Tiu Laurel earlier said the Philippines and its neighbors remain on a level playing field. That is, since the reciprocal tariffs imposed on Asean countries are relatively the same.
“But of course, we are here to hopefully find ways to negotiate with America,” he said.
“The US delegation also mentioned that there might be certain exemptions to the imposed tariffs and that’s part of what we’ll look for during this meeting,” he told reporters.
‘Mutually beneficial’
Angel Ignacio, undersecretary of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, did not provide additional details about trade discussions. Ignacio only said the government will work on securing “an optimal and mutually beneficial rate” for both countries.
The US government slapped a 19-percent tariff on Philippine exports to America, nearly the same import duty imposed on Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand.
According to an issuance promulgated by the White House, certain export items are excluded from the reciprocal tariffs announced by Trump such as desiccated coconuts, coconut meat and coconut oil.
Tiu Laurel said the high-level meeting held in Pasay City discussed increasing trade among the regional bloc “so that we can rely on each other first rather than rely on others that are far away.”
Aside from bolstering the region’s resilience to trade uncertainties, the agriculture chief said the gathering also tackled exploring other markets to promote Asean products.
