Philippine and US trade and economic officials discuss Philippine-US trade and investment relations during a meeting in Washington DC on May 2, 2025. The Philippine Embassy in Washington DC said Saturday (May 3, 2025) that both sides expressed optimism on the future of Philippine-US trade and investment relations, especially in the context of economic security and fair, balanced, and reciprocal trade. (Photo courtesy of the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC)
A high-level Philippine economic delegation engaged in “productive” and “positive” discussions with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer in Washington DC on May 2, according to the Philippine Embassy.
The meeting was held as part of the Philippine government’s efforts to negotiate the suspension of a 17 percent reciprocal tariff on goods from the Philippines, a measure initially imposed by former US President Donald Trump.
In a joint statement, both parties agreed to take concrete steps to strengthen the economic relationship, acknowledging the complementary nature of their economies and the strategic importance of their alliance.
Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel Romualdez, chose not to elaborate on the specifics of the talks but expressed confidence that a mutually beneficial agreement would be reached. “We cannot discuss details at the moment, but we are optimistic that both countries will come to an agreement that works for us both,” Romualdez told the Philippine News Agency.
When asked about the possibility of further rounds of negotiations, Romualdez responded, “We will wait for the next steps.”
The Philippine delegation was led by Special Assistant to the President for Investment and Economic Affairs, Frederick Go, Trade Secretary Cristina Aldeguer-Roque, and Ambassador Romualdez.
Both sides expressed a shared optimism for the future of trade and investment relations, particularly in the areas of economic security, and a fair and reciprocal trade agreement. The embassy emphasized that the discussions highlighted the significance of fostering an “economically and strategically strong partnership” between the US and the Philippines.
Prior to the meeting, Secretary Roque shared that the Philippine government’s goal is to reduce the tariff rate on Philippine goods to “zero tariff.”
In April, President Trump announced a 90-day pause on the higher reciprocal tariffs, but a blanket 10 percent tariff on all of the US’s trading partners remains in place.