Business Inquirer - 11 February 2026
US open to discuss free trade with Philippines, says envoy
By Jordeene B. Lagare
The United States is prepared to discuss a free trade agreement (FTA) with the Philippines, although the government is focused on addressing other pressing matters to attract investments, an envoy said.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said on Tuesday the Trump administration had expressed its openness to forging an FTA with the Philippines.
“If you remember, [during] the first Trump administration, there was a push for that. But we were already on the verge of having some serious conversations on the free trade agreement with the United States, and it was important, obviously, for that to happen,” Romualdez said at the US-Philippines Society Press Briefing held in Makati City.
Despite enacting laws aimed at spurring foreign investments, Romualdez said the Philippine government was dealing with “more important things at this time.”
“I don’t think we’re prepared to go into discussions on that one until we have more or less solidified our agreement on this, on the tariffs,” he told reporters.
Romualdez said the government was pleased with the trade concessions it had secured from the US, with nearly all requests granted, including exemptions covering more than $1 billion worth of Philippine agricultural exports.
According to the ambassador, US companies operating in the business process outsourcing sector helped ensure that the industry would remain exempt from Trump’s tariff policy.
Semiconductors
“The reduction to the 19 percent [tariff] is really more specific on particular industries like the semiconductor, which is still being discussed right now,” the Philippine envoy said.
Romualdez also said the Semiconductor Industry Association in the US was raising the matter in Washington to ensure this won’t disrupt trade. He added, “We have a very large export community here and mostly these are American companies that are operating here.”
n January, US President Donald Trump issued a proclamation imposing an immediate 25 percent ad valorem duty on imports of semiconductors, semiconductor manufacturing equipment and their derivative products to address national security concerns.
Trump also directed US government officials to jointly negotiate agreements or continue any current discussions on agreements.
“In the near future, President Trump may impose broader tariffs on imports of semiconductors and their derivative products, as well as an accompanying tariff offset program to incentivize domestic manufacturing as previously announced,” based on the fact sheet provided by the White House.
