This has been circulating online, and many Filipinos don’t seem impressed with the news. Before the president's visit, the tariff was 20%, and now it's 19%. They're calling it a “significant win,” but for real - is it?
we impose lower tariffs (or even none at all) on U.S. products entering the country. so what exactly are we celebrating here?
Feels like we’re being taken for a ride, hyping up something that barely scratches the surface.
Almost like clapping for a clown just because he managed to entertain us so well.
https://www.philstar.com/business/2025/07/23/2460120/marcos-1-reduction-us-tariff-still-significant-achievementMANILA, Philippines — After a historic visit to the White House yielded just a 1% reduction in US tariffs on Philippine goods, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. still called it a win.
The tariff rate, previously at 17%, was raised by US President Donald Trump to 20% before Marcos’ visit.
Marcos met with Trump and other US officials to discuss defense and trade matters, with the Philippine side hoping to secure lower tariff rates.
“I can already tell everyone, as it’s come out already, that we managed to bring down the 20% tariff rate for the Philippines to 19. Now, 1% might seem like a very small concession. However, when you put it into – in real terms, it is a significant achievement,” Marcos said in a media interview released on Wednesday, July 23.
Marcos attributed the “special relationship” between the US and the Philippines.
What's Up with the 19%? Previously, Trump also signed a reciprocal tariff agreement with Indonesia at 19%, but with the additional condition of free transfer of personal data, which naturally raised concerns about data security threats and geopolitical issues. Unlike Indonesia, where the points of the agreement have been written down, the Philippines has yet to finalize the details of the agreement between the two countries.
In my opinion, almost all world leaders agree that the trade agreement with America was never a mutually beneficial agreement, but rather a one-way deal where in the end America had to profit more. For Indonesia, although the tariff reduction from 32% to 19% seems impressive, the reality is that there are still commitments that Indonesia must fulfill, including purchasing US$4.5 billion worth of US agricultural products, US$15 billion worth of US energy products, purchasing 50 Boeing 777 aircraft, and providing full access to the Indonesian market. American goods enter the Indonesian market with a 0% tariff.
For Indonesia, this agreement, while seemingly detrimental, is actually beneficial. The existence of China-America trade tariff barriers has led China to use Indonesia as a pivot point. China has moved much of its manufacturing to Indonesia, which ultimately benefits both Indonesia and China from increasing Indonesia's trade volume with the United States.
Meanwhile, I see the Philippines positioning itself as the most anti-China country in Southeast Asia. This is fueled by the South China Sea conflict and the tensions in defense and security relations between China and the Philippines.
On the other hand, the historical defense and security relationship between the Philippines and the United States is deeply rooted in the Marcos Sr. administration, which is currently being continued by Marcos Jr. Therefore, the economic and trade relationship between the Philippines, China, and the United States follows primary national interests.