Several Filipino lawmakers had lukewarm reaction to the trade agreement between the Philippines and United States following the meeting of Presidents Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and Donald Trump at the Oval Office in Washington DC.
On Wednesday, Trump reduced the tariffs imposed against the Philippines by 1 percentage point after Manila agreed to open its market to Washington with zero trade dues.
While Marcos touted the deal as “significant achievement,” lawmakers back home were not as elated about the result of the negotiations.
“Nineteen percent vs zero percent tariffs is definitely not the most fair deal between decades-old friends or allies like the United States and the Philippines. If I may add, it is the worst insult that a host can throw at his guest,” Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson said.
Marcos and other Cabinet members flew to the US to finalize the deal. Lacson said it might be “time for us to look for other trade partners.”
Sen. Imee Marcos, sister of the President, was also critical of the deal.
“I have yet to see the final agreement. However, a mere 1 percent reduction in tariff rates for Philippine goods while having zero tariffs for US goods certainly does not look like a win for the Philippines,” Sen. Marcos said.
Sen. JV Ejercito also believes the deal was “grossly disadvantageous to the Philippines.”
“Masyado tayong dehado. Bakit tila lagi tayong naiisahan sa mga ganitong usapan? Sana ay gawing patas man lang kung tunay na kakampi ang tingin sa atin,” he said.
For ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, the agreement was a “historic sell-out of Philippine sovereignty.”
“This visit has turned out to be a disastrous humiliation ritual where Marcos Jr. surrenders markets and sovereignty while Trump gets to crow about ‘winning,’” Tinio said.
“So much for the ‘ironclad’ special relationship,” he added.
Meanwhile, group Akbayan was also unhappy with the deal, calling it a “lopsided agreement.”
“Yun na yun? That’s all we got in exchange for jetting off while the country was underwater? A 1 percent tariff cut and vague promises? The Filipino people deserve more than platitudes,” Akbayan president Rafaela David said.
For ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio, the agreement was a “historic sell-out of Philippine sovereignty.”
“This visit has turned out to be a disastrous humiliation ritual where Marcos Jr. surrenders markets and sovereignty while Trump gets to crow about ‘winning,’” Tinio said.
“So much for the ‘ironclad’ special relationship,” he added.
Meanwhile, group Akbayan was also unhappy with the deal, calling it a “lopsided agreement.”
“Yun na yun? That’s all we got in exchange for jetting off while the country was underwater? A 1 percent tariff cut and vague promises? The Filipino people deserve more than platitudes,” Akbayan president Rafaela David said.
