President Donald Trump greets Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., upon arrival at the White House, Tuesday, July 22, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
WASHINGTON — A modest US-Philippines trade deal sealed at the White House Tuesday drew sharp criticism from former US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr., who warned that the new 19% tariff on Philippine goods puts the country at a continued economic disadvantage.
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“The 19% tariff is a slight relief from the 20% originally floated by the Trump administration, but it still places Philippine exporters in a difficult position – especially compared to developing countries with free trade agreements like Mexico or Vietnam,” Thomas told Inquirer.net USA.
He added that many Philippine businesses operate on high-volume, low-margin models – such as garments and agricultural products – making them especially vulnerable to even small increases in trade costs.
Former US Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr. | CONTRIBUTED
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Thomas, who was the US ambassador to the Philippines from 2010 to 2013, urged Filipino trade leaders to pursue the renewal of the lapsed Generalized System of Preferences and explore deeper sectoral cooperation with Washington in areas like semiconductors and critical minerals.
“To add insult to injury,” he said, “hours after meeting President Marcos, President Trump announced a 15% reciprocal tariff agreement with Japan. The Philippines must press for more robust talks and enact reforms to remain globally competitive,” he said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. met with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday in a visit aimed at reinforcing economic and defense ties between the longtime allies. The summit marked the first by an ASEAN leader to the US during Trump’s second term.
The resulting agreement reduced US tariffs on Philippine goods to 19%, while Philippine tariffs on US imports were dropped to zero.
The two also reaffirmed the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and announced enhanced cooperation in cybersecurity, defense manufacturing and infrastructure development in the region.
After their bilateral meeting, Marcos called the United States the Philippines’ “most reliable ally” and emphasized Manila’s commitment to independent foreign policy even as geopolitical tensions rise in the South China Sea.
Trump called the US-Philippines relationship “ironclad” and praised Marcos as “a tough negotiator.”
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The trade deal also drew sharp reactions from Filipino American leaders.
New York State Assembly Member Steven Raga, the first and only Filipino elected official in the state, criticized the trade deal’s impact on working families and small businesses.
New York State Assemblymember Steven Raga | CONTRIBUTED
“Trump’s tariff policy is flat-out dangerous,” Raga told Inquirer.net USA. “Raising tariffs on Philippine goods shipped into the United States will shift the burden onto consumers and place Filipino businesses at risk. During the pandemic, Filipino American healthcare workers were essential. This 19% tariff shows just how quickly we are forgotten.”
Mariela Fletcher, national chair of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), echoed the economic concerns while calling for greater cooperation and fairness in the US-Philippine trade relations.
Mariela Fletcher, NaFFAA national chair | CONTRIBUTED
“As Filipino Americans who value both our heritage and our economic ties with the Philippines, we are concerned about the high 19% tariff rate,” Fletcher said in a statement sent to Inquirer.net USA.
“While the reduction from 20% is a small improvement, we continue to advocate for trade policies that promote economic bridges – not barriers – between our nations.”
Lack of engagement with the Filipino community
Outside the White House, more than 100 protesters from Filipino American and immigrant rights organizations demonstrated during Marcos’ visit, voicing opposition to both the increased tariffs and the expansion of US military cooperation in the Philippines.
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Many also criticized the lack of engagement with the Filipino community during the president’s stay.
Jom Dolor, a community organizer with Migrante USA, condemned what he called a lack of consular support for detained Filipinos and ongoing human rights concerns in the Philippines.
“Our people are getting disappeared and detained,” Dolor said.
Marcos’ visit marked his second to the White House since taking office, aligned with upcoming milestones in the US-Philippines alliance – 80 years of diplomatic relations and 75 years of security cooperation. Philippine officials indicated the possibility of inviting Trump to the East Asia Summit in 2026 during the Philippines’ chairmanship of ASEAN.
As the two governments refresh their strategic partnership, members of the Filipino American community say their voices must be part of the conversation — especially when economic policies directly affect families on both sides of the Pacific.
