The Philippines is set to actively push for a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, as the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) expects the administration of President Donald Trump to remain receptive to such a deal.
Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo emphasized that the Philippines aims to capitalize on Trump’s openness to an FTA during his first term, noting that Trump was the only recent US president to express interest in a bilateral deal.
The Philippines plans to leverage this momentum to convert discussions into concrete policy initiatives to advance the FTA talks.
Additionally, Rodolfo highlighted the positive impact of key Trump administration officials, such as US Trade Representative nominee Jamieson Greer, on the bilateral trade relationship.
The push for a US-Philippines FTA is also seen as a catalyst to accelerate ongoing negotiations with the European Union for their free trade agreement.
Source: PhilNews24 | January 27, 2025
