Philippine exporters are grappling with renewed uncertainty following the implementation of a fresh round of United States tariffs, with industry leaders warning that shifting trade signals from Washington are leaving businesses in limbo.
Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PHILEXPORT) President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis Jr. said the export sector is still assessing the potential impact of US President Donald Trump’s new 10% blanket tariff on imported goods, describing the evolving US trade policy as “confusing” and difficult to interpret.
Ortiz-Luis said the latest tariff order has left domestic exporters feeling “insecure” and “in limbo” as they await clearer guidance on its scope and duration.
Trump signed an executive order on February 20, 2026 imposing a 10% global tariff, which took effect on February 24, following a US Supreme Court ruling that invalidated his most sweeping duties. The US president has also threatened to raise the import tax further to 15%.
“It is not very clear to us how this will finally affect Philippine exports,” Ortiz-Luis said, noting that exporters are carefully reviewing the fine print of the new order.
He recalled that when the Philippines was previously subjected to a 19% tariff, the outcome was unexpectedly positive. Electronics and agricultural products — which account for the bulk of Philippine shipments to the US — were excluded from coverage, resulting in stronger-than-projected export performance last year.
“That 19% tariff did not really hurt us because our main products were exempted,” he said. “In fact, we even exceeded our export projections.”
However, with the new 10% tariff now in force, it remains uncertain whether Philippine goods will be covered, especially since the country had earlier entered into a tariff arrangement with the US involving a 19% rate on certain products.
“We don’t really know what will happen. We are in limbo,” Ortiz-Luis said.
Despite the unpredictability, he stressed that the Philippines began taking precautionary measures as early as last year. These include diversifying export markets and pursuing additional trade agreements with partners such as Canada and countries in the Middle East, while continuing dialogue with the United States.
Malacañang earlier confirmed that the Philippines will sustain close bilateral engagement with Washington to preserve strong economic ties, even after the US Supreme Court struck down Trump’s broader global tariff framework.
Beyond external negotiations, Ortiz-Luis called on the Philippine government to move beyond “lip service” and extend concrete support to exporters. He cited the need for improved access to financing, larger budgets for trade promotion, stronger product development programs, and more robust participation in overseas trade fairs.
He noted that ASEAN neighbors such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia deploy well-funded delegations of up to 200 exporters to major international trade exhibits, while the Philippines typically sends only around 10 participants, most of whom shoulder their own expenses.
Ortiz-Luis also flagged the country’s limited export financing environment, describing the Philippine export sector as among the most “underbanked” in Asia, with local banks hesitant to extend credit due to perceived higher risks in export ventures.
As the new US tariff regime unfolds, Philippine exporters are bracing for further developments, hoping for clarity in US trade policy while urging stronger domestic support to sustain growth in an increasingly volatile global market.