MANILA – The Philippines is looking to negotiate the 12.5 percent tariff slapped by the United States on Philippine exports over its supposed failure to curb importation of goods produced with forced labor.
In a text message on Friday, Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez said Manila “will look to lowering it to at least 10 percent.”
“We have been in continuous discussion. Technically, 12.5 percent is still much lower than the previous 19 percent, which was scrapped by the US Supreme Court,” he said.
“We are going to negotiate on the basis that we will remove the child labor goods from our list of exports if it is proven to be so,” he added.
The envoy said Trade Undersecretary Allan Gepty is heading the negotiation team.
The US Trade Representative (USTR) on Friday announced that the Trump administration is imposing tariffs on 60 economies, including the Philippines, for failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor. (PNA)
