THE Philippines will “continue engaging” with the United States after it imposed a 12.5 percent tariff on Philippine exports, Malacañang said on Saturday.
The statement comes after the US on Friday found that the Philippines "failed to impose and effectively enforce a forced labor import prohibition." The Philippines joins 60 other countries affected by the tariff.
In a statement, Malacañang said it respects the US decision while emphasizing that it has a “strong policy against forced labor.”
“We will continue engaging with the US while reviewing the coverage of the exemptions and their impact on Philippine exports,” the statement said.
Malacañang highlighted proactive steps taken by the government to address regulatory concerns, noting that Cabinet agencies had established a legal framework to inspect and prevent illicit imports prior to the announcement.
“We also informed them that a joint administrative order (JAO), signed yesterday, establishes a mechanism to prevent the importation of products made through forced labor,” the statement added.
The JAO, jointly signed by the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Labor and Employment, and the Department of Finance (DOF), forms an inter-agency committee tasked with receiving, evaluating and investigating complaints regarding imported goods produced through forced labor.
In a statement, the DOF said, “The JAO reinforces the Marcos administration's shared commitment in ensuring that goods entering the Philippine market are not produced through forced labor and that our trade policies remain aligned with internationally recognized labor standards.”
The US defended the measure as part of a broader global enforcement strategy aimed at combating human rights abuses and market distortions resulting from labor exploitation.
“The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century, and rigorously enforces it; it’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same,” said US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
