MANILA — The Philippine government will push to revive talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States during the upcoming meeting between President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and US President Donald Trump, set to take place in April or May, according to Philippine Ambassador to the US, Jose Manuel Romualdez.
In a Tuesday (04 Mar 2025) interview, Romualdez expressed optimism that the Trump administration would be open to pursuing bilateral FTAs, noting that trade relations should always be fair between nations. He added that the Philippines currently doesn’t have major trade issues with the US, as the trade surplus in favor of the Philippines is relatively small compared to other countries.
While discussions on a potential bilateral FTA were initiated during Trump’s first term, talks were stalled when the Biden administration showed no interest in new preferential trade agreements.
Both leaders have expressed interest in meeting in person, and Romualdez confirmed ongoing communication with the White House regarding the agenda and potential scheduling for the meeting.
Additionally, Romualdez highlighted Manila’s intention to explore the import of liquefied natural gas from Alaska, with the US planning to revive its long-delayed $44 billion gas pipeline project.
Looking ahead, the ambassador remains confident that the Philippines-US alliance will remain strong under President Trump’s leadership. He recalled that the alliance was previously described as “ironclad” during Trump’s first term. Romualdez emphasized that the Marcos administration is focused on strengthening both the country’s defense and economy, in preparation for future challenges.
“More than ever, we must be ready to defend ourselves,” he said, noting that bolstering the armed forces is a priority for President Marcos.
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