DTI chief, Pres spox to US for tariff talks

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque and Special Assistant to the President for Investments and Economic Affairs Frederick Go will travel to Washington, D.C., from April 29 to May 2 to negotiate a lower tariff rate as part of President Donald Trump's executive order.

Their primary goal is to secure mutually beneficial arrangements by offering to increase imports such as soybeans and other agricultural products from the U.S. while considering the impact on local agriculture.

Roque emphasized that the Philippines aims to bring down tariffs and strengthen its relationship with the US during their meetings with US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer and Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick.

To prepare for these talks, Roque held a stakeholders' consultation earlier this week to gather inputs from various industries.

The Philippine economic team will meet before the trip to finalize negotiation strategies and ensure that decisions are based on broad consultations with different sectors.