Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Cristina Roque remains optimistic on export growth for the rest of 2025 amid the impact of United States tariff on Philippine exports, citing market diversification as among the keys to address the issue.

She declined to give any figures on the possible hit of the US protectionist policy on Philippine export growth this year, but stressed that “we will really try to maneuver, especially since this is not within our control.”

“The US tariff is really up to the US, so we just have to adapt to whatever changes or whatever they want from us,” she told the media on the sidelines of the 51st Philippine Business Conference and Expo media launch in Taguig City on Monday.

Roque said several free trade agreements (FTA) are on the pipeline for the country, such as those with the United Arab Emirates, Chile, Japan, and the European Commission.

“But, on the side of the exporters, they’re really finding other markets also and we’re really helping them find other markets like Europe, especially when the EU (European Union) FTA is already signed and done,” she explained.

Roque said they continue to negotiate on the 19 percent reciprocal tariff on US exports, especially with the proposal to levy electronics 100 percent.

She believes exports would be able to sustain its strong growth, with the June 2025 level alone rising by 26.1 percent on an annual basis, from 15.5 percent the previous month.

She is also keen on keeping the PHP1.7 trillion investment approvals target for this year, noting the lineup of trade-related trips in the coming months, including in the Middle East, Cambodia, Japan, New York, and France.

“We’re really finding more avenues, more markets, (and) more countries. And especially with all the Presidential visits na maganda naman ang response (which have positive responses),” she added. (PNA)