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The Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. asserted that its members are compliant with international labor standards as the United States announced a plan to impose new tariffs of up to 12.5% on countries that failed to address importation of goods produced with forced labor
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The Office of the United States Trade said it found 60 economies, including the Philippines, that failed to enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor
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PHILEXPORT called on both the USTR and the Philippine government to continue engaging to highlight compliance as well as strengthening labor protection frameworks
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The USTR said it will hold hearings on the proposed actions on July 7
The Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (PHILEXPORT) asserted that its members are compliant with international labor standards as the United States announced a plan to impose new tariffs of up to 12.5% on countries that have supposedly failed to address importation of goods produced with forced labor.
“A blanket tariff approach risks penalizing compliant exporters and workers while overlooking the substantial reforms already undertaken by the Philippines,” PHILEXPORT President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. said in a statement.
The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), in a news release on June 2, said it found 60 economies, including the Philippines, that failed to enforce policies and practices relating to importation of goods produced with forced labor.
It said the USTR “determined under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 that the acts, policies, and practices of 60 economies related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labor is unreasonable and burdens or restricts U.S. commerce, and are thus actionable under Section 301(b) of the Trade Act.”
As such, the USTR is proposing “additional duties on all products of the investigated economies” ranging from 10% to 12.5%.
PHILEXPORT said its individual and organization members are implementing responsible sourcing, transparency, and compliance with labor standards demanded by global markets.
“We urge the USTR to engage in constructive dialogue with Philippine authorities and the private sector to better appreciate the reforms already undertaken and the continuing measures being implemented,” Ortiz-Luis said.
At the same time, he urged the Philippine government to continue engaging with US trade authorities to strengthen the country’s labor enforcement framework and highlight compliance efforts.
Several Philippine laws strictly prohibit forced labor, slavery, involuntary servitude, and human trafficking. These include Republic Act No. 9208 or the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act, as amended by Republic Acts No. 10364 and No. 11862, as well as Republic Act No. 10361 or the Domestic Workers Act.
The Philippines has also strengthened its position against forced labor through adherence to key International Labour Organization standards, including Convention No. 105 on the Abolition of Forced Labour, and more recently Convention No. 190 on violence and harassment in the world of work, PHILEXPORT noted.
The country is also working toward ratifying the 2014 Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention, which further strengthens measures to prevent forced labor and protect victims.
“PHILEXPORT remains committed to supporting initiatives that uphold workers’ rights, strengthen supply chain integrity, preserve market access, and foster a fair, rules-based international trading environment,” Ortiz-Luis said.
The USTR said it will hold hearings on the proposed actions on July 7, 2026.
READ: PHILEXPORT calls for continued dialogues amid new US tariff uncertainty
