The Philippines is smarting from a humiliating trade deal with U.S. President Donald Trump, saddled with a 19% tariff on our exports while American goods waltz into our markets duty-free. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. shoulders blame for his spineless leadership, but the real culprit is his cousin, Ambassador Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez, whose diplomatic incompetence orchestrated this economic disaster.
Romualdez’s failure to secure a fair deal isn’t just a misstep—it’s a national betrayal, propped up by nepotism and a president too clueless to know better.

Senator Imee Marcos didn’t mince words, branding the deal an embarrassment that shames every Filipino. She’s right, and the finger points squarely at Romualdez. Marcos Jr., famously without a college degree—a sore point for his late father, dictator Ferdinand Marcos Sr.—leans on his cousin like a crutch, entrusting him with high-stakes diplomacy despite his glaring inadequacies. Romualdez’s negotiation with Trump was a masterclass in surrender. While Japan’s Prime Minister strong-armed a 15% reciprocal tariff, Romualdez rolled over, letting Trump dictate terms that gut Philippine industries. Zero tariffs on U.S. imports? That’s not diplomacy; it’s capitulation.

This deal is a death knell for Filipino exporters. The 19% U.S. tariff hikes costs for our $14 billion in exports—electronics, apparel, processed foods—eroding their edge in a cutthroat market. Meanwhile, American goods, from cars to crops, flood our shores tariff-free, poised to crush local farmers, fisherfolk, and manufacturers. Our $4.9 billion trade deficit with the U.S. will balloon, and Romualdez’s limp-wristed approach ensures Filipinos pay the price. Japan wielded its economic and geopolitical clout to demand fairness; Romualdez, by contrast, offered nothing but smiles and concessions, banking on the Philippines’ alliance with the U.S. without extracting a shred of reciprocity.

Why is Romualdez still ambassador? Nepotism, plain and simple. Appointed in 2017 and kept on by Marcos Jr., he’s less a diplomat and more a family fixer, coaching a president out of his depth and papering over his blunders. X users like @PinoyPatriot are livid, calling Romualdez a “glorified errand boy” who sold out the nation. His tenure is a stain on our diplomacy, extended not for merit but because he’s Marcos Jr.’s cousin. This isn’t governance—it’s a family racket.

Romualdez’s defenders might whine that Trump’s a tough negotiator. Cry me a river. Japan faced the same Trump and walked away with a deal that protects its industries. Romualdez didn’t even try, failing to leverage our strategic role in the Indo-Pacific or threaten counter-tariffs. His playbook is appeasement, not strategy, and it’s costing us dearly. The Philippines deserves a diplomat who fights, not one who folds.

Enough is enough. Romualdez must be sacked for this debacle, and Marcos Jr. needs to stop hiding behind his cousin’s coattails. A president without the chops for diplomacy and an ambassador who botches critical talks are a recipe for ruin. Filipinos demand leadership, not loyalty to family. Romualdez’s failure is a wake-up call: boot him out, or watch our economy bleed. The time for excuses is over.


(TAMBULI NG BAYAN-Ronnie Estrada) #BagongPilipinas #baberomualdez #BongbongMarcos #failedtariffPhilippines #Trump #foryouシ
Photo:Philippine Ambassador to U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez