Under President Donald Trump, the world’s wealthiest country and largest economy is slapping its neighbors and the remotest frontiers where penguins reside with the highest trade barriers in more than a century. This has upset America’s friends and foes, rattled the markets, sparked fears of recession and…a $2,300 iPhone.
The tariffs announcement came weeks after Trump cut off funding — and continues to do so — of US aid organizations that have for decades been helping marginalized communities in poor countries. The impact has never been more jarring than in Myanmar, which recently suffered a devastating earthquake that has killed at least 3,000. Three USAID workers helping with rescue and recovery were laid off even as the UN called on the world for more assistance.
Over the weekend, angry Americans marched in 1,200 “hands-off” rallies in Washington, DC and other US cities, in the biggest anti-Trump protest since he took office in January.
What do the tariffs mean for us in the Philippines?
- Because the country runs a trade surplus with the US, Trump imposed a 17% tariff on the goods that we export to America. JC Punongbayan tells us three steps that we can take to stem a negative impact.
- Val Villanueva tackles the profound implications of the new US tariffs on Southeast Asian nations, categorizing them into three: export challenges, the influx of diverted Chinese goods, and supply chain realignments.
- Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. sees a silver lining because we were imposed a lower tariff than Asian neighbors which export similar products like ours to the US, such as tilapia. Tiu Laurel explains it here.
- In an analysis published in February, staff economists in Congress laid out the potential impact of US tariffs on the Philippines. Read their study here.
Beyond the trade war and how it could hit our pockets, what has riled up humanity in this part of the world are the sexist and insulting remarks of a congressional candidate in Pasig who has since been slammed by voters and women’s groups, called out by the Commission on Elections, and barred from campaigning for three days.
- In Davao City, though, one feisty woman is going up against a sexist family, the Dutertes. Jairo Bolledo talks to Mags Maglana about what these elections mean for her and for Davaoeños, as she runs for Congress against incumbent Representative Paolo Duterte, one of two sons of former president Rodrigo Duterte.
- In vote-rich Cebu, John Sitchon maps the dizzying local alliances that mark these elections.
In The Hague, the former president will soon be filing a challenge to the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, according to his defense counsel Nicholas Kaufman, not to be mistaken for the American novelist Nicholas Kaufmann who rued, in a letter to Rappler, the volley of messages he’s been getting from Filipinos.
But if there’s one thing about last week that truly broke our hearts, it’s the demise of our fearless, committed, passionate colleague, Julie Alipala of Zamboanga City, a veteran reporter who told the story of Mindanao from the trenches — whether in the battlefields of Sulu and Basilan, or the coastal villages of Zamboanga or the rebel camps in Central Mindanao — and through the lens of one who loved her region despite its never-ending wars.
Here are some of Rappler’s bests that you shouldn’t miss:
Herbie Gomez provides us the realpolitik behind the Marcos administration’s recent moves in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and there’s a lot at stake for the President.
Iya Gozum reintroduces us to Joy Belmonte within the context of the city that she has ruled for six years, as she “awaits her finest hour.”
Dwight de Leon reminds us that since 1992, only one family — the Ynareses — has held the seat of power in Rizal, and explains what’s wrong with it.
John Nery sits down with economist Cielo Magno on how voters can elect candidates with competence and integrity.
Allison Co tells us we’re the most sleep-deprived nation in Southeast Asia.
Join Rappler’s Cavite election kapihan with local candidates on April 12
Caviteños, come join Rappler’s first provincial election forum at the University of Perpetual Help Molino Gymnasium in Bacoor City on Saturday, April 12.
‘I want my child to feel safe’: Lea Salonga on supporting trans son Nic Chien
Lea Salonga shares how she is an ally to her son and how she is proud to stand behind him.
Buhay migranteng mangingisda: A Rappler documentary
In this documentary, Rappler follows John Mar Regala, once a migrant who is waiting to get his unpaid wages — a story of exploitation at sea.
‘We were misled’: Camp John Hay property investors face uncertain future
Camp John Hay investors trusted the system that promised them ownership. Now that’s been shattered.
When PhilHealth did not even cover 1% of a hospital bill
Oral arguments on the PhilHealth issue resumed at the Supreme Court, with no less than a justice narrating his sorry experience with public healthcare.
– Rappler.com
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The views expressed by the writer are his/her own and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Rappler.