Is Phl ready for Trump’s policies? Senate chief urges Marcos to roll up his sleeves

Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero urged the Marcos administration to prepare for the policy shifts that United States President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to implement once in office.

“Donald Trump is a major macroeconomic assumption,“ Escudero said in a statement, referring to premises government use in forecasting economic performance in a fiscal year.

“From trade to security to immigration, what he said he plans to do, some on day one of his administration, would certainly impact us,” he added.

Trump, who made history after being reelected to the White House last week, has been consistent in his would-be policies, particularly against immigrants in the US.

If Trump pushes through with his pronouncement to carry out the greatest mass deportation in US history, “then how many of the estimated 300,000 vulnerable Filipinos will be in the first wave of expulsion?” Escudero asked.

To illustrate his point, he said that even if only one percent of the 300,000 would be removed from American soil, it would require at least 10 big airplanes.

The Senate chief also expressed concern about Trump’s plan to impose tariffs on all US imports.

“How will his plan to erect high tariff walls affect our economy given the fact that almost $1 in every $7 of our export earnings come from our trade with the United States?” Escudero raised.

“If because of him the dollar strengthens, what will its effect be on us if it causes the peso to weaken? Surely, the value of our foreign debt will balloon,” he pointed out.

He noted that despite the US 47th President’s proposed pivot on the diplomatic front, which will reduce global tensions and settle wars, “these wins will still impact our fiscal position.”

“The inconvenient truth is cheaper oil will reduce tax collections on oil upon which government spending on social programs is pegged,” Escudero said.

U.S.-Phl relations

Escudero also mentioned that another important aspect of US-Philippines relations that the Philippine government should revisit is the military alliance strengthened under the Biden administration.

“On the security front, will a second Trump administration be hawkish or dovish against China?  We should be prepared in case Washington takes a new position,” he said.

He said Trump has loudly telegraphed to the whole world what he would do if American voters would decide to bring him back to the White House.

“These aren’t secrets because he flaunted them during the campaign, and these were even what made him win,” he said.

So, having known these in advance, the Senate leader said, “There is no reason for the Philippine government to be caught flatfooted and stand helpless as the ground beneath it caves in.”