THE chief of the Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexport) has downplayed the impact of a 17-percent tariff to be imposed on the country's exports to the United States, saying this could instead spur negotiations that could lead to a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA).
"I don't think it will hurt FTA prospects. In fact, this could be a prelude to negotiations," Philexport President Sergio Ortiz-Luis Jr. told The Manila Times.
