Tariffs thousands of miles away could threaten clean energy innovation in the Philippines

Point of view

- By BRENDA VALERIO

The latest round of global tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump may seem like a distant issue for our nascent clean energy sector — after all, the Philippines isn't exporting electric vehicles or solar modules to the United States. But the effects of these tariffs could be felt much closer to home than expected.

Announced on April 2, the sweeping policy imposes a 10 percent tariff on all imports into the US, with even higher rates for select countries, including 17 percent on the Philippines. While these measures are ostensibly about protecting American manufacturing, their ripple effects risk undermining clean energy innovation here in the Philippines — particularly the efforts of early-stage startups trying to build solutions for a more affordable, reliable and renewable energy future.

Our country stands at a pivotal point in its energy transition. The Department of Energy's Philippine Energy Plan 2023-2050 charts a path toward reducing dependence on fossil fuels and imported energy sources. Yet despite growing momentum, the transition remains fragile — especially when it comes to the clean energy startup ecosystem.