Tough love

EYES WIDE OPEN

- IRIS GONZALES

Trump's tariffs or what he calls "tough love," which he announced from the Rose Garden, are already creating waves of panic.

Stock markets have tumbled and in the US, widespread protests have erupted.

Over 50 countries want to start trade talks with the US over Trump's tariffs, US officials say.

It's quite surprising that we were slapped a 17 percent rate instead of the lower 10 percent tariff, given the Marcos administration's supposedly friendly ties with the US.

Some sectors here are already sounding the alarm.

A group of farmers already warned that the higher tariffs will be harmful to the agricultural sector.

The Federation of Free Farmers, as reported by The STAR, said the government must not be complacent over the reciprocal tariffs even if the Philippines will be slapped with the second lowest rate among US trade partners.

The group also warned of a "potential" dumping of excess agricultural products by countries which were shut off from the US market due to the reciprocal tariffs, the report said. "Worse, even US agriculture players who were affected by retaliatory tariffs may look for alternative markets and could end up selling their excess supply to the Philippines at 'very low prices."

FFF board chairman Leonardo Montemayor, a former agriculture secretary, said that in the end, it might be our own farmers who will bear the brunt of the Trump tariffs.