Manila: Senator Sherwin Gatchalian on Friday urged the government to craft policy interventions that would protect Filipino workers who may be displaced by the recent imposition of a 19-percent reciprocal tariff by the United States on Philippine exports.

According to Philippines News Agency, Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Finance, expressed concern that the tariff move has already begun to affect local industries exporting to the US. Reports have emerged of layoffs occurring barely a month after the policy was announced. He emphasized the urgent need for policy interventions to support those at risk of losing their jobs due to the new tariffs.

The senator announced plans to refile a resolution aimed at assessing the specific impact of the US reciprocal tariffs on jobs, supply chains, and business operations. The proposed measure seeks to identify potential disruptions and the risk of manufacturers withdrawing from the market to avoid the tariffs.

Gatchalian stressed the importance of understanding the full impact of the reciprocal tariffs in order to develop effective policies that would assist affected sectors and workers facing job displacement. He highlighted that the US is one of the Philippines' largest trading partners, and the 19-percent tariff could significantly affect key export industries, raising concerns about competitiveness and employment.