WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump plans to host Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday at the White House, as the two countries are seeking closer security and economic ties in the face of shifting geopolitics in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Philippines may have avoided steep trade penalties in its latest deal with the US, but analysts say Manila still failed to secure more favorable terms than regional peers despite its close ties with Washington.

Negotiations over the Philippines’ new 19% US tariff rate are “not finished”, a key government economic adviser said today, tamping down fears over the deal’s potential impact on the agriculture sector.

The Philippines has not removed tariffs on imports from the United States of corn, rice, sugar, fish, pork, and chicken, a senior economic and trade adviser to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Thursday.

Asian shares are higher, buoyed by optimism that the U.S.-Japan tariff agreement will be followed by more trade deals

Critics warn the new rate, a modest shift from the previous 20 per cent, undermines fair trade and puts Philippine industries at a competitive disadvantage

A 19-percent tariff on Philippine exports to the United States is expected to have minimal impact on economic growth, but potential trade diversion is a concern, according to the Department of Economy,

President Ferdinand Marcos secures a one-percent US tariff cut and defence pledges from US President Donald Trump, but analysts say the deal highlights Manila’s limited leverage and need to diversify.