Their sacrifices from the trunk to the root remain unseen for we are blinded by the greater power of co-pillars.

No matter how many souls of workers and farmers are sacrificed for the sake of the Philippine economy, they remain trapped under the burden of a nation spoon-fed by the United States. When President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and U.S. President Donald Trump struck a deal that eliminated tariffs on U.S. exports to the Philippines while retaining a 19℅ tariff on Philippine goods entering the U.S. market, the imbalance became undeniable. This 19℅ tariff threatens the competitiveness of our local goods, dragging export sales down. Unending and disproportionate tariffs continue to weigh heavily on our sectors, while they consolidate power—our faces are pressed deeper into the mud.

Their power can betray us, and our workers become puppets because of how insecure our foreign policies and trade regulations are. Farmers and workers should be serving the nation, not the interests of the United States. Our government must work with our people’s welfare in mind, not the demands of a greater power.

Imagine our people harvesting tons of crops, yet no one eats them. Consumers see local products priced higher, but behind that burden lies the government’s failure to support local industries. With proper backing and enough suppliers to meet demand, prices could stabilize. Instead, tariffs worsen the situation. Removing tariffs on certain U.S. goods grants them an advantage over our local products by making imports even cheaper. This squeezes revenue and reduces market share for domestic producers.

Such a condition leads to trade diversion, where the country is nudged into purchasing American products, making it harder for Philippine exports to compete in U.S. markets. The government should prioritize clear commitments, regulatory follow-through, and transparency so that our country can export without uncertainty or imbalance—because these conditions leave us vulnerable to betrayal. Trump has weaponized tariffs under the guise of “economic security,” exploiting them to settle personal scores or overpower weaker nations.

Thus, we must act to protect our interests before this alliance becomes yet another tool of dominance.

Workers and service providers play a significant role in our economy. Tariffs can slow economic growth and punish the industrial base. As tariff pressures rise, workers are forced to stretch themselves thin to meet the nation's demands. The powerful create the weak, and our nation continues to bear the weight.

No one deserves to work merely to uphold the power of an alliance—or even the manipulations of our own government. They did not sacrifice their souls to gamble with the core of our economy. Our country could strive toward independence if we provided enough support and transparency to meet our own demands. We once stood among major exporting nations, but we have lost that legacy by relying heavily on U.S. goods. It is time to restore fair competition—one that uplifts workers and farmers and strengthens the nation as a whole.

So, let the workers and farmers be heard to crop until we become the cream of the crop.

The Frontman