US embassy mum on Duterte inflation remark

MANILA, Philippines — The US embassy in Manila was mum on President Duterte’s statement laying the blame for the record high inflation in the country on US President Donald Trump.

“I would only say we are proud of the economic cooperation and the contributions US companies make to the Philippines, providing quality jobs and products,” said US embassy spokesperson Molly Koscina in an email to The STAR. 

“US companies are the country’s largest employer and largest exporter,” she added.

The Philippines’ inflation rate hit a nine-year high of 6.4 percent last month. Economic managers attributed this to higher food prices as well as increased costs of fuel, electricity and transport.

During a meeting with the Filipino community in Jordan, Duterte blamed tariffs imposed by Trump, saying: “Inflation is dahil ‘yan kay (because of) Trump. When Trump raised yung mga tarrif niya, pati banned other items, nagkaloko-loko (it all went haywire).”

Based on government data, the spike in inflation was caused by high prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Meanwhile, labor group Partido Manggagawa (PM) accused  Duterte of  allegedly “wasting his time and power in neutralizing his political opponents” rather than in arresting the deluge of high prices.

In a statement, PM chairman Renato Magtubo said workers are more concerned over the devaluation of their wages than the missing amnesty files of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV.