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Volume 24 - No. 30 • 12 Pages
T h e F i l i p i n o A m e r i ca n C o m mu n i t y N e ws pa p e r
Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages
July 25-31, 2025
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Marcos, Trump strike trade, security deal at White House Philippine president caps state visit with Oval Office summit; new tariff terms and defense talks reaffirm U.S.–Philippine ties by AJPress
Tough Negotiator. In a joint appearance before reporters at the White House, President Donald Trump announced a newly negotiated trade arrangement under which the United States will impose a 19% tariff on goods imported from the Philippines—down from a previously considered 20% rate. In exchange, the Philippines has agreed to grant duty-free access to U.S. exports. “President Marcos is a very good and tough negotiator,” Trump said. Malacañang photo
USA
DATELINE ICE Chief: Agents will arrest anyone found in US illegally regardless of criminal history from the AJPress NEWS TEAM across America
LOS ANGELES — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will arrest any undocumented immigrant found in the country illegally, regardless of whether they have a criminal record, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons confirmed in a recent interview aired by CBS News. In a sharp escalation of the agency’s enforcement posture, Lyons stated: “If we encounter someone who’s here in the country illegally, we will take them into custody.” The remarks mark a shift from prior policies that prioritized apprehension of individuals with serious criminal offenses or national security concerns. u PAGE 4
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Philippine President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. met with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House on July 22, 2025, concluding a three-day official visit that underscored the enduring alliance between the United States and the Philippines amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific. In a joint appearance before reporters at the White House, President Trump announced a newly negotiated trade arrangement under which the United States will impose a 19% tariff on goods imported from the Philippines—down from a previously considered 20% rate. In exchange, the Philippines has agreed to grant duty-free access to U.S. exports.
The Trump administration is aggressively pushing self-deportation for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. Part of that strategy involves stoking fear in communities through highly publicized enforcement activities. But legal experts say, despite government assurances, the risk to those who do selfdeport can be significant. “Once they’re gone, they might be stuck on the outside for years, or it could be forever,” says Professor Gabriel “Jack” Chin, director of Clinical Legal Education at the University of California, Davis School of Law. Often, Chin says, individuals in this u PAGE 4
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US ammo facility in Subic President Marcos returns from US visit as PH grapples Bay could build world’s with storm damage, inflation, and political tensions AJP largest stockpile, says Trump by
by Cristina Chi Philstar.com
MANILA — United States President Donald Trump is optimistic that the U.S. and the Philippines will amass “more ammunition than any country has ever had” through a proposed ammunition manufacturing hub at Subic Bay, the site of a former American naval base. Trump said this at his first face-to-face meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr at the White House on Tuesday, July 22, where the two leaders discussed u PAGE 3
ress
MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has returned to the Philippines following a three-day official visit to the United States, where he met with U.S. President Donald J. Trump to advance bilateral cooperation on trade, security, and investment. The visit, which concluded on July 22, 2025, included discussions at the White House and other high-level engagements with
American officials. In a joint appearance, Trump confirmed that the U.S. would impose a 19% tariff on goods imported from the Philippines—down from a previously proposed 20%—while the Philippines agreed to duty-free access for select U.S. exports. Both sides described the meeting as productive, with additional agreements expected to follow. “We’re very close to finishing a big trade deal with the Philippines,” Trump said, while emphasizing the “seriousness” of
Filipino workers removed from cruise ship in US immigration raid
the negotiations. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said it would pursue follow-up discussions with U.S. counterparts in the coming months, with a focus on expanding market access and attracting investment in sectors such as renewable energy and infrastructure. Typhoon aftermath and new storm warnings As the president returned, large parts of Luzon remained u PAGE 2
The workers, sent back to the Philippines, are banned from re-entry to the United States for 10 years by Bing Cardenas Branigin Inquirer.net
NORFOLK, Va. — At least 18 Filipino workers “were forcibly removed in handcuffs” from a cruise ship at the Port of Norfolk in Virginia recently, sent back to
the Philippines and banned from re-entry to the United States for 10 years, Filipino American community leaders said Saturday, July 19. The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) removed the Filipino workers, u PAGE 3
As US government pushes self-deportation, ICC delays decision on Duterte’s request for interim release International Criminal Court has postponed its ruling legal experts warn of risks onTheRodrigo Duterte’s interim release, keeping him in custody Despite the Trump administration’s assurances, the risk to those who self-deport can be significant
“President Marcos is a very good and tough negotiator,” Trump said. “They’ve been very serious. This is a very serious negotiation. They wanted it badly. We wanted it.” “We’re going to be putting a 19% tariff on products coming in from the Philippines. They’re going to be taking our products in for nothing. That’s what we wanted, and we got it.” “We’re very close to finishing a big trade deal with the Philippines.” Trump characterized the outcome as a move toward a “very open market” between the two nations, adding that the Philippines is a “very important nation militarily.” Strategic talks and diplomatic engagements In addition to the Oval Office summit, President
while his legal team prepares further submissions. by AJPress THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has postponed its decision on former
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s request for interim release, allowing his legal team more time to provide additional information. u PAGE 4
Contributed photo
Pacquiao held to draw in comeback: A champion’s spirit still shines at 46 by AJPress
LAS VEGAS — On the evening of July 19, 2025, Manny Pacquiao returned to the ring at age 46— older, wiser, and still hungry. Facing reigning WBC welterweight champion Mario Barrios at the MGM Grand, Pacquiao wasn’t just The Philippines must press for more robust talks with the fighting for a title. He was fighting for something more enduring: U.S., says former Ambassador Harry Thomas Jr. legacy. criticism from former U.S. Ambassador The bout ended in a majority by Elton Lugay to the Philippines Harry Thomas Jr., draw. Two judges scored the fight Inquirer.net who warned that the new 19% tariff on 114–114, while one gave Barrios a WASHINGTON — A modest U.S.- Philippine goods puts the country at a narrow edge at 115–113. Barrios Philippines trade deal sealed at the White continued economic disadvantage. retained the belt, but the night House Tuesday, July 22 drew sharp u PAGE 4 belonged to Pacquiao—proof that
Former US ambassador to PH slams Trump tariff deal struck with Marcos
time may slow a man, but it cannot silence a legend. From the streets to the pinnacle of boxing Manny Pacquiao’s story is no ordinary rise. Born in Kibawe, Bukidnon, and raised in the streets of General Santos City, he sold bread and cigarettes as a child to feed his family. At 14, he left home, slept on cardboard in Manila, and took up boxing as a means of survival. By 16, he turned professional. His rise was meteoric—winning world titles in eight weight divisions, a feat no other boxer in u PAGE 3