Acting Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque said the Philippines will attend a meeting of ministers in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday to tackle the reciprocal tariffs by the US which took effect Wednesday noon.

''We have a meeting on Thursday with the different ministers of ASEAN and let's see what we can agree on there and see what we can do to be able to work hand in hand as ASEAN,'' said Roque in an ambush interview on Wednesday.

She echoed the instruction of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ''to listen to what our ASEAN partners have to say. Then we will discuss with the President on what our direction will be.''

A semiconductor industry leader said the best option for the Philippines is ''to do nothing'' because of law tariff, continue talks with those who want to transfer their operations here and work for the country to be included in the US Generalized System of Preferences.

Dan Lachica, president of the Semiconductors and Electronics Industries in the Philippines, said the country should diversify its export market.

Electronics account for 53 percent of the country's total exports in February, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

Roque said the challenge to the Philippines is to ''really look at the opportunity rather than look at the things that are not working out.''

She pointed out that with the 17 percent tariff imposed by the US on the Philippines compared to other countries, it gives the country some edge compared to others.

''For dried mangoes, our main competitor is Cambodia but Cambodia has a 49 percent tariff so that is a major edge for us,'' she said.

The US' 17 percent tariffs for exports from the Philippines is the second lowest in the region to Singapore's 10 percent.

''We must use the low tariff to push Philippine products and Philippine investments globally and locally,'' said Roque.

Last week, US President Donald Trump announced he will be slapping reciprocal tariffs ranging from 10 to 50 percent on goods coming from 180 countries.

The 10 baseline tariff was implemented last Saturday, while 11 percent to 50 percent tariff took effect on April 9. DMS