Amounting to $1.532 billion, Electronics and Components posted an 11.7 percent year-on-year increase from $1.372 billion in December 1998 to lead the top dollar-earners for December 1999. Semiconductor devices, and other finished electrical and electronic machinery and parts, both manufactured from materials imported on consignment basis, accounted for 54.8 percent and 16.8 percent, respectively.

Exports of Input/Output/Peripheral Units grew by 32.9 percent to $256.10 million from $192.76 million in December 1998.

Receipts from Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories went up by 10.9 percent to $220.23 million from $198.56 million a year earlier. Accounting for 56.5 percent of the aggregate receipt are articles not manufactured from materials on consignment basis. Men's wear, among those manufactured from materials on consignment basis, accounted for the biggest share placed at 15.0 percent of total apparel exports.

Although export earnings from Copper Concentrates increased more than 16-fold to $25.21 million from $1.43 million due to the $23.11 million shipment to People’s Republic of China, the contribution to total export is minimal at less than one percent.

Accounting for 23.7 percent, the United States remained as the top market for Electronics and Components despite a 5.5 percent dip in value which settled at $363.25 million, down from $384.55 million in December 1998. Receipts from Singapore amounted to US$ 187.54 million or 12.2 percent of the total. Netherlands was the third biggest market where shipments totaled $164.17 million. Taiwan and Japan followed with shipment values of US$ 156.36 million and US$ 122.68 million, respectively. Other big markets for Electronics and Components were Hongkong, Malaysia and Republic of Korea.

December 1999 exports of Input/Output/Peripheral Units, amounting to $256.10 million, went up by 32.9 percent from $192.76 million a year ago. Japan and USA combined to account for 53.5 percent receipts from exports of Input/Output/Peripheral Units amounting to $136.95 million. Japan received shipments valued at $68.83 million with a slight edge over $68.12 million of the USA. Netherlands placed third with shipment value of $28.81 million. Going up to fourth was Taiwan where shipments valued at $27.19 million were exported.

Other large markets were United Kingdom of Great Britain ($18.17 million) and Germany ($12.49 million).

Exports of Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories earned $220.23 million or 10.9 percent higher than $198.56 million the previous year. United States led all countries to be the top market for Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories with shipments valued at $165.86 or 75.3 of the total. United Kingdom of Great Britain at far second with shipment value of $11.37 million or 83.5 percent higher than $6.19 million last year. Other big markets for Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories were Germany ($ 6.44 million) and Japan ($ 5.76 million).

China emerged as a potential large market for RP’s exports of copper concentrates in December 1999, in addition to Japan. Receipts from Japan grew by 46.5 percent to $2.09 billion while that from China went up to $23.11 million from nil in December 1998.