Date Released: October 5, 2009
FOREIGN TRADE STATISTICS OF THE PHILIPPINES
FIRST SEMESTER 2009
FIRST SEMESTER 2009 TOTAL TRADE STANDS AT $37.585 BILLION
Total
external trade in goods for the first semester of 2009 reached $37.585 billion,
representing a 31.2 percent decrease from $55.188 billion during the first
semester of 2008. This was due to the 31.1 percent negative growth of the total
imports to $20.364 billion from $29.565 billion during the first semester of
2008. Meanwhile, total export receipts fell by 32.8 percent to $17.221 billion
from $25.623 billion during the first semester of 2008. The balance of trade in
goods (BOT-G) for the Philippines registered a $3.143 billion deficit in the
first semester of 2009 from $3.943 billion deficit in the same period last year.
2009 FIRST SEMESTER’S TOP 10
EXPORTS ACCOUNT 73.7 PERCENT
Accounting for 73.7 percent of the aggregate export revenue in the first
semester of 2009, receipts from the top ten exports totaled to $12.695 billion,
posting a 34.6 percent negative growth from $19.422 billion during the first
semester in 2008. All top principle exports except tuna had negative growth
rates. (see Table 2)
Electronic Products Articles of Apparel and
Clothing Accessories Woodcrafts and Furniture Cathodes and Sections of
Cathodes of Refined Copper Other Products
Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis Rounding up the list of top
ten exports for the first semester in 2008 were
continued to be the top earner for the first semester of 2009 with 56.7 percent
of the total exports or a decline of 35.5 percent to $9.759 billion from $15.138
billion in the first semester of 2008.
Figure
2 Philippine Top Five Exports: First Semester 2009 and 2008
2009 FIRST SEMESTER’S TOP 10
IMPORTS ACCOUNT 76.9 PERCENT
Aggregate payment for the country’s top ten imports for the first semester of
2009 reached $15.651 billion or 76.9 percent of the total import bill,
registering a negative growth of 34.8 percent from $23.991 billion during the
first semester of 2008. (see Table 3)
Electronic Products Mineral Fuels,
Lubricants and Related Materials Cereals and Cereal
Preparations Transport Equipment, Industrial Machinery and
Equipment Organic and Inorganic
Chemical Rounding up the list for
the top ten imports for the first semester of 2008 were 
,
accounting for 34.9 percent of the total import bill posted a decline of 34.7
percent to $7.114 billion from $10.888 billion during the first semester of
2008.
Figure 3 Philippine Top Six
Imports: First Semester 2009 and 2008
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
CORNERS 14.9 PERCENT OF RP’s TOTAL TRADE
The
country’s top ten trading partners for the first semester of 2009 posted a total
trade value of $28.092 billion or 74.7 percent of the total. This comprised of
total export receipts of $14.368 billion or 83.4 percent of the total exports
and total import bill of $13.724 billion or 67.4 percent of the total imports.
United
States of America (USA)
was still the country’s top
trading partner in the first semester of 2009, accounting for a total trade
worth $5.589 billion or 14.9 percent of the country’s total trade. Exports to
USA
totaled $2.977 billion while imports were valued at $2.613 billion, posting a
trade surplus of $364.05 million. (see Table 4) Electronic Products
got a large share of $1.340 billion or 45.0 percent of the total exports to the
country, followed by Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories at
$552.17 million or 18.6 percent share of the total exports. Majority of the
imported products from USA were Electronic Products billed at $1.662
billion or 63.6 percent of the total imports and Cereals and Cereal
Preparations at $228.59 million or 8.7 percent share of the total imports.
(see Tables 5 and 6)
Japan
followed
as the country’s
second largest trading partner in the first semester of 2009 with total trade
worth $5.169 billion or 13.8 percent of the total trade. Export receipts from
Japan
stood at $2.756 billion while payments for imports were valued at $2.413
billion, resulting to $343.28 million trade surplus. (see Table 4) The
biggest receipt came from Electronic Products at $1.256 billion or 45.6
percent of the country’s exports to Japan. Woodcrafts and Furniture
followed with total receipts of $396.62 million or 14.4 percent of the total
exports to the country. Imported goods purchased from Japan consisted of
Electronic Products worth $1.093 billion or 45.3 percent of the total
imports from the country. Transport Equipment was next at $226.31 million
or a share of 9.4 percent of the total imports from the country. (see Tables
5 and 6)
People’s Republic of China
came third
accounting for $3.438 billion or 9.1 percent of the total trade in the first
semester of 2009. Receipts from exports to
China
were valued at $1.618 billion while payment for imports totaled to $1.819
billion, reflecting a trade deficit of $200.76 million. (see Table 4)
The bulk of exports came from Electronic Products worth $1.233 billion
or 76.2 percent of the total exports to the country and Cathodes and Sections
of Cathodes of Refined Copper at $128.82 million or 8.0 percent share. Major
imports from China were Electronic Products with purchases worth
$796.12 million or 43.8 percent of the total; Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and
Related Materials valued at $136.91 million or 7.5 percent of the total;
and Industrial Machinery and Equipment with payments of $79.63
million or 4.4 percent of the total. (see Tables 5 and 6)
Singapore emerged
as the fourth largest trading partner of the country for the first semester of
2009 with a total trade amounting to $2.797 billion or a share of 7.4 percent to
total trade. Registered export receipts were valued at $992.89 million while
import bill reached $1.804 billion, resulting to a trade deficit of $811.18
million. (see Table 4) Electronic Products and Petroleum
Products were the country’s major exports to Singapore with earnings of
$759.07 million or 76.5 percent share and $62.16 million or 6.3 percent of the
total exports, respectively. Similarly, Electronic Products with import
bill of $721.35 million or 40.0 percent share, and Mineral Fuels, Lubricants
and Related Materials worth $588.99 million or 32.6 percent share
were the major imports from Singapore. (see Tables 5 and 6)
EUROPEAN UNION CORNERS 13.3
PERCENT OF RP’s TOTAL TRADE
Total
external trade in goods with the European Union (EU) for the first
semester of 2009 grossed $4.999 billion or 13.3 percent of the country’s total
trade. Exports to EU reached $3.343 billion or 19.4 percent of the total
export receipts, while imports were valued at $1.655 billion with a share of 8.1
percent, resulting to a balance of trade in goods (BOT-G) surplus of $1.688
billion. Among the EU member-countries,
Netherlands
was RP’s top trading partner with a total trade of $1.697 billion or 33.9
percent of EU’s total trade. Receipts from exports to
Netherlands
totaled to
ASEAN TOTAL TRADE STANDS AT
$7.883 BILLION
Total
external trade in goods with ASEAN member-countries for the first
semester of 2009 amounted to $7.883 billion or 21.0 percent of the country’s
entire trade. Exports to ASEAN member-countries were valued at $2.390
billion while imports were worth $5.493 billion, generating a trade deficit of
$3.103 billion.
Singapore emerged
as the country’s top trading partner among the ASEAN member-countries with a
total trade accounting for $2.797 billion or 35.5 percent share of the ASEAN
total trade. Exports to
Singapore
registered a total of $992.89 million while imports payment was $1.804 billion,
which resulted to a trade deficit of $811.18 million. (see Table 7)
Leading
exports for the ASEAN member-countries for the first semester in 2008 were
Electronic Products, $1.330 billion; Petroleum Products, $90.83
million; Cathodes and Sections of Cathodes of Refined Copper, $63.93
million; Metal Components, $61.48 million; and Fertilizers
Manufactured, $50.47 million. (see Table 8)
Top
imports from the ASEAN member-countries for the first semester in 2009 were
Electronic Products, $1.300 billion;
Mineral Fuels, Lubricants
and Related Materials,
$1.070 billion; Cereals
and Cereal Preparations, $894.95 million; Transport Equipment,
$456.86 million; and
Industrial Machinery and
Equipment,
$137.94 million. (see Table 9)
APEC TOTAL TRADE TO RP REACHES $29.613 BILLION Total
external trade with APEC member-countries for the first semester of 2009
amounted to $29.613 billion or 78.8 percent of the entire trade. Export receipts
totaled to $13.049 billion or 75.8 percent of the total exports while import
payments summed up to $16.565 billion or 81.3 percent share of the total
imports. Topping the list were
USA,
$5.589 billion or 14.9
percent share;
Japan,
$5.169 or 13.8 percent share; People’s Republic of
China,
$3.438 billion or 9.1 percent share; and
Singapore,
$2.797 billion or 7.4 percent share of the APEC total trade. (see Table 10)
Electronic Products
were still the major export to APEC member-countries for the first semester of
2009 with receipts valued at $7.278 billion or 55.8 percent share of the total
APEC exports. Other top exports were Articles of Apparel and Clothing
Accessories, $633.10 million; Woodcrafts and Furniture, $442.77
million; Cathodes and Section of Cathodes of Refined Copper, $365.20
million; and Ignition Wiring Sets, $265.26 million. (see Table
11)
Topping
the list of imported goods from APEC countries were
Electronic Products,
$6.425 billion;
Mineral Fuels, Lubricants and Related Materials, $2.204 billion; Cereals
and Cereals Preparations, $1.230 billion; Transport Equipment,
$836.79 million; and Industrial Machinery and Equipment, $605.58
million. (see Table 12)
TECHNICAL NOTES
The commodity groupings
in this Special Release are in accordance with the 2004 Philippine Standard
Commodity Classification (PSCC). This is in compliance with NSCB Resolution
No. 03, Series of 2005 entitled :"Approving and Adopting the 2004 Philippine
Standard Commodity Classification" by all concerned government agencies and
instrumentalities. All transactions that
pass through the Automated Export Documentation System (AEDS) are included in
the compilation of export statistics. Starting with 2007
series, import statistics are adjusted based on the transactions that pass
through the Automated Cargo Operating System (ACOS).
Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines
Page last revised: October 5, 2009