Total external trade in goods for January to December 2003 amounted to $73.198 billion representing an increment of 3.6 percent from $70.635 billion during the same period a year earlier. Total foreign-made merchandise also went up by 5.7 percent to $37.448 billion from $35.427 billion. Likewise, exports recorded a minimal year-on-year growth rate of 1.5 percent to an aggregate dollar revenue of $35.751 billion from $35.208 billion a year ago (excludes adjustments to exports from January to October 2003 using the AEDS system). Balance of trade in goods (BOT-G) deficit for the Philippines reached $1.697 billion, an improvement from last year’s deficit of $218 million.

Total external trade in goods for January to May 2009 reached $30.072 billion, representing a 33.7 percent decline from $45.338 billion recorded during the same period in 2008. This was attributed to the 32.9 percent decrease of total imports to $16.257 billion from $24.243 billion reported in the first five months of 2008. Similarly, total exports went down by 34.5 percent to $13.815 billion from $21.096 billion posted in January to May 2008. Thus, the balance of trade in goods (BOT-G) for the Philippines under review registered a $2.442 billion deficit from $3.147 billion deficit in the same 5-month period last year.

Total external trade in goods for January to June 2009 reached $37.586 billion, exhibiting a 31.9 percent decline from $55.188 billion recorded during the same period in 2008. This was attributed to the 31.1 percent decrease of total imports to $20.365 billion from $29.565 billion reported in the first six months of 2008. Similarly, total exports went down by 32.8 percent to $17.221 billion from $25.623 billion posted in January to June 2008. Thus, the balance of trade in goods (BOT-G) for the Philippines under review registered a $3.143 billion deficit from $3.943 billion deficit in the same 6-month period last year.