MERCHANDISE EXPORT PERFORMANCE *
April 2009

( Preliminary )

* Includes transactions that passed through Automated Export Documentation System (AEDS).
p - preliminary
r - revised

APRIL 2009 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS DROPPED BY 35.2 PERCENT

Export earnings in April 2009 fell by 35.2 percent to $2.803 billion from $4.328 billion registered in April 2008. Month-on-month it went down by 3.6 percent from $2.907 billion in March 2009. Summing up the merchandise exports from January to April 2009, it declined by 36.4 percent to $10.727 billion from $16.870 billion reported a year earlier during the same four-month period.

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS DOWN BY 33.2 PERCENT

Accounting for 60.1 percent of the total export revenue in April 2009, Electronic Products amounted to $1.684 billion. It was lower by 33.2 percent from $2.519 billion recorded in April 2008 due to the 34.2 percent decrease in the Components/Devices (Semiconductors) comprising a 44.2 percent and the biggest share among the major groups of electronic products. However, compared to previous month's level, it climbed to 3.9 percent from $1.620 billion in March 2009.

Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories accounting for a 3.6 percent share of total exports continued to be the RP's second top earner in April 2009 with revenue valued at $100.43 million or a negative growth of 34.6 percent over last year's figure of $153.44 million.

Cathodes and Sections of Cathodes, of Refined Copper followed as the third top earner in April 2009 with total export earnings of $62.42 million or a share of 2.2 percent to the total export receipts. It fell by 37.2 percent from $99.41 million in April 2008.

Ranked fourth in April 2009 and contributing 1.9 percent to the total export receipts was Petroleum Products (including refined petroleum products, manufactures from crude petroleum oil imported on consignment basis) with sales amounting to $52.66 million. This value decelerated by 44.0 percent from $94.09 million recorded a year earlier.

Woodcrafts and Furniture with 1.8 percent share to the total export receipts ranked fifth with value posted at $51.29 million. This commodity group has the highest year-on-year negative growth of 44.3 percent among the top exports losers in April 2009.

Rounding up the list of the top ten exports for the month of April 2009 were Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis with receipts of $49.83 million plunged by 16.3 percent; Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships (consisting only of electrical wiring harness for motor vehicles) with export earnings of $41.35 million plummeted by 43.3 percent; Bananas (fresh) valued at $38.61 million down by 6.8 percent; Metal Components (excluding brakes and servo - brakes) with proceeds billed at $31.62 million or a decrease of 26.2 percent; and Tuna (including fresh, frozen, prepared or preserved in airtight containers) with export revenue of $29.58 million showed a positive growth among the top ten exports inched up by 10.0 percent from April 2008 level.

Total receipts from the top ten exports reached $2.141 billion, or 76.4 percent of the total exports.

Fig. 1 Philippine Top Five Exports: April 2009 and 2008
(F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollars)

EXPORTS OF MANUFACTURED GOODS STOOD AT $2.387 BILLION

Accounting for 85.2 percent of the total receipts, outward shipments of Manufactured Goods in April 2009 reached $2.387 billion or a 33.0 percent decline from $3.563 billion recorded in the same period a year earlier. Similarly, it decreased by 4.8 percent from $2.507 billion registered during the previous month.

Income from All Agro-Based Products comprising 5.5 percent of the total exports revenue in April 2009 shrank by 47.9 percent to $154.99 million from $297.19 million in April 2008.

Earnings from Mineral Products with a share of 4.1 percent in April 2009 reached $115.52 million, reflecting a 51.2 percent drop from $236.89 million in April 2008. Similarly, export receipts from Special Transactions with a share of 3.2 percent went down by 33.3 percent to $89.34 million from $133.97 million in April 2008.

Accounting for a 1.9 percent share of the total exports revenue in April 2009 was Petroleum Products with receipts amounting to $52.66 million dropped by 44.0 percent from $94.09 million recorded in April 2008. On the other hand, exports revenue of Forest Products with 0.1 percent share of the total, showed an increase of 67.2 percent to $3.14 million from $1.88 million posted in April 2008.

Fig. 2 Philippine Exports by Commodity Group: April 2009 and 2008
(F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollars)

EXPORTS TO UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACCOUNTED FOR 16.0 PERCENT

United States of America (USA) including Alaska and Hawaii, remained to be the country's top destination of exports for April 2009 with export receipts of $447.27 million and accounting for 16.0 percent of RP's aggregate income for the month. It was lower by 35.3 percent from $691.38 million recorded a year earlier.

Japan (includes Okinawa) followed as the second top market of the country for April 2009 with export earnings of $433.86 million or 15.5 percent share of the total exports. The value declined by 34.7 percent from $664.39 million reported in April 2008.

People's Republic of China emerged as RP's third biggest market for April 2009 with shipments amounting to $306.86 million and representing 11.0 percent of the total exports. The amount went down by 41.1 percent from a year ago level of $520.68 million.

Hong Kong ranked fourth in April 2009 with $265.76 million or 9.5 percent of the total exports. It showed a negative growth of 32.0 percent from $390.80 million recorded in April 2008.

Fifth in rank and accounting for 9.4 percent share from the total exports was Netherlands with revenue amounting to $264.58 million or a year-on-year decrease of 18.1 percent from $323.16 million.

Other top ten markets for April 2009 were Singapore, $169.86 million; Germany, $149.69 million, Republic of Korea, $138.36 million; Malaysia, $114.74 million and Taiwan, $104.49 million.

Total export receipts from RP's top ten markets for the month of April 2009 amounted to $2.395 billion or 85.5 percent of the total.

Fig. 3 Philippine Top Exports by Country: April 2009
(F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollars)

Technical Note:

Starting with the January 2007 Press Release, analysis and tables are based on the 2004 Philippine Standard Commodity Classification (PSCC) groupings (as amended in 1999). 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.

(Sgd.) CARMELITA N. ERICTA
Administrator

Source: Foreign Trade Statistics Section
             Industry and Trade Statistics Department
             National Statistics Office
             Manila, Philippines