1996 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS POST 17.7 PERCENT GROWTH

Aggregate export receipts moved up to $20.531 billion in 1996 increasing by 17.7 percent from $17.45 billion in 1995.

Value of merchandise exports for December 1996 grew by 15.5 percent to $1.87 billion from $1.62 billion during the same month in 1995. Compared to November, a 1.2 percent increase valued at $1.85 billion was likewise noted.

ELECTRONICS AND COMPONENTS EARN $680.52 MILLION, STILL TOP DOLLAR EARNERS

Accounting for 36.4 percent of the total, exports of Electronics and Components amounted to $680.52 million or an increase of 15.9 percent from $586.98 million last year. This top earner maintained its hold despite a 13.8 percent decrease from November's $789.88 million. Among the commodities that comprise this group, semi-conductors garnered the biggest earnings amounting to $387.52 million, more than a third of which headed to the US market.

Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories, second top earner last month, retained its standing despite a 5.8 percent year-on- year decline as receipts amounted to $244.21 million, down from the previous year's value of $259.36 million. Despite the drop, however, it managed to account for 13.0 percent of the total export value for 1996.

Input/Output/Peripheral Units netted $84.01 million, up by 294.4 percent from $21.30 million in 1995. As a portion of the total, this group represented 4.5 percent.

Coconut Oil emerged as the fourth top export with sales amounting to $65.54 million, down by 11.5 percent from $74.05 million in December 1995. It accounted for 3.5 percent of total export.

Woodcraft and Furniture, accounting for 2.4 percent of the total, posted a 33.7 percent increase in receipts which amounted to $44.53 million from $33.31 million in 1995.

Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships, accounting for 2.4 percent of the total, earned $44.22 million, an increase of $8.91 million or 25.2 percent over the $35.31 million earned in 1995.

Other top 10 exports were: Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis, $33.26 million; Metal Components, $28.41 million; Petroleum Products, $27.98 million; and Cathodes and Sections of Cathodes, of Refined Copper, $24.69 million.

Aggregate dollar earnings from shipments of the top ten exports amounted to $1.277 billion or 68.2 percent of the total exports.

MANUFACTURED GOODS EXPORTS RISE BY 18.5 PERCENT

Value of Manufactured Goods for December, which accounted for 84.1 percent of the total, went up by 18.5 percent to $1.573 billion from $1.327 billion last year.

Agro-Based products, led by Coconut products, made up the second biggest commodity group representing 6.9 percent of the aggregate value. Actual receipts grew by 4.1 percent to $128.36 million from $123.32 million last year.

Receipts from Mineral Products declined by 0.6 percent to $62.94 million compared to $63.34 million a year ago.

US REMAINS AS RP'S TOP MARKET

Merchandise exports to the United States, accounting for 35.7 percent of the aggregate earnings for December, posted a 15.4 percent increase as actual receipts amounted to $668.51 million or $89.46 million higher than last year's $579.05 million.

Trailing the United States was Japan with $301.23 million worth of goods, up by 19.2 percent from $252.69 million in 1995. Value of exports to this country accounted for 16.1 percent of the total.

Netherlands, the third biggest destination with purchases amounting to $114.37 million, registered a 41.9 percent increase from the 1995 level of $80.62 million.

Singapore, fourth biggest buyer for the month, reported payments amounting to $107.25 million, or 5.7 percent of the total.

Completing the list of the top markets for December 1996 were: Hongkong, $85.93 million; United Kingdom of Great Britain, $76.02 million; Taiwan, $69.43 million; Malaysia, $62.84 million; Germany, $59.93 million; and Thailand, $49.76 million.

Earnings from the Philippines' top ten export markets amounted to $1,595.27 million or 85.2 percent of the total earnings for December 1996.