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

DECEMBER 2009 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS UP BY 23.6 PERCENT

Export earnings in December 2009 amounted to $3.304 billion, a double-digit growth of 23.6 percent was registered compared from its year ago level of $2.675 billion.  However, on a monthly basis, it declined by 11.0 percent from $3.712 billion in November 2009. Aggregate merchandise exports from January to December 2009, on the other hand, dropped by 21.9 percent from $49.078 billion to $38.327 billion registered during the same twelve-month period in 2008.

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INCREASED BY 40.9 PERCENT

Accounting for 56.9 percent of the total export revenue in December 2009, Electronic Products was the countrys top export with a total earnings  of $1.881 billion. It grew by 40.9 percent from $1.335 billion in December 2008.  Components/Devices (Semiconductors) which comprised 39.2 percent of the total exports and the biggest share among the major groups of electronic products amounted to $1.295 billion or an annual increase of 36.9 percent.   Month-on-month, Electronic Products went down by 12.4 percent from $2.148 billion in November 2009.

Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories which comprised  4.0 percent share of total exports in December 2009 emerged as RPs second top gainer with revenue valued at $131.54 million. This commodity group, however, exhibited year-on-year decrease of 17.8 percent from $159.96 million in December 2008.   

Coconut Oil (including crude and refined) followed as the third top earner in December 2009 with total export earnings of $87.40 million or a share of 2.6 percent to the total export receipts.  It expanded by 14.4 percent from $76.40 million in December 2008.

Ranked fourth in December 2009 and contributing 2.6 percent to the total export receipts wasIgnition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships (consisting only of electrical wiring harness for motor vehicles) with revenue amounting to $85.64 million. This value grew by 85.3 percent from its year ago level of $46.22 million.

Woodcrafts and Furniture with 2.1 percent share to the total export receipts ranked fifth with value posted at $68.16 million or 16.1 percent decline from  $81.25 million registered in December 2008.

Rounding up the list of the top ten exports for the month of December 2009 were Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis with export receipts of $54.54million increased by 14.9 percent; Metal Components (excluding brakes and servo - brakes)  with export earnings of $47.41 million up by 21.1 percent; Copper Concentrates  with proceeds billed at $35.33 million accelerated by 739.2 percent, the highest increase among the top ten exports in December 2009; Petroleum Products (including refined petroleum products, manufactured from crude petroleum oil imported on consignment basis) recorded sales amounting to $32.00 million rose by 118.9 percent; and Cathodes and Sections of Cathodes, of Refined Copper with export revenue of $26.89 million contracted by 49.4 percent, the highest year-on-year negative growth among the top ten exports in December 2009. 

Total receipts from the top ten exports reached $2.450 billion, or 74.2 percent of the total exports.

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

EXPORTS OF MANUFACTURED GOODS STOOD AT $2.808 BILLION

Accounting for 85.0 percent of the total receipts, outward shipments of Manufactured Goods in December 2009 reached $2.808 billion or a 26.4 percent increase from $2.221 billion recorded in the same period a year earlier. However, it fell by 13.6 percent from $3.250 billion recorded in November 2009.  

Income from Total Agro-Based Products comprising 6.5 percent of the total exports revenue in December 2009 went down by 5.4 percent from $225.87 million in December 2008 to $213.58 million.  Month-on-month, it swelled by 46.8 percent from $145.47 million in November 2009.

Earnings from Mineral Products with a share of 3.2 percent in December 2009 reached $104.73 million, reflecting a 5.8 percent increase from $98.96 million in December 2008.  More so, export receipts from Special Transactions with a share of 4.4 percent expanded by 28.3 percent to  $144.27 million from $112.44 million recorded in December 2008.

Exports revenue of Petroleum Products with 1.0 percent share of the total exports went up by 118.9 percent to $32.00 million from $14.62 million in December 2008. However, Forest Products with 0.1 percent share of the total exports dropped by 2.3 percent from $2.11 million registered in December 2008 to $2.06 million.

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

EXPORTS TO UNITED STATES ACCOUNTED FOR 19.0 PERCENT

United States of America (USA) including Alaska and Hawaii, comprising 19.0 percent of the total exports for December 2009, emerged as the countrys top destination of exports for December 2009 with revenue amounting to $627.86 million. It was higher by 9.4 percent from $573.98 million recorded a year ago.

Japan including Okinawa, followed as the second top market of the country for December 2009 with export earnings of $507.46 million or 15.4 percent share of the total exports. The amount increased by 10.9 percent  from $457.68 million reported in December 2008.

Netherlands came in third with shipments amounting to $295.24 million and representing 8.9 percent of the total exports. Compared to same month a year ago, the amount accelerated by 77.2 percent from $166.62 million.

Singapore ranked fourth in December 2009 with $283.19 million or 8.6 percent of the total exports, advanced by 141.6 percent from its year earlier level of $117.20 million.

Fifth in rank and accounting for 7.4 percent share of the total exports was Germany with export earnings worth $245.18 million or an annual positive growth of 50.4 percent from $162.97 million posted in December 2008.

Other top ten markets for December 2009 were Peoples Republic of China, $234.62 million;Hong Kong, $217.32 million; Republic of Korea, $136.27 million; Thailand, $131.11 million; and Taiwan, $103.72 million.

Total export receipts from RPs top ten markets for the month of December 2009 amounted to $2.782 billion or 84.2 percent of the total.

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

EXPORTS FROM EASTERN ASIA WORTH $1.200 BILLION

Philippines total exports in December 2009 with Eastern Asia (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan) accounted for 36.3 percent of the countys total exports. It amounted to $1.200 billion or an increase of 7.4 percent from its December 2008 level of $1.118 billion.

Exports to European Union (EU) representing 21.3 percent share to the total exports in December 2009 reached to $702.04 million, up by 46.3 percent from $479.99 million recorded in December 2008.

Total exports to ASEAN member-countries with 17.2 percent share in December 2009 expanded by 66.4 percent  to $569.60 million from $342.39 million registered in December 2008.

Fig. 4  Philippine Exports by Selected Economic Bloc in December: 2009 & 2008
(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.

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