SUMMARY REPORT OF THE MERCHANDISE EXPORT PERFORMANCE FOR FEBRUARY 2000
(Preliminary)

MERCHANDISE EXPORTS POST 13.0 PERCENT INCREASE

Merchandise exports for the first two months of 2000 increased by 9.1 percent to $5.619 billion from $5.150 billion in 1999.

Aggregate receipts for February 2000 from merchandise exports grew by 13.0 percent to $2.902 billion from $2.569 billion a year earlier.

ELECTRONICS AND COMPONENTS UP BY 8.0 PERCENT

Receipts from Electronics and Components, accounting for 51.0 percent of February 2000 aggregate export revenue, went up by 8.0 percent to $1.481 billion from $1.371 billion a year earlier.

Input/Output/Peripheral Units remained as the second top earner with an aggregate receipts of $229.44 million and a share of 7.9 percent. February exports were 25.3 percent higher than $183.13 million in 1999.

The third top earner for the month consisted of Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories was valued at $199.20 million, which was a 22.1 percent increase from $163.09 million in 1999.

Revenues from Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircraft and Ships grew by 23.2 percent to $46.81 million from $38.00 million last year.

Woodcrafts and Furniture ranked fifth with sales amounting to $39.80 million for an increase of 24.6 percent from $31.95 million a year ago.

Exports of Metal Components went up by 26.4 percent to $32.98 million from $26.10 million in 1999.

Rounding up the list of the top exports for February 2000 were Coconut Oil, $32.43 million; Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis, $27.86 million; Cathodes & Sections of Cathodes, of Refined Copper, $27.24 million; and Sugar, $25.76 million.

Aggregate receipts for the top ten exports amounted to $2.142 billion, or 73.8 percent of the total.

MANUFACTURED GOODS POST 15.2 PERCENT INCREASE

Accounting for 89.0 percent of the total exports, Manufactured Goods posted a 15.2 percent increase as sales reached $2.583 billion, up from $2.243 billion a year earlier.

Combined incomes from Agro-Based and Other Agro-Based Products reached $141.20 million or 4.9 percent of the total. Compared to last year, aggregate revenue for these commodity groups grew by 54.0 percent from $91.67 million.

EXPORTS TO US ACCOUNT FOR 17.8 PERCENT

Accounting for 30.3 percent of the total for the month, value of exports to the United States rose by 17.8 percent to $878.21 million from $745.28 million last year.

Valued at $444.94 million, exports to Japan gained 28.0 percent from $347.68 million in 1999. The share of exports to Japan was 15.3 percent.

Exports to Netherlands, the third biggest market accounting for 8.4 percent of the total receipt, registered a 2.9 percent increase and amounted to $243.88 million from $237.07 million last year.

Singapore emerged as the fourth biggest market as shipments amounted to $207.01 million or 7.1 percent of the total. Compared to the same month last year, receipts increased by 46.8 percent from $141.02 million.

Other top markets for the month were Taiwan, $196.57 million; United Kingdom of Great Britain, $131.64 million; Hongkong, $129.56 million; Germany, $110.49 million; Republic of Korea, $108.97 million; and, Malaysia, $107.89 million.

Total export receipt from the top ten markets amounted to $2.559 billion or 88.2 percent of the total.

Source: National Statistics Office
Manila, Philippines