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

NOVEMBER 2009 MERCHANDISE EXPORTS UP BY 5.1 PERCENT

Export earnings in November 2009 recorded its first month increase of 5.1 percent after posting ten months consecutive decline in 2009 to $3.693 billion from $3.513 billion in November 2008.  Month-on-month, it slightly grew by 0.6 percent from $3.670 billion in October 2009. Aggregate merchandise exports from January to November 2009, on the other hand, dropped by 24.6 percent from $46.403 billion to $35.004 billion registered during the same eleven-month period in 2008.

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INCREASED BY 6.9 PERCENT

Accounting for 58.2 percent of the total export revenue in November 2009, Electronic Productsamounted to $2.148 billion. It was higher by 6.9 percent from $2.010 billion in November 2008. Components/Devices (Semiconductors) which comprised 39.0 percent of the total exports and the biggest share among the major groups of electronic products amounted to $1.439 billion or an annual decrease of 5.6 percent .   Compared to previous month level, Electronic Products went down by 0.7 percent from $2.162 billion in October 2009, an improvement from last months decline of 3.9 percent.

Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories representing 3.6 percent share of total exports in November 2009 emerged as RPs second top earner with revenue valued at $131.8 million. This commodity group, however, exhibited year-on-year decrease of 1.0 percent from $133.13 million in November 2008.   

Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships (consisting only of electrical wiring harness for motor vehicles) followed as the third top earner in November 2009 with total export earnings of $96.96 million or a share of 2.6 percent to the total export receipts.  It fell by 10.0 percent from $107.68 million in November 2008.

Ranked fourth in November 2009 and contributing 2.4 percent to the total export receipts wasWoodcrafts and Furniture with revenue amounting to $87.54 million. This value diminished by 11.8 percent from its year ago level of $99.30 million.

Cathodes and Sections of Cathodes, of Refined Copper with 2.0 percent share to the total export receipts ranked fifth with value posted at $74.99 million or 4.3 percent decline from  $78.35 million in November 2008.

Rounding up the list of the top ten exports for the month of November 2009 were Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis with export receipts of $61.09million rose by 7.4 percent; Metal Components (excluding brakes and servo - brakes)  with export earnings of $49.78 million increased by 12.5 percent; Coconut Oil (including crude and refined) with proceeds billed at $36.43 million decelerated by 24.5 percent; Tuna (including fresh, frozen, prepared or preserved in airtight containers) with the highest annual negative growth of 38.5 percent among the top ten exports in November 2009 recorded sales amounting to $24.76 million; and Pineapple and Pineapple Products with export revenue of $20.35 million accelerated by 15.1 percent, the highest year-on-year positive growth among the top ten exports in November 2009. 

Total receipts from the top ten exports reached $2.731 billion, or 74.0 percent of the total exports.

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

EXPORTS OF MANUFACTURED GOODS STOOD AT $3.260 BILLION

Accounting for 88.3 percent of the total receipts, outward shipments of Manufactured Goods in November 2009 reached $3.260 billion or a 6.8 percent increase from $3.052 billion recorded in the same period a year earlier. Likewise, it went up by 4.4 percent from $3.123 billion recorded in October 2009.  

Income from Total Agro-Based Products comprising 3.9 percent of the total exports revenue in November 2009 plummeted by 22.7 percent from $188.06 million in November 2008 to $145.43 million.

Earnings from Mineral Products with a share of 3.9 percent in November 2009 reached $143.01 million, reflecting a 11.4 percent increase from $128.35 million in November 2008.  More so, export receipts from Special Transactions with a share of 3.7 percent expanded by 21.6 percent to  $134.98 million from $111.03 million in November 2008.

Exports revenue of Petroleum Products with 0.1 percent share of the total exports decelerated by 83.4 percent from $29.35 million in November 2008 to $4.88 million. Similarly, Forest Products with 0.1 percent share of the total exports dropped by 0.8 percent from $4.21 million registered in November 2008 to $4.18 million.

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

EXPORTS TO UNITED STATES ACCOUNTED FOR 17.7 PERCENT

United States of America (USA) including Alaska and Hawaii, comprising 17.7 percent of the total exports for November 2009, emerged as the countrys top destination of exports for November 2009 with revenue amounting to $654.17 million. It was higher by 7.5 percent from $608.74 million recorded a year earlier.

Japan including Okinawa, followed as the second top market of the country for November 2009 with export earnings of $597.57 million or 16.2 percent share of the total exports. The amount inched up by 2.7 percent from $581.81 million reported in November 2008.

Netherlands came in third with shipments amounting to $378.43 million and representing 10.3 percent of the total exports. The amount accelerated by 56.0 percent from its year ago level of $242.62 million.

Germany ranked fourth in November 2009 with $367.56 million or 10.0 percent of the total exports, surged by 102.4 percent from $181.65 million recorded in November 2008.

Fifth in rank and accounting for 7.4 percent share from the total exports was Singapore with revenue amounting to $274.51 million or a year-on-year increase of 93.3 percent from $141.98 million.

Other top ten markets for November 2009 were Hong Kong, $261.43 million; Peoples Republic ofChina, $227.98 million; Republic of Korea, $159.74 million; Thailand, $144.74 million; and Malaysia, $101.86 million.

Total export receipts from RPs top ten markets for the month of November 2009 amounted to $3.168 billion or 85.8 percent of the total.

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

EXPORTS FROM EASTERN ASIA WORTH $1.343 BILLION

Philippines total exports in November 2009 with Eastern Asia (China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea and Taiwan) accounted for 36.4 percent of the countys total exports. It amounted to $1.343 billion or a negative annual growth of 19.0 percent  from November 2008 level of $1.658 billion.

Exports to European Union (EU) in November 2009 representing 24.9 percent share to the total exports in November 2009, increased by 60.9 percent year-on-year to $919.02 million from $571.30 million in November 2008.

Total exports to ASEAN member-countries with 16.2 percent share in November 2009 grew by 39.3 percent to $597.44 million in November 2009 from $428.82 million in November 2008.

Fig. 4  Philippine Exports by Selected Economic Bloc in November: 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.

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