EXPORTED GOODS IN NOVEMBER 2015 DECREASES BY 1.1 PERCENT

The     Philippines’     export   sales   amounted to $5.117 billion in November 2015, a 1.1 percent decrease from $5.175 billion recorded value in November of 2014.  The negative growth was mainly brought about by the decreases in five major commodities out of the top ten commodities for the month.  These include articles of apparel and clothing accessories (-42.7%), chemicals (-40.2%), woodcrafts and furniture (-9.5%), other manufactures (-6.0%), and metal components (-3.7%).

On the other hand, merchandise   exports   for the period January to November 2015 registered a 5.8 percent drop, that is from $57.299 billion in 2014 to $53.988 billion in same period of 2015 (Table 1a).

ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INCREASES BY 9.3 PERCENT

Electronic Products remained as the country’s top export with total receipts of $2.774 billion, accounting for 54.2 percent of the total exports revenue in November 2015. It increased by 9.3 percent from $2.539 billion registered in November 2014.  Components/Devices (Semiconductors),    having     the    biggest    share   of      38.3 percent among electronic products, grew by 5.7 percent to $1.961 billion in November 2015 from $1.855 billion in November 2014.

Woodcrafts and Furniture  ranked  second, with a contribution of 6.4 percent share to the total export receipts, recorded sales of $326.15 million in November 2015.  It   registered  a   9.5  percent decrease from the previous year level of $360.31 million.

Machinery and Transport Equipment, the third top export earner in November 2015   with   export   revenue   of  $320.23 million.  However, export sales for this commodity group went down by 54.1 percent from $207.75 million in November 2014.

Other Manufactures, with 6.2 percent share to the total export receipts, ranked fourth with value posted at $318.02 million. It recorded a decrease of 6.0 percent from November 2014 value of $338.33 million.

Ignition Wiring Set and Other Wiring Sets Used in  Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships    was   recorded   as   the   country’s   fifth top export earner with value at $222.21 million or 4.3 percent share to total exports. It went up by 13.3 percent from $196.11 million in same period of 2014.

Rounding up the list of the top ten exports with corresponding export sales for the month of November 2015 were:

• Chemicals   with   $143.20 million, decelerated by 40.2 percent; 
• Metal Components   with  $108.76 million, dropped by 3.7 percent;
• Coconut Oil  with   $89.95  million, increased   by   17.9  percent;
• Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories with $76.85   million, fell by 42.7 percent; and
• Electronic Equipment and Parts with $76.57 million, rose by 19.7 percent.

Total receipts from the top ten exports reached $4.455 billion, or 87.1 percent of the total exports.

EXPORTS OF MANUFACTURED GOODS WENT UP BY 3.6 PERCENT

Outward shipments of Manufactured Goods were valued at $4.627 billion, accounting   for 90.4 percent of the total export receipts in November 2015.  It went up by 3.6 percent from $4.465 billion recorded in November 2014 (Table 2). 

Exports from Total Agro-Based Products, with a 4.7 percent share to total exports    in    November   2015,   amounted   to   $240.59  million.   It dropped   by 23.1 percent from $312.98 million in November 2014.

Mineral  Products  with a 3.0 percent  share, decreased by 25.3 percent from $203.12 million in November 2014 to $151.77 million in November 2015.

Merchandise exports from Special Transactions, sharing 1.7 percent of   the   total  exports revenue, decreased by 43.7 percent from $153.76 million in November 2014 to $86.54 million in November 2015. 

Petroleum Products, with 0.2 percent share, declined by 69.3 percent from $30.61 million in November 2014 to $9.41 million in the same month in 2015.

Moreover, sales from Forest Products, accounting for 0.04 percent share of the total   exports,   decreased   by   79.5 percent from $9.02 million in November 2014 to $1.85 million reported value in same period of 2015.

JAPAN ACCOUNTS FOR 21.3 PERCENT TO TOTAL EXPORTS IN NOVEMBER 2015

Total export receipts from the country’s top ten market destinations for the month of November 2015 was valued at $4.340 billion or 84.8 percent of the total (Table 3).  See Figure 4.

Japan including Okinawa remained as the country’s top export destination with revenue amounting to $1.091 billion, comprising 21.3 percent share to total exports for November 2015.  It decreased by 1.8 percent from $1.112 billion recorded in the same month a year ago.

United States of America (USA) including Alaska and Hawaii ranked second, accounting 14.0 percent to total exports, with export receipts valued at $716.73 million in November 2015. It recorded an increase of 5.1 percent from $682.11 million in same month last year.

Hong Kong ranked third with $557.71 million or 10.9 percent share of the total exports.  It grew by 21.3 percent from $459.89 million in the same month year ago level.

People’s Republic of China with 9.8 percent share to total exports, ranked fourth   with   shipments   valued   at   $502.74 million.  It went down by 24.4 percent from $664.75 million in same month a year ago.

Taiwan placed fifth, representing a 7.6 percent share to total exports, with export earnings worth $386.50 million.  It declined by 31.3 percent from $562.49 million posted in November 2014.

Other   top   ten  market destinations  for   November 2015 were: Singapore, $304.11 million; Thailand, $211.60 million;   Republic of Korea, $202.66 million;  Germany, $196.17 million; and Netherlands, $170.18 million. 

ABOUT 54 PERCENT OF EXPORTS ARE FOR COUNTRIES IN EAST ASIA

Majority of the country’s merchandise exports in November 2015 went to countries in East Asia,   accounting for 53.7 percent share to total exports value at $2.747 billion.  It decreased by 8.0 percent from $2.988 billion of November 2014.        

Commodities exported to ASEAN member countries comprised 14.0 percent of the total exports in November 2015 and was valued at $713.98 million. This registered a positive growth of 8.4 percent from $658.36 million posted in same month a year ago.

Exports to European Union member countries, with 12.1 percent share to total merchandise exports amounted to $617.17 million.  It went up by 21.7 percent from $506.98 million recorded in November 2014 (Table 3a).

Technical Notes

Export trade statistics are compiled by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) from copies of export declarations filed with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) by exporters or their authorized representatives as required by law. PSA collects a copy of the accomplished form Export Declaration (ED – DTI form).  Aside from the hard copy of the ED, the output of the Automated Export Documentation System (AEDS) is being utilized to generate export statistics. AEDS is a paperless transaction that is in lieu of the manual filling-up of export documents. The digitized copy is provided by BOC and PEZA on a monthly basis through email.

All documents (hard copies and e-files) received before the cut-off date which is every 25^th day of the month are compiled, processed and generated in a monthly statistical tables for the preparation of Press Release.  All documents received after the cut-off date, however, are processed and included in the generation of the revised statistical tables.  Processing includes coding, editing, review and validation.  Revised statistical tables are made available 10 to 15 working days after the press release date.

The Press Release is due every 10^th day of each month.  However, if the 10^th day falls on a Saturday, release will be on Friday but if it falls on a Sunday or Monday the release will be on Tuesday.  Also, if the release date falls on holiday, the date of release is moved accordingly.

The 2004 Philippine Standard Commodity Classification (PSCC) is used to classify the imported commodities at the most detailed level for statistical purposes.

Data request of international merchandise trade statistics are available at Philippine Statistics Authority, Economic Sector Statistics Service, Trade Statistics Division (Telephone Number: 376-19-75).