EXPORTS POST 15.2 PERCENT GAIN

Aggregate merchandise export receipts for the first quarter of 1999 grew by 15.2 percent to $7.850 billion from $6.816 billion in 1998.

For March 1999, total dollar inflows went up by 9.1 percent to $2.699 billion from $2.474 billion a year earlier.

ELECTRONICS AND COMPONENTS ACCOUNT FOR 52.9 PERCENT

Electronics and Components, with a share of 52.9 percent to total, was the top earner for the month with receipts amounting to $1.429 billion. This was 11.0 percent higher than $1.287 billion in 1998.

Input/Output Peripheral Units was the second top earner with receipts amounting to $189.62 million, increasing by 25.2 percent over $151.47 million a year ago.

Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories ranked third with receipts amounting to $166.64 million, dropping by 15.0 percent from $196.06 million a year earlier.

Exports of Coconut Oil were valued at $41.53 million, which was 3.3 percent lower than $42.94 million last year. This comprised the fourth biggest export group with a share of 1.5 percent to total.

Woodcraft and Furniture, valued at $40.38 million and accounting for 1.5 percent of the total, increased by 11.3 percent from $36.28 million last year.

Ignition Wiring Set & Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships posted a 2.5 percent decline as receipts fell to $37.57 million from $38.53 million in 1998.

Other top exports for March 1999 were Metal Components, $32.27 million; Cathodes and Sections of Cathodes, of Refined Copper, $30.11 million;Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignment Basis, $27.98 million; and Gold, $20.84 million.

Total receipts from the top ten exports reached $2.016 billion or 74.7 percent of the aggregate for the month.

EXPORT OF MANUFACTURES REACH $2.391 BILLION

Receipts from Manufactures grew by 9.3 percent to $2.391 billion from $2.189 billion in 1998.

Agro-based Products and Other Agro-based Products, on the other hand, grossed $155.20 million which was a 1.7 percent improvement over $152.55 million last year.

Mineral Products earned $65.29 million while Special Transactions amounted to $78.17 million. Petroleum Products and Forest Products had respective export values of $8.68 million and $471 thousand respectively while Re-exports grossed $65.23 million.

US RETAINS SPOT AS TOP MARKET

United States remained as the top market with a 31.6 percent share. Shipments valued at $851.82 million grew by 4.7 percent from $813.24 million in 1998.

Japan, accounting for 14.7 percent of the total receipt, was the second biggest market. Value of exports to Japan amounted to $396.78 million which was a 5.9 percent drop from $421.71 million during the same month of 1998.

Netherlands followed as the third biggest market with exports of $278.77 million or 10.3 percent of the total.

Other major markets for March 1999 were Singapore, $184.04 million; Taiwan, $163.13 million; Hongkong, $121.75 million; United Kingdom of Great Britain, $115.42 million; Germany, $95.62 million; Malaysia, $91.16 million; and Republic of Korea, $74.34 million.

Aggregate value of exports to the top ten markets amounted to $2.373 billion or 87.9 percent of the total.

Source: National Statistics Office
               Manila, Philippines