MERCHANDISE EXPORTS REGISTER 22.4 PERCENT INCREASE

Registered earnings for April 2002 went up by 22.4 percent to $2.749 billion from $2.246 billion during the same month a year ago.

Receipts from merchandise exports for January to April 2002 increased by 0.4 percent to $10.857 billion from $10.810 billion during the same period in 2001.

ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS INCREASED BY 32.9 PERCENT

Receipts from Electronic Components, accounting for 53.4 percent of the aggregate export revenue for the month, increased by 32.9 percent to $1.468 billion from $1.105 billion last year.

Articles of Apparel and Clothing Accessories remained as the country�s second top earner with a combined share of 5.6 percent and an aggregate receipt of $153.62 million or 16.2 percent lower than $183.3 million a year earlier.

Ignition Wiring Set & Other Wiring Sets Used in Vehicles, Aircrafts and Ships, ranked third with a total revenue of $41.56 million reflecting a 4.6 percent decrease from $43.56 million last year.

Woodcrafts and Furniture ranked fourth with sales amounting to $35.86 million or a year-on-year increase of 21.4 percent from $29.53 million.

Revenue from Other Products Manufactured from Materials Imported on Consignments Basis went up by 17.0 percent to $35.46 million from $30.32 million during the same month of 2001.

Rounding-up the list of the top exports for the month of April 2002 were: Metal Components, $32.46 million; Petroleum Products, $30.20 million; Bananas (Fresh), $25.11 million; Coconut Oil, $22.27 million; and Cathodes and Sections of Cathodes, of Refined Copper, $15.88 million.

Aggregate receipt for the top ten exports amounted to $1.861 billion, or 67.7 percent of the total exports.

Fig. 1. Philippine Top Exports in April : 2001 & 2002
( F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollar )

MANUFACTURED GOODS INCREASED BY 24.1 PERCENT

Accounting for 89.0 percent of the total receipts, exports of Manufactured Goods increased by 24.1 percent as sales reached $2.446 billion, from $1.971 billion during the same period last year.

Income from Agro-Based Products, combined for $131.23 million or 4.8 percent of the total export revenue. Compared to last year, aggregate revenue for this commodity group fell by 1.5 percent from $133.24 million.

Special Transactions rose by 19.9 percent to $104.72 million from $87.33 million, while receipt from exports of Mineral Products decreased by 16.0 percent to $34.15 million from $40.63 million.

Petroleum Products contributed $30.20 million, while Forest Products registered $2.35 million dollars.

Fig. 2. Philippine Exports by Commodity Group in April: 2001 & 2002
( F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollar )

EXPORTS TO US ACCOUNT FOR 25.4 PERCENT

Accounting for 25.4 percent of the country's aggregate receipts for the month, exports to the United States valued at $698.48 million, increased by 5.1 percent from last year's reported figure of $664.83 million.

Japan followed with a 15.8 percent share. Valued at $433.14 million, exports to Japan went up by 15.0 percent from $376.59 million.

Taiwan accounted for 7.9 percent of the total receipts, at $216.16 million reflecting a 43.1 percent increase from $151.06 million a year earlier.

Singapore emerged as the fourth biggest market for the month as shipments of local goods amounted to $212.52 million or 7.7 percent of the total. Compared to the same month last year figure, receipts went up by 58.4 percent from $134.16 million. Other top markets for April 2002 were: Netherlands, $199.87 million; Hongkong, $153.64 million; Malaysia, $128.84 million; Germany, $106.0 million;, People's Republic of China, $103.06 million; and Republic of Korea, $93.53 million.

Total export receipts from RP's top ten markets amounted to $2.345 billion or 85.3 percent of the total.

Fig. 3. Philippine Top Exports by Country in April, 2002
( F.O.B. Value in Million US Dollar )

Source: National Statistics Office
              Manila, Philippines