Based on the latest statistics released by the National Statistics Office (NSO), Japan outpaced the USA as leading importer of selected Philippine products in March 2008, increasing at an annual rate of 18.5 percent over the same period last year, compared to USA’s growth of only 1.0 percent. Total exports to Japan was valued at US$710.9 million. The third highest importer, the People’s Republic of China grew by 13.2 percent. 

Electronic products, remained as the country’s top export comprising 58.5 percent of the total exports. Other commodities in the list of top five exports include: (a) articles of apparel and clothing accessories; (b) woodcrafts and furniture; (c) cathodes and sections of cathodes, of refined copper; and (d) petroleum products.

The NSO released the March 2008 data on exports on May 9, 2008, six days earlier than the target date of release. Data on exports should be made available 45 days after the reference month, as mandated by Executive Order No. 352, Designation of Statistical Activities that will Generate Critical Data for Decision-Making of the Government and the Private Sector, issued on July 1, 1996. The EO designates NSO as the agency to generate monthly data on merchandise exports from the compilation of foreign trade statistics. It maybe noted that the top ten exports listed in the NSO foreign trade statistics are different from the principal merchandise exports in the national accounts, which are based on the 1988 list of top ten exports to maintain the national accounts link series over a period of time.

For further inquiries, please contact Ms. Rosie B. Sta. Ana, Chief of the Economic Indicators and Indices Division of the NSO, at telefax numbered 716-39-35 and e-mail address r.staana@census.gov.ph.

Link to data source:  http://www.census.gov.ph/data/pressrelease/2008/ex0803tx.html