Benise Balaoing

Container vans stacked together are seen inside the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) compound in Manila on April 1, 2020. PPA general manager Atty. Jay Santiago said that Manila ports that serve as the “lungs” of the country’s commerce and trade are not functioning efficiently due to congestion. Santiago also stated that some containers inside their compound have not been withdrawn for more than 30 days already, even before the enhanced community quarantine was implemented. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

Balance of trade

ABS-CBN News

MANILA -- The Philippines’ trade deficit narrowed by 17.8 percent in January 2026 as export growth outpaced a slight uptick in total trade, according to preliminary data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).In a statement, the PSA said the balance of trade in goods posted a $4.05 billion deficit. The country’s total external trade in goods in January reached $18.24 billion, up from $18.07 billion in the same month last year.Imports fell by 3.1 percent to $11.14 billion. Exports provided a bright spot for the economy, surging 7.9 percent to $7.09 billion. The PSA noted that this was the highest export performance since the $7.45 billion recorded in October 2025.The growth in exports was largely driven by the following sectors:<ul style="margin-left:20px;list-style-type:disc"><li>Electronic products: Up $634.18 million.</li><li>Gold: Up $354.18 million.</li><li>Machinery and transport equipment: Up $155.57 million.</li></ul><div> </div>In contrast, the trade deficit in January 2025 had recorded a 13.3 percent increase.Most of the Philippines&#x27; exports went to the United States--about $1.16 billion in goods went to the US during the period.Other top recipients of Philippine exports include Hong Kong, Japan, China, and Korea.Most of the imports, meanwhile, came from China, with $3.26 billion in Chinese goods entering the Philippines.Other top import sources include South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, and the United States.

The trade deficit fell by 17.8 percent in January, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

The trade deficit fell by 17.8 percent in January, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said.

Trade deficit narrows by 17.8 percent in January

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Trade deficit narrows by 17.8 percent in January

Benise Balaoing,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 27, 2026 04:27 PM PHT

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balance of trade

imports

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