The Philippines’ domestic trade sustained its positive performance in 2016, increasing 25.8% in quantity in the fourth quarter of last year to 6.21 million tons from 4.94 million tons in the same quarter of 2015, according to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Similarly, the value of domestic trade in the fourth quarter of last year surged 45.6% to P181.639 billion from P124.728 billion posted in the same period in 2015. The continued increase since the first quarter of 2016 is a turnaround from the declines recorded in 2015.
Water transport remained the main mode of trading for domestic commodities with 99.8% of the total, while the remaining 1.2% was made through air transport.
Machinery and transport equipment remained the top traded commodities in the country in the fourth quarter of 2016, with a share of 32.4% and a value amounting to P58.836 billion, an increase of 84.6% from P31.866 billion reported in the same quarter of 2015.
Food and live animals placed second with P44.403 billion (24.4% share of the total), and manufactured goods classified chiefly by material came in third with P19.783 billion (10.9%).
Other top traded commodities during the period were mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (P18.936 billion); chemical and related products (P10.738 billion); beverages and tobacco (P9.604 billion); miscellaneous manufactured articles (P7.878 billion); commodities and transactions (P6.897 billion); crude materials, inedible except fuels (P3.479 billion); and animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes (P1.082 billion).
The National Capital Region (NCR) once again reported the highest share in domestic trade value at P41.547 billion, an increase of 154.3% from P16.336 billion posted in the same quarter of 2015. This was followed by Central Visayas with P37.163 billion and Western Visayas with P31.550 billion.
Other regions with the highest share in domestic trade value were Eastern Visayas (P18.849 billion); Northern Mindanao (P15.726 billion); Central Luzon (P12.133 billion); Caraga (P8.909 billion); Davao Region (P4.658 billion); SOCCSKSARGEN (P3.359 billion); MIMAROPA (P2.665 billion); Bicol Region (P1.787 billion); ARMM (P1.633 billion); Zamboanga Peninsula (P1.447 billion); and CALABARZON (P212.18 million).
Total outflow in the fourth quarter of 2016 reached P181.640 billion, with NCR registering the highest outflow value amounting to P41.547 billion, or 22.9% of the total. It was followed by Central Visayas and Western Visayas with P37.163 billion (20.5%) and P31.550 billion (17.4%), respectively. CALABARZON had the least outflow value with P212.19 million (0.1%) in 2016.
Central Visayas, on the other hand, had the highest inflow value amounting to P34.377 billion. This translates to 18.9% of all traded commodities. Cagayan Valley region had the lowest inflow value with P75.08 million during the fourth quarter 2016.
In terms of balance of trade, NCR registered the highest positive trade balance at P17.928 billion. Other regions having positive trade balance were Central Luzon (P11.695 billion); Eastern Visayas (P6.026 billion); Western Visayas (P3.641 billion); Central Visayas (P2,786 billion); and SOCCSKSARGEN (P1.197 billion).
Regions with an unfavorable trade balance during the fourth quarter of 2016 were Zamboanga Peninsula (P11.273 billion); CALABARZON (P5.974 billion); Northern Mindanao (P4.788 billion); Davao Region (P3.609 billion); and MIMAROPA (P1.959 billion).
