THE increase in Philippine exports in June reflects the adaptability of Filipino enterprises, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque said in a statement on Thursday.
“Amid global challenges like geopolitics and supply chain issues, Filipino businesses continue to find ways to grow and compete. Their strength helps boost our export performance,” Roque noted.
Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed export revenues grew by 26.1 percent in June to $7.02 billion from $5.57 billion in the same period last year. This is the second-highest year-on-year growth in the past two years following the 28.2-percent rise in April 2024.
Mineral products, machinery and transport equipment, gold items, manufactured goods and coconut oil accounted for the spike in exports.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is intensifying its support for exporters by providing targeted market insights, facilitating business-matching and leading international trade missions, Roque pointed out.
The United States remained the Philippines’ largest export destination amounting to $1.21 billion, up by 35.2 percent from $898.38 million a year ago.
Shipments to Hong Kong also rose by 13.8 percent to $1.07 billion, while those for Japan reflected a 30.- percent increase to $974.80 million.
The strong performance in the US market may be due to accelerated deliveries in anticipation of tariff adjustments, said DTI-Export Marketing Bureau Director Bianca Pearl Sykimte.
“While this contributed to the June surge, it also underscores the importance of diversifying our export markets. We are actively working to support sectors that are heavily reliant on the US by opening new trade avenues and strengthening our presence in emerging and strategic markets,” Sykimte said.
The Philippines has a free trade agreement (FTA) with Korea, while negotiations with the United Arab Emirates have been concluded.
Other FTAs are being negotiated with the European Union, Chile and Israel.
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