THE country’s trade deficit widened in April as imports surged and exports slowed, preliminary Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data showed on Friday.
At $5.97 billion, the shortfall was nearly double the $3.98 billion posted a year ago and also rose from March’s $5.03 billion.
Total trade in goods reached $20.38 billion with imports accounting for $13.17 billion and exports at $7.21 billion, up 22.4 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively, from a year ago.
Imports rebounded from a 2.4-percent drop a year ago and improved from March’s 17.0-percent gain, while exports growth slowed from 7.6 percent and 20.8 percent, respectively, a year and a month earlier.
Year-to-date, the trade deficit increased to $19.28 billion from $16.44 billion in January-April 2025.
For the four-month period, total merchandise trade rose to $79.15 billion, up from $70.30 billion a year ago, with imports totaling $49.21 billion and exports hitting $29.93 billion.
Electronic products remained the country’s top export in April, accounting for $3.44 billion or 47.7 percent of total outbound merchandise shipments for the month.
Other mineral products ($458.95 million, 6.4 percent) and machinery and transport equipment ($423.36 million, 5.9 percent) followed.
The United States was again the biggest buyer of Philippine-made goods, accounting for $1.30 billion or 18.0 percent of the total.
Rounding out the top five were China ($926.66 million,12.9 percent), Japan ($914.64 million, 12.69 percent), Hong Kong ($914.59 million, 12.689 percent) and Singapore ($332.75 million, 4.6 percent).
Electronics were also the country’s top import at $4.22 billion or 32.0 percent of all inbound shipments.
Mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials ($2.55 billion, 19.4 percent) and transport equipment ( $714.26 million, 5.4 percent) rounded out the top three.
China was the country’s largest supplier, having sold $3.92 billion for a 29.7-percent share of total imports.
The rest of the top five comprised South Korea ($1.55 billion, 11.8 percent), Japan ($959.69 million, 7.3 percent), Malaysia ($790.13 million, 6.0 percent), and Indonesia ($773.48 million, 5.9 percent).
