Philippine merchandise exports could exceed P100 billion this year, Philexport says
Key Takeaways
- •Philexport expects Philippine merchandise exports to exceed P100 billion year, with electronics and minerals identified as the two supporting sectors.
- •Goods exports reached $84.48 billion in 2025, a 15.3% rise and the highest since records began in 1991, and grew a further 14.8% to $64.04 billion in the first eight months of 2026.
- •Electronic products led August exports at $6.20 billion, or 68.1% of the total, with the trade department crediting demand to growth in artificial intelligence and data centers.
- •Mineral shipments totaled $393.54 million in August, with gold contributing $321.27 million, and gold and electronic equipment and parts posted year-on-year increases of $41.83 million and $32.09 million respectively.
- •The United States was the largest export destination in August at $2.17 billion, or 23.8% of shipments, followed by Hong Kong, China, Japan, and Taiwan.
By Beatriz Marie D. Cruz, Senior Reporter
Philippine merchandise exports could exceed P100 billion this year, supported by demand for electronics and minerals, the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport) said.
“We hope two sectors will help (the Philippines exceed) P100 billion — electronics, which is growing very fast, plus the minerals sector,” Philexport President Sergio R. Ortiz-Luis, Jr. said at a briefing on Thursday.
Merchandise exports are a key source of dollar inflows for the Philippine economy, which is why the record run is being watched as a test of whether the momentum can extend into 2026. Philippine goods exports reached $84.48 billion in 2025, a 15.3% increase and the highest level since the government began tracking the indicator in 1991.
In the first eight months of 2026, merchandise exports increased 14.8% to $64.04 billion. Trade Secretary Maria Cristina A. Roque said in a statement last week: “This 35-year high builds on the sustained export growth we have achieved since last year, proving that the international market is ready and eager for Philippine products.”
Electronic products remained the leading export category in August, with shipments valued at $6.20 billion, or 68.1% of total exports for the month. The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) attributed demand in the electronics sector to the boom in artificial intelligence and data centers. That level of concentration ties the country’s export performance closely to the global electronics cycle, making the sector the main swing factor for whether the full-year goal is met.
Mineral product exports totaled $393.54 million, equivalent to 4.3% of total exports. Gold accounted for $321.27 million, or 3.5% of the total. The DTI said gold and electronic equipment and parts posted year-on-year increases of $41.83 million and $32.09 million, respectively. Though minerals remain a fraction of the electronics haul, gold made up the bulk of the category’s August value, underscoring its role as the second pillar in Philexport’s P100 billion scenario.
The US remained the Philippines’ largest export market in August, accounting for $2.17 billion, or 23.8% of total exports. Hong Kong followed with $1.57 billion, China with $1.05 billion, Japan with $704.49 million, and Taiwan with $516.01 million. Together, the five destinations took the bulk of the month’s shipments, keeping export performance tied to demand in the United States and in Asia’s electronics supply chain hubs.
Whether the P100 billion mark is reached will be settled by the final four months of trade data, which will show whether the double-digit growth of the first eight months held through year-end.
