Manila: The Philippines' total external trade in goods saw a significant increase of 16.1 percent in April, as per preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). The PSA reported that the nation's total external trade in goods rose to USD20.38 billion from USD17.55 billion in April of the previous year.

According to Philippines News Agency, imports represented 64.6 percent of the total trade, while exports made up the remaining 35.4 percent. The balance of trade in goods, which indicates the difference between the value of exports and imports, registered a deficit of USD5.97 billion, marking a 49.8 percent rise from the same period last year.

Exports saw a growth of 6.3 percent, reaching USD7.21 billion from USD6.78 billion in April 2025. Notable increases were observed in machinery and transport equipment, which rose by USD187.63 million, coconut oil by USD173.03 million, and other mineral products by USD163.57 million. Electronic products continued to be the Philippines' leading export in April, generating USD3.44 billion, followed by other mineral products at USD458.95 million and machinery and transport equipment at USD423.36 million. Key export partners included the United States, China, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore.

In the meantime, total imports surged by 22.4 percent to USD13.17 billion from USD10.77 billion in April of the previous year. Electronic products topped the import list with a value of USD4.22 billion, accounting for 32 percent of the country's total imports. This was followed by mineral fuels, lubricants, and related materials valued at USD2.55 billion, and transport equipment at USD714.26 million. China remained the leading source of imported goods for the Philippines, followed by Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and Indonesia.