By Tracy Cabrera
DILIMAN, Quezon City — With the value of the Philippines’ domestic trade falling to 21.9 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) disclosed that local trading amounted to only ₱745.70 billion, down from ₱955.18 billion in the same period last year.
According to official data, most trade commodities were transported by road, accounting for ₱542.73 billion or 72.8 percent of total trade, up 9.8 percent from ₱494.44 billion a year earlier.
Trade conducted through water plunged 56 percent to ₱202.42 billion or 27.1 percent of the total, from ₱460.06 billion.
Meanwhile, commodities transported by air fell 16.9 percent to ₱557.67 million.
Machinery, mechanical appliances and electrical equipment and related parts accounted for the largest commodity outflow at ₱183.41 billion or 24.6 percent of domestic trade.
Prepared foodstuff, beverages and tobacco products followed at ₱147.64 billion or 19.8 percent, while optical, photographic, measuring, precision, medical and surgical instruments totaled ₱93.11 billion or 12.5 percent.
Among regions, Calabarzon recorded the highest trade outflow at ₱331.63 billion, or 44.5 percent of the total, followed by the National Capital Region (NCR) at ₱115.89 billion and Central Luzon at ₱108.41 billion.
The National Capital Region (NCR) posted the highest trade inflow at ₱361.56 billion or 48.5 percent, followed by Calabarzon at ₱82.13 billion and Central Visayas at ₱38.70 billion.
The Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon area (Calabarzon) registered the largest trade surplus at ₱249.50 billion, while NCR had the biggest deficit at ₱245.67 billion.
ia/xf
