Domestic trade transactions in the Philippines dropped 2.4% to 5.01 million tons first quarter of 2015 from 5.13 million tons in the same period last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
The total value of commodities that flowed within the country decreased 3% to P164.36 billion in the first three months of the year from P169.44 billion in the first quarter of 2014.
Domestic cargoes handled by Philippine ports declined 21.2% to 15.354 million metric tons (mmt) in the first quarter from 19.493 mmt in the same period last year, according to the Philippine Ports Authority.
Water remains the principal mode of transport, moving 99.9% of total shipments for the period, up from 99.8% in the first quarter of 2014. The remaining cargo was transported by air.
For the first quarter of the year, machinery and transport equipment accounted for much of the value of domestic commodities by contributing P49.04 billion, or a 29.8% share of the total value. It was followed by food and live animals with P45.63 billion (27.8%,) and manufactured goods with P22.07 billion (13.4%).
In the same period last year, it was food and live animals that contributed the largest value, followed by machinery and transport equipment.
Animal and vegetable oils, fats and waxes remained as the commodity with the least value at P1.89 billion (1.1%).
The National Capital Region (NCR) reported the highest domestic trade share with P38.27 billion (23.3%) in the first quarter of 2015. Eastern Visayas was second with P26.5 billion (16.1%) followed by Central Visayas with P26.43 billion (16.1%), while Northern Mindanao accounted for P19.75 billion (12%).
Domestic trade in the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao contributed the least share with only P703.31 million.
Eastern Visayas, on the other hand, posted the most favorable trade balance at P13.56 billion. Other regions which hit the billion-peso mark in positive trade balance were NCR (P12.75 billion); Central Luzon (P10.72 billion); Northern Mindanao (P5.2 billion); and Western Visayas, (P1.64 billion).
Caraga suffered an unfavorable trade balance of negative P21.57 billion.
Other regions with a billion-peso negative trade balance were Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) with negative P5.62 billion; Zamboanga Peninsula (P5.56 billion); Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan (P3.74 billion); Central Visayas (P2.15 billion); Bicol Region (P1.65 billion); Ilocos Region (P1.62 billion); Davao Region (P1.13 billion); South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, General Santos City (P808.546 million) and Cagayan Valley (P80.240 million). – Roumina Pablo
