TACLOBAN CITY — Eastern Visayas posted a sharp decline in the value of external trade in October 2025, even as the region shipped more goods by volume compared to the same month last year.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority(PSA), the total value of trade in the region fell to USD 37.70 million in October 2025 from USD 475.19 million in October 2024, marking an annual decrease of 92.1 percent.
The region’s balance of trade in goods (BoT-G) turned positive, registering a USD 9.90 million surplus in October 2025, a significant turnaround from the USD 39.46 million deficit recorded in October 2024.
The total value of exports plunged 89.1 percent, from USD 217.87 million in October 2024 to USD 23.80 million in October 2025, while imports also fell 94.6 percent, from USD 257.32 million to USD 13.90 million.
Despite the drop in monetary value, the volume of exports surged, reaching 617.25 million kilograms, more than doubling the 239.14 million kilograms exported in October 2024.
The leading export commodity was animal, vegetable, or microbial fats and oils, including edible fats and waxes, which were shipped mainly to Spain. These exports totaled USD 14.18 million, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the region’s total export value.
On the import side, Eastern Visayas brought in 75.98 million kilograms of goods in October 2025, a 66.9 percent decrease from the 229.56 million kilograms imported in the same month last year. Mineral fuels and oils topped the list of imports with a value of USD 11.52 million, representing 82.9 percent of total import value. South Korea was the largest supplier, providing USD 5.67 million worth of goods, or 40.8 percent of total imports.
Analysts note that while the region is exporting more in terms of volume, the sharp decline in trade value points to lower-priced commodities dominating shipments and fluctuations in global market prices.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
