Tacloban City — Eastern Visayas recorded a dramatic drop in trade activity in November 2025, with total exports and imports plunging by 98.1 percent and 96.8 percent, respectively, compared to the same month in 2024.
Exports for the month totaled USD 3.48 million, down from USD 185.02 million in November 2024, while imports fell to USD 15.07 million from USD 465.44 million.
The decline narrowed the region’s trade deficit to USD 11.59 million, a 95.9 percent decrease from the USD 280.42 million deficit a year earlier. Overall, total trade amounted to USD 18.55 million, representing a 97.1 percent drop from USD 650.46 million in November 2024.
Despite the sharp decline in value, the volume of exported goods actually increased to 113.35 million kilograms, up 43.8 percent from 78.85 million kilograms the previous year.
The bulk of exports came from ores, slag, and ash, valued at USD 3.13 million or nearly 90 percent of total exports. The People’s Republic of China remained the top export destination, accounting for USD 2.98 million, or 85.7 percent of total exports.
On the import side, the region brought in 121.09 million kilograms of goods, a 42.5 percent decrease from November 2024. Salt, sulphur, earths and stone, plastering materials, lime, and cement were the top import commodities, valued at USD 4.97 million and representing one-third of total import value. The Republic of Korea supplied USD 3.33 million worth of imports, or 22.1 percent of the total.
The figures highlight a significant contraction in Eastern Visayas’ trade activity in late 2025, though the increase in export volume indicates that the region continues to move substantial goods despite declining values.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
