TACLOBAN CITY – Eastern Visayas recorded a sharp slowdown in international trade in March 2026, with the total value of exports and imports falling by nearly 79 percent compared with the same period last year, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Data released by the PSA-8 showed that the region’s total external trade in goods reached only USD 54.93 million in March 2026, down by 78.9 percent from USD 260 million recorded in March 2025.
Despite the steep decline in overall trade, the region continued to post a positive trade balance, with exports exceeding imports by USD 6.95 million. However, the trade surplus was 90.5 percent lower than the USD 73.06 million surplus registered a year earlier.
The drop in trade performance was largely driven by a significant contraction in exports.
Export earnings fell to USD 30.94 million in March 2026, an 81.4-percent decrease from USD 166.53 million during the same month last year.
Mineral products remained the region’s leading export. The ores, slag and ash commodity group generated USD 13.05 million, accounting for 42.2 percent of total export sales.
China remained Eastern Visayas’ biggest export market during the month, with shipments valued at USD 12.61 million, representing 40.8 percent of the region’s total exports.
Imports also declined significantly.
The total value of imported goods reached USD 23.99 million, down 74.3 percent from USD 93.47 million in March 2025.
More than half of the region’s imports consisted of mineral fuels, mineral oils and products of their distillation, bituminous substances, and mineral waxes, which were valued at USD 13.61 million or 56.7 percent of total imports.
The latest figures reflect a slowdown in the region’s trade activity compared with the unusually strong performance posted in March last year.
Eastern Visayas’ external trade has traditionally been driven by exports of mineral products, particularly copper concentrates and other ores shipped to Asian markets, while imports are largely composed of fuel and petroleum products that support the region’s industries, power generation, and transportation sector.
The Philippine Statistics Authority did not cite specific reasons for the year-on-year decline in its March 2026 external trade report.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
