MANILA — Domestic trade in the Philippines reached 16.05 million tons in the first quarter of 2025, valued at P1.23 trillion, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

For the first time, the PSA’s Special Release on Domestic Trade Statistics (DTS) included the movement of commodities through road transport, based on data from the newly conducted Commodity Flow Survey. Previous reports only covered commodities transported by water and air.

Of the total volume, water transport accounted for 50.9 percent or 8.17 million tons, followed by road at 49.1 percent (7.88 million tons) and air at 0.03 percent (5,420 tons). Water and air volumes registered annual declines of 16.3 percent and 46.2 percent, respectively.

CALABARZON recorded the highest outflow volume of traded commodities at 2.86 million tons (17.8 percent), followed by Davao Region with 2.36 million tons (14.7 percent) and the National Capital Region (NCR) with 2.18 million tons (13.6 percent). In terms of inflow, NCR led with 2.45 million tons (15.2 percent), trailed by SOCCSKSARGEN with 2.32 million tons (14.5 percent) and CALABARZON with 1.51 million tons (9.4 percent).

CALABARZON also posted the highest favorable trade balance at 1.35 million tons, ahead of Davao Region (1.34 million tons) and Northern Mindanao (1.11 million tons). The biggest negative balances were in SOCCSKSARGEN (-2.19 million tons), Eastern Visayas (-1 million tons), and Zamboanga Peninsula (-0.76 million tons).

In terms of value, road transport accounted for the largest share at ₱736.77 billion or 59.9 percent of total trade, followed by water at ₱492.79 billion (40.1 percent) and air at ₱0.47 billion (0.04 percent). Trade via water rose 2.7 percent year-on-year, while air trade value jumped 23.6 percent.

Northern Mindanao posted the highest outflow value at ₱325.78 billion (26.5 percent), followed by CALABARZON (₱219.81 billion) and NCR (₱151.95 billion). On inflows, CALABARZON topped with ₱213.39 billion (17.3 percent), ahead of NCR (₱176.59 billion) and SOCCSKSARGEN (₱135.34 billion).

Northern Mindanao recorded the most favorable trade balance by value at ₱207.05 billion, followed by Bicol Region (₱112.31 billion) and Davao Region (₱20.46 billion). SOCCSKSARGEN posted the lowest at -₱126.97 billion.