External balance on goods and services in Philippines
Philippines: External balance on goods and services was -3.84 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Philippines, 1981–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in Philippines stood at -3.84 trillion current LCU. That is the lowest value across all 45 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.8% on the previous year and down 482.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Philippines peaked at 171.56 billion current LCU in 2007 and was at its lowest, -3.84 trillion current LCU, in 2025.
Philippines ranks 177th of 193 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
External balance on goods and services in Philippines, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | -9.46 billion current LCU | — |
| 1982 | -16.00 billion current LCU | +69.1% |
| 1983 | -20.53 billion current LCU | +28.3% |
| 1984 | -5.60 billion current LCU | -72.7% |
| 1985 | 7.83 billion current LCU | -239.8% |
| 1986 | 16.57 billion current LCU | +111.7% |
| 1987 | -2.13 billion current LCU | -112.9% |
| 1988 | 6.15 billion current LCU | -388.2% |
| 1989 | -19.01 billion current LCU | -409.4% |
| 1990 | -50.78 billion current LCU | +167.1% |
| 1991 | -32.58 billion current LCU | -35.8% |
| 1992 | -52.90 billion current LCU | +62.4% |
| 1993 | -98.57 billion current LCU | +86.3% |
| 1994 | -84.56 billion current LCU | -14.2% |
| 1995 | -118.37 billion current LCU | +40.0% |
| 1996 | -150.91 billion current LCU | +27.5% |
| 1997 | -195.70 billion current LCU | +29.7% |
| 1998 | -135.97 billion current LCU | -30.5% |
| 1999 | -11.35 billion current LCU | -91.6% |
| 2000 | 56.76 billion current LCU | -599.9% |
| 2001 | -104.21 billion current LCU | -283.6% |
| 2002 | -166.78 billion current LCU | +60.0% |
| 2003 | -139.87 billion current LCU | -16.1% |
| 2004 | -184.82 billion current LCU | +32.1% |
| 2005 | -81.99 billion current LCU | -55.6% |
| 2006 | 107.45 billion current LCU | -231.1% |
| 2007 | 171.56 billion current LCU | +59.7% |
| 2008 | -77.88 billion current LCU | -145.4% |
| 2009 | -37.55 billion current LCU | -51.8% |
| 2010 | -33.33 billion current LCU | -11.2% |
| 2011 | -262.24 billion current LCU | +686.7% |
| 2012 | -321.63 billion current LCU | +22.6% |
| 2013 | -418.15 billion current LCU | +30.0% |
| 2014 | -364.40 billion current LCU | -12.9% |
| 2015 | -658.93 billion current LCU | +80.8% |
| 2016 | -1.28 trillion current LCU | +93.6% |
| 2017 | -1.50 trillion current LCU | +17.6% |
| 2018 | -2.14 trillion current LCU | +42.8% |
| 2019 | -2.36 trillion current LCU | +10.0% |
| 2020 | -1.39 trillion current LCU | -40.9% |
| 2021 | -2.33 trillion current LCU | +66.9% |
| 2022 | -3.45 trillion current LCU | +48.3% |
| 2023 | -3.44 trillion current LCU | -0.3% |
| 2024 | -3.81 trillion current LCU | +10.7% |
| 2025 | -3.84 trillion current LCU | +0.8% |
Philippines compared with similar countries
- Philippines's -3.84 trillion current LCU is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is -2.10 billion current LCU, 1830.1× the median. (53 countries reporting)
- Philippines's -3.84 trillion current LCU is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is -190.00 million current LCU, 20186.2× the median. (34 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where External balance on goods and services in Philippines changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | -686.7% | -33.33 billion current LCU | -262.24 billion current LCU |
| 2000 | +599.9% | -11.35 billion current LCU | 56.76 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -4.69 billion current LCU | -20.53 billion current LCU | 16.57 billion current LCU | 9 |
| 1990s | -93.17 billion current LCU | -195.70 billion current LCU | -11.35 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | -45.73 billion current LCU | -184.82 billion current LCU | 171.56 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | -933.56 billion current LCU | -2.36 trillion current LCU | -33.33 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | -3.04 trillion current LCU | -3.84 trillion current LCU | -1.39 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near Philippines
More economy & growth data for Philippines
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 4.98 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 6.4 Percent per annum (2029)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps 1.60 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0033 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 13.72 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 7.79 billion BoP, current US$ (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -17.1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.016 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 66.71 BoP, current US$ per person (2025)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate 4.46 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Philippines?
- External balance on goods and services in Philippines was -3.84 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Philippines?
- The highest recorded value was 171.56 billion current LCU in 2007.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Philippines?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.84 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- How does Philippines rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Philippines ranks 177th out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Philippines?
- Over the last ten years it is down 482.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Philippines data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 45 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.