The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is teaming up with the World Bank to develop a major support initiative aimed at strengthening the Philippines' export sector. The program, set for launch in 2026, will provide a mix of technical guidance and financial assistance to help local exporters become more competitive on the global stage.
Program Details: A Mix of Grants and Expert Guidance
Bianca Pearl Sykimte, Director of the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB) and Executive Director of the Export Development Council (EDC), revealed the partnership during the Exporters' Week event in Mandaluyong City on Friday, December 5, 2025. Sykimte stated that DTI officials are holding weekly meetings with World Bank representatives to refine the program's framework.
The initiative will deploy consultants and experts to guide exporters, helping them improve quality management systems and comply with necessary international certifications. Sykimte emphasized that compliance often requires further investment in technology upgrades and staff training. To address this, the support package is envisioned to include a combination of grants and concessional loans. While the final funding amount is still being determined, Sykimte assured it would be "a sizable support for our exporting community."
Addressing Market Concentration and Export Consolidation
During her presentation, Sykimte highlighted a key challenge: the Philippine export market is heavily concentrated. Although Filipino exporters have access to roughly 200 global markets, just ten destinations account for 81.6% of total export revenue.
The top markets are:
- United States (16.6%)
- Japan (14.1%)
- Hong Kong (14.1%)
- China (12.9%)
- South Korea (4.9%)
- Thailand (4.0%)
- Singapore (4.0%)
- Netherlands (3.9%)
- Taiwan (3.7%)
- Germany (3.4%)
The DTI official also noted a decline in the number of active exporters. While no formal study has been conducted, Sykimte attributed this trend partly to industry consolidation, where smaller firms merge with larger players, and to some investors choosing to focus solely on the domestic market.
Strong Growth Amidst Structural Challenges
Despite these structural concerns, the value of Philippine exports continues to show robust growth. Preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) indicates exports surged by 19.4% year-on-year in October 2025 to US$7.39 billion. For the first ten months of the year, export earnings reached $70.43 billion, marking a 13.8% increase from the same period in 2024.
"Again, we don't have an in-depth study on this, but in terms of export figures, you can see that there's growth," Sykimte remarked. The upcoming DTI-World Bank program is designed to build on this positive momentum by addressing the underlying capacity and competitiveness issues facing exporters, ensuring the growth is sustainable and reaches a broader range of international markets.
