The Philippines posts a trade deficit of $4.9 billion in June, based on preliminary data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority. The deficit is higher than a year earlier, expanding by 12.3% from June 2024 as imports continue to rise faster than exports. In June, imports reach $13.7 billion, up 19.6% year on year, while exports increase to $8.8 billion, growing 24.1% year on year. Despite the widening gap, the trade shortfall is described as the narrowest in four months, indicating improvement compared with the immediately preceding period. One report notes that the rise in exports is driven by a record surge in outbound shipments, with exports reaching an all-time high of $8.78 billion for the month. Across the data points, both outlets agree on the headline deficit figure of $4.9 billion and the year-on-year growth rates for imports and exports. Overall, the June figures show that stronger export performance helps limit the size of the deficit, even as import growth remains larger in absolute terms.