Economic Overview: In 1998, the Philippine economy, which is a combination of agriculture, light manufacturing and related services, experienced a severe contraction as a result of the Asian financial crisis and adverse weather conditions. GDP declined by -0.5% in 1998 from a 5% increase in 1997, but rose again by 3% in 1999 and 3.6% in 2000. The government promises to continue economic reforms, to help the Philippines achieve the same pace of development as the newly industrialized countries of Asia. The strategy includes improving infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to increase government revenue, further economic deregulation, privatization, and participation in the region’s growing trade integration. GDP: at purchasing power parity – $ 310 billion (2000 est.). Real GDP growth rate: 3.6% (2000 est.). GDP per capita: at purchasing power parity – $3,800 (2000 est.). The composition of GDP by sectors of the economy: agriculture: 20%; industry: 32%; services: 48% (1997 est.). Proportion of population below the poverty line: 41% (1997 est.). Percentage distribution of family income or consumption: per 10% of the poorest families: 1.4%; by the top 10% of families: 39.3% (1998). Inflation rate at consumer prices: 5% (2000 est.). Labor force: 48.1 million people (2000 est.). Employment structure: agriculture 39.8%, administration and social services 19.4%, services 17.7%, industry 9.8%, construction 5.8%, other 7.5% (1998 est.). Unemployment rate: 10% (2000). Budget: revenues: $14.5 billion; expenditures: $12.6 billion, including capital expenditures – NA (1998 est.). Spheres of economy: textile, pharmaceutical, chemical, woodworking and food industries, assembly of electronic products, oil refining, fishing. Growth in industrial production: 4% (2000 est.). Electricity generation: 40.745 billion kWh (1999) Sources of electricity generation: fossil fuels: 61.03%; hydropower: 18.68%; nuclear fuel: 0%; others: 20.29% (1999). Electricity consumption: 37.893 billion kWh (1999) Electricity export: 0 kWh (1999). Electricity import: 0 kWh (1999). Agricultural products: rice, coconuts, corn, sugar cane, bananas, pineapples, mangoes; pork, egg, beef; fish. Exports: $38 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Exports: electronics, machinery and transport equipment, clothing, coconut products. Export partners: USA 34%, Japan 14%, Netherlands 8%, Singapore 6%, UK 6%, Hong Kong 4% (1998). Imports: $35 billion (free on board, 2000 est.) Import articles: raw materials and semi-finished products, means of production, consumer goods, fuel. Import partners: USA 22%, Japan 20%, South Korea 8%, Singapore 6%, Taiwan 5%, Hong Kong 4% (1998 est.). External debt: $52 billion (1999) Recipient of economic assistance: official development support – $1.1 billion (1998). Economic aid donor: Currency: Philippine peso. Currency code: PHP. Exchange rate: PHP/USD 50.969 (January 2001), 44.192 (2000), 39.089 (1999), 40.893 (1998), 29.471 (1997), 26.216 (1996). Fiscal year: calendar year.
Telecommunications
Telecommunications Telephone lines: 1.9 million (1997). Mobile cell phones: 1.959 million (1998) Telephone system: good international communication via radiotelephone connection and submarine cable; satisfactory local and inter-island communications; domestic: domestic satellite communication system with 11 ground stations; international: 9 international communication channels; satellite earth stations – 3 Intelsat (1 Indian Ocean and 2 Pacific Ocean); submarine cables to Hong Kong, Guam, Singapore, Taiwan and Japan. Broadcast stations: AM – 366, FM – 290, shortwave – 3 (1999). Radio receivers: 11.5 million (1997) Television broadcast stations: 31 (1997). TVs: 3.7 million (1997). Internet Country Code: ph Internet Service Providers: 33 (2000). Number of users: 500,000 (2000).
(Transportation)
Transport Railways: total: 492 km (additional 405 km not operated); narrow gauge: 492 km (1.067 m gauge) (1996). Roads: total: 199,950 km; coated: 39,590 km; unpaved: 160,360 km (1998 est.). Waterways: 3,219 km; can be used by ships with a draft of less than 1.5 m. Pipelines: for oil products – 357 km. Ports and harbors: Batangas, Guimaros Island, Davao, Iligan, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, Legazpi, Manila, Macao, Puerto Princesa, Samboanga, San Fernando, Cebu, Subic Bay, Jolo. Merchant navy: total: 459 vessels (displacement 1,000 tons or more) with a total displacement of 5,653,062 gross register tons / 8,512,326 long tons of gross tonnage; ships of various types: bulk carriers – 149, cargo ships – 123, chemical tankers – 4, combined bulk carriers – 10, container ships – 5, liquefied gas tankers – 13, livestock ships – 10, passenger ships – 4, cargo-passenger ships ships – 12, oil tankers – 42, refrigerated ships – 21, ferries for the transport of loaded vehicles – 17, coastal passenger ships – 31, specialized tankers – 2, cargo ships for the transport of vehicles – 16; note: including foreign ships registered here for flag of convenience reasons: Cyprus 1, Denmark 1, Hong Kong 5, Japan 14, Netherlands 1, Singapore 1, United Kingdom 1 (2000 est.). Airports: 288 (2000 est.). Airports with paved runways: total: 76; over 3,047 m: 4; from 2438 to 3047 m: 5; from 1,524 to 2,437 m: 28; from 914 to 1523 m:28; less than 914 m: 11 (2000 est.). Airports with unpaved runways: total: 212; from 2438 to 3047 m:1; from 1524 to 2437 m:1; from 914 to 1,523 m: 81; less than 914 m: 129 (2000 est.). Helipads: 1 (2000 est.).
Armed forces
Branches of the Armed Forces: Army, Navy (includes Coast Guard and Marine Corps), Air Force. See militarynous.com to know more about Philippines Military. Enlistment age: 20 years old. Total Military Manpower: Male 15 to 49: 21,220,191 (2001 est.). Eligible for military service: men aged 15 to 49: 14,942,363 (2001 est.). Number of persons reaching military age each year: men: 848,181 (2001 est.). Military spending in dollar terms: $995 million (1998) Military spending as part of GDP: 1.5% (1998).
International Issues
International problems International disputes: participates in a multilateral dispute over the Spratly Islands with China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam (possibly also Brunei’s participation in the dispute); claims to the state of Sabah, which is part of Malaysia, have not been completely annulled. Illicit drugs: locally produced marijuana and hashish are exported to East Asia, the US and other Western markets; serves as a transit point for the transportation of heroin and crystal methamphetamine.
