Extensive and intensive margins of exports: the case of the Philippines

Abstract

This study investigates the Philippines’ merchandise export patterns by empirically examining its performance of extensive and intensive margins at the product level over the sample period from 1975 to 2012. The main results suggest that the Philippines’ weak exports may be traced primarily from its poor performance at intensive margin, i.e. survival and deepening. In addition, our analysis indicates significant differences on the country’s export performance between its established markets (major trading partners, including Japan, the US, China, Hong Kong, and Korea, and ASEAN-5 members) and its relatively new export destinations (new ASEAN members).