Diplomatic representation from the US:
chief of mission : Ambassador Thomas C. HUBBARD
embassy: 1201 Roxas Boulevard, Ermita Manila 1000
mailing address: APO AP 96440
telephone: [63] (2) 521-71-16
FAX: [63] (2) 522-43-61

Flag description: two equal horizontal bands of blue (top) and red
with a white equilateral triangle based on the hoist side; in the
center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight primary rays (each
containing three individual rays) and in each corner of the triangle
is a small yellow five-pointed star

Economy

Economy - overview: The Philippine economy, primarily a mixture of
agriculture and light industry, continued its fourth year of recovery
in 1996, led by growth in exports and investments. Officials have
targeted 7.1%-7.8% growth for 1997 after achieving an estimated 5.5%
growth in 1996. The government is continuing its economic reforms to
enable the Philippines to move closer to the development of the newly
industrialized countries of East Asia. The strategy includes improving
infrastructure, overhauling the tax system to bolster government
revenues, and moving toward further deregulation and privatization of
the economy.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $194.2 billion (1996 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 5.5% (1996 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $2,600 (1996 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 22%
industry: 32%
services: 46% (1996 est.)

Inflation rate - consumer price index: 8.4% (1996)

Labor force:
total: 29.13 million (1996 est.)
by occupation : agriculture 43.4%, services 22.6%, government services
17.9%, industry and commerce 16.1% (1995)

Unemployment rate: 8.6% (1996)

Budget:
revenues: $18.4 billion
expenditures : $16.5 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA
(1996 est.)

Industries: textiles, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, wood products, food
processing, electronics assembly, petroleum refining, fishing

Industrial production growth rate: 6.3% (1996)

Electricity - capacity: 7.64 million kW (1994)

Electricity - production: 25.22 billion kWh (1994)

Electricity - consumption per capita: 326 kWh (1995 est.)

Agriculture - products: rice, coconuts, corn, sugarcane, bananas,
pineapples, mangoes; pork, eggs, beef; fish catch of 2 million metric
tons annually

Exports:
total value : $20.5 billion (f.o.b., 1996)
commodities: electronics, textiles, coconut products,
telecommunications equipment, fruit, fish
partners: U