PHILIPPINE TRADE GAP WIDENS IN JANUARY-AUGUST The Philippines' trade deficit widened to 542 mln dlrs in the eight months to end-August from 159 mln dlrs in the same 1986 period, the National Statistics Office said. It said exports in the eight-month period rose to 3.58 billion dlrs from 3.18 billion in 1986, while imports rose to 4.12 billion dlrs from 3.34 billion a year earlier. The country's trade deficit totalled 202 mln dlrs in 1986.