UMVA has learned that the Philippines has made a significant jump in the global competitiveness index, climbing four spots to rank 47th out of 70 economies with a score of 59.07.
The country's improved ranking is a welcome development, but it still lags behind its regional neighbors, ranking 13th out of 15 Asia-Pacific economies. Singapore took the top spot with a perfect score of 100, followed closely by Hong Kong and Switzerland.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the Philippines' improvement is attributed to its strong performance in business efficiency and economic performance. However, the country still struggles with government efficiency and infrastructure, ranking lower in sub-factors like domestic economy and international investment.
IMD WCC Director Arturo Bris noted that the Philippines' institutional quality is improving, which is a good predictor of its competitiveness ranking in the long term. However, the country's turmoil in the world economy and instability created by global events have affected its performance.
The Philippines scored 54.74 on economic performance, 47.33 on government efficiency, 60.49 on business efficiency, and 31.20 on infrastructure. The country faces key challenges, including restoring growth momentum, strengthening institutions, and ensuring timely government responses to energy and food supply shocks.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that experts cite the passage of key reforms aimed at attracting more foreign investors as a major factor in the Philippines' improved ranking. However, more reforms are needed to boost agricultural productivity, infrastructure, and education.
The 2026 IMD Executive Opinion Survey showed that Philippine executives are concerned about supply chain disruptions, exchange rate volatility, corruption, and lack of accountability in government. The survey gathered responses from 6,900 senior executives globally, including 100 from the Philippines.
Sources have confirmed to UMVA that the Philippines' economic growth slowed to 4.4% in 2025, the weakest in five years, due to a corruption scandal and its impact on government spending and consumer sentiment.
