121 PH universities made it to THE Impact Rankings 2025

University impact rankings: Philippines most represented in ASEA

Cristina Chi
Philstar Global
18 June 2025

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines had 121 universities ranked in the latest Times Higher Education Impact Rankings — the highest number among ASEAN countries and third globally behind India and Pakistan.

The rankings, released Wednesday, June 18, measured over 2,500 universities from 130 countries against the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. 

With 121 schools on the list, the Philippines placed ahead of Thailand (85 universities) and Indonesia (76 universities) in total representation within the Southeast Asian region. 

This is also more than double the 56 Philippine universities and colleges included in last year's edition.

The Ateneo de Manila University remains the Philippines' top school in THE's impact rankings, placing in the 101-200 tier overall. This is higher than its 201-300 placement the previous year.

It is followed by the Batangas State University, Isabela State University, and the University of the Philippines — all of which are in the 401-600 band. 

While the Philippines led in representation, Indonesia claimed the region's highest individual ranking, with Universitas Airlangga jumping to joint ninth place globally from joint 81st the previous year — the first time an Indonesian university cracked the global top 10.

The rankings assess how universities contribute to addressing global challenges like poverty, climate change and inequality. 

To qualify, institutions must submit data on partnerships for goals and at least three other UN development categories.

The top-ranked schools in the Southeast Asian region for each of the 17 SDGs are from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam.

PH moves up in global competitiveness ranking

Philippines moves up to 51st spot in global competitiveness ranking

Ted Cordero
GMA Integrated News
17 June 2025

The Philippines’ competitiveness ranking rose one notch this year amid improvements in economic performance and infrastructure, according to a report by the Switzerland-based Institute for Management Development (IMD).

In its 2025 World Competitiveness Report, the IMD placed the Philippines 51st, up from 52nd last year, out of 69 economies it ranked all over the world.

The IMD’s World Competitiveness Ranking, first published in 1989, “analyzes and ranks countries according to how they manage their competencies to achieve long-term value creation.”

IMD divides its data into four areas, namely economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency, and infrastructure.

The four areas, together, capture various aspects of competitiveness, such as macroeconomic stability, fiscal policy, institutional quality, market openness, business dynamism, innovation, education, health, and environmental performance, according to the Swiss institute.

The latest IMD report showed the Philippines' ranking in terms of the four key areas:

• Economic Performance - 33rd up from 40th
• Government Efficiency - 51st down from 49th
• Business Efficiency - 46th down from 43rd
• Infrastructure - 60th up from 61st

Among Asia-Pacific’s 14 economies, the Philippines ranked 13th—unchanged for six consecutive years.

The IMD’s report cited the following challenges for the Philippines this year:

• Rekindle the country’s economic dynamism and growth trajectory.
• Address inflation expectations.
• Promote investments in inclusive technology to boost labor productivity and empower entrepreneurship.
• Improve education and healthcare to promote inclusive growth and reduce vulnerabilities.
• Adapt to shifting global economic and geopolitical dynamics.

The report ranked Switzerland as the most competitive economy in the world this year, followed by Singapore and Hong Kong. —VBL, GMA Integrated News

40 Philippine companies in Fortune's Southeast Asia 500

40 PH companies in Fortune Southeast Asia 500 list

Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas 

GMA Integrated News

June 17, 2025

Forty companies from the Philippines were included in the Fortune Southeast Asia 500 list for 2025, which ranks the 500 biggest companies in the region based on their revenues, at the average exchange rate during the year.

According to Fortune, the latest list shows a snapshot of a region that it described as “ready to take advantage” of shifts in the global supply chain, and booming industries such as mining, electric vehicles, and artificial intelligence.

This year’s list was topped for the second straight year by Singapore-headquartered Trafigura Group with $243.201 billion.

It was followed by Thailand’s PTT with $87.635 billion, Indonesia’s Pertamina with $75.327 billion, and Singapore-based Wilmar International with $67.379 billion, and Olam Group with $42.028 billion.

Revenue and profit figures for the companies reporting in their local currency were converted to US dollars at the average exchange rate during each company’s fiscal year, with the minimum revenue threshold set at $349.4 million.

The collective companies on the 2025 list recorded $1.82 trillion in revenue in 2024, higher than the $1.79 trillion in 2023.

“Together, the Southeast Asia 500 companies are playing an increasingly important role in global supply chains — capturing manufacturing capacity from shifting from China, which is drawing significant capital flows and reshaping global trade dynamics,” Fortune said.

Below is a list of the Philippine companies included in the list:

Philippines now legitimate threat for Southeast Asian Games volleyball gold

Philippines now legitimate threat for Southeast Asian Games volleyball gold

The silver medal the Filipinos settled for after a 25-15, 25-17, 25-14 beating at the hands of the Vietnamese at Dong Anh Arena in Hanoi on Saturday night certainly glitters like gold—and for sure, is making their Southeast Asian neighbours take a second look at them from hereon.

Musong R. Castillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
16 June 2025

MANILA – If there’s one thing glaringly clear after a week of skirmishes in the AVC Women’s Nations Cup in Vietnam is that the Philippines has announced its coming as a legitimate volleyball power.

So the silver medal that the Filipinos settled for after a 25-15, 25-17, 25-14 beating at the hands of the Vietnamese at Dong Anh Arena in Hanoi on Saturday night certainly glitters like gold—and for sure, is making their Southeast Asian neighbors take a second look at them from hereon.

“The Philippine team delivered a remarkable performance,” Vietnam coach Nguyen Tuan Kiet said through an interpreter after their win late Saturday night. “The Philippines will undoubtedly be a serious contender [later] this year [in the Southeast Asian Games].”

A marathon five-set win against Chinese Taipei in the semifinals last Friday night obviously had the Filipinos coming in fatigued for the gold medal match, but team skipper Jia De Guzman knows that Team PH is on the right track towards achieving a lifelong dream of dominating the region.

“It means everything, honestly, because it’s hard to see the growth of the sport and our team without the result,” De Guzman said. “We didn’t expect to get a silver coming into this tournament. We just knew that we had to give our best because last year we got the bronze.”

De Guzman was adjudged the best in her position for the second straight edition, and improving a rung as a team from the last time definitely proves that everyone on the squad is doing things right.

And that going all the way is the next target.

“This silver inspires us to go back to training and keep working together as a team and to keep going for this long-term program because, slowly but surely, we’re rising as a country,” said the 30-year-old playmaker.

A proud coach

Brazilian coach Jorge Souza de Brito also took pride in steering this intrepid crew.

“We are happy with second place. We’re on the way [to bigger things],” De Brito, who also coached the bronze medal team last year at home, said. “It’s a process. I’m happy and proud of all the players and coaching staff, all the support also that you have from the federation.

“It’s really amazing,” he went on. “Really, really good players that you have to develop them here and the group will become stronger and stronger year after year. I’m sure of it.”

No women’s team in the past has looked as formidable as this one, and with the SEAG coming later this year, De Brito and the players have months to address whatever lapses they had in the Hanoi tournament.

The talent is there, and though the Vietnamese coach did say that PH big guns Angel Canino and Bella Belen “stood out despite their modest height,” meshing the team even more will fall on the shoulders of De Brito.

Height, of course, helps.

But a team that has jelled to the fullest can be as dangerous as the tallest side out there. They have until the SEAG in Thailand to find that out.