Philippines maintains spot in Global Gender Gap index 2026

Philippines retains spot in Global Gender Gap index

Louella Desiderio 
The Philippine Star 
September 17, 2026 

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines held on to the 20th spot out of 145 economies in this year’s Global Gender Gap Index released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

The report, which tracks progress in closing the gender gap, showed that the Philippines maintained its ranking even as its gender parity score declined slightly to 78 percent this year from 78.1 percent last year.

It also showed that the Philippines remained one of the most consistent and higher ranked performers in East Asia and the Pacific, placing third in this year’s edition.

“Despite this, the Philippines has failed to keep the momentum that kept the economy in the top 10 on 13 prior editions,” the WEF said.

Over the last two decades, the Philippines has narrowed the overall gender gap by 2.8 percentage points from 75.2 percent in 2006.

WEF ranks economies by looking at gender parity across four dimensions: economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival and political empowerment.

In economic participation, the Philippines placed 17th with a score of 78.3 percent, down from the previous year’s 13th spot and 79 percent score.

WEF said the result also reduces the country’s two-decade advancement to a total of +2.5 percentage points over its 2006 score as economic indicators had varying trajectories.

When it comes to educational attainment, the Philippines ranked 89th with a score of 98.9 percent. The ranking is down from last year’s 87th spot, but the score improved slightly from 98.8 percent.

In terms of health and survival, the Philippines’ rank and score improved to 76th and 96.9 percent, respectively, from last year’s 85th and 96.7 percent.

The Philippines also saw its ranking and score improve in political empowerment to 27th and 37.9 percent, respectively, from 30th and 37.7 percent last year.

Overall, Iceland topped the rankings for the 17th consecutive year, with 93 percent of the gender gap closed.

This was followed by Finland and Norway, which placed second and third for the third year running.

Completing the top 10 are Namibia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Sweden, Australia, Germany and Ireland.

WEF managing director Saadia Zahidi said that the data in the last 20 years show that gender parity is achievable, with economies at every income level making progress.

Swedish firms choose Philippines as preferred investment market

Philippines among top investment markets for Swedish firms

Louella Desiderio
Philstar Global
28 June 2026

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is among the top investment markets for Swedish firms with over 60 percent of companies planning to increase their investments in the country, according to a survey.

The Global Business Climate Survey 2026, produced by Business Sweden and Sweden’s embassies and consulates, showed that the Philippines ranked as the second preferred investment market, with 63 percent of Swedish firms expecting to expand in the country in the next 12 months. This is up from 55 percent that planned to increase their investments last year.

Topping the list was South Africa where 66 percent of Swedish companies plan to invest more in the coming 12 months.

The survey covered over 2,250 respondents in 41 markets. In the Philippines, the survey covered 38 respondents.

For Swedish companies, the Philippines is an attractive growth market because of its long-term macroeconomic fundamentals and large and young consumer base.

Most Swedish firms in the Philippines are also optimistic on their performance this year, with 82 percent expecting increased turnover, higher than 58 percent last year.

Despite the optimistic outlook, Swedish firms are concerned about corruption in the country.

While most firms report limited direct exposure to bribery or fraud, there are concerns on how the flood control corruption scandal last year may affect investor and consumer confidence and weigh on overall market growth.

To improve the country’s competitiveness and business environment, Swedish firms cited digitalization, infrastructure improvement and ease of doing business reforms as key priorities.

To succeed and grow in the Philippines, Swedish firms are focusing on sales, marketing, after-sales services and customer support.

Other factors seen vital to Swedish firms’ success are cost efficiency and finding the right partners.

Philippines back-to-back victory in beauty tilt

 Another back-to-back crown: Philippines wins Face of Beauty Int’l 2025

Kathleen A. Llemit 
Philstar.com
November 30, 2025

MANILA, Philippines — In less than two months, the Philippines has scored more than two back-to-back pageant wins, with Nikki Buenafe securing the country’s back-to-back Face of Beauty International crown. 

Buenafe was crowned earlier tonight in Taichung, Taiwan as Face of Beauty International 2025 by fellow Filipina, Jeanne Isabelle Bilasano.

The Filipino-Iranian beauty bested 32 other delegates to take home the crown for the Philippines. 

Her runners-up are Lucy Dimitrova of Sweden (first runner-up), Julia Podkolina of Finland (second runner-up), Jing Mun Phan of Malaysia (third runner-up), and Suppanika Nopparat of Thailand (fourth runner-up).

Buenafe’s back-to-back victory comes days after Arianna Pantaleon won the Miss Environment International 2025 last November 24. 

Emma Mary Tiglao, meanwhile, retained the golden crown for the Philippines after she won Miss Grand International 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand last October 18. Her fellow Filipina beauty queen, Christine Juliane “CJ” Opiaza, reigned as Miss Grand International 2024. 

Manila climb up 20 spots in Emerging Startup Ecosystem ladder

Bucking Global Trends, Manila Moves Up 20 Spots in Emerging Startup Ecosystems List

Amid a global decline in ecosystem value, the Philippine capital continues to signal growing competitiveness as it moves up in the rankings of emerging global startup ecosystems, thanks to a strong showing in fintech, AI, and sustainability.

By Paul John Caña
Esquire Philippines
13 June 2025

Defying global trends, Manila continues to move up in the ranking of Emerging Startup Ecosystems, placing in the 61-70 bracket this year from 81-90 last year and 91-100 in 2023. 

According to the Global Startup Ecosystems Report (GSER) 2025 published by Startup Genome, a leading innovation ecosystem development organization, Manila generated $6.3 billion (about P352.35 billion) in ecosystem value between July 1, 2022, to December 31, 2024. This represents an impressive 35 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in its ecosystem value compared to the period July 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022 (which covered GSER 2023).

Startup Genome defines ecosystem value as the sum of valuations of funded startups, including unicorns, plus the post- money valuation of exits in the past two and a half years. Essentially it is the measure of economic impact, calculated as the value of exits and startup valuations.

Sharing the 61-70 bracket in the ranking with Manila are the following cities: Lagos, Nigeria; Indianapolis, USA; St. Louis, USA; Chongqing, China; Athens, Greece; Hyderabad, India; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and Gothenburg, Sweden.

The GSER echoes the Venture Capital Report 2025 published by Foxmont Capital Ventures and Boston Consulting Group. That report found that, despite the generally quiet and subdued sentiment within the local startup industry, dealmaking activity in the Philippines actually reached record levels in 2024. Total funds raised by startups in the Philippines ballooned to $1.12 billion last year, up 16.6 percent versus the previous year’s $960 million and just slightly ahead of 2022, which was the previous record holder at $1.11 billion. 

Ranking in the GSER 2025’s Top 10 Emerging Ecosystems are the following cities (in descending order): Wuxi, China; Jakarta, Indonesia; Istanbul, Turkey; the Research Triangle (a region in North Carolina that includes Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill), USA; Copenhagen, Denmark; Salt Lake and Provo, Utah; Barcelona, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; Nanjing, China; and Greater Lausanne, Switzerland.

Unlike the main list that ranks the top global startup ecosystems in the world, emerging ecosystems are startup communities at earlier stages of growth. Startup Genome says the methodology for ranking the Top 100 Emerging Ecosystems is designed to reflect this disparity, “showcasing the ecosystems displaying high potential to become top global performers in the coming years.”

Manila also figured highly in other categories in GSER 2025, including making it to the Global Top 15 (and No. 4 in Asia) in Bang for Buck (which measures the amount of runway tech startups acquire, on average, from a VC round); Global Top 30 (and Top 15 in Asia) in Affordable Talent (which measures the ability to hire tech talent); Top 25 in Asia in Funding (which measures innovation through early-stage funding and investor’s activity); Top 30 in Asia in Performance (a measure of the size and performance of an ecosystem based on the accumulated tech startup value created from exits and funding); and Top 30 in Asia in Talent & Experience (which measures long-term trends over the most significant performance factors and the ability to generate and keep talent in the ecosystem). 

“The Philippines demonstrates consistent performance in advancing innovation and digital transformation,” said Department of Trade and Information Secretary Cristina Roque. “As the lead agency supporting enterprise development, DTI ensures the country’s competitiveness and future-readiness by nurturing entrepreneurs and cultivating tech-driven solutions.

“This progress directly reflects the leadership of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and our commitment to the Bagong Pilipinas agenda, which champions inclusive, innovation-led growth and positions the Philippines as a hub for next-generation industries,” the trade chief added.

What’s driving startup growth in Manila

According to the report, the following sectors drove significant growth in startups in Manila and are therefore key strengths in the Philippines’s startup ecosystem: Fintech, Artificial Intelligence, and Sustainability.

“These sectors are supported by targeted government funding, regulatory strategies, and rapid digital adoption,” the report said. “In 2023, fintech firms secured major funding rounds, AI integration expanded across 100+ startups, and sustainability-driven ventures grew sixfold since 2020, aided by national programs like the Innovative Startup Act and Green Economy Programme in the Philippines.”

Startups are also choosing to set up shop in Manila thanks to a young, tech-oriented talent pool, driven largely by the Philippines' approximately 350,000 STEM graduates annually. The country, through the Board of Investments, is also teaming up with tech experts to future-proof the critical and foundational skills in engineering and technology of the Filipino workforce. 

“Recent policy reforms, including the CREATE MORE Act and the Philippine Innovation Act, strengthen fiscal incentives and regulatory support amid rapid digital market growth projected to reach up to $150 billion by 2030,” the report said.

In its highlight of Manila, the GSER said Philippines currently has approximately 1,200 startups, 65 incubators and accelerators, 55 venture capitalists, and 210 coworking spaces.

“Manila thrived despite the venture capital winter, as it reached a total of $2.4 billion VC funding and an exit value of $258 million from 2020 to 2024,” the report said. “The Manila ecosystem proactively catalyzes growth and attracts more domestic and foreign investments, with the establishment of startup hubs and hosting of startup conferences, like the annual Philippine Startup Week.” 

Top 10 Global Startup Ecosystems 2025

Startup Genome’s main list of Global Startup Ecosystems was once again topped by Silicon Valley in the US, followed by New York City, London, Tel Aviv, Boston and Beijing (tied), Los Angeles, Seoul, Singapore, and Shanghai. 

Just beyond the Top 10 are the following cities: Shanghai, Tokyo, Paris, Philadelphia, Bengaluru-Karnataka, Seattle, Chicago, Shenzhen and Washington DC (tied), San Diego, and Toronto-Waterloo and Amsterdam-Delta (tied).

Produced annually by Startup Genome, the GSER delivers fresh insights on the world’s leading innovation ecosystems, highlighting key trends, investment flows, and policy strategies driving entrepreneurial success.

“With its impressive rise in the rankings over the past three years, Manila is strengthening its profile as a dynamic emerging ecosystem in Asia,” said Stephan Kuester, Managing Partner at Startup Genome. “We are honored to partner with the Department of Trade and Industry, whose targeted support continues to align with and accelerate the ecosystem’s development trajectory.” 

“The global startup landscape is undergoing its most dramatic shake-up in years, with Asia and Africa surging ahead while much of Europe falters,” the report says. “Within the 2025 Top 40 Global Startup Ecosystem ranking, 16 ecosystems have moved up in rank while 18 have declined.”

Sweden seeks stronger ties with Philippines

Sweden seeks stronger ties with Philippines

PhilStar Global
08 June 2024

MANILA, Philippines — The embassy of Sweden in Manila held its Swedish National Day celebration on June 6 with a focus on enhancing bilateral ties with the Philippines in key areas including defense and security, industrial development, innovation and health care.

“The Philippines is a strategic partner for Sweden, because of its economic growth prospects and its commitment to the rule of law. We support the Philippine Development Plan with the vision to improve the country’s economy and provide jobs to Filipinos,” Swedish Ambassador Annika Thunborg said on Thursday.

Sweden is recognized as a global leader in innovation. Since 2016, when the embassy reopened, Team Sweden – comprised of its embassy, trade and investment council and the private sector – has been actively collaborating with the Philippines in innovation and development.

Areas of focus include transportation, energy, retail and the circular economy with companies such as Atlas Copco, H&M, Lynk electric cars, PTC & Wallenius shipping, Volvo Buses, ABB, Nasdaq, BDO and Transcom. This is possible through the “quadruple helix model” which involves collaboration with the Philippine government, Swedish and Filipino private sector, international development institutions and other communities such as academe and civil society.

Team Sweden is keen to continue these collaborations, especially in security and defense, sustainable and responsible mining and health care with companies such as Saab, Volvo Trucks and Construction Equipment, Sandvik, Ericsson Telecommunications and AstraZeneca.

“Sweden is committed to building a long-term and sustainable relationship with the Philippines. This is attested by the visits of our Minister of Trade Johan Forssell last year, the visit of State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Jan Knutsson and leading Swedish industrialist and banker Marcus Wallenberg earlier this year and now with the Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson,” Thunborg said.

At the event, representatives of the Swedish government highlighted the need to address common challenges such as climate, economic security and geopolitical tensions. Moreover, in an increasingly polarized world, it is crucial for states to have strong ties with like-minded countries.

Sweden sees the Philippines as an important partner with common interests in free trade, the international rules-based order and green and digital transition.

“Peace and security have indeed for a long time been a priority area in the Swedish-Philippine relations. Sweden has since many years actively supported the Bangsamoro Peace Process, and our two countries also cooperate extensively on matters such as promoting and defending the UN Charter, the rules-based international order and respect for international law, including UNCLOS,” Jonson said.

From the Philippine side, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. gave a message on behalf of President Marcos.

“The past 77 years of our relations have been marked by friendly exchanges and fruitful cooperation, particularly in the areas of trade and investments, maritime cooperation, energy, smart and green solutions, science and technology and of course, defense. Your visit today, Minister Jonson, is a testament to the deepening of our defense and security relations,” the President’s message noted.

Since 1983, Sweden has celebrated its National Day on June 6. This is the date on which Gustav Vasa was elected king in 1523, which laid the foundation of Sweden as a unified nation state, and on which a new, landmark constitution was adopted in 1809.