PHILIPPINES leaps five spots in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index

PHL jumps to 20th place in Global Gender Gap Index

BusinessWorld
13 June 2025

THE PHILIPPINES jumped five spots in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index of the World Economic Forum (WEF) to 20th out of 148 countries and retained its position as the highest-ranking Southeast Asian country.

“Compared to the previous year, the economy has climbed five positions in the ranking, with a 0.2-percentage-point increase in its overall gender parity score,” the WEF said in a report released on Thursday.

The Philippines had a score of 78.1%, well above the average global gender gap score of 68.8% and Eastern Asia and the Pacific average of 69.4%. A parity score of 100 indicates full parity, while the gender gap is the distance from full parity.

The country had the highest ranking among Southeast Asian economies, followed by Singapore (47th), Thailand (66th), Vietnam (74th), Timor-Leste (86th), Laos (96th), Indonesia (97th), Cambodia (106th), Brunei (107th) and Malaysia (108th). Myanmar was not included in the study.

The Philippines remained in third spot in the Eastern Asia and the Pacific region, behind New Zealand (5th) and Australia (13th).

The WEF’s Global Gender Gap Index grades four key dimensions: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.

According to the report, the Philippines scored 79% in the economic participation and opportunity subindex this year, the highest in Eastern Asia and the Pacific and 13th globally.

“In 2025, slight improvements in the scores for wage equality and estimated earned income have brought its economic parity score to 79%, the highest in Eastern Asia and the Pacific this year,” it said.

It achieved full parity when it comes to professional and technical workers.

In the educational attainment subindex, the Philippines dropped to 87th spot from last year’s first place, when it achieved full parity.

This subindex includes literacy rate, enrollment rate in primary, secondary, tertiary education.

“Despite strong performances in educational attainment, the gender parity in education has slightly declined. For the first time, the primary school net enrollment rate for boys surpasses that of girls, resulting in a 1.2-percentage-point drop in the education parity score from previous years of full parity,” WEF said.

The report showed the Philippines had gender parity in the literacy rate, as well as enrollment in secondary education and tertiary education.

For political empowerment, the Philippines improved from 30th place from 34th last year.

This subindex includes women in parliament, ministerial positions, years with female or male head of state.

“The Philippines’s political parity score is buoyed by nearly 16 years of female leadership under Presidents Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. This contributes to a 46.2% score in the head-of-state indicator, the second highest in the region,” the WEF said.

Despite this, progress in female representation in parliament is described as “modest” with a score of 38.9%.

“The score for ministerial positions has declined to 21.1% in 2025, down from over 30% in both 2006-2007 and 2023,” it added.

For the health and survival sub-index, the Philippines rose a notch to 85th spot this year.

“The Philippines has faced growing sex imbalances at birth over the past decade. The sex ratio at birth (females to males) has declined from 0.944 in 2016 to 0.926 in 2025,” the WEF said.

Reinielle Matt M. Erece, an economist at Oikonomia Advisory and Research, Inc., said the Philippines’ improved ranking in the gender parity report was mainly driven by gains in wage equality, but noted that the “country still has a long way to go.”

“This is a good indicator of improvements in job opportunities and reduction of gender discrimination,” Mr. Erece said in a Viber message to BusinessWorld on Thursday.

However, he pointed out that female enrollment in primary education remains below 90%. “Thus, improvements in education accessibility and also childhood health are equally important to ensure that students have proper access to education,” he added. 

Mr. Erece also urged the government to improve the quality of education to help reduce dropout rates, especially among female students.

In the report, the WEF said that no economy has yet achieved full gender parity.

Iceland ranked first with a score of 92.6%, keeping the top spot for 16 consecutive years. It is the only economy to have closed more than 90% of its gender gap since 2022.

The rest of the top 10 include Finland, Norway, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Sweden, Moldova, Namibia, Germany and Ireland.

“Despite decades of progress, efforts to achieve gender parity remain constrained, imposing a hidden but heavy tax on global growth and weakening the foundations of economic resilience — expressed in underutilized talent, lost productivity, slower innovation and frayed social cohesion,” WEF said.

“As the global context evolves, challenges and opportunities emerge for economies that seek to close gender gaps and adopt gender parity as a strategy for growth: expanding women’s participation in the workforce, strengthening leadership pipelines, improving skills-to-work transitions, enhancing policy implementation, and ensuring inclusive outcomes in global trade.” — Aubrey Rose A. Inosante

PH to attract more investments at WEF 2025 meeting

Davos WEF reaffirms PH potential as global investment hub

By Zaldy De Layola

Philippine News Agency
January 26, 2025

MANILA – The country can expect more foreign investments following its participation at the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos, Switzerland.

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the results of the productive engagements of the Philippine delegation would create more jobs to propel economic growth.

"The discussions we held in Davos reaffirm the immense potential of the Philippines as a key destination for global investments," Romualdez said in a news release on Sunday.

He said the team is grateful to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. for sending a delegation that showcased the many reasons why global investors should choose the Philippines.

“The reception has been overwhelmingly positive and I am confident that this will translate to more investments that will fuel our economic growth,” he added.

Romualdez lauded the Philippine delegation composed of Finance Secretary Ralph Recto, Trade and Industry Secretary Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque, and business leaders from various sectors for their significant contributions to promoting the country’s economic opportunities.

“I thank my fellow delegates for their tireless efforts and invaluable contributions in generating global interest in the Philippines,” Romualdez said.

“From highlighting our young and dynamic workforce to presenting our pro-business policies such as the CREATE MORE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises to Maximize Opportunities for Reinvigorating the Economy) law and the Maharlika Investment Fund, we have successfully demonstrated that the Philippines is a viable and vibrant investment destination,” he added.

Key engagements

Romualdez participated in high-level discussions and engaged with prominent global business leaders and officials, including his participation as a panelist in the Stakeholder Dialogue titled “Navigating Asia’s Hotspots,” where he emphasized the country’s balanced geopolitical approach and commitment to economic stability.

“We presented a clear narrative of the Philippines as a reliable partner in the Indo-Pacific region, not only geopolitically but also economically. Our focus is on fostering peace, stability and cooperation, which are vital for sustained growth,” he said.

The country’s delegation also hosted the Philippine Breakfast Interaction, which convened close to 50 international public and private sector leaders for a briefing on the Philippine economy and its potential as the next big investment destination.

Among the notable guests during the event were Marcus Wallenberg, chair of Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken; Philippe Amon, chair and CEO of SICPA SA; Catarina Amon, CEO and founder of Classeek; Anthony Tan, CEO and co-Founder of Grab; John Riady, Group CEO of Lippo Indonesia; Tony Fernandes, CEO of AirAsia; and Calvin Choi, CEO of AMTD.

Also present were Jay Collins, vice chair of Citi; Helena Lersch, vice president of Public Policy of Tiktok; Amit Kalyani, vice chairman and joint managing director of Kalyani Strategic Systems Limited; and Albert Chang, managing partner of Southeast Asia, McKinsey & Co., among others.

During the discussions, the Philippine delegation showcased its robust domestic economy driven by e-commerce, making the country the fastest-growing digital economy in Southeast Asia in 2024.

Investment-friendly Reforms

The Philippine delegation likewise highlighted legislative reforms under the Marcos administration as concrete manifestations of the readiness of the country to listen to investors’ concerns.

In particular, they cited the CREATE MORE law, signed by President Marcos in November last year.

The CREATE MORE law is meant to accelerate investment momentum by offering enhanced tax incentives, streamlining the investment approval process, simplifying VAT rules, and providing targeted incentives for strategic investments.

He said the WEF once again placed the country on global investors’ radar, giving opportunities to the Philippines which is ready to turn them into concrete investments that will accelerate progress. (PNA)

World-class ambitions: How PH can level up its tourism game

World-class ambitions: How PH can level up its tourism game

Story by Ruth Vedan 
Inquirer.net
15 June 2024

The Philippines, a perennial favorite for sun-seekers and adventurers, is not resting on its laurels. While the archipelago nation consistently charms with pristine beaches, a rich cultural heritage, and warm hospitality, the ambition is clear: to ascend to the ranks of the world’s premier tourism destinations.

The 2024 Travel & Tourism Development Index (TTDI), a comprehensive assessment by the World Economic Forum, offers a roadmap for this upward trajectory. The Philippines has made notable gains, climbing six spots to 69th place overall, and ranks 6th out of the 8 Southeast Asian countries in the report. Yet, regional rivals like Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia still hold a significant lead, ranking at 47th, 35th, and 22nd place, respectively.

Strengths and challenges

Price competitiveness remains a key advantage for the Philippines, scoring 5.57 out of 7 in this critical category. However, the report reveals a pressing need for investment in tourist services and infrastructure, where we received a score of 1.55.

Leechiu Property Consultants recorded approximately 24,267 keys across 87 hotel projects throughout the country until 2028. Despite this substantial number, the anticipated influx of both domestic and international travelers in the coming years may put a strain on the existing supply of accommodations and facilities, presenting a significant opportunity for hotel investments.

Developers have traditionally focused their hotel investments on established locations like Metro Manila, Cebu, and Boracay. However, we’re seeing a noticeable shift toward emerging tourist destinations such as Bohol, Siargao, San Vicente, and Siquijor. These up-and-coming spots, which have been experiencing a steady rise in visitor numbers, present early and promising opportunities for investors.

Areas for growth

To capitalize on its strengths and address its shortcomings, the Philippines must focus on several key areas:

Economic resilience: Navigate inflationary pressures with strategic pricing to maintain the allure of affordability.

Infrastructure investment: Attract significant investment in hotels and tourism-related infrastructure to meet growing demand and avoid capacity constraints.

Key collaborations: Forge stronger partnerships between the public and private sectors to drive innovation and ensure the sustainable growth of the tourism industry.

The path forward

The Philippines’ significant reliance on tourism for economic growth underscores the importance of continued progress in this sector. While the country has made commendable strides, the 2024 TTDI provides a blueprint for strategic action.

By addressing these challenges head-on, the Philippines can confidently position itself as a global tourism powerhouse. It’s not just about catching up, it’s about setting a new standard for a truly exceptional travel experience.

Trillion peso investments prove PH business confidence

P1.7 trillion investments show confidence in Philippines

Story by Sheila Crisostomo
Philstar Global
04 May 2024

MANILA, Philippines — For some members of the House of Representatives, the P1.7 trillion in investments infused by local and foreign traders in 2023 proved business confidence in the country and in President Marcos.

This was the consensus made by House Assistant Majority Leaders Amparo Maria Zamora (Taguig City) and Mikaela Angela Suansing (Nueva Ecija) and Deputy Majority Leaders Jude Acidre (Tingog party-list) and Faustino Dy (Isabela) on Thursday.

According to Zamora, the P1.7-trillion investments infused into the Philippine economy should silence the critics of Marcos’ frequent foreign travels.

“I think this is one of the ways of President Marcos to show his bashers that he was not taking a rest when he travels but he works (hard) for the country,” Zamora said.

Suansing noted that the Philippines is an “economic superstar” in the international community.

She cited some of the economic and investment trips of the President, including the historic trilateral meeting with the United States and Japan, and the World Economic Forum in Davos.

“That really goes to show how much of an economic superstar the Philippines has become in the international community… All of the big businessmen, all of the heads of state, want to have like a one-on-one meeting with our President, with our Speaker (Martin Romualdez). So that’s how well respected we’re becoming,” Suansing said.

The lawmaker maintained that the reason why the House is proposing Charter reforms is to make it “easier for the Philippines to be more open to business.”