Philippines rises to 50th spot in Global Innovation Index 2025

Philippines rises to 50th spot in Global Innovation Index 2025

Jun Bolivar
Coingeek.com
01 October 2025

The Philippines has achieved its highest-ever position in the Global Innovation Index (GII), ranking 50th out of 139 economies in the 2025 edition released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). This latest performance exceeds the country’s target of 52nd place under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028 and matches its previous best performance in 2020.

“This achievement reflects the country’s sustained efforts to strengthen its innovation ecosystem,” the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev) said in a statement.

Surpassing targets and maintaining overperformer status

The GII measures the innovation capacity and performance of economies worldwide based on around 80 indicators covering inputs such as research and infrastructure, as well as outputs such as knowledge, technology, and creative goods.

“Surpassing our 2025 target is the result of sustained reforms, targeted investments, and strong collaboration across sectors and key players in the country’s innovation ecosystem,” said Arsenio Balisacan, DEPDev Secretary and National Innovation Council (NIC) Vice Chair. “We remain committed to scaling our innovation capacity, bridging critical gaps in research and digital infrastructure, and ensuring that innovation drives inclusive and sustainable development.”

The Philippines also maintained its classification as an “Innovation Overperformer” for the seventh consecutive year, a recognition for economies that perform above expectations relative to their level of development. It is one of only a handful of middle-income countries, including China, India, Indonesia, Turkey, and Vietnam, that have consistently advanced in the rankings since 2013. Among 37 economies classified as lower middle-income, the Philippines ranked third, demonstrating its steady climb.

Steady gains since 2022

Philippines GII Ranking from 2020 to 2025. (Source: Global Innovation Index/World Intellectual Property Organization)

The country’s 2025 ranking is an improvement from 59th in 2022, 56th in 2023, and 53rd in 2024. The GII report showed the Philippines at 59th in Innovation Inputs and 49th in Innovation Outputs, both better than last year’s positions.

Eight indicators improved in the short term, with international patent filings recording the sharpest rise, growing by 350% between 2023 and 2024. Other areas of strength included intangible asset intensity and global brand values.

According to the report, the Philippines ranked first worldwide in high-tech exports as a share of total trade and fourth in high-tech imports, underscoring its integration into global value chains and ability to absorb and produce advanced technologies. The country also placed 16th in creative goods exports, 20th in ICT services exports, and 35th in intangible asset intensity.

Government innovation roadmap

The NIC, chaired by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., is advancing the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document (NIASD) 2023–2032. The plan outlines efforts to increase investments in research and development, strengthen science and technology infrastructure, and build a larger pool of trained innovation professionals.

The roadmap also includes reforms to foster a supportive environment for businesses and innovators. These initiatives involve reviewing policies on business registration, renewal, and exit; developing a sandbox policy guide for experimentation; and launching the National Innovation Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix (NIMEx) to track outcomes across agencies.

Intellectual property and inclusive growth

The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) echoed optimism about the improved ranking. IPOPHL Director General Brigitte da Costa-Villaluz highlighted the country’s steady rise from its 90th position in 2013.

“The GII shows the Philippines as a top innovative economy, climbing the rankings steadily. We not only look at the rise in the past few years. We look at the consistency of indicators that brought us from a 90th GII ranking in 2013 to a 50th GII ranking in 2025,” she said in a statement. “We examine where we stand today and where we are headed to make innovation a true driver of inclusive and sustainable growth.”

Da Costa-Villaluz pointed to the planned registry for well-known marks as a policy that could enhance brand protection and create opportunities for businesses to expand locally and globally.

She also emphasized IPOPHL’s efforts to broaden intellectual property awareness and empower youth, creative sectors, and underserved communities.

“We are encouraged to educate more, and we always say IP is an equalizer—anyone can create, and anyone can be protected by IP. That is really the societal impact that we aim for, to make IP an enabler of economic growth, and show Filipinos what they can really do.”

Addressing gaps and challenges

While the Philippines showed strong exports and patent activity performance, the report highlighted areas needing improvement. The country ranked 90th in human capital and research, 65th in infrastructure, and 61st in institutions and creative outputs.

The NIASD roadmap and NIC initiatives aim to address these weaknesses through increased investment in education, research, and infrastructure, ensuring the innovation ecosystem is inclusive and resilient.

Innovation at a crossroads

The 2025 GII underscores the role of strategic investments in innovation amid global uncertainty. For the Philippines, the improved ranking is viewed as both a milestone and a call to sustain momentum toward its 2028 goal of reaching the top one-third of global innovation economies.

The NIC, together with its member agencies, continues to promote “Filipinnovation,” a whole-of-nation approach that seeks to drive Philippine progress through innovation. To further strengthen this agenda, the Filipinnovation Awards were launched this year to recognize outstanding Filipino innovators, with the first national competition scheduled for November.

As the Philippines builds on its progress, officials reiterated the importance of consistent reforms, investments, and partnerships to maintain its upward trajectory.

“The Philippines’ leap to the 50th ranking this 2025 is a testament of consistency amid global challenges,” the DEPDev statement read.

Mayor Vico Sotto, Manny Jacinto included in Time Magazine's 100 rising stars

Mayor Vico Sotto, Manny Jacinto included in Time Magazine's 100 rising stars

GMA Lifestyle
01 October 2025

American news magazine Time has officially released its newest list of 100 world's most influential rising stars, which range from artists to world leaders and advocates.

Two of the names that made it to the prestigious list are Mayor Vico Sotto of Pasig City and Filipino-Canadian actor Manny Jacinto.

Mayor Vico was recognized under the “leaders” category.

In the Time write-up by Maria Ressa, Vico was introduced as the 36-year-old mayor who “toppled a 27-year family dynasty not through money or machinery, but through radical transparency.”

The magazine also highlighted his initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic: mobile kitchens, zero-emission buses, and aid for people in need.

“His courageous approach--data-driven, direct, and empathetic--is a master class in modern, ethical leadership and has twice won him re-­election, including in May,” said Time. “It's a testament to the power of the individual to ignite a movement for change.”

Meanwhile, Manny Jacinto was listed under the “artists” category.

He is known for his roles in Bad Times at the El Royale (2018), Top Gun: Maverick (2022), Star Wars: The Acolyte (2024), Hailey's On It! (2023-2024), and Freakier Friday (2025).

Veejay Floresca wins 'Project Runway' Season 21

Veejay Floresca wins 'Project Runway' Season 21

Melanie Uson
Philstar Life
26 September 2025

Filipino designer Veejay Floresca is the winner of this year's Project Runway!

Floresca showcased a collection of metallic and knits in the finale, featuring unconventional silhouettes, wool rib knit draped dress, and a dressed made of chainmail.

"My collection represents me as a designer because it is very innovative, it's modern. I think it's the right balance of concept and wearability," she said.

She also underscored that her goal as a trans woman was to "inspire my community that they can accomplish anything that they want."

“I’ve seen you, Heidi, since Season 1, I'm just a little gay boy in the Philippines watching the show, and I’ve always been wanting to do this,” Floresca said at the latter part of the episode. “Now this is my time, so thank you. Thank you for being part of my dream.”

She bested fellow returnees Caycee Black and Jesus Estrada.

Among the highlights of her stint is winning the unconventional materials challenge, where she showcased loud yet elegant dresses made of shuttlecocks from a school gym.

The panel was composed of ELLE editor Nina Garcia, celebrity stylist Law Roach, Christian Siriano, Michael Kors, and Heidi Klum, who also returned to the show as the host.

Floresca will enjoy six months of representation by Agentry PR, the mentorship with the CFDA, the spread in ELLE magazine, and a whopping $200,000 (P11.2 million) cash prize.

Floresca first competed in the Project Runway Philippines inaugural season in 2008, where she finished in third place.

She established herself in New York and centered her craft on sustainable practices, creating unique, eco-conscious garments as she believed that fashion "should be personal, inclusive, and kind to the planet."

Among her muses were beauty queens Katrina Dimaranan, Maureen Montagne, Rabiya Mateo, trans advocate and international model Geena Rocero, and American singer-songwriter Carrie Underwood.

She also joined the Miss Trans Star International 2022 and the Dress My Tour, a reality competition series where designers create outfits for musical artists in 2024.

PH wins Mister International 2025

Philippines’ Kirk Bondad wins Mister International 2025 title

Iza Iglesias
The Manila Times
26 September 2025

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino-German model Kirk Bondad was named Mister International 2025 on Thursday, besting over 40 other candidates during the finals held at MCC Hall in Bangkok, Thailand. 

Bondad secured the crown after an impressive showing in the question-and-answer portion, where he was asked, "If you win Mister international and you are invited to speak at the United Nations, what one social or political issue would you choose to highlight and why?" 

To which Bondad answered, “Thank you for the question. If I would have the honor, I would cause the children to be protected. I would give them a chance, to provide them with more protection and cultivate education because today’s children will be tomorrow’s leaders. Ultimately, I believe that if we can collectively make the right decisions, even with small steps, we will create a big impact internationally.” 

Saadedine Hneineh of Lebanon finished as first runner-up, while Seung-ho Cho of South Korea placed second runner-up. 

Bondad’s victory was celebrated on the pageant’s official social media pages. 

“Congratulations to Kirk Bondad on making history and inspiring the world with confidence and pride,” Mister International said in an Instagram post. 

During the preliminaries, Bondad placed in the Top 3 of the People’s Choice contest and landed in the Top 5 of the National Costume competition, where he showcased “Perlas Celestia,” a look symbolizing the Philippines as the Pearl of the Orient Seas. 

This marks the Philippines’ second Mister International title after Neil Perez’s win in 2014. 

Before his latest win, Bondad represented the country at Mr. World 2024, where he placed in the Top 20. 

Fil-Am Jessica Sanchez wins ‘America’s Got Talent’

From semifinalist to champion: Fil-Am Jessica Sanchez wins ‘America’s Got Talent’

Patricia Dela Roca 
Philstar Global
25 September 2025

MANILA, Philippines — In a remarkable comeback that is 20 years in the making, Filipino-American singer Jessica Sanchez has come full circle on “America’s Got Talent,” emerging as its newest grand champion.

On Wednesday night (US time), Sanchez bested rapper Chris Turner, fellow singer Jourdan Blue, the Leo High School Choir, and dance group Light Wire after earning the highest number of public votes.

Jessica not only claimed the “America’s Got Talent 2025” title but also took home $1 million (or P58 million), a headliner show in Las Vegas, and a trip to Universal Studios Florida.

The 29-year-old singer, who is nine months pregnant with her first child, Eliana, captivated both the audience and judges Sofia Vergara, Simon Cowell, Mel B and Howie Mandel with her finale performance of fellow Fil-Am artist Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga’s hit single Die With a Smile, earning her a standing ovation and glowing praise.

Earlier in the competition, Sanchez earned a golden buzzer from Vergara, who was moved by her audition rendition of Benson Boone’s Beautiful Things.

Jessica’s local management, Stages Talents, expressed pride in the Pinay songstress with a congratulatory post accompanied by a heartfelt message.

“Congratulations, Jessica Sanchez! Your Stages fam is beyond proud of you and this incredible win!” the group wrote on Facebook.

According to Carlo Orosa of Stages, they plan to bring Jessica back to the Philippines after she gives birth.

Her victory completes a remarkable full-circle story two decades after first stepping onto the “America’s Got Talent” stage at age 10 during its first season in 2006, where she reached the semifinals but fell short of the finals.

Six years later, she also became one of the most memorable voices of her generation when she finished as runner-up to Phillip Phillips in “American Idol” Season 11.

The finale also featured Sanchez revisiting her semifinals performance of JVKE’s Golden Hour, accompanied by aerial stunts from fellow finalists Sirca Marea.

Ten Philippine firms made it to Time and Statista’s World’s Best Companies list for 2025

Philippine firms in 2025 World's Best Companies list

By Earl John Alfaro
Manila Times
12 September 2025

TEN Philippine firms made it to Time and Statista’s World’s Best Companies list for 2025, with Ayala Corp. the highest in 210th place.

The 1,000 firms on the list were measured on employee satisfaction, revenue growth and sustainability transparency.

Ayala, the country’s oldest conglomerate, scored an overall 86.26 out of a possible 100. It ranked high in employee satisfaction (95th) and placed 587th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank # 1; World Rank # 210

“This recognition inspires us to be an even better Ayala as we journey to our 200th year,” Ayala President and CEO Cezar Consing said in a statement on Thursday.

“We share this with our employees and partners, whose hard work and support helped Ayala earn this honor,” he added

Security Bank Corp. followed in 369th place with a score of 84.04, ranking 146th in employee satisfaction and 534th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #2; World Rank #369

SM Investments Corp., the parent firm of the SM group, placed 407th with a score of 83.46. It ranked 522nd in employee satisfaction and 747th in sustainability transparency, while its affiliate, China Banking Corp., also made the list at 882nd place with a score of 75.62, ranking 639th in employee satisfaction and 927th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #3; World Rank #407

“This recognition inspires us to keep strengthening our efforts in creating value for our stakeholders and contributing positively to our communities,” SM Investments President and CEO Frederic DyBuncio said in a separate statement.

“It also reflects our balanced approach to growth, delivering strong results for shareholders while also fostering long-term value and resilience for employees, partners and communities.”

Other Philippine companies on the list were:

– Jollibee Foods Corp. (685th with a score of 79.29), 211th in employee satisfaction and 913th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #4; World Rank #685

– Union Bank of the Philippines (764th, 78.15), 321st in employee satisfaction and 771st in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #5; World Rank #764

– International Container Terminal Services Inc. (828th, 76.87), 790th in employee satisfaction and 846th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #6; World Rank #828

– China Bank. (882nd, 75.62), 639th in employee satisfaction, 927th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #7; World Rank #882

– JG Summit Holdings Inc. (949th, 73.13), 858th in employee satisfaction, 949th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #8; World Rank #949

– Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. (962nd, 72.69), 527th in employee satisfaction, 848th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #9; World Rank # 962

– Filinvest Development Corp. (995th, 71.42), 988th in employee satisfaction, 936th in sustainability transparency.

PH Rank #10; World Rank # 988

Ayala and SM Investments were said to have recorded “very high” revenue growth while Security Bank, Jollibee, ICTSI, Chinabank, JG Summit and Filinvest were scored “high.” UnionBank and Robinsons Retail revenues, meanwhile, were “moderate.”

Nvidia, which in the summer became the first public company to hit $4 trillion in market value, topped the 2025 ranking. Time said it “rose through the ranks on a wave of growing artificial intelligence (AI) demand and a well-performing gaming division.”

Microsoft, second on this list and just behind Nvidia in market value, was also said to have seen revenue surge last year due to AI and cloud computing.

Last year’s No. 1, Apple, was dropped from the list due to a decline in revenue from 2022 to 2024. Time noted that Wall Street analysts had linked the revenue drop to Apple having fallen behind on AI.

To measure employee satisfaction, Time and Statista used surveys of over 200,000 workers worldwide, while revenue growth was assessed using data for the last three years.

Companies should have generated at least $100 million in revenues in 2023 and 2024 depending on the most recent data and also needed to have recorded growth over the last three years.

As for sustainability transparency, environmental, social and governance data were considered, including carbon emissions reduction, the share of women in the companies’ boards, the existence of human rights policies, corporate social responsibility reporting and corruption/anti-corruption guidelines.

Three Australian women of Filipino heritage took home the major titles in Queens of Australia

Filipino-Aussies dominate 2025 Queens of Australia pageant

Armin P. Adina
Inquirer.net
08 September 2025

Filipino-American women emerged victorious in the recently concluded Queens of Australia pageant, earning the right to represent the “Land Down Under” on the international stage.

Three Australian women of Filipino heritage took home the major titles at the end of the national competition held at the Bryan Brown Theater in New South Wales on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 7. Nine ladies took part in the contest.

Alexa Roder from Queensland was crowned Miss Earth Australia, succeeding Jessica Lane, the first Australian woman to win the Miss Earth title.

The new queen is set to compete in the 25th staging of the Manila-based Miss Earth pageant that will be held later this year and try to post a second consecutive win for Australia.

Crowned Miss International Australia was Bella Dela Cruz from New South Wales. She had recently competed in the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant, where she finished in the Top 24.

She was fielded by the Filipino community in Australia for the 2025 Miss Universe Philippines pageant to represent Sydney. But she eventually carried her Filipino hometown of Lucena in the national competition.

Dela Cruz succeeded last year’s Australian Miss International delegate, Selina McCloskey, and is set to compete in the 63rd edition of the global tilt that will be held in Tokyo, Japan, in November.

The third big winner was Adriana Gravador, also from New South Wales. She was crowned Miss Eco Australia and is set to compete in next year’s Miss Eco International pageant and try to succeed the Filipino queen Alexie Mae Brooks.

Three more titleholders were proclaimed at the pageant, all from New South Wales — Miss Earth Australia Fire Jamie Boyd, Miss Earth Australia-Water Andrea Alexis, and Miss Earth Australia-Air Tania Sheckleton.

The Queens of Australia pageant is organized by Stargazer Production and serves as the national competition for the country’s delegates to the Miss Earth, Miss International, and Miss Eco International pageants. /edv