Philippines enters top 50 in Global Innovation Index

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

The Philippines has achieved its highest-ever ranking in the Global Innovation Index (GII), reaching 50th place out of 139 economies in the 2025 edition released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).

This marks a major milestone in the country’s innovation journey and surpasses the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023–2028 target of ranking 52nd by 2025.

According to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), the improvement reflects sustained reforms, targeted investments, and stronger collaboration across sectors.

“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 DEPDev Secretary and National Innovation Council (NIC) Vice Chair Arsenio M. Balisacan in a statement.

“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,” he added.

The 2025 ranking matches the Philippines’ previous peak in 2020 and affirms its trajectory toward joining the top one-third of global innovation economies by 2028.

The Philippines also retained its status as an “Innovation Overperformer” for the seventh consecutive year, a distinction awarded to countries that outperform expectations relative to their development level.

It joins a small group of middle-income economies—including China, India, Türkiye, Viet Nam, and Indonesia—that have steadily advanced in the GII rankings since 2013.

In the latest report, the Philippines ranked 59th in Innovation Inputs and 49th in Innovation Outputs, highlighting its efficiency in turning limited resources into tangible innovation outcomes.

Key performance indicators include a global 1st place in high-tech exports as a share of total trade and 4th in high-tech imports, showing its integration into global value chains.

The country also ranked 16th in creative goods exports, 20th in ICT services exports, and 35th in intangible asset intensity, emphasizing the rising role of intellectual property, branding, and knowledge-based value creation.

To build on this momentum, the NIC—chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.—is implementing the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document (NIASD) 2023–2032.

The NIASD focuses on increasing investments in research and development, improving digital infrastructure, and cultivating a stronger base of science and innovation professionals.

It also seeks to foster a supportive innovation environment through policy reform, including streamlining business processes, developing a sandbox policy framework, and rolling out the National Innovation Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix (NIMEx).

NIMEx is designed to enhance cross-agency coordination and track the measurable impact of innovation programs.

This year’s GII theme, “Innovation at a Crossroads,” highlights the global urgency of strategic innovation investments in uncertain times.

The Philippines’ upward trend in the GII signals strong policy direction and readiness to advance its innovation-led development goals.

Through the Filipinnovation movement, the NIC and its partners are pushing for a whole-of-nation approach to embed innovation in governance, industry, and education.

To celebrate Filipino innovation, the Filipinnovation Awards was launched this year, with a national competition for outstanding innovators scheduled for November.