The Philippines has reached a major milestone in its innovation journey, climbing back to 50th place out of 139 economies in the 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII). The Philippines ranked 50th in the 2020 GII and 53rd last year.
The latest GII report, released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on Tuesday, September 16, shows the Philippines matching its previous best performance in 2020 and exceeding its 2025 target of 52nd place from 53rd in 2024 under the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.
This progress affirms the country’s trajectory towards its long-term aspiration of joining the top one-third of global innovation economies by 2028.
The Philippines also maintained its status as an “Innovation Overperformer” for the seventh consecutive year (2019-2025), a recognition given to economies that consistently outperform expectations relative to their level of development. It joins a select group of middle-income economies, including China, India, Indonesia, Türkiye, Viet Nam, Iran, Albania, and Morocco, that have steadily advanced in the GII rankings since 2013.
With the theme “Innovation at a Crossroads,” the GII 2025 underscores the importance of strategic innovation investments amid global uncertainties.
In the 2025 report, the Philippines ranked 59th in Innovation Inputs and 49th in Innovation Outputs. This balance reflects the country’s ability to translate limited resources into meaningful innovation outcomes.
The country demonstrated strong performance in several key areas:
- 1st in high-tech exports as a share of total trade and 4th in high-tech imports, demonstrating integration into global value chains and the capacity to absorb and produce advanced technologies.
- 16th in creative goods exports and 20th in ICT services exports.
- 35th in intangible asset intensity, highlighting the growing importance of intellectual property, branding, and knowledge-based assets in driving growth and value creation.
This achievement reflects the country’s sustained efforts to strengthen its innovation ecosystem, according to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev).
“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. 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,” said DEPDev Secretary and National Innovation Council (NIC) Vice Chair Arsenio M. Balisacan.
The Philippines, with renewed momentum and clear policy direction, is well-positioned to further elevate its global standing and realize its innovation-driven development goals.
The NIC, together with its member agencies and stakeholders, continues to champion Filipinnovation—a whole-of-nation approach that drives Philippine progress through innovation, propelling the country’s rise in the GII. This year, the Filipinnovation Awards was launched to honor exemplary Filipino innovators, with the national competition set for November.
Innovation Agenda
To sustain this momentum, the NIC, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., is implementing the National Innovation Agenda and Strategy Document (NIASD) 2023-2032. This roadmap addresses persistent challenges in infrastructure, research, and human capital, with a focus on:
- Increasing investments in research and development, science, and technology
- Expanding access to digital infrastructure
- Cultivating a larger pool of highly trained science and innovation professionals
The NIC is also working to foster an enabling environment for innovation that supports the creation of high-value creative goods and globally recognized brands by:
- Reviewing policies and processes on business registration, renewal, and exit;
- Developing a sandbox policy guide to encourage an innovation-friendly business environment;
- Launching the National Innovation Monitoring and Evaluation Matrix (NIMEx) to improve coordination and track innovation outcomes across agencies, and to ensure that innovation efforts translate into measurable progress toward a smart and innovative Philippines.
