The Philippines has moved up a notch in the world’s most powerful passport ranking, according to a London-based consultancy firm that tracks the number of destinations a passport holder can go without a prior visa.
Philippine passport holders are now allowed to travel to 67 destinations visa-free, placing the country at the 76th spot in the global ranking, based on the 2020 Henley Passport Index published Tuesday.
While the Philippine travel document improved its ranking, putting it on par with Azerbaijan, it lagged behind most Southeast Asian peers.
Those who fared much better in the ranking are Singapore (2nd), Malaysia (13th), Brunei (23rd), Thailand (65th) and Indonesia (72nd).
The report, which is based on data provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) that maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information, also showed Japan on the top spot.
Japanese travelers can visit to 191 hassle-free destinations, remaining as the world's most powerful passport for a third year in a row.
Another Asian country, South Korea, also ranked at number 3 in the global ranking.
"Asian countries’ dominance of the top spots is a clear argument for the benefits of open-door policies and the introduction of mutually beneficial trade agreements," said Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners.
"Over the past few years, we have seen the world adapt to mobility as a permanent condition of global life. The latest rankings show that the countries that embrace this reality are thriving, with their citizens enjoying ever-increasing passport power and the array of benefits that come with it," added Kaelin, also the inventor of the passport index concept.
Afghanistan, meanwhile, remains at the bottom of the index at 107th spot with visa-free access to only 26 destinations.
The 67 destinations where Philippine passport holders have visa-free access (including visa on arrival and electronic travel authority) are the following:
ASIA
- Brunei
- Cambodia
- Hong Kong (SAR China)
- Indonesia
- Kazakhstan
- Kyrgyzstan *
- Laos
- Macao (SAR China)
- Malaysia
- Maldives *
- Mongolia
- Myanmar
- Nepal *
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka **
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan *
- Thailand
- Timor-Leste *
- Vietnam
AFRICA
- Cape Verde Islands *
- Comores Islands *
- Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
- Djibouti *
- Gambia
- Guinea-Bissau *
- Kenya *
- Madagascar *
- Malawi *
- Mauritania *
- Mauritius *
- Morocco
- Mozambique *
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Seychelles *
- Somalia *
- Tanzania *
- Togo *
- Uganda *
OCEANIA
- Cook Islands
- Fiji
- Marshall Islands *
- Micronesia
- Niue
- Palau Islands *
- Papua New Guinea *
- Samoa *
- Tuvalu *
- Vanuatu
CARIBBEAN
- Barbados
- Dominica
- Haiti
- St. Lucia *
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago *
AMERICAS
- Bolivia
- Brazil
- Colombia
- Costa Rica
- Ecuador
- Nicaragua *
- Peru
- Suriname
MIDDLE EAST
- Armenia *
- Iran *
- Israel
- Palestinian Territory
**eTA (electronic travel authority)
Some of the neighbor countries of the Philippines in the Southeast Asia performed better in the ranking such as Malaysia at 13th spot, Brunei at 23rd, Timor Leste at 57th, Thailand at 65th, and Indonesia at 72nd.
Most war-torn countries Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan fell at the bottom of the ranking.
Aside from the continuous research by the Henley & Partners Research Department, the passport index was based on the data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). The IATA maintains the world’s largest and most accurate database of travel information.
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