Reachin New Heights: How the Philippines Became a Rising Star in Global Innovation

Introduction

The Philippines celebrated its best-ever achievement in the world of innovation, it climbed to the 50th spot in the Global Innovation Index (GII), moving up from 53rd the previous year. This ranking, published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), is more than just a number; it reflects tangible efforts and progress by the country and its people. For a nation often overshadowed by larger economies in Asia, the 2025 GII recognition made a statement on the power of collective ambition, strategic reforms, and homegrown creativity.​

What the Global Innovation Index (GII) Actually Measures

The GII is a yearly report that evaluates innovation capacity and outcomes for countries all around the globe. Instead of just looking at the number of patents or investments in research, it takes more than 80 different indicators into account. These include everything from the political environment and regulatory stability, to the strength of education and research systems, the quality of infrastructure, the availability of capital for new businesses, and the actual results in terms of new ideas, products, and cultural exports.

In 2025, the Philippines stood out especially in categories like “knowledge and technology outputs,” where it was ranked 38^th, and “business sophistication,” clocking in at number 40. The GII split its evaluation into inputs and outputs: here, the country reached 59th in innovation inputs but rose even higher, to the 49th spot, in innovation outputs. This means that, despite not always having the largest research budgets or the most advanced labs, the Philippines managed to turn what resources it had into concrete results that matter for the economy and society.​

Digging Into the Drivers of Progress

Moving up the GII ranks did not happen by accident. Over the past decade, the Philippines has worked steadily to build an innovation-friendly environment. One of the country’s unique advantages is its community of young, skilled, and tech-savvy people. Add to that targeted government reforms and the efforts of the National Innovation Council (NIC), chaired by the president and supported by an array of government departments and sector representatives, and you have a recipe for change.

The NIC plays a crucial role by creating national innovation strategies, integrating intellectual property into economic planning, and pushing for coordination across government, academia, and the private sector. Under their guidance, new policies have been rolled out, such as the establishment of a registry for well-known brands and more robust support systems for start-ups. These efforts give inventors, entrepreneurs, and small business owners stronger protection and clearer paths to turn their ideas into actual businesses.​

On the ground, the results could be seen in the remarkable 350% growth in international patent filings between 2023-24, a sign that not only are Filipinos inventing, but they’re also working to share those inventions with the world. The same spirit of progress showed up in other measures as well: the country ranked first in high-tech exports as a share of total trade, indicating its place in technology-driven value chains, and placed in the top 20 globally in creative goods and ICT services exports.​

The Role of Innovation in Economic and Social Transformation

Looking back at past years, the Philippines has consistently outperformed what its economic size would predict; the GII calls it an “innovation overperformer.” This means the country is producing and sustaining more innovation than other economies at similar income levels. The significance is profound: innovation is increasingly seen as a way not just to grow GDP but also to solve challenges in public health, energy, agriculture, and digital services.​

Included in this process is the growing recognition of small and medium-sized businesses, educational institutions, and the creative economy as key players. The National Innovation Council’s approach is not only about headline-grabbing investments, but also about enabling grassroots innovation, reaching even small communities, empowering youth and marginalized groups, and ensuring that all sectors can contribute to and benefit from fresh ideas.​

At a structural level, new innovation credit and financing programs, improved coordination among government agencies, and public-private partnerships have all fostered a friendlier climate for experimenters and risk-takers. The Innovation Fund, for example, is dedicated to supporting entrepreneurship and the development of solutions that directly improve people’s lives, especially among the poorest sectors.​

Looking Forward: Building on Momentum

The 2025 GII milestone marked both an achievement and a call to stay the course. For policymakers, the focus is now on sustaining progress, expanding the scope of R&D, and making sure that gains are widely shared. For the NIC and its partners, there’s an emphasis on staying nimble and responsive: continuing to enhance education, supporting business incubation, and adapting policy tools so that the changing needs of local innovators are met.

One new initiative launched recently is the Filipino innovation Awards, designed to highlight and celebrate the work of Filipino innovators nationwide. Programs like these not only fuel healthy competition, motivating more people to experiment and create, but also help build a culture where creative problem-solving is celebrated and success stories get noticed by the next generation of entrepreneurs and inventors.​

What’s clear is that the country’s climb up the innovation rankings is a result of hard work, strategic ambition, and an ability to transform challenges into opportunities. The road ahead will no doubt present more hurdles, but with continued investment in people, policies, and partnerships, the Philippines is well-placed to secure even stronger innovation victories in the years to come.

Author: Amrita Pradhan, in case of any queries please contact/write back to us via email to [email protected] or at IIPRD. 

References

1. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025: Philippines Ranks 50th Out of 139 Economies (Highest Historical Ranking), September 16, 2025, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/gii-2025-results.html.
2. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025: Philippines Ranks 38th in Knowledge and Technology Outputs, September 16, 2025, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/gii-2025-results.html.
3. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025: Philippines Ranks 40th in Business Sophistication, September 16, 2025, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/gii-2025-results.html.
4. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025: Philippines Ranks 59th in Innovation Inputs, September 16, 2025, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/gii-2025-results.html.
5. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025: Philippines Ranks 49th in Innovation Outputs, September 16, 2025, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/gii-2025-results.html.
6. Republic Act No. 11293, Philippine Innovation Act of 2019: Establishment and Role of National Innovation Council (NIC), Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, April 17, 2019, https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2019/04apr/20190417-RA-11293-RRD.pdf.
7. National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), NIC-Led Strategies for Innovation Governance and Public-Private Partnerships, July 20, 2023, https://neda.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NIASD-2023-2032.pdf.
8. Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL), International Patent Filings in the Philippines Surge 350% Between 2023 and 2024, September 18, 2025, https://www.ipophil.gov.ph/news/the-philippines-achieves-50th-ranking-in-wipo-global-innovation-index-2025/.
9. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025: Philippines Ranks 1st Globally in High-Tech Exports as Share of Total Trade, September 16, 2025, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/gii-2025-results.html.
10. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025: Philippines Ranks 16th in Creative Goods Exports, September 16, 2025, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/gii-2025-results.html.
11. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2025: Philippines Ranks 20th in ICT Services Exports, September 16, 2025, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2025/en/gii-2025-results.html.
12. Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Philippines Maintains Innovation Overperformer Status for Seventh Consecutive Year (2019-2025), September 18, 2025, https://depdev.gov.ph/2025globalinnovationindexranking/.
13. Republic Act No. 11293, Philippine Innovation Act of 2019: Establishment of Innovation Fund for Entrepreneurship and Solutions Development, Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, April 17, 2019, https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2019/04apr/20190417-RA-11293-RRD.pdf.
14. Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DEPDev), Launch of Inaugural Filipinnovation Awards to Recognize Filipino Innovators Nationwide, February 18, 2025, https://filipinnovation.neda.gov.ph/.
15. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Global Innovation Index 2024: Philippines Ranks 53rd Out of 133 Economies, September 26, 2024, https://www.wipo.int/web-publications/global-innovation-index-2024/en/gii-2024-at-a-glance.html.