The Philippines landed at 53rd out of 101 economies in the World Bank Group’s 2025 Business-Ready (B-READY) Report, placing the country squarely at the midpoint of an expanded global ranking and signaling steady reform momentum.
The government has set an ambitious goal of breaking into the top 20 percentile in future editions, banking on sustained regulatory upgrades and better service delivery to attract investment.
In the inaugural B-READY report released in October 2024, the Philippines ranked 16th out of 50 economies under the Regulatory Framework pillar, scoring 70.78. In the 2025 edition, it advanced to the second quantile, lifting its score to 73.86 despite tougher competition from newly included high-income and upper-middle-income economies.
According to the Anti-Red Tape Authority, the results show the country can stay competitive even as the comparison set widens. The Philippines ranked 26th overall in the Regulatory Framework pillar, reflecting clearer, more predictable rules that support firms from entry to exit.
Performance also improved in Public Services, where the score rose to 57.82 from 50.80, placing the country 51st. Gains were recorded in Utility Services, Market Competition, Financial Services, and public procurement.
Business entry showed tangible progress. The time to register a domestic firm fell to about 53 days from 75, while foreign firm registration improved to roughly 77.5 days from 106.
But challenges remain. Business Insolvency, International Trade, Labor, and Business Location lagged, highlighting the need to further streamline land use, zoning, and permitting to sustain reform momentum.
Officials say reforms underway focus on digitalization, inter-agency coordination, and consistent enforcement, aiming to translate higher scores into faster approvals, lower compliance costs, and stronger investor confidence across sectors nationwide over coming months and reporting cycles ahead.
