The Department of Tourism on Thursday questioned a report saying the Philippines was “the least safe country on the planet.”
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco slammed the authenticity of the “HelloSafe Safety Index 2025” by the HelloSafe website, which earlier ranked the Philippines at the top of its list of least safe areas.
The website has since revised the ranking, with the strife-torn countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Ukraine and Democratic Republic of Congo topping the list of least safe countries.
Frasco however said HelloSafe showed negligence after it “simply removed the Philippines in the index narrative – without clarification or accountability.”
Frasco said the HelloSafe “safety index” has affected the confidence of foreign travelers for the Philippines.
“The impact of this false narrative is not abstract. It disrupted bookings and businesses. It cast doubt on our destinations. Worse, it harmed the livelihoods of millions of Filipinos who depend on tourism, and entire communities whose economies rise and fall with the confidence of travelers,” Frasco said.
She said HelloSafe has to “correct all references to the erroneous data against the Philippines across its platforms and to ensure the accuracy and consistency of its reporting tools, including interactive visual assets.”
The DOT said hotel operators also condemned the HelloSafe report.
“We find the article misleading, unfair, and detrimental to the efforts of the tourism and hospitality industry. We remain fully committed to supporting the Department of Tourism’s mission to promote the Philippines as a safe, vibrant, and enjoyable destination for all and highlight the genuine hospitality, resilience, and professionalism of Filipino tourism workers,” the DOT quoted Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA) President Arthur Lopez as saying.
Other tourism industry groups such as the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) the Philippine IATA Agents Travel Association (PIATA), Philippine Travel Agencies Association (PTAA) and Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) also demanded that the report be corrected, the DOT said.
PH’s rise to upper middle income ranks
likely delayed to 2027: World Bank
The Philippines’ entry into the ranks of upper middle income economies is not likely to happen this year or next year, according to the World Bank.
The global financial institution said the country may likely graduate from the lower middle income status by 2027 and not 2025 or 2026 which was earlier targeted by the Philippine government.
World Bank Lead Economist Gonzalo Varela said though 2026 is still possible, global uncertainties may push back the Philippines’ goal to hit upper middle income status.
“We are thinking that a probable outcome is that it happens around 2027,” Varela told reporters during the Philippine Economic briefing.
The World Bank sees the country growing 5.3 percent this 2025. This is lower than the country’s 5.6 percent GDP in 2024 and far from government’s target range of 6 to 8 percent.
The global lending body attributes this to mostly external factors such as trade uncertainties like the US tariff policy, and geopolitical risks.
“Due to global policy uncertainty, the impact of what’s happening externally that has resulted in exports doing less well, services growth decelerating, industry decelerating. It’s all of that helps to explain why growth is not hitting our aspirational targets,” said Jaffar Al-Rikabi, World Bank Senior Country Economist.
The World Bank has not yet included in the forecasts the recent tension between Israel and Iran, but said if that escalates further, that could also affect the Philippines and global trade.
“They could result in elevated commodity prices. They could impact global shipping, logistics, and the broader economy,” Al-Rikabi said.
The World Bank recommends that the Philippines implement tax reforms, improve efficiency of expenditure, and lower deficits. It added the country should invest in infrastructure foundation necessary for jobs, streamline business regulations, and mobilize private capital.
The bank also urges the country to continue pushing for regional trade agreements like free trade deals to protect itself from rapidly changing trade polices globally.
“The increase in global uncertainty, increased trade barriers globally is an opportunity for the Philippines to focus on doubling down domestic reforms, reducing the cost of doing business in the economy, reducing trade costs, and advancing on the agenda of regional trade agreements,” Varela said.
Despite a slower forecast, the Philippines’ 5.3 percent growth projection is still among the fastest in Southeast Asia. Vietnam has a 5.8 percent growth forecast, while Indonesia has 4.7 percent, Cambodia 4 percent, Malaysia 3.9 percent, Lao PDR 3.5 percent, Thailand 1.8 percent, and Myanmar -2.5 percent.
