The Philippines has improved its standing in the 2025 Global Gender Gap Index of the World Economic Forum (WEF), rising five places to rank 20th out of 148 countries. However, the report warns that full gender parity between men and women in the country is still estimated to be "123 years away."

While the Philippines maintained its position as the highest-ranking Southeast Asian nation, the report flagged areas that continue to hold back gender equality, including education, health, and political representation.

The country saw a slight dip in education parity, as boys’ enrollment in primary school slightly exceeded that of girls, resulting in a 1.2 percentage-point drop from last year’s full parity. The female-to-male sex ratio at birth also fell from 0.944 in 2016 to 0.926 in 2025, raising concerns.

Political representation also declined. Women in ministerial roles dropped to 21.1 percent, down from over 30 percent between 2006–2007 and 2023. Female representation in parliament remained modest at 38.9 percent.

Despite these setbacks, the Philippines scored 78.1 percent overall in the Gender Gap Index — up from last year’s 77.9 percent. This figure is higher than both the global average (68.8%) and the East Asia and Pacific regional average (69.4%).

According to the WEF, the Philippines ranks third in the East Asia and Pacific region, behind New Zealand (5th) and Australia (13th). Iceland continues to lead the global index, having closed 92.6 percent of its gender gap, followed by Finland, Norway, and the United Kingdom.

Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) Chairperson Ermelita Valdeavilla welcomed the improved ranking as “a testament to our collective efforts across government, civil society, and communities,” but acknowledged more work needs to be done.

The WEF’s index measures gender equality across four dimensions: economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. This year, the Philippines earned a notable 79 percent score in the economic participation and opportunity subindex — the highest in East Asia.

Valdeavilla urged all sectors to continue bridging the gaps and “create systems where every woman and girl can thrive.”