A global rights watchdog has ranked the Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as having the worst record in upholding the people’s rights in the Southeast Asian region.

The Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI) recently released data showing the Philippines received low scores across all human rights compliance metrics.

The Philippines, together with Indonesia, received a score of 4.6 out of 10 in the Safety from the State measure.

This indicated that many people are not adequately protected from arbitrary arrest, torture and ill-treatment, forced disappearance, and extrajudicial killings (EJK).

The country’s score for freedom from arbitrary arrest was also low, at 3.1 out of 10, placing it in the “very bad” performance range of the report. It was the lowest score among Southeast Asian countries surveyed by HRMI.

“The exceptionally low score for freedom from arbitrary arrest should be a wake-up call. Everyone should be able to exercise their rights without fear of unjust detention or retaliation,” said Keshia Mahmood, HRMI Southeast Asia engagement lead, in a statement.

The recent glaring incident of arbitrary arrests took place during the anti-corruption protest on 21 September 2025.

Philippine authorities arrested 216 protesters and bystanders, including 91 minors. Two died when violence ensued. First responder lawyers and human rights workers confirmed that there were indications of torture and ill-treatment of the victims.

Civil liberties beyond reach

The report also revealed that the Philippines’ performance on freedom of assembly and association was considered “bad,” with a score of 4.3. The overall average of 5.4 out of 10 in the empowerment metric suggested that many people were not enjoying their civil liberties and political freedoms.

The survey was conducted among human rights defenders in the country, HRMI said.

The survey identified people suspected of terrorism, people who protested or engaged in non-violent political activity, activists and rights defenders, indigenous peoples, and labor rights advocates among those most vulnerable to being targeted by the state.

HRMI said it found a direct correlation between civil and political rights and the overall quality of life, noting that in the Philippines’ case the exercise of economic, social, and cultural rights was very low.

The data sources were the 2023 reports of United Nations agencies, the World Bank, and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Thailand, Vietnam topnotchers

Compared with other nations in Southeast Asia, the Philippines’ performance was worse than average. It garnered the third-lowest score, with Thailand and Vietnam getting the highest scores.

The country’s weakest areas were the right to education (66.1 percent) and the right to food (65.9 percent), both of which fell within the “very bad” range. The data also pointed to a worrying trend in education, with the right to education score declining since 2017.

“While the Philippines has the resources to achieve better outcomes, our data show it is currently not fully meeting its economic and social rights obligations under international human rights law,” said HRMI co-executive director Thalia Kehoe Rowden.