The Philippines rose three ranks to 53rd in the 2024 Global Innovation Index (GII) and, for the first time, claimed third place among 38 lower middle-income economies. The achievements reflect in part the effectiveness of the Marcos administration’s innovation strategies and the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines’ (IPOPHL) program to bridge academe and industry.
In the GII report released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on Thursday, the country continued to perform beyond expectations for its level of development.
It also stood out as one of only seven economies cited for its stellar innovation growth over the last ten years.
Since ranking 100th in the 2014 GII, the Philippines has advanced by 47 positions and leapfrogged from placing 18th among its income group peers a decade ago.
In 2023—the year surveyed by the 2024 GII—the Philippines excelled the most in Business Sophistication (37th), with the Innovation Linkages sub-pillar driving this progress, in part, boosted by the University-Industry R&D Collaboration indicator which climbed 13 ranks to 44th.
“IPOPHL’s Innovation and Technology Support Office (ITSO) Program was one of many government initiatives that played a key role in increasing university-industry partnerships. Many ITSO managers link the success of their incubators today to the foundational IP knowledge and capacities gained from the ITSO program, effectively enabling them to protect and commercialize the inventions and innovations of their students and faculty members,” Barba said.
“To this end, IPOPHL is strengthening its ITSO Program to accelerate innovation inputs, outputs and impact across regions,” he added.
Meanwhile, out of seven pillars, Institutions emerged as this year’s top performer, jumping 14 spots to 65th, as its Regulatory Environment sub-pillar improved by 26 spots to 82nd.
“The remarkable rise in Institutions is a clear show of results from the robust innovation policies of President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., who put innovation high up in his national agenda. His hands-on leadership at the National Innovation Council—which includes IPOPHL as an ex-officio member—also inspires others to pursue the vision of a Bagong Pilipinas that fosters innovation,” IPOPHL’s Barba said.
However, the country also faced challenges in 2023. The local innovation landscape reflected the global downward trend in venture capital deals, Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filings and scientific publications, threatening the rise of startups and businesses focused on impact-driven innovation.
In 2023, the inflow of VCs to the country amounted to $158,850 down by 78.3% from the prior year and equivalent to a rank of 40. By count, VC deals fell 39.1% to 73rd.
Additionally, PCT applications declined by 72.4% to 94th and scientific publications dropped by 7.7% to 125th.
“As more startups and entrepreneurs pursue innovation with impact in mind, the call for support grows louder. The GII index reveals this urgent need for increased investments in high-impact technologies. Without capital, the Philippines risks losing its momentum in innovation and its path to environmental and socio-economic progress,” Barba added.
The GII is an annual report published by WIPO, a specialized agency of the United Nations.
With the theme “Unlocking the Promise of Social Entrepreneurship,” the 2024 GII featured 133 economies ranked according to their innovation capabilities. Their performances are evaluated based on roughly 80 indicators subdivided into innovation inputs and outputs.
