Philippine passports (Photo from DFA website)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine passport dropped to 78th out of 109 in the latest 2024 Henley Passport Index (HPI).
The country’s current ranking, as of February 29, 2024, is five points below its January 2024 ranking at 63rd.
It should be noted, however, that the number of countries Philippine passport carriers can travel to, visa-free, remained at 69.
The HPI, according to the firm Henley & Partners, which oversees the global index of passport power, compares the visa-free access of 199 different passports to 227 travel destinations.
It gives a score based on the number of destinations a holder of the passport can access visa-free.
“Updated monthly, the Henley Passport Index is considered the standard reference tool for global citizens and sovereign states when assessing where a passport ranks on the global mobility spectrum,” as described by the firm on its website.
Meanwhile, several countries tied occupied the Top 10 spots for strongest passports, based on the latest HPI:
- France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Singapore, Spain (194 countries)
- Finland, Netherlands, South Korea, Sweden (193)
- Austria, Denmark, Ireland, Luxembourg, United Kingdom (192)
- Belgium, Norway, Portugal (191)
- Australia, Greece, Malta, New Zealand, Switzerland (190)
- Canada, Czechia, Poland, United States (189)
- Hungary, Lithuania (188)
- Estonia (187)
- Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia (186)
- Iceland (185)
Afghanistan remained the lowest on the list at 109th, with only 28 countries where Afghan passport holders can travel visa-free.
It is followed by Syria with only 29 countries; Iraq, 31; Pakistan, 34; Yemen, 35; and Somalia with 36.
The complete HPI ratings for February 2024 can be accessed here: