Photo: ABS-CBN News" width="100%" />
The Philippine passport slid five places to number 80 in the latest Henley Passport Index, a global ranking of 199 passports.
The index, which was released on Tuesday, started in 2006 and is updated quarterly. According to the organization, the results of the index is based on the data provided exclusively by the International Air Transport Association — a trade association of the world’s major airlines — and Henley’s own research.
Henley’s index is computed based on the number of countries a passport holder can visit without the need for a visa. One point is given to the passport for each visa-free travel destination. One point is also given if the holder is required to secure a visa on arrival, a visitor’s permit, or an electronic travel authority (ETA) when going to the destination. No points will be given if a visa is required.
At 80th place, the Philippine passport has the same ranking as the African countries of Ghana and Zimbabwe. Filipinos can travel to a total of 64 countries visa-free, including Taiwan, which announced yesterday that it’s extending its visa-free privilege to Filipinos for another year.
Filipinos can also travel visa-free to all of its neighbors in Southeast Asia and to the South American countries of Nicaragua and Costa Rica.
According to the index, the Philippine passport ranked higher in 2016 and 2017, when it landed at 75th place. Its highest ranking was in the years 2006 to 2009, when it was ranked at 62nd place.
Japan and Singapore have the world’s most powerful passport, with its holders having the privilege to travel visa-free to 189 countries. It was followed by Finland, Germany, and Korea at second place (187 countries visa-free); Denmark, Italy, and Luxembourg at third place (186 countries); and France, Spain, and Sweden at fourth place (185 countries).
