Philippine investment freedom scores as a peer bright spot — but OECD FDI rules still read as among the more closed, and new-business density stays thin.
Heritage overall mid-pack (62.9). Never average Heritage and Fraser. OECD RRI is statutes, not firm experience — keep ES bribery separate. No Doing Business. Omit Myanmar ES 2016 from peer ranking. Singapore is the ceiling.
What the comparison shows
Philippine Heritage investment freedom is a peer bright spot even while overall freedom scores sit mid-pack and OECD FDI restrictiveness remains comparatively high. Firm-reported bribery incidence is lower than several large peers, yet new-business density stays thin. These are different instruments describing different parts of the climate for investment.
Key findings from this pack
- PH Heritage investment freedom exceeds its four peers, while OECD statutory restrictions remain comparatively high.
- Heritage and Fraser use different instruments and vintages; their scores are never averaged.
- PH survey bribery incidence is lower than Vietnam and Indonesia in the supplied wave; management time is a separate burden.
- Singapore is an exceptional hub. Myanmar’s critically stale survey observations are excluded and Timor-Leste’s OECD cell remains a gap.
The evidence: Philippines and peers
Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia. Values retain their individual years; missing observations are shown as —.
| Indicator / unit | Philippines | Malaysia | Thailand | Vietnam | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heritage overallIndex 0–100 | 62.92026 | 682026 | 62.22026 | 64.42026 | 65.12026 |
| Heritage business freedomIndex 0–100 | 69.22026 | 79.62026 | 69.92026 | 702026 | 69.22026 |
| Heritage investment freedomIndex 0–100 | 702026 | 602026 | 552026 | 602026 | 502026 |
| OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index0 open → 1 closed | 0.3572024 | 0.3222024 | 0.242024 | 0.2192024 | 0.2822024 |
| Bribery incidence% of firms | 8.32023 | 3.82024 | 192025 | 31.12023 | 20.32023 |
| Management time spent on regulation% of senior management time | 7.22023 | 42024 | 0.32025 | 4.52023 | 1.32023 |
| Fraser economic freedomIndex 0–10 | 7.052023 | 7.562023 | 7.12023 | 6.212023 | 6.962023 |
| New business densityNew registrations per 1,000 people aged 15–64 | 0.512024 | 2.382024 | 1.752024 | 22024 | 0.942024 |
How to interpret the findings
Heritage and Fraser scores must never be averaged into one freedom measure. OECD FDI RRI is statutory restrictiveness, not firm experience; Enterprise Surveys measure reported practice among formal firms. Doing Business ranks are discontinued and are not used here. Myanmar’s 2016 Enterprise Survey wave is unsuitable for peer ranking bars, and Timor-Leste has no OECD FDI RRI observation.
Coverage and context
Read row years and coverage notes; missing observations are not zero.
The table is a comparison of observations, not a combined ranking. The topic guide includes the wider SEA-11 coverage, interactive charts and full methodology.
Open investment climate →All sources and observation years
S1 · Heritage Foundation Index of Economic Freedom 2026 · year 2026 · as_of 2026-09-06
S2 · OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index 2024 · year 2024 · as_of 2026-09-06
S3 · World Bank WDI IC.FRM.BRIB.ZS (Enterprise Surveys) · year 2025 / 2023 / 2024 / 2016 / 2021 · as_of 2026-09-06
S4 · World Bank WDI IC.GOV.DURS.ZS (Enterprise Surveys) · year 2025 / 2023 / 2024 / 2016 / 2021 · as_of 2026-09-06
S5 · Fraser Institute Economic Freedom of the World 2025 (data year 2023) · year 2023 · as_of 2026-09-06
S6 · World Bank WDI IC.BUS.NDNS.ZS · year 2024 / 2018 / 2022 · as_of 2026-09-06
S7 · Pack coverage note · OECD economy coverage · year unavailable · as_of 2026-09-06
Cite this page
ASEAN in Data (2026). Philippine investment freedom scores as a peer bright spot — but OECD FDI rules still read as among the more closed, and new-business density stays thin. /insights/investment-climate