PH 6th in SEA in quality of nationality index

The Philippines ranked 6th within Southeast Asia (SEA) and 120th globally in terms of "quality of nationality" among 95 countries after improving its human development and diversity of travel freedom, according to the latest report of Henley & Partners – Kochenov Quality of Nationality Index (QNI).

The international residence and citizenship planning firm says the Philippines increased its QNI standing by 1.3% between 2012 -2016, achieving a score of 25.8% out of 100%. Compared with the Asia Pacific average of 32.99% and the global average of 39.32%, this puts the Filipino nationality in the MediumQuality category, behind Thailand and Indonesia, ranked 4th and 5th in the region.

Worldwide, Germany ranked first with a score of 82.7% while Afghanistan took the bottom position, with a score of 14.6%. Japan was the highest ranking Asian country on the Index at 31st place, with a score of 56.7%.

In terms of global travel freedom, Philippines ranked 103rd and scored 32.8% out of a possible 100%.

“To achieve a high score, nationalities in Southeast Asia need to excel across all areas that contribute to the quality of living," explained Dominic Volek, Head Southeast Asia at Henley & Partners Singapore.

France and Denmark shared second place on the index with a score of 82.4% while Iceland ranked third overall at 81.3%. The UK also ranked in the Extremely High-Quality category, in 12th position with a score of 79.2%. The US ranked 29th on the QNI with a score of 68.8%.

The QNI makes it possible to compare the relative worth of nationalities, as opposed to simply countries, says constitutional law Professor Dimitry Kochenov, "Nationality plays a significant part in determining our opportunities and aspirations. The QNI allows us to analyze this objectively.”

The QNI is not a perception index, he stressed. It uses quantifiable data to determine the opportunities and limitations that nationalities impose on individuals, measuring both the nationality's internal value – the quality of life and opportunities within one's country of origin – and its external value, identifying the opportunities that it allows the individual to pursue outside his country of origin.

Among all 140 nationalities that have gained value between 2015 and 2016, Timor-Leste is the biggest riser in Asia with a 7.3% value increase. It was ranked in the 95th place in 2016. This is mainly driven by a significant rise in its Travel Freedom after the Schengen visa liberalization.

Other top risers in terms of value increase in the region include Bangladesh which posted a 4% value increase, and was ranked on the 129th place in 2016. Kyrgyzstan was ranked 110th on the Index in 2016, with a value increase of 3.7%. Bhutan took the 111th place with an increase of 2.8%.

Malaysia also gained an increased value of 2.2% and now ranked 45th Thailand gained 1.9% in value and was now at 97th place. Indonesia posted a1.4% value increase and is now at the 105th place.

Over the last five years, 158 nationalities gained value. In Asia, the top three risers are Timor-Leste, increasing 8.3%; China, by 6.1% and Bhutan, by 5.2% while 3 nationalities decreased in value – Japan declined by 0.8%; Brunei, by 4% and Nepal, 0.1%.