Most improved in ASEAN: PHL now 51st in Rule of Law index

The Philippines ranked 51st out of 102 countries in this year’s Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project, up nine spots from its previous standing.

The country, which was 60th among 99 countries in 2014, is also the most improved among member-countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and ranked ninth out of 15 countries in East Asia and the Pacific this year.

In a news release on Friday, the Philippine Embassy in Washington said that during the release of the report, American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative director Elizabeth Andersen singled out three countries, including the Philippines in what she “considered as rule of law ‘success stories.'”

Andersen cited “certain judicial and policy reforms” including the Department of Justice’s court automation initiative and efforts by the government to remove the country from the Intellectual Property watchlist, it added.

The Philippines registered an overall score of 0.53, ranking highest at 39th place in the “Constraints on Government Powers” factor, which looks into limits set in the branches of government, “non-governmental checks,” if government officials “are sanctioned for misconduct,” and if transition of power “is subject to the law.”

Other categories, and the Philippines’ rank in them, are as follows:

Absence of Corruption – 47th
Open Government – 50th
Fundamental Rights – 67th
Order and Security – 58th
Regulatory Enforcement – 52nd
Civil Justice – 75th
Criminal Justice – 66th

The top 10 countries in this year’s index include: Denmark (0.87), Norway (0.87), Sweden (0.85), Finland (0.85), Netherlands (0.83), New Zealand (0.83), Austria (0.82), Germany (0.81), Singapore (0.81), and Australia (0.80).

The Rule of Law Index, now on its fifth year, is an annual rule of law and corruption index that combines both expert consultation and data collection. — Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/JDS, GMA News

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