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MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has attained upper-middle-income status, the World Bank said on Wednesday, marking a long-sought milestone that underscores the country’s economic gains and is expected to shape its development path in the years ahead.
The reclassification places the Philippines among economies with gross national income (GNI) per capita of between $4,636 and $14,375 under the World Bank’s Atlas method for fiscal year 2027.
The shift follows the country’s record GNI per capita of $4,850 in 2025, up from $4,470 a year earlier. GNI per capita measures the income earned by a country’s residents and businesses, whether at home or abroad.
The World Bank updates its income classifications every July 1, grouping economies into four categories — low, lower-middle, upper-middle and high income — based on the previous year’s GNI per capita.
