Philippines 48th in global digital quality of life ranking

The Philippines was ranked 48th out of 110 countries in terms of the digital quality of life in the latest study conducted by cybersecurity firm Surfshark, marking an 18 spot improvement from the previous year.

According to Surfshark Chief Executive Officer Vytautas Kaziukonis, the latest ranking highlights the changes in the digital landscape undertaken amid the global health crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Digital opportunities have proved to be more important than ever during the COVID-19 crisis, stressing the importance for every country to ensure fully remote operational capacities for the economies,” he said in a statement.

The top position was taken by Denmark, with South Korea, Finland, Israel, and the United States completing the top five spots.

The Digital Quality of Life Index takes into consideration five pillars, where the Philippines was ranked differently.

In terms of internet affordability, the country placed 72nd, with the cheapest mobile internet affordability ranked 104th, and the broadband internet affordability at 72nd.

The country ranked 20th in terms of internet quality, 30th in terms of electronic security, 63rd in terms of electronic infrastructure, and 67th in terms of electronic government.

The latest figures were welcomed by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio Honasan II, who said the agency will continue to work until the digital transformation goal is realized.

“The results present great development but we will not stop there. We are working with the telco industry and other government agencies to ensure that even the average Filipino will have access to the best service possible,” he said. — LA, GMA News