In March, the Bureau of Immigration revealed that in 2024, the Philippines recorded 14,733,597 international arrivals, nearly rebounding to the pre-pandemic number of 17,085,097 in 2019. This influx has energized local economies, and the Department of Tourism (DoT) expects tourism revenue to hit ₱5.9 trillion by 2025, contributing approximately 21 percent of GDP.
That’s all well and good until you see the latest HelloSafe study. According to the advisory platform for insurance and personal finance, the Philippines ranked as the least safe country in the world in 2024, with a danger score of 82.32 percent – that’s higher than Colombia, Mexico, India, and Russia.
War-torn Ukraine only came in at 36th with 48.42 percent
HelloSafe used 35 indicators across five categories: natural disasters, societal violence, internal and external conflict, healthcare infrastructure, and militarization.
Here’s how the Philippines stacked up in 2023–2024:
Natural disasters are a major risk. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOCS) recorded 1,472 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher in 2023, averaging nearly four significant quakes every day. Around 20 typhoons entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility in 2023, many of which resulted in destructive flooding. Meanwhile, during the 2023–2024 El Niño, 37 provinces experienced drought, harming food supply and water resources.
Societal violence also branded us unsafe. The Philippine National Police (PNP) tallied 324,368 crimes in 2023, ranging from petty theft to violent offenses. While large-scale terror incidents have subsided, kidnappings are still rampant, like the 2024 abduction of an American vlogger in Sulu by Abu Sayyaf. The UN Refugee Agency reported 136,000 internally displaced Filipinos, displaced by conflict and natural disasters.
We still face internal conflict in parts of Mindanao, and healthcare infrastructure is stretched thin with low hospital bed ratios and uneven coverage. And while militarization is modest, rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea have forced the government to increase defense spending and patrol missions.
So here’s the paradox: you’ve got packed beaches, booming tourist spots, and record-breaking numbers. But beneath it all, the Philippines is dealing with relentless earthquakes and storms, crime, kidnappings, weak healthcare systems, and ongoing unrest.
This mix pushed us to the top of HelloSafe’s danger index for 2024, even as tourists keep coming.
