In a public apology issued on July 15, HelloSafe, which released its “2025 Safety Index” in early June, announced it had suspended the index pending a full audit of its methodology and criteria, according to the South China Morning Post.
“We wish to express our sincere regrets for the misunderstanding and negative perception that may have resulted from this publication,” the company said, adding that it never intended to defame any country including the Philippines.
HelloSafe said the index was based on 35 criteria across five categories: frequency of natural disasters, societal violence, involvement in armed conflict (internal or external), health infrastructure, and militarization.
Countries were rated on a scale from 0 to 100, with 0 representing the safest and 100 the most dangerous.
The Philippines scored 82.31, placing it at the top of the list, followed by Colombia (79.21), Mexico (78.42), India (77.86), and Russia (75.65).
The apology followed backlash from the Philippine tourism sector, which argued that the ranking was biased, misleading and caused serious and lasting harm to the country’s image.
Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco criticized the index, saying: “What was presented as an objective safety index was, in fact, based on questionable data, lacked transparency, and was entirely disconnected from the realities on the ground,” according to a statement published on her official Facebook page on June 19.
Frasco emphasized in her statement published on her official Facebook page on June 19 that the index undermined the trust and confidence foreign travelers have already shown toward the Philippines.
Many foreign tourists have praised the Philippines as a safe destination worth visiting.
With a coastline spanning over 36,000 kilometers, the country was named Asia’s Leading Beach Destination at the 2024 World Travel Awards.