FILIPINOS may be surrounded by homegrown brands, but their regional footprint remains relatively small, according to a global brand valuation consultancy.
In its Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) 500 2026 report, Brand Finance said the combined value of Philippine brands rose by 11 percent to $35.9 billion in 2026.
The increase was the second-fastest among the six Asean markets covered by the consultancy’s latest ranking, behind Vietnam’s 15-percent growth and ahead of the region-wide average of 8 percent.
Yet, the Pinoy brands represented only 11.4 percent of the Asean 500’s combined value of $315.6 billion, placing the country sixth among the markets ranked. The Philippines also had the fewest entries, with 66 companies making up 13.2 percent of the list.
Indonesia had the largest number of entries at 96, followed by Malaysia with 94 and Singapore with 88.
In terms of combined brand value, Singapore led with a 26.7-percent share, followed by Malaysia at 19.6 percent, Thailand at 14.8 percent, Indonesia at 14.1 percent and Vietnam at 13.4 percent.
At the top of the Philippine rankings, BDO remained the country’s most valuable brand, although its valuation slipped 4 percent to $3.5 billion, placing it 16th across Asean.
Jollibee moved up six places to 17th after its brand value jumped 32 percent to $3.3 billion, while Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) climbed nine places to 19th with a 37-percent increase to $3.2 billion.
The narrowing gap among the three companies points to a more competitive race for the country’s top brand position, Brand Finance Asia Pacific Managing Director Alex Haigh said.
BPI posted the fourth-largest brand value increase in Asean, while the combined value of Philippine banking brands grew 19 percent, compared with 5 percent for the region’s banking sector, he said.
Haigh also cited the performance of mid-sized lenders Asia United Bank, China Banking Corp. and Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., which each recorded brand value growth of more than 40 percent.
‘As challengers grow at this pace, scale alone is no longer enough to protect a leading position,’ Haigh said.
Banking and financial services accounted for 14 Philippine entries in the ranking, matching the number of brands in food, beverages and restaurants and the number of companies in real estate and property development.
Other Philippine entries included telecommunications companies Globe Telecom and PLDT; utility and energy firms Meralco and Petron; retailers Puregold and Mercury Drug; and transport companies Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
Banks also remained prominent across the regional ranking, accounting for five of Asean’s 10 most valuable brands, Brand Finance said.