The Philippines has moved to Level 5 in the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) Integrated Index for Postal Development (2IPD) ranking in the world, as announced at the first Asia Pacific Postal Leaders Forum in Jaipur, India.

In a news release on Thursday, Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer Luis Carlos said the increase in ranking shows the country’s commitment to advancing its postal services through good governance, strengthening connectivity nationwide, and maintaining transparency in its operations.

The 2IPDs ranking assesses the performance and development of postal systems around the world. The key metrics used by the UPU for the assessment include reliability, reach, relevance, and resilience.

The Philippines was ranked fourth in 2022 and 2023.

“My goal is to move up to (level) 6 by the term of President (Ferdinand R.) Marcos (Jr.). And moving another notch higher after a year, we are very much delighted that the UPU sees the progress of the Philippines,” Carlos said.

He added the PHLPost has worked on the modernization and enhancement of postal services in alignment with international standards.

The PHLPost has collaborated with Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and Japan Post to enhance mail dispatch and operations, improving its Integrated Index for Postal Development Score in terms of reliability.

This scorecard is based on the International Quality of Service system, which serves as a measurement tool used to assess the efficiency and reliability of postal services.

It focuses on on-time delivery or compliance with set transit times for international mail, end-to-end tracking, data accuracy, and operational compliance.

Carlos said enhanced mail and parcel delivery systems and expanded partnerships with e-commerce platforms have contributed to PHLPost’s increase in ranking.

These improved the efficiency and accessibility of postal services nationwide considering that domestic and international express mail delivery prices are now 40 lower compared to leading couriers nationwide, he said.

He also assured the public that the PHLPost is committed to further enhance its operations to remain competitive and resilient in the digital world. (PNA)