PHL is 24th most charitable nation globally

A HIGH percentage of Filipinos donated money to good causes in 2024, making the Philippines the 24^th most generous country worldwide, the new World Giving Report by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF) showed.

According to the report, three in every four Filipinos donated 1.46% of their total annual income in 2024 to individuals or families in need, charities, or religious organizations.

This is higher than the global average of 64% donating 1.04% of their annual income, as well as in Asia with 69% sharing 1.28% of their income.

“This very much aligns with our social norms here, our cultural values, which are compassion for others, our shared identity and connectedness with others — the core Filipino identity,” Milet Aquino, communications officer at the Association of Foundations, said during the report’s launch on Thursday.

“So, that makes giving and donating here in the Philippines more personal, more relational, it’s driven by our relationships with others,” she added.

For Filipinos, donating money is more of a “choice rather than a duty,” the report showed.

Filipinos said they donate to such initiatives mainly because they care about others, want to make a difference, set an example for others, and support their local community.

“This reflects the strong Filipino orientation toward localism. As the Philippines is characterized by diverse cultures, languages, and histories in different localities or regions, Filipinos often feel a strong sense of identity and belonging tied to their own communities,” the report read.

Based on the report, children (43%), religious organizations (40%), the elderly (35%), homelessness or refuge shelters (34%), and poverty relief (34%) are the top five causes Filipinos donate to.

It noted that these causes are “those that evoke a strong emotional response.”

CAF said 40% of Filipinos donated money three to five times last year, while 37% did once or twice. This is also higher than the global average of 38% and 34%, respectively.

The report also assessed individuals who did not donate money, a third of whom said they couldn’t afford to do so, while some said they prefer donating in kind, such as food or material gifts.

Among its neighbors in the East and Southeast Asian region, the Philippines ranked fourth in terms of donations, following China (3^rd), Vietnam (12^th), and Indonesia (21^st).

Globally, people in Nigeria contributed most to good causes last year, with 2.83% of their income in 2024. Egypt emerged second, after giving 2.45% of its income in 2024, followed by China (2.19%), Ghana (2.19%), and Kenya (2.13%).

The report noted, however, that lower-income countries donated a larger portion or an average of 1.45% of their income, while higher-income nations gave less at only 0.7% on average.

Moreover, the report revealed that direct donation to people in need (38%) was the most common way of giving. Charity donations followed closely, composing 36% of the total, while those given to religious organizations stood at 25%.

The new World Giving Report, which replaces the CAF’s 15-year World Giving Index (WGI), measures 101 countries’ attitudes and behavior about giving.

CAF Head of Research Alex Plumb said WGI only considered general public donors who gave to charities, while the World Giving Report now includes monetary donations to persons or families in need, charities (non-governmental or non-profit organizations), or religious organizations. — Katherine K. Chan