(JANSEN ROMERO / MANILA BULLETIN) The report showed that the country has closed 78.4 percent of its overall gender gap and ranked 17th out of 156 countries, one notch lower compared to its previous place. But in Asia Pacific, the Philippines placed second next to New Zealand, ranking fourth globally. Of the four indices, the Philippines ranked 18th in economic participation, 33rd in political empowerment, 34th in health and survival, and 39th in educational attainment. The country is among the 18 countries in the world that have closed at least 79.6 percent of economic participation and opportunity gaps. “This result is due in part to the fact that the Philippines is one of the few countries that has closed at the same time its gender gap in senior roles, and in professional and technical roles,” the report read.