The World Bank has reclassified the Philippines (a Southeast Asian archipelago nation of over 110 million people) as an upper-middle-income country, after the nation's gross national income reached $4,850 per capita — surpassing the $4,636 threshold — in its annual country classifications released on 1 July 2026. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., speaking from Canada where he was on an official visit, called the upgrade a "vote of confidence" in the country's future, noting the Philippines had been classified as lower-middle-income since 1987. The milestone is tempered by economic pressures at home, however, with headline inflation running at 6.8% in May 2026 — well above the central bank's 2–4% target — driven in part by disruptions to global oil supply.