MANILA – The Philippines ranked 101st out of 159 countries in the Human Freedom Index by Canada’s Fraser Institute and a network of international public policy think-tanks.

The Human Freedom Index (HFI) is the most comprehensive freedom index so far created for a globally meaningful set of countries.

It measures 76 indicators of personal, civil, and economic freedom of 159 countries.

Hong Kong topped the list, garnering a Human Freedom Index score of 9.06.

"While the freedom index doesn't measure democracy, democracy remains the best safeguard of personal freedoms, so if China encroaches on its one-country, two-system relationship with Hong Kong, we can expect Hong Kong's ranking to drop," said Fred McMahon, project editor as well as Fraser Institute Resident Fellow and holder of the Dr. Michael A. Walker Research Chair in Economic Freedom.

Completing the top 10 freest jurisdictions are:

2. Switzerland

3. New Zealand

4. Ireland

5. Denmark

6. Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom (tied)

9. Finland

10. The Netherlands

The Philippines ranked 101st, getting a Human Freedom Index score of 6.53. It is tied with Honduras.

Other notable countries include Germany (13), the U.S. (23), France (31), Japan (32), Russia (115) and China (141).

Meanwhile, the 10 least-free countries are:

150. Angola

151. Democratic Republic of Congo

152. Algeria

153. Myanmar

154. Venezuela

155. Central African Republic

156. Syria

157. Iran

158. Yemen

159. Libya

The country profile of the Philippines shows it scoring higher in economic freedom (Rank 80, 7.01/10) than personal freedom (Rank 113/159, 6.05/10).

Under the personal freedom component, the Philippines got the following scores:

Rule of Law – 4.05

Security and Safety – 7.06

Movement – 6.67

Religion – 7.5

Association – 6.46

Expression and Information – 7.11

Relationship – 5

Under the economic freedom aspect, the Philippines got the following scores:

Size of government – 8.76

Legal System and Property Rights – 4.83

Sound Money – 6.87

Freedom to Trade Internationally – 7.08

Regulation – 7.5

The think-tank said the Philippines ranked 62 in the Human Freedom Index in 2008, 59 in 2010, 62 in 2011, 81 in 2012, and 101 both in 2013 and 2014.