MANILA - The Philippines improved its ranking in the world's most powerful passports with Filipinos allowed to enter 66 countries visa-free, according to the 2019 Henley Passport Index.

The Philippines ranked 74th from having last year's 75th most powerful passport among 199 countries.

Japan maintained its top rank with visa-free access to 190 travel destinations this year.

Singapore and South Korea, meanwhile, placed second with its respective passport holders allowed to visit 189 destinations visa-free.

Germany placed third with visa-free access to 188 destinations.

The Afghanistan and Iraq passports, meanwhile, were deemed the "weakest," with visa-free access to only 30 travel destinations.

The Henley Passport Index ranks passports worldwide based on data from the International Air Transport Association.

The 66 destinations where Philippine passport holders have visa-free access (including visa on arrival and electronic travel authority) are the following:

ASIA

• Brunei
• Cambodia
• Hong Kong (SAR China)
• Indonesia
• Kyrgyzstan *
• Laos
• Macao (SAR China)
• Malaysia
• Maldives *
• Mongolia
• Myanmar
• Nepal *
• Singapore
• Sri Lanka *
• Taiwan
• Tajikistan *
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste *
• Vietnam

AFRICA

• Benin *
• Cape Verde Islands *
• Comores Islands *
• Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Djibouti *
• Gambia
• Guinea-Bissau *
• Kenya *
• Madagascar *
• Malawi *
• Mauritania *
• Mauritius *
• Morocco
• Mozambique *
• Rwanda
• Seychelles *
• Somalia *
• Tanzania *
• Togo *
• Uganda *

OCEANIA

• Cook Islands
• Fiji
• Marshall Islands *
• Micronesia
• Niue
• Palau Islands *
• Papua New Guinea *
• Samoa *
• Tuvalu *
• Vanuatu

CARIBBEAN

• Dominica
• Haiti
• St. Lucia *
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago *

AMERICAS

• Bolivia
• Brazil
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Ecuador
• Nicaragua *
• Peru
• Suriname

MIDDLE EAST

• Armenia *
• Iran *
• Israel
• Palestinian Territory

*visa on arrival
**eTA (electronic travel authority)