Filipino pharmaceutical company Unilab, Inc. has emerged as the highest-ranked ASEAN-origin company in TIME magazine and Statista’s Asia-Pacific Best Employers of 2027, ranking 24th among 500 companies across the region.
With an overall score of 89.15 out of 100, Unilab led companies headquartered in Southeast Asia and topped the Philippine companies included in the inaugural regional ranking.
The Campos-Hess-led company outperformed several major Philippine corporations, including Ayala Corp., which ranked 32nd with a score of 88.07; Metropolitan Bank & Trust Co. at 44th; San Miguel Corp. at 55th; and Jollibee Foods Corp. at 89th.
Other Philippine companies recognized in the list were Del Monte Philippines at 105th, BDO Unibank at 164th, Philippine Airlines at 186th, Aboitiz Power at 196th, and SM Investments Corp. at 206th.
Employee Recommendations Drive Regional Ranking
Announced globally on November 3, the TIME-Statista ranking recognizes companies based on employee feedback, workplace reputation, and willingness among workers to recommend their employers.
The study drew on an independent survey of more than 80,000 full-time and part-time employees across Asia-Pacific, with data gathered from 2024 to 2026. From an initial pool of more than 7,000 companies, TIME and Statista selected the 500 highest-scoring employers.
To qualify, companies must employ at least 1,000 people across the Asia-Pacific region and operate in at least two markets.
Participants rated their willingness to recommend their current or former employers to family and friends on a scale of zero to 10. They also evaluated other companies within their respective industries, indicating whether they would recommend them, would not recommend them, or had no opinion.
Statista combined these direct employee assessments with recommendations and evaluations of other employers, giving greater weight to respondents’ experiences with their own workplaces.
Unlike conventional corporate rankings that focus on financial performance, revenue, or market capitalization, the TIME-Statista list places emphasis on employee perspectives and workplace reputation.
Eight Decades of Pharmaceutical Leadership
Founded in 1945 by Jose Y. Campos and Mariano K. Tan as United Drug, Unilab began as a small neighborhood drugstore in Binondo, Manila. Over the decades, the company expanded from pharmaceutical distribution into manufacturing, growing into one of Southeast Asia’s major pharmaceutical enterprises.
In 2025, Unilab marked its 80th anniversary, celebrating eight decades of operations in the Philippine pharmaceutical industry.
Its 24th-place finish in the Asia-Pacific ranking and distinction as ASEAN’s highest-ranked company of origin underscore its strong standing among regional employers in a study that puts employee recommendations and workplace reputation at the forefront.