Media Ethics and Responsibility Archives

We will not surrender our freedoms

Today, Independence Day, we renew our pledge to serve the people, to continue speaking truth to power, and to guard and defend freedom of the press and of expression from all threats.

Covering the Pandemic

Covering the CoViD-19 Pandemic

From Impact to Aftermath: Media tracks Mindanao 7.8 Magnitude Quake

A MASSIVE magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck offshore General Santos City, Southern Mindanao on June 8, 2026, the first day of the new school year in the Philippines. In the aftermath, coverage of some media outlets, including Rappler, MindaNews, Inquirer.net, and Philstar.com shifted quickly from breaking news to tracking the...

Pride stories revisit history, progress, and policy-making

CHEERS TO media organizations that marked the month to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community in the country, highlighting their shared lives and individual experiences.

Bogus hearing, spurious arguments: Media and the 18 “Marines” narrative

THE SENATE went back to work after weeks of high-stakes struggle for the Upper House of Congress. Former Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano and his sister, Senator Pia Cayetano — now both in the minority bloc and known allies of the Duterte family — promptly drew public attention back...

Deep Dive into Disaster News: Philippine Media Sound the Alarm on impending impact of 2026 ‘Super El Niño’

CHEERS TO ANC, GMA News, The Philippine STAR, and Inquirer.net for their explanatory approach in reporting the 2026 “Super” El Niño and its use of the lens of local communities and their experience of the weather phenomenon. What’s the Story? The Philippines is entering a period of extreme climate...

Distracting Attention: Marcoleta, Cayetano target media credibility amidSenate leadership disputes

IN EARLY June 2026, the Philippine Senate served as a stage for a dramatic struggle for leadership, including a coordinated and direct disparagement of the press. Senators Rodante Marcoleta and Alan Peter Cayetano used legislative proceedings to accuse the media of corruption and systemic bias.

Data over drama: PCIJ exposes cases against Senators behind theatrics

CHEERS TO the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) for its data-driven report, focusing media attention on accountability, moving away from partisan and political theatrics that were on display in the upper chamber of Congress this past week.

Philstar.com points to legislative delays caused by Senate shakeup

CHEERS TO Philstar.com for reporting how sudden changes in Senate leadership disrupted schedules for legislative activities and delayed discussions on important bills and proposals.

Under fire and in the dark: Media coverage of the Senate lockdown fiasco and the hunt for a fugitive senator

FROM MAY 11 to 14, 2026, chaos transformed the Philippine Senate into a theater for a first-ever occurrence in the country’s political history—the physical and institutional meltdown of the upper chamber of Congress. Wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity, Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa...

High cost of electricity: Rappler decodes disinformation targeting 4Ps

CHEERS TO Rappler’s data-driven report for exposing the coordinated disinformation campaign targeting beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). Published on May 5, Christa Escudero dismantled the viral narrative that blamed the country’s poorest for rising electricity costs due to the "lifeline rate subsidy" program (LRSP).

Franco Mabanta and his media network: Journalism but for what purpose?

MEDIA COMPANIES in the Philippines operate without government accreditation. City hall may require a business license to sell the newspaper or magazine, including the ad space. But this does not involve the selection and publication of news content.