CMFR Staff, Author at CMFR

Unpacking SWS’ self-rated poverty, official poverty stats

THE FINDINGS of public opinion polls are newsworthy. These are consistently given prominent time and space by the media, as the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey findings on... Read more

Rappler and Frontline Tonight discuss comprehensive sex education

CHEERS TO Rappler and Frontline Tonight for reviewing the controversial Senate Bill 1979 or the Prevention of Adolescent Pregnancy Bill and discussing its scope and implementation, debunking false claims... Read more

Media points to politics underlying INC’s ‘Peace’ Rally

THE IGLESIA ni Cristo (INC) staged a massive "National Rally for Peace" on January 13, 2025, mobilizing an estimated 1.5 million participants in the grounds in front of the... Read more

Ayuda: Pork barrel in new form

CHEERS TO TV5’s Frontline Pilipinas for its explainer that showed up financial assistance or “ayuda” as a new form of “pork barrel” – a practice that has been ruled... Read more

Sheila Villaflores Crisostomo, 54

SHEILA CRISOSTOMO, reporter for the daily newspaper, The Philippine Star, for more than three decades, died on January 15 at the East Avenue Medical Center two days after suffering... Read more

Taking lessons from COVID-19: Inquirer.net observes China’s “lack of transparency” on HMPV

CHEERS TO Inquirer.net for raising concerns about China’s “lack of transparency” about alleged cases of human metapneumovirus (HMPV) reported in in the country, recalling China’s lack of openness about... Read more

Lack of media attention on the “worst budget ever”

THE NATIONAL budget holds the key for effective government, an instrument that sets the priorities for development, for services and benefits for the people, including infrastructure projects for the... Read more

The challenge of climate change to government and media

THE GLOBAL scale of the climate crisis has subjected vulnerable countries to even greater strain. For three consecutive years, the World Risk Index 2024 identified the Philippines as the... Read more

WPS in 2024: Media must shift to report on WPS policy under Marcos Jr.

FOR SIX years, Rodrigo Duterte cozied up to Beijing, claiming economic gains for the country as his purpose. But his conduct and statements reflected the vassal of Beijing that... Read more

The POGO story as a political story

AMONG THE most prominent stories of the year, the illegal Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGOs) showed up the weakness of the government's capacity to enforce the law and to... Read more