Can Congress ever let go of pork?
If the 2026 budget is truly pork-free, then lawmakers should finally be liberated to do what the Constitution mandates: legislate.
User need Archives
The impatient public wants the big fishes
Perhaps the most basic valid question we can ask from these Davao Occidental and La Union projects is this: What role do these Duterte supporters play in the corruption mess? Apologists can argue that this may be incidental, unintentional, unwitting.But here’s the crux: were these politicians investigated for corruption under the Duterte administration? There the answer is clear as day – No.
Asserting human rights for everyone and everybody
Protestors, led by human rights group 'Karapatan,' denounced the unabated human rights violations in the country and the massive corruption involving senators, congressmen, public officials and private contractors.
Mr. Speaker: Disapprove Pulong’s new world tour
In his letter to the then Speaker Romualdez, Paolo said that the “expenditures incurred from this trip are from my personal funds alone.” That was the only disclosure he mentioned. Nowhere in his letter did he state the purpose of the trip. That's point No. 1: the trip is cloaked in secrecy even if it meant the traveller was using official leave from his government job. That alone is an ethical dilemma.
IFCN statement on U.S. visa restrictions targeting fact-checkers
Fact-checking is journalism. It is the straightforward work of comparing public claims against the best available evidence and publishing the results for all to see. This work strengthens public debate — it does not censor it. It is protected within the United States by the First Amendment, and the U.S. has long supported similar press freedoms internationally. To conflate this work with censorship is to misunderstand what fact-checkers do, or to deliberately misrepresent it.
Can wind power grow without harming the watershed?
Initial project documents reveal that 25 wind turbines are situated in the mountainous timberland which is outside the protected area, while 13 will stand in the strict protection zone, where infrastructure is heavily restricted.
VERA Files launches SEEK, an AI-powered chatbot built on 17 years of Philippine journalism
On Nov. 30, VERA Files introduced SEEK, its new AI-powered archival chatbot, now available in public beta for free. The announcement was made by Celine Samson, head of VERA Files’ online verification team, during the #JournalismAI Festival in London from Nov. 11 to 12.
How Sorsogon’s crab farmers restore mangroves, strengthen livelihood and adapt to a changing coastline
In Gubat’s coastal villages, generations of crab growers are pairing traditional knowledge with community-led conservation, proving that sustainable livelihoods grow strongest where people and nature thrive together.
Can quarry suspensions ease sudden flooding in Masarawag?
Quarry suspensions are in place, but Masarawag’s sudden floods continue, leaving residents to wonder if the new rules will be enough.
VERA Files’ Celine Samson: Avoid overreliance on AI-detection tools
Celine Samson, head of VERA Files online verification, was at the JournalismAI Festival 2025 in London last month where she shared insights about VERA Files’ use of artificial intelligence in combatting disinformation.
