Justice remains elusive for detained human rights activists, including journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio, who contends the charges of illegal possession of firearms and financing terrorism against her have yet to be proven, as they continue to languish in jail.

When Alice Guo rolled her eyes in Congress, a wave of TikTok “fan accounts” turned that moment into “napindot na si anger”—and helped recast her image just as she faced serious allegations.

Concern over online mis- and disinformation in the Philippines climbed to a record 67% in early 2025 amid a politically charged midterm election season that saw Vice President Sara Duterte impeached on corruption charges and former president Rodrigo Duterte arrested by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity tied to his brutal drug war.

Amid this growing push to confront disinformation and AI risks, efforts to equip journalists with new tools also gained momentum. Newsrooms further experimented with generative AI. Rappler launched Rai, an in-house chatbot that guides users to verified information and election explainers. VERA Files deployed VERA, an AI-assisted fact-checking bot, on Facebook Messenger after piloting a tipline on Viber. The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism turned one of its long-form reports into an AI-generated animated video to reach broader audiences.