FACT CHECK: Marcos remains president, did not resign
Malacañang has firmly stated that resignation is ‘not an option’ for Marcos

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/ferdinand-marcos-jr-not-resign-as-president-november-2025/

Source: DDS?

FACT CHECK: Jessica Soho not declared persona non grata in Cagayan de Oro City
The supposed declaration was due to Soho's report on the unfinished Mega Health Center in the city, but official sources confirmed that no such resolution exists

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/jessica-soho-not-persona-non-grata-in-cagayan-de-oro-city/

FACT CHECK: Duterte not released, post uses old video with actress Giselle Sanchez
The video was originally taken in March 2024, before Duterte’s arrest, and has been used to falsely claim that the former president has been released from detention at the ICC

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/rodrigo-duterte-not-released-post-uses-old-video-actress-giselle-sanchez/

Dutch public broadcaster NOS quits X over disinformation
'The platform no longer fits our vision on how we want to present news on social media,' state-funded news organization NOS says

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/technology/nos-dutch-broadcaster-quits-x-twitter-disinformation/

24th Jaime V. Ongpin lecture focuses on fighting disinformation in the age of AI
Experts cite the need for regulatory policies and a code of ethics governing AI use

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/technology/jaime-ongpin-lecture-fighting-disinformation-age-artificial-intelligence/

Good morning! Our very own Lian Buan and Dwight de Leon are joining today's panel of the prestigious Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar organized by the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility (CMFR).

Through the annual seminar, the CMFR recognizes journalists for their excellent reporting, pooling them together in one event where their share insights on today's biggest issues of the media.

HOW DID THEY BECOME JOURNOS?

Rappler’s Lian Buan said she found her calling while watching an iWitness documentary discussing the face of poverty under former president Gloria Arroyo’s time.

In her experience, veteran journalist Fonbuena said her journalism education and professors shaped her perspectives on the profession. Fonbuena, who previously led the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, reiterated that journalism is a calling like priesthood. 

Rappler’s Dwight de Leon said he grew up in a loving community – surrounded by supportive family members and teachers. He started out as a campus journalist, but De Leon said he later realized than journalism is much more than collecting awards. Journalism, for De Leon, is a privilege that allows reporters to hold power to account.

Dominic Gutoman, Bulatlat’s community manager, said he realized that he wanted to pursue journalism when he was covering the human rights violations committed amid the Oplan Sauron in the Visayas. As a campus journalist, Gutoman said he realized the need to highlight the problems of the oppressed. 

Philstar’s Cristina Chi said her experiences as part of the inaugural K-12 batch made her choose journalism. From curiosity, her outlook later changed into a drive to seek accountability.

Lastly, TV5’s Edson Guido believes that people should care about numbers in journalism. He said data journalism is essential because it provides big picture on the major issues confronting our society. Guido said reporting about numbers is not surface-level reporting, but rather facts-based. 

NEWS’ ESSENCE STILL THE SAME, BUT DISTRIBUTION CHANGED 

Lian Buan believed that news is still the same, as far as its elements and data gathering are concerned. What changed is how journalists distribute the information because of the advent of technology and the challenges brought by big technologies’ algorithm. 

Dwight de Leon spoke about the Rappler experience where reporters create multiple versions of reports to deliver the information to different audiences. Apart from writing text stories, reporters also produce video versions of these reports to cater to the younger viewers.

For Carmela Fonbuena, the news elements – like factualness, accuracy, and balance – remain, but journalists should understand that audiences have different understanding of how news works. She highlighted that the media no longer has the monopoly of information, so the media must reach out to our audience to gain their attention and support.

It’s like “sundo” or personally reaching out to the audience, going directly to their niches, she said. Fonbuena explained that by creating stories based on the audiences’ preferences like vertical videos, they would be encouraged also to consume other forms of journalism like long form reports. 

JOURNALISM MUST ADAPT TO TECH

Since journalism no longer has the monopoly over information, the gears have shifted, according to Lian Buan. Before, the public chases journalists for information, but now, journalists chase people for attention. This is why it’s important for journalists to adapt to the changes in social media and technology to get people’s support and attention, Buan explained. 

Carmela Fonbuena said journalists cannot be silent about technology, but rather they need to be proative in adjusting to these changes for the audiences. 

Amid these advancements, Edson Guido believed that there’s too much information available, but not much explanation. This is where journalism enters – the press provides context and deeper explanation for better understanding.

Apart from harnessing the power of technology, Dominic Gutoman said they also maintain their relationship with their communities by being near to them and talking to them on a regular basis. 

HOW CAN JOURNALISM GET PEOPLE’S ATTENTION? ‘MAKE THEM WATCH YOU’

It’s hard to compete for the public’s attention, but among the secrets is to make people watch you and consume your reports, according to Lian Buan. It can be done by understanding the language of social media networks like TikTok and Instagram. 

Buan also noted that it’s hard to make people care about stories and it’s not their fault. That’s why journalists must look into the self-interest – the core issues concerning the public – so they would care about other’s plights.

For Dwight de Leon, walking the audience through your journalistic process is also effective in getting their support. Extensive sourcing and verification set journalists apart from social media influencers, he added.

Carmela Fonbuena believes that investigative journalism is an effective tool to inspire action. Reporters should also highlight the historical background of issues because today’s happenings are just reiterations of what happened in the past. 

JVO seminar: Text, video news reports complement each other

Dwight de Leon said journalists must try ways of reporting that people prefer and consume. He believes that there’s a variety of ways to reach the audiences, and these formats do not compete with each other, but rather complement one another. Text stories can complement video reports and vice versa.

“It’s not about [what journalists prefer]. It’s the [format] that the audience prefers,” Lian Buan said. 

While journalists nowadays rely on video reports, Carmela Fonbuena said long form reports are still important as there’s no alternative to investigative journalism. 

Rappler's Lian Buan receives her certificate as part of the panel of the prestigious Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Seminar 2025. This is her third time joining the panel – she was also named a JVO fellow in 2020 and 2021.

FACT CHECK: Video of Sandro Marcos denying allegations against his father is fake
Analysis of the video using AI detection tools found that it is highly likely to be AI-generated, with signs of face manipulation, use of diffusion-based techniques, and temporal inconsistencies

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/sandro-marcos-denies-allegations-against-ferdinand-marcos-jr/

FACT CHECK: Harry Roque denies arrest rumors
Roque says he remains in the Netherlands after being barred from flying to Austria due to medical reasons

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/harry-roque-arrested-netherlands/

[DECODED] X’s geolocation feature isn’t perfect or transparent, and that makes it problematic
Without proper safeguards, X's geolocation feature can be wielded like a weapon by bad actors

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/technology/decoded-x-twitter-geolocation-capabilities-limitations/

FACT CHECK: Sara Duterte did not replace Marcos as president
Both officials remain in their respective positions. The viral video falsely claiming otherwise misuses old footage of Duterte being greeted by supporters in Kuwait.

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/sara-duterte-replace-president-ferdinand-marcos-jr/

FACT CHECK: AI-generated video falsely presented as clips of anti-Marcos rally
While there have been recent calls for Marcos to step down, the video circulating on Facebook does not show real footage of protests demanding the President’s resignation

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/video-rally-calls-ferdinand-marcos-jr-resignation-ai-generated/

FACT CHECK: No P80,000 cash aid for all senior citizens, video is AI-generated
While there are several initiatives providing cash aid to senior citizens, there is no program offering all senior citizens P80,000 annually

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/no-80000-cash-aid-filipino-senior-citizens-video-ai-generated/

FACT CHECK: Registration links for PWD cash aid lead to phishing, shopping sites
URL scanners show that the supposed registration links lead to unrelated shopping platforms and unofficial blog sites posing as government websites

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/registration-links-pwd-cash-aid-lead-phishing-shopping-sites/

FACT CHECK: Links for DOST scholarship online application lead to phishing websites
A widely shared Facebook reel promoting supposed DOST scholarship application links is AI-generated, and directs users to phishing sites

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/links-dost-scholarship-online-application-lead-phishing-websites/

FACT CHECK: ‘Pamaskong handog’ news report is AI-generated, link redirects to shopping site
A supposed 'Pamaskong handog' registration link directs users to an online store, and the video promoting it is AI-generated rather than an official report

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/pamaskong-handog-news-report-ai-generated-link-shopping-site/

FACT CHECK: Kabataan Representative Renee Co critical of Marcos even before Zaldy Co issue
Co has long been critical of the president on issues beyond flood control, including the ‘long overdue’ return of PhilHealth funds

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/kabataan-representative-renee-co-critical-marcos-zaldy-co/

FACT CHECK: ICC did not reverse decision rejecting Duterte’s interim release
Claim: The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) appeals chamber granted former president Rodrigo Duterte’s appeal for interim release after reassessing

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/icc-not-reverse-decision-rejecting-rodrigo-duterte-interim-release/

FACT CHECK: Video of Peñafrancia procession misrepresented as rally in Metro Manila
The original video, posted on September 20, mentions the 'Peñafrancia Fluvial Procession' in its caption, implying that devotees were heading to the Danlugan ni Ina, where the fluvial procession usually starts

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/penafrancia-procession-video-misrepresented-rally-metro-manila/

FACT CHECK: No P60,000 DSWD Christmas bonus for senior citizens
The DSWD has previously debunked false holiday cash gift claims, urging the public to rely solely on its official announcements and channels

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/christmas-bonus-senior-citizens-dswd/

FACT CHECK: Video of liquor ban in select areas is false; links lead to e-commerce site
Liquor bans are situational, tied to elections and local events — not holidays, with fines capped at P6,000

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/liquor-ban-select-areas-links-e-commerce/

FACT CHECK: PCSO scholarship application reel is fake, leads to phishing websites
A circulating Facebook reel sharing registration links for a PCSO scholarship program is AI-generated, with links leading to phishing websites

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/pcso-scholarship-application-reel-fake-redirects-phishing-websites/

FACT CHECK: Imee Marcos remains as senator
Presidential sister Senator Imee Marcos has not been ousted from the Senate

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/senator-imee-marcos-remains-senator/

FACT CHECK: Sara Duterte did not replace Marcos as Army’s commander-in-chief
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. remains the commander-in-chief of all branches of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, including the Philippine Army

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/sara-duterte-not-replace-ferdinand-marcos-jr-army-commander-in-chief/

FACT CHECK: ‘Highest COA rating’ claim for OVP under Sara Duterte is misleading
Social media posts claiming that the OVP under Sara Duterte received the 'highest COA rating' for three consecutive years are misleading

Read the full article here:
https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/fact-check/highest-coa-rating-ovp-sara-duterte-misleading/