The 12 months 2025 overwhelmed us with controversies, cliffhangers (destiny of the Impartial Fee for Infrastructure, anybody?), and plot twists worthy of a Netflix collection. In the Rappler newsroom, it additionally offered an thrilling problem: tips on how to untangle the mess, make sense of the conflicting narratives, and tune out the noise so we will concentrate on the details and the motion wanted?
This 12 months, our crew made many shifts to zero in on the problems our neighborhood most cares about.
We had been laser-focused on pushing for good governance and accountability, in addition to preventing corruption and manipulation. We did our greatest to remain true to our North Star: to go for influence, somewhat than simply web page views and clicks.
This 12 months’s checklist of Rappler’s Most Impactful Tales and Initiatives in 2025 embodies this collective effort.
They’re the blood, sweat, tears, and pleasure of our Core managers, editors, reporters, neighborhood engagement employees, artists, video producers and editors, researchers, fact-checkers, manufacturing specialists, fellows, volunteers, and help employees.
The 9 tales and 4 initiatives that made it to the checklist had been chosen by our cluster and unit heads based mostly on 4 indicators of influence:
- Did the initiative result in a shift in coverage? (Probe launched, determination reversed or amended, motion stopped, and many others.)
- Did the initiative nudge a strong particular person or group to reply in a significant manner? (We don’t depend “no remark.” The story ought to have been vital sufficient for a strong entity that’s often silent to reply with a press release, press convention, and many others.)
- Did the initiative catalyze a broad and fascinating dialogue about a problem that has by no means been reported on or introduced out within the open? (indicators of this may be important on-line and offline engagement on the problem, significant suggestions from individuals affected by the problem who can attest to the influence of the story)
- Did the initiative result in any observable change in a problem or sector? (indicators will be documentation of the change by way of photographs, movies, recordings, and testimonials of people or teams)
Vote on your favourite impactful story and initiative, win a prize
We wish to hear from you. What do you suppose is our most impactful work this 12 months from the checklist beneath?
You’ll be able to vote one every underneath these two classes: Most Impactful Story, and Most Impactful Civic Engagement Initiative.
Faucet the button beneath to go straight to the voting kind, or learn by way of detailed explanations of every story and initiative by scrolling down additional.
You have to be registered in your Rappler account to vote. You’ll be able to register or log in right here, free of charge. Voting closes on January 2, 2026.
After voting, you’ll obtain a affirmation e-mail asking if you want to elucidate your decisions. This suggestions helps us perceive the way you outline influence, and the way we will do much more significant work subsequent 12 months. We ask you to ship your vote rationalization to the Volunteer Alternatives chat room on the Rappler app.
The voters who contribute the most effective rationalization will win a restricted version Rappler x Linya-Linya #MabutiPa t-shirt.
Do you wish to assist us proceed with our impactful work in 2026? You are able to do so by contributing to our crowdfunding marketing campaign, or by changing into a Rappler+ member.
1. A Rappler investigative report on justice undersecretary Jojo Cadiz results in an Ombudsman probe and his resignation.
Reporter Lian Buan’s unique on Jojo Cadiz, a trusted aide of President Marcos, disclosed that his college scholar son owns a agency that managed to win contracts in Ilocos Norte, the President’s dwelling province and bailiwick. A day after the story’s publication, Malacañang stated Cadiz has resigned. Ombudsman Boying Remulla additionally introduced a probe, citing the article as amongst its bases.
2. This report bolstered municipal fishers’ petitions to maintain their fishing grounds away from business fishing operators.
Rappler first uncovered in December 2024 that the Supreme Courtroom had affirmed the choice of a regional trial courtroom permitting a business fisher to fish inside municipal waters, an space often designated for small fisherfolk. In 2025, numerous teams referred to this story by reporter Iya Gozum of their petitions to intervene within the case.
3. Rappler was first to report on Zaldy Co’s companies, laying the muse for a nationwide dialog on public works corruption.
Even earlier than Zaldy Co turned embroiled in controversies over public works tasks, Rappler had already investigated the enterprise pursuits of the resigned congressman and former chair of the Home appropriations committee. Rappler reporter Dwight de Leon and former enterprise reporter Kaycee Valmonte wrote about Co’s building empire 4 months earlier than President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. introduced his flood management contracts probe throughout his State of the Nation Deal with final July. The second story on this two-part unique discovered that, although Co had bought his stake within the scandal-plagued infrastructure agency Sunwest, his household, and pals continued to be lively shareholders of different companies intently tied to the corporate.
4. Rappler’s Politicontractors map brings secrets and techniques about battle of curiosity, corruption into the nationwide highlight.
Our Politicontractors map visualizes the proliferation of public officers with ties to companies which have bagged public works contracts. The map collated journalistic work, bolstered by citizen suggestions, bringing the open secrets and techniques tainting communities into the nationwide highlight. The time period utilized by Rappler, “politicontractors,” is now utilized by civil society teams and funds watchdogs. The map is the work of Lian Buan, Dwight de Leon, Jairo Bolledo, Jodesz Gavilan, and James Patrick Cruz.
5. A collection of Rappler reviews uncovers the controversies behind the Villar enterprise empire, resulting in authorities sanctions.
The 12 months 2025 is when the parable behind the Philippines’ former richest man, Manuel “Manny” Villar, was shattered. Villar had constructed a repute for being Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga — wealth earned by way of diligence and perseverance. However the controversies involving numerous his enterprise corporations in 2025, together with water concessionaire PrimeWater and Siquijor island’s then-power provider, SIPCOR, present how badly the Villars have combined enterprise with public service. Rappler enterprise columnist Val Villanueva’s collection of Vantage Level articles, beginning in March 2025, on the previous Senate president’s property holding agency, Villar Land (previously Golden MV Holdings), offers essentially the most complete output by a Philippine information writer on what’s undoubtedly the greatest monetary scandal of the 12 months. Months later, the Securities and Trade Fee would sanction the events concerned. Rappler additionally has this unique by former reporter Kaycee Valmonte on the difficulties confronted by numerous suppliers of the Villar household’s espresso enterprise, Espresso Mission.
6. A Rappler report on Senator Francis Escudero’s ties to contractor Lawrence Lubiano triggers a Comelec probe.
A number of hours after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. launched the checklist of the nation’s prime flood management mission contractors, Rappler reporter James Patrick Cruz wrote about how then-Senate President Francis Escudero’s prime election donor gained flood management contracts in the senator’s personal province. The story prompted the senator to name a press convention to handle the article, and led to a probe by the Fee on Elections (Comelec). Escudero was additionally later ousted as Senate president. A division within the Comelec ultimately cleared him of legal responsibility, claiming there was not sufficient proof to indicate that Lubiano was used not directly by his agency Centerways Building to donate to Escudero’s election marketing campaign.
7. A Rappler investigation into the hyperlinks between the Discayas and a agency owned by Senator Bong Go’s household aids in authorized efforts for accountability.
Reporter Jairo Bolledo confirmed how a agency owned by Senator Go’s father, and which bears his initials, had partnered with companies owned by the embattled Discayas on infrastructure tasks within the Davao area price P800 million. On the time, Go was particular assistant to then-president Rodrigo Duterte. Quick ahead to when this story was revealed: Go was vice chairperson of the Senate blue ribbon committee probing flood management tasks. The story was cited by former senator Antonio Trillanes IV when he filed a plunder grievance towards Duterte and Go.
8. The federal government provides assurances it’s addressing circumstances of Filipino seafarers deserted at sea, after a Rappler report.
This story by reporter Lian Buan prompted the Division of Migrant Employees to present assurances to the general public that it’s cracking down on manning companies and ship homeowners concerned within the abandonment of Filipino seafarers. The story make clear an underreported labor problem, and widened discussions about it.
9. Rappler amplified Bangsamoro watchdogs’ issues in regards to the area’s electoral code, serving to achieve the eye of lawmakers.
Weeks earlier than the deliberate BARMM elections, Rappler Mindanao bureau chief Herbie Gomez wrote that a clause within the Bangsamoro Electoral Code may set off a failure of elections. The October elections had been later moved from October 2025 to 2026 after the Supreme Courtroom struck down BARMM’s parliamentary districting legal guidelines. BARMM lawmakers have since filed payments to take away or amend the clause – the “Not one of the Above” (NOTA) provision.
1. Rappler’s FloodControlPH crowdsourcing sparks citizen monitoring and collaboration with journalists to report on anomalous public works tasks.
Our FloodControlPH crowdsourcing initiative has to this point gathered a minimum of 80 reviews from residents about suspicious or anomalous flood management and public works tasks in numerous elements of the nation. It additionally triggered suggestions being despatched in by way of different platforms, resembling Instagram, Fb, emails, and Google Types. The data is shared recurrently to Rappler’s reporting and neighborhood engagement employees, with some verified suggestions resulting in articles and video reviews.
2. Rappler kapihan periods and city halls gave residents an area to instantly ask their native authorities leaders questions on neighborhood issues.
Rappler’s #AmbagNatin kapihan and city halls introduced residents and native authorities officers in a single room to debate governance and liveability points — starting from water distribution, to visitors, to flooding. The six fora — held in Manila, Marikina, Cavite, Bulacan, Dagupan Metropolis, and Zamboanga Metropolis — had been attended by 24 native authorities officers and candidates, together with 7 mayors or mayoral candidates. They had been attended by over 460 individuals. Articles in regards to the fora written by Movers skilled by Rappler to cowl governance points reached much more individuals. Interactions there helped strengthen our reporting on PrimeWater points, flooding, and extra. These fora had been organized by our civic engagement arm, MovePH, and numerous companions.
If you wish to keep up to date on all of Rappler’s earlier and upcoming occasions and roadshows, examine this web page.
3. The Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship helped proficient campus journalists produce tales that prompted authorities motion and sparked neighborhood discussions.
The 2025 fellowship skilled eight campus journalists to provide over 75 tales that impressed public discourse on long-ignored native points, sparked broad on-line engagement, and prompted significant responses from native officers. Earlier than the precise fellowship, shortlisted campus journalists had been additionally capable of produce over 35 reviews that coated the native marketing campaign and election scene in a minimum of 12 cities and municipalities within the nation in just a little over two weeks. This system’s sharpened thematic concentrate on good governance and knowledge integrity led to tangible influence, together with coverage consideration, renewed scrutiny, and community-driven conversations throughout a number of areas. Tales produced as a part of this system, by way of the mentorship of our editorial crew, resulted within the following:
- Official motion and renewed scrutiny on governance points
- Triggered huge neighborhood discussions throughout Fb, Reddit, and native teams
- Elevated underreported issues, from flooding to waste administration to election practices, main residents to demand accountability
- Documented community-level change supported by testimonials and public suggestions
4. Rappler’s #ScamAlert roadshow skilled lots of in fact-checking and critical-thinking to fight scams, and helped hyperlink authorities workplaces collectively for wider influence.
In 2025, Rappler’s civic engagement arm MovePH piloted an anti-scam marketing campaign by way of two occasions in Laguna and Manila. The occasions featured workshops on fact-checking, reporting scams and fraud, and digital safety, and a public discussion board. Held within the College of the Philippines Los Baños and the Far Japanese College Manila, the roadshow was attended by nearly 600 individuals, together with over 100 senior residents, a demographic susceptible to on-line scams. We collaborated, for the primary time, with the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Middle (CICC) and Nationwide Fee of Senior Residents (NCSC). Due to this, the CICC and NCSC had been capable of work collectively on one other occasion, a December outreach program. The initiative sparked collaboration amongst Rappler, the academe, civil society teams, youth teams, senior citizen teams, and authorities, in the direction of the shared aim of defending communities from manipulation.
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Thanks on your help! See you subsequent 12 months. – Rappler.com
