MANILA, Philippines – Eight campus journalists accomplished the fifth cycle of the Rappler Journalism Fellowship from June to October 2025.
Rappler, in partnership with the Journalism for Nation Constructing Basis (JNBF), provided the fellowship completely underneath the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship Program.
Named in honor of the late investigative reporter Aries Rufo, who lined the church, judiciary, politics, and elections for Newsbreak and Rappler, this system carries on his legacy of coaching journalists in fearless and impactful reporting.
Focusing solely on campus journalists this 12 months, this cycle highlighted their position in bringing native points corresponding to governance, accountability, and neighborhood must the floor. Earlier than their choice, fellows participated in Rappler’s nationwide protection of the Might 2025 midterm elections.
Over the four-month program, the cohort produced over 75 tales, together with native information stories, neighborhood options, truth checks, photograph essays, movies, and in-depth/investigative tales.
Their remaining longform tales are as follows:
Fellows shared how the fellowship program geared up them to supply tales that drive influence and amplify native voices.
Reporting native points, difficult complacency
Throughout communities, the fellows’ tales turned catalysts for reflection and alter, prompting the necessity to confront points lengthy accepted as “regular.”
In Caloocan Metropolis, fellow Eirene Mantalao wrote a narrative about native residents turning to Fb meme pages to report complaints on points corresponding to a road lighting mission, flooding, and rubbish woes. This report drew hundreds of engagements and revived public discourse on accountability and transparency.
“The story sparked dialogue about political memes and offered a platform for customers to specific complaints worthy of consideration. I’ve seen the story being shared on Fb neighborhood pages and on Reddit threads. Each residents and non-residents of Caloocan turned extra conscious of the scenario in our metropolis,” Manatlao mentioned.
Her follow-up report on town’s flood management controversies additionally ignited heated on-line debates.
“Caloocan residents, who’re usually content material with the LGU and the reigning political dynasty, have begun questioning the standard of their companies,” she added.
Additional south within the Visayas, Marjuice Destinado’s story on Cebu’s flooding disaster spotlighted how native journalism can drive neighborhood accountability. The piece drew messages of gratitude from residents, together with a lawyer who thanked her for giving visibility to long-ignored struggles.
“When storytelling provides individuals the language to demand accountability, that’s actual influence,” Destinado mentioned.
This was echoed by Luzon fellow Roland Amdam Jr. who mentioned that the fellowship program not solely amplified native tales, but in addition expanded his sense of empathy and accountability as a journalist.
“Imparting lasting change with one story isn’t simple, however I’d prefer to imagine I’ve made a major contribution to creating our metropolis extra livable,” Andam burdened.
Andam’s in-depth story on Tuguegarao Metropolis’s site visitors disaster made residents revisit a long-ignored downside. “The difficulty was already the speak of the city, however nobody had ever delved into it deeply,” he mentioned.
When Rappler revealed his story, it rapidly gained traction, sparking renewed discussions amongst residents, specialists, and coverage makers.
In the meantime in Albay, one other Luzon fellow Hershey Juan, who relies in Daraga, identified how marketing campaign occasions are turning right into a battle of the bands, a report that resonated extensively on-line and drew readers’ consideration to long-tolerated election practices.
“[Local residents] are glad that this challenge was identified as a result of it has been occurring for thus lengthy that individuals already suppose that it’s regular. I hope that I’ll be capable of write extra tales like this that may spark conversations and discussions,” Juan mentioned.
Highlighting inclusivity, tradition, and resilience
Past difficult the established order, Juan additionally featured the tales and raised the challenges and desires of the weak communities. She lined the inclusive elections for individuals with disabilities, shared the story of a visually impaired magna cum laude from Legazpi, and reported how the aged are being left behind by know-how.
“There are nonetheless so many points that must be lined, however I’m glad I used to be in a position to assist make clear this one. Till the voices of the weak are heard and actual change occurs, we shouldn’t cease writing,” she mentioned.
Extra than simply exposing the issue, Baguio-based fellow Jose Emmanuel Thayer reframed Baguio’s rubbish disaster in his two-part long-form story. Whereas highlighting the struggles that Baguio faces with waste administration, his report additionally emphasised ayyew, an indigenous worth of conscious consumption.
For Thayer, the story was distinctive as a result of “it not simply proposes an answer for town’s rubbish disaster, but it surely additionally highlights the significance of Indigenous tradition.” His work went past outlining the issue, displaying how conventional knowledge can information fashionable sustainability efforts.
In the meantime in Mindanao, Marawi-based fellow Abdul Malawani wrote about tales of hope, resilience, and rebuilding within the Bangsamoro area. His stories on Lanao del Sur’s first strawberry farm and the revival of Lake Lanao’s commerce by means of a brand new port, captured native efforts to rebuild livelihoods after years of battle, whereas his characteristic on Palapa: A staple of Meranaw taste and id mirrored the evolving satisfaction and tradition of the Meranaw individuals.
“It made me notice why I ought to keep in Marawi and that’s so I can write tales from my neighborhood,” Malawani shared.
One other Luzon fellow, primarily based in Laguna, Leah Sagaad tackled each the quiet struggles and collective aspirations of her local people. Her report on the ‘trolley boys’ of Los Baños gave visibility to these within the margins.
Demanding accountability, tangible motion
Sagaad additionally wrote about Laguna city residents searching for protected housing amid yearly floods, amplifying the plea of communities craving for safety and dignity. Her report sparked discussions in regards to the worsening floods, with on-line customers tagging native officers to specific their frustration over failed flood management tasks, and calling out the inaction of the city mayor.
“This system pushed me to supply tales that I might not have written about usually. I spotted that I can really do it. Though little and never speedy, I’ve seen some engagements and adjustments associated to the problems mentioned in my tales. It was really empowering,” Sagaad shared.
In Sarangani, Rey Mark Paran’s story regarded into how Alabel’s push for cityhood is hindered by flooding, unfinished infrastructure, and uneven improvement. His report revealed how fast building was outpacing correct city planning, whereas elevating questions on whether or not progress really advantages all residents.
Simply two days after publication, the city mayor ordered the prioritization of the long-delayed transport terminal mission. The story, later picked up by a regional outlet, additionally sparked public discussions on governance, inclusivity, and Alabel’s future.
“The story turned a springboard for conversations about progress, governance, and the way forward for the municipality. Alabelians expressed each hope and concern, revealing a shared need to know what cityhood would actually imply for Alabel,” Paran mentioned.
This 12 months’s Fellowship targeted on native governance and data integrity. Fellows had been assigned a Rappler journalist or editor as mentor who guided them by means of their tales and different outputs. Additionally they accomplished a hybrid studying course masking 14 modules on journalism within the fashionable world and two modules on reporting about native governments and budgets.
As a part of the coaching, fellows had been additionally in a position to journey to Manila for a four-day onsite studying session on the Rappler newsroom.
Because the program’s launch in 2021, it has to date skilled 21 Filipino neighborhood journalists, and 17 Filipino campus journalists by means of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.
Other than the Aries Rufo Fellowship Program, Rappler has additionally skilled 10 Southeast Asian journalists by means of the #FactsMatter Journalism Fellowship.
In case you are to assist extra journalists to permit them to proceed the work they do by means of Rappler’s Journalism Fellowship applications, shoot us an e mail at fellowships@rappler.com. You may make an entire world of distinction in varied communities exterior the same old huge cities. – Rappler.com
