How Rappler partners helped make impact with communities in 2024
MANILA, Philippines – At the core of what we do in Rappler is our unwavering commitment to building communities of action.
In 2024, as in past years, we pioneered initiatives to combat online disinformation, empowered students and teachers with media literacy and fact-checking skills, trained aspiring journalists, and created spaces where healthy conversations and collaborations can thrive.
As we enter the new year filled with gratitude, we look back at how the invaluable support of our partner organizations helped us reach more communities in 2024.
Learning made simple
In September 2024, we launched RappLearn, an online learning platform that brings together a community of learners, teachers, and experts.
Developed by practicing journalists, the platform aims to provide our readers with the opportunity to learn more about journalism, digital media and technology, and civic engagement. It expands the reach of our current training efforts to more people across the country.
At least eight academic organizations have joined our initial onboarding sessions, including the Philippine Association of Communication Educators.
Currently, we are offering a free online course on media and information literacy with interactive lessons, quizzes, and videos that tackle the risks and opportunities in the digital world, how it is reflected in the Philippine media landscape, practical research and fact-checking skills, and how journalism can help build communities.
Media literacy in local communities
In partnership with Deutsche Welle Akademie, we launched “Movers for Facts,” a media information and literacy (MIL) training for youth leaders in Luzon and Mindanao. A total of 30 “Movers,” or civic engagement volunteers, were successfully trained on fact-checking, digital hygiene, content creation, and how to organize MIL workshops and webinars.
After successfully completing the on-ground training, participants were tasked to host their own MIL webinars and publish multimedia content that promote media literacy education. A total of six online MIL webinars were launched, catering to over 274 individuals in Luzon and Mindanao.
Complementing the webinars were 18 youth-led media literacy campaigns that were launched in September 2024. These include a three-episode series that went viral for its creative twist in teaching media literacy to students of Central Bicol State University of Agriculture.
Combatting disinformation ahead of the 2025 elections
In preparation for the 2025 Philippine midterm elections, we partnered with Google News Initiative to launch a #FactsFirstPH workshop on combatting AI-generated disinformation on October 17, 2024.
The event featured a panel discussion on what newsrooms and civil society organizations can do to guard against AI harms, as well as interactive sessions with #FactsFirstPH coalition members on how to detect AI-generated content.
Among the resource persons of the training were Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) executive director Ona Caritos, Google News Initiative trainer Mike Raomanachai, University of the Philippines-Visayas lecturer Zoilo Andrada, and Rappler lead researcher on disinformation and platforms Gemma B. Mendoza.
The change we want
On October 19, 2024, Rappler hosted its annual Social Good Summit themed “Be The Change: How Storytelling and Technology Empower Changemakers” at De La Salle University-Manila.
The summit aimed to spotlight ways technology can help communities tackle the Philippines’ most pressing challenges and spark collaborations between journalists, civil society, government, academe, and the youth.
Through panel discussions and breakout sessions, the summit tackled a diversity of themes and topics — combating disinformation during the 2025 elections, the country’s education crisis, what local governments are doing to make Philippine cities more livable and disaster-resilient, and how short form video content consumed by Filipino youth can be used to raise awareness about pressing public issues.
While new technologies promise progress, several panelists warned of potential risks and advocated for safeguards, particularly regarding AI’s role in education and other sectors.
The summit’s keynote address was delivered by Education Secretary Sonny Angara and the closing panel discussion included three mayors — Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, Isabela de Basilan Mayor Sitti Hataman, and Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon. Speakers at the various activities included Comelec chairperson George Garcia, Civil Defense Deputy Administrator Raffy Alejandro, news anchor Ruth Cabal, Save The Children CEO Alberto Muyot, our various partners for the Make Manila Liveable campaign, and more.
Social Good Summit 2024 would not be possible without the support of De La Salle University-Manila, The Nerve, Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in the Philippines, The Asia Foundation Google News Initiative, Embassy of France in the Philippines, GCash, Lazada, Ayala Corporation, Robinsons Malls, and Globe.
Why data journalism matters
Now more than ever, aspiring and practicing journalists need the right tools and support to write about the most pressing issues of our time.
In partnership with AidData, a research lab at William & Mary’s Global Research Institute in Virginia, Rappler’s training team launched a five-day data journalism camp on development finance, foreign aid, and lending.
The program successfully trained 10 Filipino professional and campus journalists on data journalism, specifically on how to analyze data for compelling storytelling.
Successful trainees were given the opportunity to pitch to AidData for a story grant in 2025.
Roadshows
Ahead of the upcoming 2025 elections, Rappler’s civic engagement arm MovePH launched #AmbagNatin, a nationwide campaign to promote information integrity and voter empowerment in local communities.
Together with the #FactsFirstPH coalition, the centerpiece of the campaign was a roadshow that had stops in all three major regions of the country — Lipa City in Luzon, Iloilo City in Visayas, and Iligan City in Mindanao. All together, the events gathered at least 250 individuals and 100 community organizations to discuss local issues that threaten local elections. Participants also learned more about fact-checking, digital hygiene, and the information ecosystem.
Rappler was able to train 36 Movers or civic engagement volunteers to produce community-driven journalism meant to ensure underreported issues from their communities are amplified during the 2025 election period, a critical time when local voices need to be heard.
The issues surfaced in these discussions were used as a jump off point to form collaborations for the 2025 midterm elections and beyond.
We welcome the new year filled with gratitude to our partners for helping us build a bigger, more impactful community. Our groundbreaking initiatives, both recent and past, have shown us that anything is possible when we work together.
We will continue the work we’ve done and reach new heights in 2025. From all of us here at Rappler, we thank you for your unwavering support and we wish you a great year ahead.
Help us reach more people, and make an even bigger impact in 2025 by sending us a message at grants@rappler.com. – Rappler.com
Maegan Ragudo currently leads grants and institutions for Rappler and engages with organizations for meaningful campaigns on press freedom, human rights, media literacy, and addressing the climate crisis.