By Guinevere LatozaPhilippine Center for Investigative Journalism Highlights Companies owned by some of the country’s richest business tycoons have run circles around government regulators, allowing them to gain control of the country’s clean energy resources. Last year, Ramon Ang’s San
The party-list system was meant to challenge elite politics. But it has instead become a bastion of families and contractors. This report provides the numbers: half of the 64 party-list representatives in the 20th Congress are members of active political
In this report, we unlock the mystery of “allocable” funds, the secret formula no one understands, and the machinations behind the supposedly non-allocable items in the national budget. By Guinevere Latoza Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism The Department of Public
Unprogrammed appropriations were a magnet for corruption, a source of billions in kickbacks for legislators and other officials. By Guinevere Latoza Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism The term “unprogrammed appropriations,” known as UAs, sounds innocent enough. But to politicians, public
(Guinevere Latoza of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism looked into the campaign expenditures of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Vice President Sara Duterte and found that the former UniTeam tandem received millions of pesos in campaign contributions from public
In Villanueva, Misamis Oriental — where two coal-fired power plants dominate the skyline — residents live with health worries they’ve grown almost accustomed to. Many have accepted the trade-off, valuing the jobs and outreach programs the power companies bring. But
A cyborg operation—part-human, part-machine—made up of hyper-partisan influencers, trolls, and true believers is mounting a long-running political influence campaign to defend Sara Duterte and her father and consolidate support ahead of the 2028 elections. By Regine Cabato and Gian LibotPhilippine
As the 20th Congress convenes, these five issues will likely define not just the next few years of Philippine politics, but potentially the direction of the country’s democracy. By Guinevere LatozaPhilippine Center for Investigative Journalism 1. Vice President Sara Duterte’s
Often, it is a political dynasty that dislodges another political dynasty. However, rare political events and shifts in voter preferences can elevate leaders outside of political families to highly competitive positions. By Angela Ballerda, Gab Yanzon and Carmela Fonbuena /
By Aaron John Baluis, Leanne Louise Isip and Carmela Fonbuena / Philippine Center For Investigative Journalism While Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and his wife Cavite Rep. Lani Mercado seek reelection next year, their son Bryan Revilla aims to keep
Often, it is a political dynasty that dislodges another political dynasty. However, rare political events and shifts in voter preferences can elevate leaders outside of political families to highly competitive positions. By Angela Ballerda, Gab Yanzon and Carmela Fonbuena /
The proposal has strong backers within the government but also faces many vocal critics. Bangsamoro stakeholders and observers told the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism the next two weeks will be crucial in shaping the future of BARMM. By Carmela
MILF’s Mohagher Iqbal sits down for an interview with PCIJ executive director Carmela Fonbuena in Cotabato City on November 6. The filing of nominees and candidacies for the May 2025 BARMM parliamentary elections opened from November 4-9 amid Congress’ moves
Will the Bangsamoro people finally have the chance to choose their leaders? Here are five scenarios for the 2025 polls, according to stakeholders and experts interviewed by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. BY GUINEVERE LATOZAPhilippine Center for Investigative Journalism
By Cherry Salazar, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Barangays, being at the forefront of communities, are in a unique position to initiate and implement programs. “As the most grassroots and face-to-face local government unit, barangays can set the roots of
After several postponements, the barangay elections are finally pushing through this month. Experts weigh in on why the public should care about the smallest political unit in the Philippines. By Cherry Salazar, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism The barangay is
By Carmela Fonbuena, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Doyle, Dane & Bernbach (DDB) Philippines won at least two other government deals to promote tourism on top of its discredited P49.92-million “Love the Philippines’’ ad campaign, research by the Philippine Center
By Victoria Tulad, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Facebook pages selling Filipino babies continue to proliferate despite efforts to stop the illegal trade online, an investigation by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) showed. It underscores the difficulty of
First of two parts BY ELYSSA LOPEZ, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism When industrial engineer Paul Baes returned from an official work assignment in France in 2020, he was determined to turn his first home in Imus, Cavite into a
by Carmela Fonbuena / PCIJ Three weeks into her appointment, Marawi Compensation Board (MCB) chairman Maisara Dandamun Latiph still could not hire staff members. It was late February when the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) caught up with her
by Carmela Fonbuena / PCIJ The bridges and the roads in Marawi City are sparkling and brand new, but close to six years since followers of jihadist group Islamic State laid siege to its city center, it’s still the sight
Big donors who gave P10 million to P20 million accounted for only 19% of Vice President Leni Robredo’s campaign funds for the May 2022 presidential elections. The rest came from a long list of relatively small donors. By Carmela FonbuenaPhilippine
Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso is facing a campaign overspending complaint that may go to court. But it has been almost 10 years since he spent more than the limit and five years since the preliminary investigation, raising concerns about the
Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and Sara Duterte each won landslide victories in the May 2022 polls, but their spending is worlds apart. Duterte spent only P3 per voter to win a national post. Marcos spent P9.60 per voter, almost breaking
CAMPAIGN FINANCE AUDIT 2022 Partido Federal ng Pilipinas footed 40% of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s campaign bill through party treasurer Antonio Ernesto “Anton” Floirendo Lagdameo Jr., grandson of his father’s close business associate. The remaining cost was covered by today’s
by Carmela Fonbuena / PCIJ Aspirants in the 2022 Philippine elections ran tens of thousands of television, radio, print, and billboard advertisements worth P3.67 billion ($72 million) from January to September 2021 –– before filing their certificates of candidacies (COCs)
It was intended as an ‘alternative daily cover’ for the sanitary landfill of Carrascal town in Surigao del Sur, but a local environment officer points out there is no study that it is suitable for such use. Rep. Prospero Pichay
by JC Gotinga Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Isnaira Ismail Ibrahim and her husband begged local government officials to allow their family to return to their bungalow home in Barangay Moncado Kadingilan in Marawi City. They have 12 children. When
By Cherry Salazar Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Potential candidates have started advertising on Facebook more than a year before the May 2022 elections, spending several thousand to a few million pesos since August 2020, data from the social media
By The Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) In a step toward campaign finance transparency in the Philippines, Facebook has started monitoring political advertising in the country through its Ad Library. It is a publicly available tool that tracks pages
By Karol Ilagan Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism The country has been vulnerable to massive flooding linked to deforestation. The coronavirus pandemic is also a catastrophe that arose from populations
By Robert JA Basilio Jr. Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism The Duterte government is pushing for a bill cutting the corporate income tax in exchange for strict limits to tax perks enjoyed by investors. Economists however warn against eroding the
By Karol Ilagan and Stanley Buenafe Gajete Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism For the past 30 years, the Office of the Ombudsman has made readily available the wealth disclosures of Philippine presidents and other government officials. Until now. The Ombudsman,
By Karol Ilagan Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism There are three laws that govern the filing of the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth or SALN: Republic Act (RA) 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act), the 1987 Constitution, and
By Karol Ilagan Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism A president and two chief justices have been removed from office for failing to fully disclose their wealth in their statements of assets, liabilities and net worth or SALN. What’s in a
By Karol Ilagan and Rex David Morales Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism Only two of the six custodians of the statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN) provide access to full copies of SALNs without the need for the
Three persons deprived of liberty describe how inhuman conditions in the country’s jails and prisons are placing them at greater risk amid the Covid-19 pandemic. Here are their accounts as told to Aie Balagtas See. The images, drawn by
Marawi residents find it hard to follow precautions against the novel coronavirus disease when relief goods are limited and water trucks are reducing trips. Local authorities say they do not have enough resources to feed the people for an extended
By the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and the Court Appointments Watch Network ONE sweated profusely and even teared up, another confessed to having a talent for dancing, and the third said he would want to have canned goods and
By Malou Mangahas and Karol Ilagan Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism CLEAN, honest, inclusive, and credible elections might well turn into just a pipedream when the votes for president, vice president, legislators, and local officials come up in May 2022.
By Karol Ilagan Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism GOOD, sound procurement processes apparently do not define the Commission on Elections (Comelec). In truth, the poor planning, delivery delays, wastage, and other irregularities that marked the procurement of goods and services
By Karol Ilagan Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism A HANDFUL of the items delivered turned out to be not as good as they ought to have been –“a case of a few lemons.” That’s how Commission on Elections Spokesperson James
By Karol Ilagan Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism THE supply of the ballot paper and marking pens used in the May 2019 Elections is a stark example of election procurement gone wrong. The supplier responsible for the pens that bled
May 2019 Elections: Fraud-free? Fault-free? 16M failed to vote for party-list, missed names on back of ballot By Karol Anne M. Ilagan Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism FAILED TO pick a party-list group in the last elections? You weren’t the only
By Karol Anne M. Ilagan and Malou Mangahas Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism THE MAY 2019 elections have been declared to be fraud-free by both election officials and watchdogs, but by all indications, its conduct and process were not entirely
A DISASTROUS mess. That, in a nutshell, is the picture painted by field reports obtained by PCIJ from poll watchdogs National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL) and Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE) regarding the pilot testing of the
WHILE election laws seeking to ensure equal opportunity among candidates are in place, much of the airtime and print-ad space in this year’s campaign still ended up getting dominated by the usual suspects: incumbents and members of political families who either have deep pockets or a slew of rich backers.
PCIJ Statement on The Manila Times‘s report on “Oust-Duterte plot”, 22 April 2019 The Manila Times’s “association matrix” and story about a supposed “oust-Duterte plot” that include journalists with the PCIJ are wrong on many points. 1. PCIJ had absolutely not nor ever
BY THE DISCLOSURES in their asset records, President Rodrigo Duterte, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, and former Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte have interests and engagements in a total of at least 23 corporate entities.
IN THE May 2019 elections, not just two but all three children of President Rodrigo R. Duterte by estranged spouse Elizabeth A. Zimmerman are running. But unlike those of many other candidates, their clan coffers won’t be running empty. In fact, these are probably going to end up largely untouched, or may even be further enhanced wealth-wise, as in previous campaigns.
