MANILA, Philippines – The battle for facts needs as many groups and individuals as possible working together in promoting truth in the public space and exacting accountability from those who harm it with lies. 

Heeding this challenge, media, coalitions, civil society groups, business organizations, and research and legal groups banded together to form #FactsFirstPH, an initiative described by Rappler CEO and Nobel laureate Maria Ressa as a “proactive fight against the use of social media for disinformation.”

It is a first-of-a-kind initiative that aims to debunk dubious claims online, make facts spread faster and further than hate and lies, flag disinformation narratives and actors, and hold online perpetrators accountable.

#FactsFirstPH is supported by non-profit technology partner Meedan, Google News Initiative, and Rappler.

How this project works

There are four activities that reinforce each other under this initiative: fact-checking, widening the distribution of these fact checks, studying social media behaviors and disinformation networks, and holding accountable those spreading lies and hate online.

For the fact-checking part, news organizations, academics, and partner groups will fact-check claims and publish reports debunking the lies or misleading information. The news organizations will also be mobilizing communities to directly report online claims through their own tiplines on Messenger, Viber, Twitter, and other applicable platforms.

Next, civil society organizations, religious groups, and business communities are expected to monitor claims online and share these fact checks to a wider audience. In line with the goal of rallying more Filipinos to take part in this battle for facts, they will also organize campaigns, translate fact checks into different Philippine languages, and amplify calls to promote truth and practice the habit of fact-checking.

The research group, meanwhile, will report to the public every week about the false narratives they monitor online.  

Finally, lawyers and legal coalitions will work with fact checkers, partner organizations, and research institutions to come up with ways to deter online attacks against truth-tellers.

Groups who accepted the #FactsFirstPH challenge

The following groups and organizers are part of the #FactsFirstPH initiative, as of Tuesday, August 1, 2023:

Fact-checking

• ABKD Network
• ABS‐CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs
• Altermidya
• Baguio Chronicle
• Catholic Media Network
• Daily Guardian
• Davao Today
• Interaksyon
• Mindanao Gold Star
• News5 Digital
• OneNewsPH
• PressOne
• Probe Productions
• Radyo Veritas
• Rappler

Mesh

• #CourageON Coalition (89 members)
• #PHVote Coalition (45 members)
• 2030 Youth Force in the Philippines
• AGHAM – Advocates of Science and Technology for the People
• Alyansa ng Kabataang Mindanao para sa Kapayapaan (AKMK)
• Amateur Media Association of Philippine Scouts
• American Chamber of Commerce
• Archers Network
• Ateneo de Naga University
• Ateneo Voters Registration
• Bantay Bakuna
• Bayan Mo Patrol Mo
• BlogWatch
• Boto Pilipino
• Break the Fake
• Brotherhood of Christian – Businessmen & Professionals
• BulSU Advertising Guild
• Buklod CCSP
• Bulatlat
• Caloocan Young Leaders Initiative
• Caritas Philippines
• Catholic Bishop’s Conference of the Philippines
• Cavite State University Journalism Guild
• Center for Migrant Advocacy Philippines
• Center for Trade Union and Human Rights
• City Savings Bank, Inc.
• Coalition for People’s Right to Health
• Collabera
• College Editors Guild of the Philippines
• Concerned Artists of the Philippines
• Council for Health and Development
• Dakila
• DIWA Digital Warriors
• EON The Stakeholders Relations Group, Inc.
• Fact Check Philippines
• FEU Central Student Organization
• FEU-ACP3 Peace To All Youth Organization
• Filipino American Human Rights Alliance
• Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines
• Forum-Dimensions
• Foundation for Media Alternatives
• Free the Artist Movement
• Fyt
• High School Philippine History Movement
• Holy Angel University
• Human Rights Watch
• Ibon Foundation
• ImagineLaw
• InforMediaPH
• Institute for Occupational Health and Safety Development (IOHSAD)
• Janina Vela
• Juan Health PH
• Judicial Reform Initiative
• Ka-Ilongga organization
• Kalasag UP Diliman
• Kalikasan
• Karapatan
• Kasingkasing Press
• Kilos na para sa Kabuhayan, Kalusugan at Karapatan (K4)
• Kontra Daya
• LILAK
• Makati Business Club
• Management Association of the Philippines
• Manuel G. Araullo High School-Supreme Student Government
• Media Educators of Mindanao
• Mighty Magulang
• Move As One coalition
• National Alliance of Youth Leaders Inc.
• National Council of Churches in the Philippines
• National Teachers College
• Northern Dispatch
• Now You Know
• Out of the Box
• Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV)
• Partido State University
• Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism
• Philippine Movement for Climate Justice
• PHINMA Education
• Pitik Bulag
• PODKAS
• Polytechnic University of the Philippines College of Communication
• Practice of Administrative Leadership and Service – NCPAG
• Rise Up for Life and For Rights (and EcuVoice Philippines)
• Saint Paul Seminary
• SAMASA-PUP-COC
• SharePHIL
• Sterling Bank of Asia
• Student Council Alliance of the Philippines
• Supreme Student Government of Adamson University – Senior High School
• Tagkawayan Teleradyo
• Tamang Boto
• Tarantadong Kalbo
• Tatak Botante
• Teach for the Philippines
• Terry SA Inc.
• The Amaranth
• The Faith Initiative
• The Manila Collegian
• The Pillars Publication
• The Prism
• The Squire Publication
• TomasinoWeb
• UE – Manila CASSC
• Unida Christian Colleges
• University of San Agustin – Political Science Society
• University of the Philippines Political Science Society
• UP Manila Development Studies Society
• UP Radio Circle
• Visayas State University
• Vital Signs
• Vote Report PH
• We The Future PH
• Women Business Council
• Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines
• YouVote Global Shapers Iloilo Hub

Research

• ACCeSs@AIM: Analytics, Computing, and Complex Systems Lab of Asian Institute of Management
• De La Salle University – La Salle Institute of Governance
• DLSU Andrew L. Tan Data Science Institute
• Education Research Program (ERP) of UP Center for Integrative and Development Studies (CIDS)
• Far Eastern University – Public Policy Center
• Philippine Media Monitoring Laboratory, UP Department of Communication Research
• Philippine Studies Association
• Rappler Research and Data team

Accountability

• Ateneo Human Rights Center
• Free Legal Assistance Group 
• Integrated Bar of the Philippines
• Movement Against Disinformation 
• National Union of Journalists in the Philippines
• Philippine Bar Association
• Recoletos Law Center of San Sebastian Law

How to join #FactsFirstPH 

If you want to take part in this initiative, send us an email at info@factsfirst.ph. – Rappler.com