Newsletter.

June 30, 2025 Carmela S. Fonbuena PCIJ Executive Director The political dynasty series of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) won an Award for Excellence at the 2025 Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) annual Awards for Editorial Excellence. PCIJ Executive Director Carmela Fonbuena, who led and supervised the months-long series, received the award […]

May 26, 2025 Carmela S. Fonbuena PCIJ Executive Director The elections are over. Voters have crowned again many of the country’s entrenched political dynasties. Despite the results, election reform advocates said the May 2025 polls showed robust resistance to dynasties and energized the anti-dynasty campaign. A few challengers secured victories, while others came close. Some […]

May 8, 2025 Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director We started our series on political dynasties in October, the same month the candidates filed their certificates of candidacy. The methodology of the first report was simple: Count how many political dynasties have at least five family members running for various posts on May 12. Five is […]

April 12, 2025 Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director The future of the Duterte political dynasty has, to a large extent, dominated discourse for the May 2025 midterm elections. This follows the impeachment in February of Vice President Sara Duterte and the arrest in March of former President Rodrigo Duterte, now in the custody of the […]

Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director We launched our series on political dynasties in October 2024 after our social media feeds were flooded with images of political clans posing with their relatives in government—lined up, certificates of candidacy in hand. PCIJ’s maps of district seats, governors, and city mayors show that the country’s elected positions are […]

March 28, 2025 Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director The campaign period for local candidates — district representatives, governors, mayors, and other provincial, city, and municipal officials — has begun. At the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ), we continue to shine a spotlight on political dynasties and hope to sustain conversations about the consequences of […]

February 24, 2025 Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director Philippine efforts to exit the global money laundering “grey list” finally succeeded, an accomplishment that will enhance the country’s credibility in the global financial system, making it more attractive to investors. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced last Friday, February 21, that the Philippines has met […]

February 12, 2025 Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director The unlimited spending spree is over for senatorial candidates and party-list groups. We should see less of their ads on TV and on the streets, and hear less of them over the radio. Laws limiting political advertising were finally in effect on Tuesday, February 11, when the […]

January 30, 2025 Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director Jaemark Tordecilla, one of the leading experts on using AI among Filipino journalists, had one clear objective after reading PCIJ’s investigative report, The Making of Edgar Matobato, by PCIJ founding executive director Sheila Coronel. “I felt that it was a story that needed to reach more people […]

January 27, 2025 Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director The Philippines has 149 cities. PCIJ’s research shows that at least 75% — or seven in every 10 cities — are ruled by political clans. Davao City, the largest city in the Philippines in terms of land area, has been ruled by the family of former President […]

Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director “It’s a wonder Edgar Matobato is still alive,” begins PCIJ’s new report on the self-confessed former member of former President Rodrigo Duterte’s Davao Death Squad Written by PCIJ’s founding executive director, Sheila S. Coronel, this in-depth investigative narrative documents Matobato’s journey from assassin to whistleblower. Ms. Coronel met Matobato through Father […]

Carmela S. FonbuenaPCIJ Executive Director The Philippines entered the election period for the May 2025 elections on Sunday, January 12. We at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism are putting a spotlight on campaign finance. Data we obtained from Nielsen Ad Intel shows significant spending even before candidacies were filed in October 2024. TV and […]

When apps are gamified, workers rarely win Carmela Fonbuena PCIJ Executive Director Dear editors, fellows, and friends, We have a new report produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center’s AI Accountability Network. PCIJ editor-at-large Karol Ilagan spoke with dozens of workers employed by transport network companies Grab, Angkas, MoveIt, and Joyride, as well as delivery […]

Political clans rule 71 of 82 provinces, also swarm party-list seats in the House Carmela S. Fonbuena PCIJ Executive Director Dear Editors, Fellows, and Friends, Political dynasties have dominated our elections for decades. Their dominance has underscored a system where power is frequently passed down within families, raising concerns about its impact on democratic representation […]