By Jheruleene Anne Ramos
Filipinos’ concern over the rampant spread of online disinformation has surged amid the widening political rift between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and impeached Vice President Sara Duterte, according to a recent study.
The 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report, conducted from mid-January to late February and published on June 17, found that 67 percent of 2,014 Filipino respondents expressed concern about disinformation—up from 63 per cent in 2024.
It is also higher compared to the global average of 58 per cent and the Asia-Pacific regional average of 60 percent.
Concern was especially high among those aged 55 and above (76 percent), women (70 percent), young adults aged 18–24 (70 percent), high-income earners (78 percent), those with higher education (74 percent) and residents of the Visayas (73 percent).
More Filipinos blame politicians for disinformation
The study also found that Filipinos increasingly view politicians as the main drivers of false or misleading content online.
According to the report, 55 percent of Filipino respondents identified political actors as the top spreaders of disinformation, followed by online influencers (48 percent), activists (38 percent), journalists (37 percent), and foreign governments (34 percent).
This is higher than the global average, where 47 percent of respondents pointed to both politicians and influencers as the main sources of disinformation.
Disinformation surged as Marcos-Duterte feud intensify
The report noted that the surge in disinformation over the past year coincided with the escalating tensions between the political factions of Marcos and Duterte.
The fallout reportedly peaked following the arrest of former president Rodrigo Duterte by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on charges of crimes against humanity related to his war on drugs.
Journalism professor Danilo Arao of the University of the Philippines echoed these findings, citing a March investigation by The Philippine Star that uncovered Facebook pages framing Duterte’s ICC arrest as “kidnapping”.
“Of course, this went beyond the period of review of the Digital News Report, but these are continuing patterns of disinformation,” he said in an interview with The Straits Times.
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Trust in news steady, but avoidance high
Despite concerns over disinformation, overall trust in the news among Filipinos remained steady at 38 percent, close to the global average of 40 percent.
However, the report observed a decline in trust in individual media brands. It clarified that public trust does not necessarily reflect the quality of the content.
News avoidance in the Philippines remained high at 48 percent, with respondents citing excessive political coverage (41 percent), negative impact on mood (38 percent), perceived bias (34 percent), too much coverage of wars and conflicts (28 percent) and news fatigue (27 percent).
Calls for accuracy, transparency, impartiality
In response, Filipino audiences called on the media to prioritise accuracy, transparency, impartiality, and improved reporting to regain public trust.
Respondents urged journalists to rely on verifiable facts, use multiple sources, and conduct fact-checks. Some also demanded evidence disclosure such as transcripts, videos, or images.
Meanwhile, others called for balanced and timely reporting, urging journalists to be present on the ground rather than rely solely on algorithm-driven trends.
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Newsjustnews writers 
Geoffrey H. Latayan