PHILIPPINES
#AmbagNatin Empowers Local Journalists to Strengthen Voter Knowledge
Movers Program by Rappler and FNF Philippines helped community journalists cover the midterm elections.
© RapplerRappler launched its voter empowerment program, #AmbagNatin: Championing Facts for an Informed Choice, in Iloilo, Batangas, and Iligan City from November to December 2024. The program aimed to train aspiring community journalists and civic volunteers—called Movers—to report on local issues ahead of the 2025 elections.
The initiative responded to the decline of community news outlets in the Philippines, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic, economic pressures, and shifts in revenue to big tech platforms. Organizers said the disappearance of local media posed a threat to civic participation and democracy, making it harder for voters to access reliable information.
Through intensive workshops, Rappler trained 36 Movers in journalism, storytelling, and civic engagement. The volunteers learned to produce stories and videos that highlighted community issues often overlooked by national media, including disaster response, education, political participation, transportation, and environmental concerns.
The second phase of the program, supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom Philippines, focused on helping the Movers pursue the stories they pitched and get them published on Rappler. They also received operational and financial support to cover fieldwork costs. By sharing these community stories on a national platform, the program aimed to amplify local voices, strengthen trust in journalists, and provide voters with accurate information to make informed decisions.
The project ran from January 1 to May 31, 2025, with at least 20 Movers participating. Organizers aimed to publish at least 30 election-related stories and measure their impact through online engagement. The Movers were also asked to submit reports reflecting on their learnings from the campaign.
Rappler said #AmbagNatin aligned with the mission of promoting democracy and good governance by supporting community journalism and ensuring that local issues are heard and addressed in the lead-up to the elections.