VERA Files

VERA Files is a nonstock, nonprofit, independent media organization. Founded in March 2008, it is published by veteran Filipino journalists taking a deeper look into current Philippine issues. Vera is Latin for “true.”

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A break to nourish soul and body

This Holy Monday, let’s take a break from political commentaries. In the meantime, allow me to share with you a recent spiritual and gastronomic journey I took to Iloilo and Guimaras, home to some of the oldest Catholic churches in the country.

March 28, 2024

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VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Chinese ships did NOT set PH vessel on fire

A video on YouTube shows a photo it alleged was a burning Philippine vessel supposedly attacked by Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) forces. This is false. The photo was that of an oil tanker set aflame in an Iranian attack in the Persian

March 28, 2024

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VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Duterte DID NOT lead police, military attack on Malacañang

Two YouTube videos claim that former president Rodrigo Duterte, together with the police and military, have stormed Malacañang supposedly to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. This never happened. The video is a clickbait. First uploaded on March 18, one video’s headline read:

March 28, 2024

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What The F?! Podcast Special: ‘You’re not alone’ – Stories of women journalists in Asia (PART 1)

A sister episode of our earlier podcast with Nini Cabaero of SunStar Cebu and Amy Cabusao of Mindanao Times, this time VERA Files speaks with Rajes Paul, a sports journalist from Malaysia, and Prateebha Tuladhar, a former broadcast journalist and a journalism

March 27, 2024

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What The F?! Podcast Special: ‘You’re not alone’ – Stories of women journalists in Asia (PART 2)

March 27, 2024

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VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Video on ‘16 US-JP-PH ships’ entering West Philippine Sea MISLEADS

A Facebook (FB) reel claims that 16 warships of the United States, Japan and the Philippines have entered the West Philippine Sea in a “high-alert” situation. This is misleading. The reel combined video clips of U.S. and Japanese warships transiting the Philippine

March 27, 2024

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The garden of yearning of Joven Ignacio

Photos courtesy of the artist Painter Jose Ramon “Joven” Ignacio is a naturalist to the core. He doesn’t need to go birding in far-flung places or deep in the forests to observe flora at their wildest and best to capture his subjects.

March 26, 2024

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VERA FILES FACT CHECK: Video DOES NOT show US-AU troops’ arrival in PH

A video claiming to show the “rapid response” of the United States and Australia’s combat troops and the arrival of military vehicles in the Philippines has been uploaded on Facebook (FB). This is false. The video was from 11 years ago and

March 26, 2024

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The friends of Cynthia Villar

Kindness to her family, even if it may not be for the benefit of the Filipino people, is her norm for friendship. Such is the fragile philosophy of senator Cynthia Villar. Let us count the ways. In April of 2019, the El

March 26, 2024

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NAIA PPP project: Sky-high profits for Ramon Ang

The announcement of Ramon Ang’s San Miguel Corporation (SMC) winning the Php170.6-billion deal to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) did not sit well with a lot of people. Privatization it seems is a traumatic word for many Filipinos. A few

March 25, 2024