CAGAYAN DE ORO (January 12) — Public trust in Philippine news outlets declined across television, print, online, and radio in 2025, but the erosion carries distinct implications for Mindanao, where media credibility intersects with long-standing issues of conflict, marginalization, and uneven governance, according to the PAHAYAG 2025 End-of-the-Year Survey.
While the trust slide is national in scope, analysts say skepticism toward media in Mindanao is shaped by a different mix of pressures: persistent poverty, conflict-affected communities, regional underrepresentation in national narratives, and frustration over corruption cases that rarely translate into visible accountability on the ground.
A region already skeptical
Survey data show that, unlike government institutions—where trust erosion is heavily driven by Visayas and Mindanao respondents—the decline in media trust in Mindanao varies by platform and outlet. But local observers warn that even modest declines carry outsized consequences in areas where media already compete with rumor, political patronage, and informal information networks.
“In many Mindanao communities, trust in institutions has always been fragile,” said a media practitioner based in Central Mindanao. “When people lose confidence in the news, they don’t turn to another newsroom—they turn to Facebook posts, group chats, or local power brokers.”
Television and radio remain important in rural and conflict-affected areas, but declining trust among low-income listeners—a key driver of the national trend—poses risks in provinces where these platforms are often the primary source of verified information.
Corruption stories, distant consequences
Mindanao readers and listeners are heavily exposed to reports on corruption, stalled reforms, and political infighting at the national level. But for many communities, especially in BARMM and parts of mainland Mindanao, these stories feel detached from everyday realities.
“When corruption cases dominate the news but nothing changes locally—no better roads, no better services—people start questioning the value of the news itself,” said a civil society organizer in Northern Mindanao.
This gap between exposure and outcome fuels what analysts describe as corruption fatigue, where anger over governance failures spills over into distrust of the media reporting them.
Youth, digital spaces, and local narratives
The trust decline among Filipinos aged 18–24 is especially consequential in Mindanao, where young people make up a significant share of the population and where social media is often the primary arena for political discourse.
Gen Z respondents nationwide already rely less on institutional media and more on peers for information. In Mindanao, this trend is amplified by:
- Limited presence of national media bureaus outside major cities
- Strong local political networks online
- Lingering perceptions that Mindanao stories surface nationally only during crises
As a result, misinformation and one-sided narratives can spread rapidly, particularly during elections, security incidents, or inter-communal tensions.
Why media trust matters more in Mindanao
For civil society groups, declining media trust threatens hard-won gains in peacebuilding, transparency, and community engagement.
Independent journalism has played a key role in documenting:
- Human rights concerns
- Clan and political violence
- Development gaps in conflict-affected areas
