As independent journalists, our primordial duty is to tell the truth and present facts to help the public discern issues and concerns impacting their lives.
How do we rate claims?
FAKE – if the claim is completely invented.
FALSE – if the claim contradicts, undermines, or disputes truthful facts, actual events, and official records (e.g., laws and scientific studies).
MISLEADING – if the claim is based on truth but maliciously twisted to serve a group or individual’s vested interests.
ALTERED – pertains to images or videos that were manipulated to mislead the public.
MISSING CONTEXT – if the claim needs more clarification or contextualization to make it clearer.
Where do you post your results?
How did MindaNews Fact Check start?
Since its establishment in 2001, MindaNews has been committed to being the leading provider of accurate, timely, and comprehensive news on Mindanao, serving empowered communities. Founded by reporters, it ensures accurate reporting about Mindanao, an island often plagued by misinformation.
Our policy mandates thorough vetting of reports before publication. Our fact-checking initiative began in October 2021 under Internews’ Philippine Fact-Checker Incubator (PFCI) project. Prior to this, MindaNews co-founded Tsek.ph, a collaborative effort to combat disinformation during the 2019 and 2022 elections.
Where do you get funds?
MindaNews sustains operations through subscriptions, book sales, and grants from non-state actors, maintaining full editorial independence. We do not accept funds from politicians or states for fact-checking. Past grants from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and UNESCO supported coverage and training, while Internews and the BUILD grant funded fact-checking initiatives. Funders have no influence over editorial decisions.
Do you accept leads from the public?
Yes, we encourage the public to submit leads for fact-checks and news stories. As stated in our reports: “MindaNews welcomes leads or suggestions from the public to potential fact-check pieces.”
