Filipinos' trust in news lowest among 48 nations in 2026: Reuters

In the first half of 2026, Filipinos' trust in news fell by 10 points, the largest drop among 48 nations included in Reuters' Digital News Report 2026. 

Published on June 16, this year's 15th edition of the annual report was compiled amidst global political and economic chaos, based on data from almost 100,000 survey respondents via online polling.

"Against this backdrop, we see audiences reacting with a mix of anxiety and disengagement, and searching for new ways to make sense of their daily lives," wrote Mitali Mukherjee, director of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, as a foreword to the report.

Only 28% of Filipinos trust what they read or hear on the news, a 10-point drop from 2025, and coming in below the global average of 37% for the year. A little over 51% claim they sometimes or often avoid reading or listening to the news. 

On the other hand, 13% report they subscribe to various online news sources. 

Changing platforms

The number of Filipinos who turn to online news sources has remained steady since 2020 at 85%. These sources include news websites and apps, social and video networks, news podcasts, and AI-controlled chatbots. Seventy percent get their news from social media; a number that has been on a plateau since 2020.

Among social, messaging, and video networks, Facebook is the top source of news for Filipinos at 72%. YouTube is next at 48%, followed by Facebook Messenger at 33%. Rounding out the top six networks Filipinos use as news sources are TikTok, Instagram, and X. 

Traditional news sources have been on a steady decline since at least 2020, per Reuters. From 66% in 2020, only 42% in 2026 turn on their televisions for the news. In 2020, 22% of Filipinos got their news from print news publications; in 2026, the figure is down to 10%. 

In a further analysis by Vera Files, two-thirds of Filipinos pick up their news from content creators and influencers. In the past week, 36% watched videos by news-focused creators, with 46% following lifestyle creators who sometimes talk about current events. 

Although trust in news sharply fell in 2026, concern about fake online news remained high. Sixty-six percent of the Filipino respondents said they were aware that the news they were reading online could be products of disinformation or misinformation campaigns. 

Downtrend

Although the Philippines had the biggest drop with regards to trust in news, four other countries displayed sharp declines this year: Ireland had a nine-point drop, while Thailand, Peru, and Poland each plummeted by eight points. 

Among the 11 Asia Pacific nations included in the report, six had news trust ratings above the global average, with Hong Kong locals topping the list at 52%, followed by Thailand at 47%, Singapore at 46%, Australia at 43%, Japan at 41%, and India at 39%.

In countries with the highest distrust numbers, Reuters report cited "political instability, divisive elections," as well as "a noisier and more fragmented information environment," and intentional, direct attacks against news outlets and journalists as factors in the heightened distrust. 

Per Vera Files, the Philippines "fits most of those conditions," as evidenced by events during the Duterte and Marcos administrations, with "political polarization, disinformation, especially during elections, alongside red-tagging, lawfare, online harassment, media criticism and killing of journalists."