FAQ: What is Philstar.com's fact-check initiative? Why trust our fact checks?

Here we answer frequently asked questions about Philstar.com's fact-check initiative and why readers can trust our fact checks. (Last updated: Aug. 8, 2025)

Table of contents

• What is this project?
• Our methodology: How we fact-check
  • Criteria for vetting a claim
  • How we verify
• Our rating system
• Corrections policy
• Non-partisanship
• Who are our fact-checkers?
• Funding

What is this project?

The Philstar.com Fact Check initiative is part of our newsroom’s mission to counter misinformation and promote verified, contextualized information. Our team adheres to the principles and requirements of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at Poynter.

Our methodology: How we fact-check

We source claims primarily through monitoring social media platforms such as Facebook, TikTok, X/Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, using search operators, filters, and other tools. We also review post comments to gauge public perception and accept submissions via email at [email protected] or through our social media channels.

Criteria for vetting a claim:

• The post has been shared in at least three unique posts by different users, or at least five times if from a single source.
• Videos must have gained at least 500 views over the past three days.
• The claim could cause harm or mislead the public, especially in health, elections, and public safety.
• The claim comes from a public figure, government agency, institution, personality, or account with a large following.

We only fact-check statements of supposed fact, not opinions, predictions, or promises, unless those opinions contain verifiable factual claims. We also fact-check misused, altered, or AI-generated media.

Our editors review potential claims to ensure that fact-checking them will not unintentionally amplify misinformation.

How we verify

• Claims are assigned to reporters trained in fact-checking.
• Verification tools such as reverse image search, Google Maps & Earth, search operators, and InVid are used.
• Sources, laws, studies, and official documents are cited and linked. Social media posts are archived.
• Experts are consulted when needed, and context about the claim and its source is provided.
• If a rating is potentially contentious, a peer review is done by trained fact-checkers.
• Editors make a final pass before publication.

Our rating system

• FALSE – Entirely incorrect; may use genuine content but pushes a false narrative.
• PARTLY FALSE – Contains some truth but includes significant inaccuracies.
• MISLEADING – Distorts reality through selective facts or omissions.
• NO BASIS – Lacks evidence or is speculative and unreliable.
• NEEDS CONTEXT – Not false but missing crucial background for understanding.
• FAKE/ALTERED – Deliberately manipulated content such as edited photos or spliced videos.
• TRUE – Accurate, evidence-backed, and fairly presented.

Corrections policy

Readers may request clarifications or corrections through our social media channels or [email protected]. Editors investigate and, if warranted, correct the report with an Editor’s Note. Ratings may also be updated. Corrected fact checks are reposted on our social channels.

Non-partisanship

We do not fact-check claims about Philstar.com or its corporate owners unless public interest requires it. Our team follows the Journalist’s Code of Ethics and our editorial standards, and we are guided by The Elements of Journalism by Kovach and Rosenstiel.

Who are our fact-checkers?

Editor-in-chief: Camille Diola
Managing editor: Kristine Daguno-Bersamina
Editor: Rosette Adel (News)

Reporters and producers:

• Cristina Chi
• Jeline Malasig
• Martin Ramos
• Dominique Nicole Flores
• Jean Mangaluz
• Ian Laqui
• Geraldine Santos
• John Marwin Elao
• Kristofer Purnell
• Ralph Villanueva

Funding

Philstar Global Corp., which operates Philstar.com, is separate from Philstar Daily Inc. (publisher of The Philippine STAR) with its own editorial, administrative, advertising, sales, and web development staff. Since 2009, Philstar.com has produced its own independent content, including fact checks, under its own editorial guidelines.

Revenues for Philstar Global Corp. come from digital advertising and direct sales (61%), programmatic (30%), and B2B advertising and licensing (9%).

Philstar.com Fact Check received operational and training assistance from the Philippine Fact Check Incubator supported by Internews from 2021 to 2022.

The Philippine STAR and related properties like Philstar L!fe and ONE News are under Philstar Daily Inc. and are editorially separate from Philstar.com.