Overview: A grim tally for 2025
According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the year 2025 saw a troubling global spike in violence against media workers, with 128 journalists and media professionals killed worldwide. Three of these deaths involved Filipinos, underscoring that threats to press freedom and journalist safety are a global issue that affects reporters in every region, including long-standing democracies and conflict zones alike.
The Philippine cases: three lives in focus
The IFJ’s report identifies three Filipino journalists among the 2025 casualties, though the specific circumstances around each case may vary. While the names and details are still being verified by local authorities and press freedom groups, the trend is clear: Filipino reporters, editors, and photojournalists continue to operate in environments where reporting on crime, politics, corruption, and social unrest can carry serious personal risk.
What this means for press freedom in the Philippines
Availability of accurate information and the ability to report without fear are foundational to a healthy democracy. When journalists are killed or coerced into silence, communities lose access to important, sometimes life-saving, information. The Philippine media landscape has long wrestled with threats ranging from political pressure to violence. The IFJ’s 2025 figures emphasize that safety protocols and legal protections for journalists must be bolstered, not just in crisis areas but in routine reporting environments as well.
Risks faced by Filipino reporters
Filipino journalists cover a wide spectrum of reporting beats—from local elections and corruption investigations to human rights stories and disaster coverage. In many cases, the risks are not limited to direct violence; threats, intimidation, and harassment can have a chilling effect that undermines investigative work and watchdog journalism. Independent media outlets, citizen journalists, and freelance reporters may be particularly exposed due to resource constraints and limited legal protections.
Global context: a trend, not an isolated incident
While the Philippines accounts for a portion of the 2025 fatalities, many other countries reported higher casualty numbers in conflict zones, political hotbeds, and areas with weak rule of law. The IFJ notes that journalists face danger not just at the frontlines of war but also at the frontlines of investigative reporting, where exposing wrongdoing can provoke powerful pushback. The broader pattern calls for international solidarity, stronger enforcement of journalist safety standards, and mechanisms to protect reporters who operate in high-risk environments.
Calls to action: safety, accountability, and support
Advocates say that protecting journalists requires a multi-layered approach: robust legal protections for press freedom, independent investigations into violence against media workers, safe working conditions, and international support networks for reporters in danger. Newsrooms and professional associations, including the IFJ, continue to push for rapid response protocols, comprehensive safety training, and transparent follow-ups on investigations into killings or threats against journalists.
What readers can do
Audiences can support press freedom by consuming a diverse mix of sources, calling out violence against journalists, and supporting organizations that provide training and legal aid to reporters in need. Individuals can also volunteer or donate to associations that track media killings, advocate for protective laws, and offer emergency support to journalists who face harassment or danger in the field.
Conclusion: a shared responsibility
The IFJ’s 2025 report is a stark reminder that press freedom is a global concern, not a local issue. The deaths of three Filipino journalists reflect broader vulnerabilities that require coordinated action—from governments, courts, and civil society—to ensure journalists can report truthfully and safely, no matter where they operate.
