Investigating local corruption: Students can now apply for the 2026 Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship

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The deadline of application is on Sunday, May 3. Selected fellows will receive monthly stipends as part of the four-month program.

MANILA, Philippines – Rappler, in collaboration with the Journalism for Nation Building Foundation (JNBF), is now accepting applications for the 2026 cycle of the Aries Rufo Journalism Fellowship.

This program honors the legacy of the late investigative reporter Aries Rufo, who covered the church, judiciary, politics, and elections for Newsbreak magazine and Rappler. The fellowship aims to uphold his legacy of fearless and responsible journalism among the next generation of truth-tellers. 

Building on the success of previous cycles that have empowered both community and campus journalists across the Philippines and Southeast Asia, the sixth cycle of the program will focus on reporting about corruption and accountability at the local level.

The fellowship specifically seeks campus journalists based in the provinces and ready to spark change by reporting on local community issues, monitoring government projects, and investigating the misuse of resources within their communities.

The current cycle is being supported by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) Philippines.

Since the program’s launch in 2021, the fellowship has completed five cycles, two of them devoted to campus journalists.

What does the fellowship program entail? 

In this program’s latest cycle, the fellowship consists of two primary components designed to bridge the gap between classroom theory and high-impact investigative work.

1. Three-week screening practicum

Short-listed candidates will participate in a screening practicum from May 25 to June 14, 2026. The practicum will focus on the research and data-gathering process to build the foundation of story pitches relevant to the theme. This includes data gathering, finding electronic or online sources, and conducting preliminary interviews, writing data-based stories, among others.

Performance during this period determines the final selection of fellows. Assessment will be done based on research initiative, rigorous data gathering, quality and accuracy of data obtained, and the ability to turn “building blocks” into a viable story pitch.

2. Four-month journalism fellowship program 

Selected fellows will advance to the full program running from June 22 to October 18, 2026. This intensive phase focuses on the following key areas:

• Orientation and Onboarding. Accepted fellows will be invited to a virtual orientation on Monday, June 22, 2026, at 5 pm to establish the investigative roadmap and ethical standards for the cycle.
  
• Hybrid Learning Sessions. The curriculum employs a hybrid model combining online and in-person training. These sessions will cover the basics of journalism, the current online media landscape, and investigative work to support this year’s fellowship theme.
  
  • Online sessions: These sessions will be conducted every other week or at least twice a month; and are tentatively scheduled on Mondays at 6 pm.
    
  • In-person training at Rappler newsroom: Fellows able to complete preliminary outputs within the first few weeks of the program will be invited to the Rappler newsroom for a three-day onsite training tentatively scheduled on July 29-31 (Wednesday to Friday). Arrival and departure dates are scheduled on July 28 and August 1 (Tuesday and Saturday), respectively. Excuse letters will be issued if needed.
    
• Submission of Fellowship Outputs
  
  • Weekly story outputs: Stories about relevant local issues will be submitted on a weekly basis. Accurate and current information must be provided. These can be data stories or other unique stories that are supposed to be building blocks for a final long-form story.
    
  • Long-form final project: A final requirement is a long-form story (either investigative or in-depth) related to accountability and the misuse of public resources in their respective communities.

Throughout the four months, fellows will have scheduled monthly check-ins and one-on-one consultations with Rappler senior editors to refine their research and polish their investigative plans. 

What comes with the fellowship award?

Selected campus journalists will receive a monthly stipend of P8,000 for the four-month duration and expert mentorship from Rappler’s senior editors. 

What are the application qualifications and requirements?

The fellowship is open to Filipino campus journalists currently enrolled in an accredited college or university and active in a campus publication or media outlet at the time of application.

Applications from student journalists based in the regions — especially Pangasinan, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon — are strongly encouraged.

Interested applicants must complete and submit the following:

• Online application form
• Endorsement letter from a journalism professor/faculty member attesting to the student’s skills and capabilities – file to be uploaded in the form 
• Latest one-page résumé, including two character references – file to be uploaded in the form 

Endorsement letter should be addressed to Chay F. Hofileña, Rappler Investigative Editor and Training Head. 

What is the application and selection process like?

Only initially short-listed candidates will be contacted for a writing exam and interview between May 11 and 24. Those who advance will become semifinalists. Final deliberations are scheduled after June 15. Accepted fellows will be announced afterwards.

When is the deadline for application?

Interested applicants must complete the application form by Sunday, May 3, at 11:59 pm. Responses generated by AI will be disqualified. 

For any questions or concerns, email us at fellowships@rappler.com. – Rappler.com