Philippines Climbs in 2025 Press Freedom Index, but the Struggle Isn’t Over

By Favoredjane

MANILA, Philippines just scored its highest spot in the World Press Freedom Index in 21 years, leaping 18 places to land at 116th out of 180 countries. But behind the headlines, journalists are still navigating a minefield of political pressure, legal threats, and economic instability.

The 2025 report by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) gives credit where it’s due citing improvements in legal protections and safety for media workers. But it also delivers a reality check: press freedom in the Philippines remains in a “difficult situation.”

Despite the higher ranking, the country’s overall score only inched up by 6.2 points, barely nudging the needle. That’s because RSF doesn’t just rank countries by numbers, it measures how free journalists really are to report the truth, without fear or interference. And in the Philippines, that truth is still under pressure.

“The jump in rank looks good on paper,” says a local media advocate, “but journalists are still silenced by red-tagging, legal harassment, and economic precarity. We’re not out of the woods.”

RSF evaluates press freedom across five key areas: political, legal, economic, sociocultural, and safety. While safety and the legal landscape have improved, the political climate and financial pressures continue to choke independent journalism.