Before starting my new role as a fact-checker, I spent over five years as a local contributor for Tempo, one of Indonesia’s leading investigative media outlets.
My acceptance to Rappler’s #FactsMatter Journalism Fellowship for Southeast Asian journalists came at the perfect time, giving me the chance to sharpen my journalism and fact-checking skills while also expanding my network in an industry that thrives on collaboration.
Exploring Manila and feeling at home
Three days before I departed for my flight to Manila for the three-day onsite training at the Rappler office, a journalist friend joked, “Manila is like Jakarta in the 1980s. So old-fashioned.” I chuckled, intrigued.
I had never been to the Philippines, but the challenge of experiencing a new place captivated me. Thanks to the #FactsMatter fellowship program by Rappler, my short visit turned into an unforgettable adventure.
When I arrived there at midnight, I had a full day to explore the vibrant city. With no jet lag, I ventured out to experience the city, using four different modes of transportation in just six hours. My journey started with a Grab ride to the Guadalupe ferry terminal. From there, I took a public water ferry bus toward Metro Manila for free (thanks to my tourist passport!).
The ferry ride was cut short at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) terminal due to a water festival near Malacañang Palace. Feeling unsure about navigating the unfamiliar city, I asked a fellow passenger for guidance. To my surprise, he was Indonesian! He was heading to Binondo for pork dim sum, and I tagged along, experiencing jeepneys and the long MRT queues. It was thrilling to immerse myself in the local Filipino life.
One thing that truly touched me was how accommodating the Philippines is becoming to Muslim visitors. As Muslims, we follow dietary restrictions that require halal food — meat must be slaughtered in the name of God, and we avoid pork, dog, and alcohol. Knowing the Philippines is predominantly Catholic, I was prepared to stick to eggs or vegetarian meals if halal options were scarce. No big deal!
To my surprise, the Rappler team went above and beyond to ensure I had halal food during lunch breaks. Rappler’s training coordinator Jene Pangue and the other staff in the office were so thoughtful, always checking what I could eat. Even my fellow participants pitched in, sharing tips on Filipino dishes that fit my dietary needs. Their hospitality made me feel incredibly welcomed and cared for.
Understanding what matters
But more than those memorable adventures I had, one of my key takeaways from Rappler’s fellowship program was the reminder to “understand the things that matter to people if we want to truly understand the world.”
Since the #FactsMatter journalism program started, I have been motivated to capture stories that are both meaningful and impactful for audiences in Indonesia, while remaining relevant to the Philippines and the global community.
The arrest of Alice Guo in Tangerang on September 4, 2024, prompted me to investigate the experiences of victims of forced scam operations in the Philippines and Cambodia.
Through other feature stories, I have met children with special needs who express their love for Indonesian batik and young people who keep the lion dance tradition alive through a spirit of tolerance.
Aside from the stories I wrote, I also got to interact with other fellows from the Philippines, Singapore, and Cambodia. We shared stories about the challenges faced by journalists across regions. From democratic fragility to hoaxes and disrupted business models, we exchanged insights and strategies to uphold quality journalism.
This experience has reinforced my belief that, even as the information and media industry faces turbulence, we can support one another and collaborate rather than turn away and compete. Collaboration is possible to overcome challenges.
Why facts still matter
In those conversations with other journalists, I also realized that national politics often dominates discussions in the newsrooms. But for ordinary people, daily struggles like health hoaxes or fraud hit closer to home.
This perspective informed my work on an article about deepfake videos promoting fraudulent “cures.” My mother is a real example of how vulnerable elderly people are to health disinformation, and this happened while I was in the research phase of my long-form article. I even watched those deep fake videos in my bedroom on the second floor, hoping that the voice assistant technology in my mother’s smartphone would not pick up the audio and affect its algorithm.
The impact of such work became clear when a friend messaged me, asking if there was an Indonesian version of my article to share with her elderly mother, who had also fallen for these scams. This highlighted how misleading drug advertisements are a hidden, yet significant societal issue, often affecting those who lack digital literacy.
As the fellowship program concluded in January, news broke that Meta was ending its fact-checking program in the US, because “fact-checkers are too politically biased” and “destroy the trust” of the public. Yet, the role of fact-checkers remains crucial. Beyond politics, we combat everyday deceptions like scams and health hoaxes that affect countless lives.
As a fact-checker, I see my role as vital as any other profession in protecting society’s access to reliable information. The work we do doesn’t silence freedom of expression — it ensures that everyone, from my mother to my friend’s own mother, can make informed decisions based on facts.
Facts matter, and so does the work behind uncovering them. Through collaboration and persistence, we can continue to fight for a world where truth empowers lives. – Rappler.com
Artika Farmita is a journalist and fact-checker for Tempo.co, based in Surabaya, Indonesia. She is a graduate of Rappler’s #FactsMatter Fellowship for 2024.