INTERNATIONAL human rights lawyer Amal Clooney and actor-director George Clooney headlined this year’s Rappler Social Good Summit, where Amal announced the upcoming launch of a Philippine initiative aimed at giving Filipino women and journalists greater access to legal aid and counsel.
In her keynote speech, Amal emphasized how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to expand access to justice, noting the need for a more ‘laymanized’ and community-centered legal system. The project will form part of a global program spearheaded by the Clooney Foundation for Justice and the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice.
‘We hope to launch a similar partnership with the University of the Philippines College of Law so we can make sure that any journalist facing criminal charges does not do so in the shadows,’ Amal said. ‘The eyes and ears of the world should be in court, and pro bono legal support must be available to the journalists who need it.’
Beyond the announcement of the legal-aid program, Amal highlighted the role of the youth, saying she draws hope from young people who are unafraid to call out injustice and use their voices for good. She stressed that this makes it all the more urgent to protect the rights of those who speak up.
In a conversation with Rappler CEO Maria Ressa, George Clooney shared that he and Amal held a ‘productive conversation’ on Friday with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., centered on the importance of press freedom and ensuring that journalists have a platform to speak freely.
Amal also appealed directly to President Marcos Jr. to create a safer environment for journalists, underscoring that a free press is essential to any functioning democracy. She closed the discussion with a message of solidarity to Ressa: ‘We look forward to returning and celebrating your freedom.’
The Clooneys expressed eagerness to return to the Philippines, describing their visit as ‘productive and accommodating’ to their advocacies.
Their session left a powerful message: Journalists deserve the same protections afforded to business leaders, lawyers, and public officials. They should not face imprisonment for crimes they did not commit, nor should journalism ever be treated as a crime.
The keynote marked a compelling and impactful opening to the Social Good Summit 2025, setting the tone for a conversation on justice, technology, and safeguarding democratic freedoms.