EDITORIAL WRITING

2018 JOURNALISM CARAVAN

ABNER L. PUREZA
THE COCONUT
KEY CONCEPTS ON EDITORIAL.
• Collective stand of the publication
• Heavy artillery (battlefield of opinions/ views
that compete for readers' attention)
• takes leadership position on issues affecting the
community
FOCAL POINTS.
The goals of editorial:
• to drive home a point
• to influence public opinion
• to enlighten people
PRELIMINARIES.
WHERE/HOW DO WE START?
 Choose a topic.
SOURCES: screaming news, discreet news, trending news
Current and timely
Substantial for writing
passing on moral judgment
• Obtain background material and information about your topic
Observe
read
interview, research.
PHASE 1: PRE-WRITNG stage.
1. Identify your purpose and audience – inform, interpret, criticize,
argue, suggest reforms, urge readers to action.
 Explain or interpret the way the newspaper covered a sensitive or
controversial subject
 Criticize constructive actions, decisions or situations to get readers
to see the problem.
 Praise to commend people or organizations for a job well done
 Persuade to get readers immediately see the solution and not the
problem
. . Organize Information – briefly outline your facts logically before
2
writing the piece.
 Choose details
 Order details according to importance
FOCUS ON A CENTRAL THEME
 The single greatest error made by beginning writers is trying to say
too much.
 The error comes from the belief that, in order to be convincing, an
argument must be utterly comprehensive, addressing every
possible issue that relates to it.
 However, no argument is effective unless it can be absorbed and
remembered by the reader.
 An effective editorial must be essentialized.
3. WORKING ON AN EFFECTIVE TITLE.
The title of an editorial article is mostly composed of
only three words.
The title is a label head.
 Example: Walang linaw Usad pagong
Petal attraction Election blues
• NOTE: The title must be striking to attract attention
PHASE 2: WRITING STAGE
• INTRODUCTION:
hook
news peg
presentation of the SITUATION/NEWS ITEM
Stand
• BODY
Claims fully supported by proofs
4E: Explanation/Evidence/Example/Extra Details
• CONCLUSION
Recap of the main points
Recommending a SOLUTION/ CALLING for an ACTION
 It's not over
A Kuwaiti court has handed out the death penalty
NEWS ITEM
to the employers of Joanna Demafelis, the overseas (situation)

worker whose body was found stuffed in a freezer

in February. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the
sentence shows the sincerity and good faith of the
Kuwaiti government.
It appears justice has been served. POSITION
(Stand)
.thatDemafelis’ death and its ignominy shocked a nation
was no stranger to the risks that workers face in
foreign lands. Demafelis’ story was common indeed—she
made the trip to act as breadwinner for her family. The
manner, in which she was killed, however, was revolting.
The operative word is “appears.” Beneath the surface,
many issues remain unresolved. BODY
(claim/ argument
Foremost, the employers—Lebanese Nader Essam #1)
Assaf and his Syrian wife Mouna Hassoun— were tried in
absentia. The two fled Kuwait City and were arrested in
Damascus. The husband has been turned over to Lebanese
authorities where he reportedly confessed to the killing.
The wife remains in Syria. It is not known whether, when
or how they would be made to face the consequences of
their action— in Kuwait or anywhere else.
 Here at home, Demafelis’ recruiter, the owner of the our
Lady.of Mount Carmel Global Solutions, remains in hiding.
Again the story is common—unscrupulous recruiters only BODY
(claim/
concern themselves with making the fees without argument #2)
ascertaining the actual risks they put the workers in.
Sometimes, the effects are economic. In other cases, like
Demafelis’, lives are lost.
Administration officials are also still weighing whether the
total ban on the deployment of workers to Kuwait should be
lifted after the Kuwaiti court’s show of good faith. The ban BODY
(claim/
occasioned mixed reactions from the public: Some said it was argument #3)
an impractical, sweeping solution to a particular case —
Kuwait is a destination to more than a quarter of a million
workers—while others agreed it was a proportionate reaction
to a grievous crime.
 Finally, whatever the fate of the suspects, the case just goes
. the extent of the dangers faced by Filipinos who venture
to show
into other countries because of lack of opportunities in their
home country.
The sooner we stop regarding our workers as “prime exports”
and work instead to provide them with sustainable jobs they can RECAP OF THE
MAIN POINTS
keep while living with their families, the better it will be. The
choice to live abroad should be made out of one’s free will, not
out of necessity.
Demafelis’ case is not the first heartbreaking OFW story. If
authorities focus on this case but fail to consider the bigger CONCLUSION
picture and long-term situation, it will not be the last,
either. (The Manila Standard – 4/3/18)
 SITUATION:
. Demafelis case and the Kuwaiti gov't action
. STAND/POSITION:
It 'appears' justice is served.

CLAIM/ARGUMENT:
Despite the arrest, it is not CLAIM/ARGUMENT: CLAIM/ARGUMENT:
known where and when the Demafelis recruiter
employers will have to face the is still at large Government's slow action on the
consequences. lifting of total ban among Filipinos
from working in Kuawit

RECAP OF THE MAIN POINTS: CONCLUSION:

Serious and lonf-term solution
Unless there's no good job in our country, to end similar cases.
the OFWs will continue to work in Kuwait.
Now, consider this...
• Six days before the first anniversary of the start of the Islamic State
(IS)-inspired siege, Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM) launched last
Thursday the Marawi Week of Peace to commemorate the heroism
and unity of civilians and soldiers.
• Government forces battled it out with the Maute and Abu Sayyaf
groups for five months, from May 23 to Oct. 23 last year, in the Lanao
del Sur capital.
• The Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP)
said the weekl-ong commemoration, which coincides with the start of
Ramadan this month, will be observed yearly from May 17 to 23.
• Rolando Asuncion, OPAPP assistant secretary, underscored in a statement the
.
importance of recognizing the heroism and resilience displayed by the people
during the conflict and the rebuilding of their lives thereafter.
• “Peace begins within ourselves. We need to reflect on our values, behaviors
and attitudes,” Asuncion said.
• Earlier the OPAPP led a conference with various stakeholders at City Hall and
hosted an iftar (the meal eaten by Muslims after sunset during Ramadan)
with the community.
• Relief distribution and livelihood and technical training, including sports,
cultural and religious activities, will be provided by partner agencies of TFBM.
• During the opening day of the Week of Peace, the Department of Trade and
Industry mounted a trade fair while the Department of Health provided
medical services to residents at the City Hall grounds.
• Faisal Cali, representing the vice governor’s office, urged all stakeholders to
. in order to fast-track the rehabilitation of the city.
unite
• “Peace is a shared responsibility,” Cali said, in the same statement provided
by the OPAPP.
• As this developed, the European Union (EU) has vowed to continue
supporting the Philippines, including rehabilitation efforts in strife-torn
Marawi, amid previous aid rejections by the Duterte administration aimed
at preventing the bloc from allegedly interfering in internal affairs.
• Speaking during the 40th anniversary of the European Chamber of
Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP), EU Ambassador Franz Jessen last
Thursday night assured the Philippine government that the bloc remains a
steadfast partner of the country and it has no intention to interfere in its
policies.
ACTIVITY #01 - Preparing an outline
TOPIC :
• Situation -
• Stand -
• Argument 1 -
• Argument 2 -
• Argument 3 -
• Main point -
• Conclusion -
ACTIVITY #02: Writing it.
• EDITORIAL WRITING 01:
DIRECTIONS: Organize an editorial article based on the outline that you
have.
 First thing firsts
. The Department of Health (DOH) revealed that more and
S more of our countrymen, notably overseas Filipino workers
Situation
(OFWs), are afflicted with the dreaded human-
immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency
syndrome (HIV/AIDS). It sounds really alarming.
There’s urgent need for the Department of Labor and
P Employment (DOLE) to invest more on HIV/AIDS awareness
Position
and prevention among workers in general and OFWs in
particular.
In the view of ACTS-OFW party-list Rep. Aniceto “John”
Bertiz III, awareness and prevention are our best tools
against the deadly disease, which continues to claim the
lives of many Filipinos.
 A total of 5,537 OFWs have either tested positive for HIV
. or have full-blown AIDS. They comprise 11 percent of the
52,280 cases listed in the Department of Health’s National
HIV/AIDS Registry. This is very unfortunate because if we look
at the median age of these OFWs -- at 32 to 34 years old -- they
E are at the top of their lives in terms of potential workforce
Evidence
productivity.
Explanation
Example Migrant workers, particularly seamen, are susceptible to
Extra Details HIV infection because they are exposed to foreign cultures that
(with statistics)
usually encourage high-risk behavior, including casual sex.
After spending lengthy periods at sea, seamen are vulnerable
at foreign ports of call. “And they have the money to pay for
readily available commercial sex services in foreign ports,” he
said.
In 2017 alone, an average of 41 Filipinos died every month
due to HIV/AIDS, worrying health and other government
authorities, religious leaders, employers and community
leaders.
 We cannot just overemphasize the importance
. of improving the country’s HIV/AIDS awareness and
C prevention programs considering the still rising
Conclusion number of Filipinos seeking jobs abroad.

It’s definitely time for concerned government

offices and agencies to act now -- and fast -- if we
are to ensure the health and safety of the
S
Specific Solution
burgeoning Philippine population. (People’s Journal
: 4/10/18)
SPECS
• SITUATION : More and more OFWs getting afflicted by HIV
• POSITION : DOLE needs to invest on HIV awareness campaign
• EXPLANATION: statistics are given and how rapidly HIV is spreading
• CONCLUSION : still many are seeking jobs abroad, so HIV awareness is
a must
• SOLUTION : act now to ensure the health and safety of the burgeoning
population.
.
Now, let's consider this news item.
• The diplomatic row with Kuwait has quickly taken its toll on the money sent
. by Filipinos working overseas. Remittances declined 9.8 percent in
home
March to $2.36 billion from a year ago, the biggest drop in 15 years, due in
part to the repatriation of Filipinos from Kuwait.
• The disappointing March figure, a reversal from the 4.5-percent growth in
February, brought cash remittances in the first quarter to $7 billion, just up
by 0.8 percent from $6.953 billion in the same period last year.
• It would not be entirely correct to blame the lower March remittances to the
decision of President Rodrigo Duterte in February to prohibit Filipino
workers from heading to Kuwait after the discovery of domestic helper
Joanna Demafelis’ corpse in a freezer in her employer’s home. The labor row
worsened when Mr. Duterte declared on April 30 that the ban on Filipino
workers leaving for the Gulf nation was permanent and urged Filipinos there
to come home if they were being mistreated.
• Bangko Sentral Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the negative
.
remittance growth in March was primarily due to base effect following the
sharp increase in remittances in March 2017 at 10.7 percent. But the official
conceded that the continued repatriation of migrant Filipino workers from the
Middle East countries could have affected the inflows of cash remittances.
• Preliminary data from the Labor Department showed that some 1,124
workers were repatriated from Kuwait as of Feb. 8, 2018. The Foreign Affairs
Department estimated that around 262,000 Filipinos work in Kuwait, nearly
60 percent of them domestic workers.
• The Philippines fortunately on Wednesday lifted the ban on migrant workers
heading to jobs in Kuwait. The decision followed the signing of an agreement
between Kuwait and the Philippines to regulate and protect the hundreds of
thousands of Filipinos seeking higher-paid employment in the wealthy Arab
state.
.
• Lessons were clearly learned from the diplomatic spat with Kuwait.
The Philippines was right in protecting the interests of the Filipino
workers in Kuwait. But it should not have opted for the rash decision
to ban the deployment of workers to Kuwait or any other country for
that matter. The stakes are just too high.
Activity 03: Outline your thoughts.
TOPIC:
Situation/Problem:
Position:
Explanation 1:
Explanation 2:
Explanation 3:
Conclusion/Summary:
Speciific Solution:
Activity 4: Write it.
• Directions:
Write an editorial based on the facts that you have organized in your
outline. Follow the SPECS format.
 Peligrosong bakuna
. Libu-libong mga magulang ng mga bata sa elementarya mula sa
SITUATION tatlong rehiyon ng bansa partikular sa Central Luzon, National Capital
(NEWS PEG) Region at CALABARZON ang nangangamba dahil sa usaping kaligtasan ng
kanilang mga anak dulot ng bakunang Dengvaxia. Nararapat lang na
suspindehin muna ang pagbabakuna. hanggat wala pang kasiguruhang
ligtas ito.
STRONGEST
Sa kainitan ng usapin, nananatiling matatag ang paninindigan ng mga
POINT OF THE opisyal ng nagdaang administrasyon na ligtas ang itinurok na Dengvaxia.
OPPOSITION Mariin nilang ipinaglalaban na dumaan ito sa masusing pag-aaral at
eksperimento kaya’t walang masamang epekto sa kalusugan ng mga
batang naturukan. Ayon sa kanila, ang isinasagawang imbistigasyon ay
pawang pamumulitika lamang.
REJECTION OF Ngunit mahirap paniwalaang ligtas at walang masamang epekto sa
THE kalusugan ang naturang vaccine lalo na't may mga ulat ng pagkakasakit sa
OPPOSITION'S mga naturukan nito. Kasabihan nga na kapag may apoy, may usok. Baka
POINT sa halip na proteksyon laban sa dengue, posibleng mas malagay sa
panganib ang mga bata dahil sa bakuna.
 Humigit-kumulang sa 733,000 na mga bata ang
sumailalim sa bakuna ayon sa datos ng Department of
. Health (DOH). Nang pumutok ang kontrobersya,
sinuspinde ng DOH ang pagbabakuna matapos
magsulputan ang mga ulat ukol sa masamang epekto
nito at ang pagkamatay ng hindi bababa sa tatlong bata.
STRONG
Tama lang na ipatigil na ito.
ARGUMENTS Sa lalawigan ng Quezon, ang bakuna ay naibigay sa
lahat ng mga bata sa elementarya na nasa ikaapat na
baytang. Ito ay tatlong beses nangyari. Ayon kay Iris
Bigyan, Disease Surveillance Officer ng Quezon Medical
Center, may posibilidad na ang mga nabigyan ng bakuna
ay makakakuha ng ilang mga sakit tulad ng sakit ng ulo,
lagnat at rashes. Para sa mga hindi pa nagkakaroon ng
dengue, ang bakuna mismo ay maaaring maging sanhi
ng pagkakaroon nito, dagdag pa ni Bigyan.
 Ayon sa pagsusuri ng DOH kamakailan, ang mga benepisyo ng
.
bakuna ay nakikita sa mga nauna nang nagkaroon ng dengue.
Kabaligtaran ito para sa mga hindi pa nagkakaroon ng dengue. Delikado
ang pagbakuna nito sa mga hindi pa nagkakaroon ng dengue na maaaring
maharap sa isang malubhang problemang pangkalusugan. Mas mainam
na ipatigil ito upang maiwasan ang mga agam-agam.
Ayon sa ulat ng Quezon Medical Center, isang siyam na taong gulang
na batang lalaki mula sa Lucena City ang nakaranas ng matinding
pananakit ng ulo pagkatapos ng bakuna. May kaugnayan man ito sa
dengvaxia o wala, ang nasabing vaccine ang napaghihinalaang dahilan.
Ito ang rason kung bakit ginagawa ng Quezon Medical Center Surveillance
team ang pagsubaybay sa lahat ng mag-aaral na nabakunahan mula sa
mga pampublikong paaralang elementarya sa Quezon province. Ang lahat
ng 39 munisipyo at dalawang lungsod ay inatasan na magsumite ng mga
ulat ng kanilang surveillance. Ito ay upang masigurado na maayos ang
estado ng kalusugan ng mga batang tumanggap ng bakuna.
 Hindi natin kayang balewalain ang katotohanang
. lumikha ng takot sa publiko ang Dengvaxia. Ang
pinakamagandang bagay na maaaring gawin sa ngayon ay
ang pagiging kalmado. Dapat ipaliwanag ng mahusay sa
magulang ang proseso ng pagbabakuna, ang kasalukuyang
CONCLUSION mga panukalang ginagawa ng DOH, DepEd, at lokal na
pamahalaan upang maproteksyunan ang mga bata laban sa
masamang epekto nito. Dapat maunawaan ng lahat na ang
usaping ito ay hindi mapapawi sa loob lamang ng ilang
segundo - dahil ang buong epekto ng Dengvaxia ay makikita
tatlong taon pagkatapos ng pagbabakuna, ayon sa DOH.
Ang pinakamagandang gawin sa kasalukuyan ay
makikipagtulungan sa pagsisikap ng DOH na maiwasto ang
pagkakamaling ito. Sa ngayon, pansamantala muna sanag
itigil ang bakuna hanggat hindi pa ito lubos na napag-
aaralan. (Ang Niyog 2017)
I-PO-RO-SA-C
INTRODUCTION/ Situation: Dengvaxia controversy
POINT OF THE OPPOSITION: Ligtas ito at pamumulitika lang dahilan ng
lahat ng kontrobersya.
REJECTION of the opposition's POINT: Kapag may aopy, may usok.
Mahirap paniwalaang walang masamang epekto ang vaccine na ito.
STRONG ARGUMENTS: Statistics at mga ulat ng pagkakasakit matapos
maturukan ng bakuna ang ilang mga bata.
CONCLUSION: Makipagtulungan na iwasto ang bagay na ito.
Activity 05: Outline your thoughts.
TOPIC:
Positive sides:
1.
2.
3.
Negative sides:
1.
2.
3.
YOUR SIDE:
Activity 06: Write it.
WRITE an editorial based on the outline that you have organized.
Follow the I-PO-RO-SA-C pattern.
PHASE 3: POST WRITING/ASSESSMENT. WHAT IS
COMMON AMONG THE SAMPLE EDITORIALS?

• State the problem/situation

• Give your position on the problem
• Give the situation and background of the problem. Explain.
• Weigh in.
• Craft a conclusion/ summarize the main points
• Offer a solution to the problem/ call for an action.
WHY NOT? TRY ALTERNATIVE APPROACHES
IN WRITING AN EDITORIAL
• developmental - reform - oriented.
• comparative-the ability and power to connect
seemingly unrelated matters.
• Forward-looking (with reference to present
condition)
REMAMBER: Nothing beats good presentation
(depending on the writer's style of presentation)
SAMPLE DEVELOPMENTAL APPROACH
Shared identity
Along with the DepEd's thrust to uphold the inclusive
education among public schools lies an effort to make it
accessible to all types of learners regardless of color, race,
gender, religions and physical condition. This thrust has
cultivated a positive impact in the mindset of Quezon High
regular students who are now embraceing the concept of
diversity.
points discussed in the body:
• QNHS students' culture before inclusive education (bullying cases,
apathy to co-students who are 'different.')
• how inclusive education is introduced
• impact on how inclusive education has reformed the academic and
social culture among students
• Relevance of inclusive education to school's mantra (a caring school).
• problem it still faces despite positive results

ENDING:
call for action.
.
•.
 COMPARATIVE APPROACH.
The Duterte method
Nearly two years after Rodrigo Duterte was elected to the presidency, his
signature approach to power has become all-too-familiar. It is one based on the
methodical use of the coercive power of the state in order to intimidate
dissenters, critics, skeptics, deviants, and noncooperative individuals who, in his
perception, are not taking him seriously.
It is this approach that has basically defined his antidrug campaign, in which
a few thousand drug suspects have been brazenly killed in police operations.
This brutal show of force has been enough to frighten and compel hundreds of
thousands of others to “surrender,” have themselves detained, or simply listed
down for monitoring and rehabilitation. In their minds, to be included in the list
of drug surrenderers serves as an insurance that they won’t be targeted for
killing. This deadly assumption has been proven wrong countless times.
. But the use of the fear factor has not been confined to the drug
campaign alone. Mr. Duterte has silenced most of the political
opposition by jailing the outspoken Sen. Leila de Lima on the incredible
charges of conspiring with detained drug lords to trade in illegal drugs
when she was justice secretary. By going after the Chief Justice herself,
he has likewise warned the judiciary not to question or strike down any
of his decisions. He has tamed mainstream media by attacking the
“biased” reporting of the newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer, the ABS-
CBN media broadcast network, and the digital news portal Rappler. But,
he doesn’t stop there. He pursues his case against the owners by
pointing to their various liabilities as business entities, rather than as
professional news organizations.
 In a society where legal procedures and requirements are subject
. creative interpretation, and observance of regulations is often
to
negotiated, nearly every corporate entity is vulnerable, one way or the
other, to charges of noncompliance with the law. Extortionists in all
branches of the government have been known to prey upon these
vulnerabilities to get money.
But, we are face to face with an entirely different phenomenon
when it is the President himself who orders the investigation of people
he publicly singles out as his or the country’s enemies. A more accurate
term for it would be the personal weaponization of government
authority.
 Similarly, the 71-year-old Australian Catholic missionary Sister Patricia
Fox, who has lived among the Filipino poor for decades, couldn’t believe she
. be of interest to any government security agency. Over the years she
would
has joined many protest rallies, at times believing her voice amounted to
nothing. But Mr. Duterte apparently heard what she said in one recent rally,
and personally ordered her investigated. The Bureau of Immigration promptly
picked her up from her residence and detained her for a day, threatening to
deport her. The real message being sent is addressed to all foreign guests in
the country: You’re here as visitors; don’t ever make the mistake of getting
involved in political activities.
Compared to Ferdinand Marcos, Mr. Duterte has performed the art of
intimidation with consummate skill. Without warning, he calls out the name of
his prey, denouncing him or her in the strongest possible terms, and publicly
announces that he or she, or they, are in his line of fire.
 The public has learned to take these instances of public vilification of
targeted
. figures as part of the Duterte style of rule. People know these are not
empty threats. Indeed, the public takes them as synonymous with the
President’s exercise of political will. They themselves don’t feel threatened.
Adolf Hitler wrote a lot about mass psychology. Some of the things he said
somehow give us a glimpse of the logic behind the Duterte method and its
assumptions about mass stupidity. Here’s a sampling.
On cruelty: “Cruelty impresses, people want to be afraid of something. They
want someone to whom they can submit with a shudder. The masses need
that. They need something to dread.” “I have not come into this world to make
men better, but to make use of their weaknesses.” On force: “Only force rules.
Force is the first law.” “The one means that wins the easiest victory over
reason is terror and force.”
Behind these deluded utterances is the ultimate narcissism of power: Hitler:
“I was Europe’s last chance.” Duterte: “I am your last card.” (PDI 5/11/18).
 forward-looking approach.
Five years from now, expect for a complete speech
laboratory here in Quezon National High School. The said
FORWARD-
laboratory will be useful to Special Program in Journalism
LOOKING (SPJ) students especially in Speech and Stage Arts elective
CLAIMS subject.
(futrue state)
Consider speech equiptment with 1:1 ratio per student.
Adding to this is a fully air-conditioned room for the class
plus a generally hightech set-up of the classroom for
students' hands on activities and presentations. These and
more are what the school aims to come up with.
It may appear ambitious and difficult on the onset, but
POSITION
with the serious effort of the English Department in
tapping the potentials of the different batches of alumni, -
this dream will soon become a reality.
 Reality check: Batch 82 has recently pledged for Php
. 500,000 for the purchase of speech lab gadgets. As of
present, the batch treasurer said that there's already a
collection amounting to Php300,000. With the flow of
cash donations, in less than five years the speech lab's
FACTS/ PROOFS completion will surely materialize.
BASED ON CURRENT
SITUATION Apparently, the administration's support further
spurs enthusiasm to this cause. In a meeting with the
amlumni foundation officers in November 2017, the
principal aired the need to put up speech lab and asked
for the group's material support. The organization
pledged for Php50,000 for auxilliary expenses on the
lab's installation. In this way, the timeline for the
project's completion becomes more attainable.
 Further, one room from the first floor of the
. newly-constructed four-storey S-building is alloted
for a speech laboratory. What it needs are just the
gadgets and equiptment before it becomes
functional for speech classes.
CONCLUSION/ CALL TO The English department, being the backbone of
ACTION
this project cannot do it in solitude. It needs full
reinforcement from both internal and external
stakeholders. Every one is called to channel support
for this project.
.

thank you for listening.