Newswriting

News is a report on important and interesting informations about some recent events broadcasted in television
and/or radio and printed on newspapers. Therefore, newswriting is the process of making an effective news story.
A newswriter must make the news factual, truthful, accurate, unbiased, objective and interesting.
History of news
There are different ways of spreading news even a long time before the development of newspapers, like simply
using a person to shout the news in the community and people spreading it from one mouth to another person. In
Ancient Rome, announcement bulletins are used and posted in public areas. During the early government of China,
news sheets called tipao were passed hand-to-hand from one official to another. They were handwritten on a silk cloth.
Cities in Europe used to exchange newsletters conveying economic, political and military news which were delivered
quickly and efficiently.
In 1835, the oldest news agency was founded by a Parisian named Charles-Louis Havas. It was called Agence
France-Presse (AFP).
Sources
Readers judge news stories based on its reliability. Be sure to include them in your article.
According to thenewsmanual.net, there are several sources of information:
Reporters
Reliable informations can be provided by reporters for they can seek for primary sources like interviews. These
reporters could be your co-workers in the company. If they present accurate data consistently, they are considered
reliable. Reliability is built up over time. However, there are cases where reporters lack the information a writer needs.
This is where you will have to look for the information yourself.
Theres also some time when the information is misinterpreted. This often happens when the reporters are
estimating, for example, the number of people in a crowd. Unless the reporters know the exact size of the crowd, the
writer must treat his information with caution.
Primary sources
Statements from persons directly involved are primary sources. If he saw or participated in the happening, he
can give accurate information.
Written sources
Not all primary sources are spoken. Written reports can make an excellent source of information for a journalist.
Books have been checked and approved officially.
However, not all printed materials are reliable. You must look for the person who wrote it. If the author
witnessed the event with his own eyes, then the information in his work is reliable. If not, then you must consider his
reliability.
Leaked documents
Documents may be occasionally given to you by somebody who does not want to be seen in the media. These
are leaked because they believe these information must be known to public. But then, they are unable to reveal it in
public maybe because they are not in the position to do so. In some scenarios, leaked documents are used to take
advantage over someone.
Leaked documents are excellent source for these informations are being hidden by someone. If you believe that
the information given to you must be revealed, then you should write a news story about it. Of course, like any
information, leaked documents must still be checked for accuracy before they can be used.
There are also legal dangers to consider when using leaked documents. They might, for instance, have been
stolen. Leaked documents could also be covered by copyright, so one must also be careful with leaked documents.
Secondary sources
Secondary sources are those people who pass the information. The official police report of an incident can be
called secondary source. Secondary sources are not usually as reliable as primary sources.
Tip-offs
Occasionally someone will make a call with a story tip-off but refuse to give their name. These are said to be
anonymous, meaning "no name". These are the most dangerous sources of information and should only be used with
extreme caution. They must never be used without a lot of checking. If they are wrong, you will be held directly
responsible for the misleading information.
Using assumed names
You occasionally have to protect a source's identity by giving them an assumed name. This arises most often
when you are writing about the victims of some kind of abuse, usually in feature articles or documentaries. These
people may not mind you to tell their story, but they do not want other people to know exactly who they are maybe
because of shame.
You must, of course, tell your readers or listeners that this is not the person's real name, but is being used to
protect them. If you use a picture them, make sure they are not recognizable in it. If you use their voice, it is common
practice in radio and television to electronically change it so it cannot be recognized.
According to Ceciliano-Jose B. Cruz, a news writer/reporter should:
Write the article as soon as possible for accuracy and detailed work.
Make sure that the readers will reach what you want to convey.
Be accurate and truthful.
Dont write your own opinion.
Limit the adjectives used. Wordiness will bore the readers.
Always give the source of the news.
Write the names in full when mentioned for the first time to avoid misunderstanding.
Recognize the persons positions/rank.
Watch out for errors in grammar, structure and style.
Observe guidelines for clear and effective writing.
Use informations from reliable sources.
A newswriter must write an article following:


Essential qualities of news
Timing
News must be updated to catch the readers focus. News last month, or last week is not worthy to be read.
Timeliness greatly affects the worthiness of the article.
Significance
News that will have an effect on many people attracts readers, especially if they are also affected in the
situation.
Proximity
Readers pay attention to news near to them. We are curious to things we can relate.
Prominence
News about great personalities will get your readers attention because, of course, people idolize them.
Human Interest
Human interest are considered special cases. They violate the news timeliness and appeal more on emotions.
Accuracy
News must be well-sourced, supported by strong evidence, examined, tested and clear. Information must not be
from speculations and rumors. Accuracy is essential if the purpose of the news article is to inform the public debate.
The article needs to be totally transparent in declaring what the writer knows and what he doesnt know.
Completeness and Balance
Informations to be written in the story must include both of the arguing sides. This will show if the news written
is biased. The news article doesnt need to have the whole story, but the writer must be sure to be fair on every detail of
information so that the readers would be able to decide correctly on which idea to agree.
Objectivity
The writers purpose of writing the news must be clear. The readers should be able to fully interpret the
message of the news without difficulty.
Simplicity and Clarity
The writer needs to consider the knowledge of the readers. Most of them are just common people with average
knowledge of the language. Simple words are needed for the writer to convey the message properly. With this, the
readers must not be confused with the information. Besides, complex words will discourage them in reading your news.
There are no absolute rules in newswriting. There are, however, guidelines to write news stories correctly,
namely:
Give your leads sentence a punch to catch the interest of the readers.
Start with the most important facts. A writer must deliver the important information in the news quickly.
Use the rule of proximity and explain how the news will affect the people concerned.
An attractive story uses something unusual as the lead of the article.
Make your sentences clear so the reader would get your point easily.
Use simple words for the readers to understand your article without difficulty.
Never be afraid in breaking the rules if it will make your news story good.

Types of News Stories

Fire News story
- associated with and related to fires (forest fires, fire prevention month, etc.)
3 kids killed, grandmother hurt in Bacolod City fire
BACOLOD CITY, PhilippinesThree children were killed while their grandmother was injured in a fire that hit six
houses in Barangay (village) Handumanan, Bacolod City, at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Killed were Rica Montero, 17, a deaf mute, and her siblings Rex, 7, and Arvin, 3, Senior Inspector Ruel Culanag said.
Injured was their grandmother Estalita Montero, 68, who sustained burns in various parts of her body.
Culanag said Estalita was cooking rice that she left unattended on the stove. She left the house and locked her three
grandchildren and a 4-year-old grandson in the house.
The four-year-old survived because he was able to climb out of a window.
Rica was able to get out of the house to ask for help from the neighbors but no one could understand her so she returned
to the house to save her two other siblings but it was too late as the fire had grown big.
The grandmother sustained burns when she returned to the burning house and tried to save her grandchildren. She was
saved by her relative Simon Tiopez, 22.
The Montero house and five others were affected by the fire.
On Monday, 57 houses were also destroyed, 10 persons were injured and about P1.5 million worth of properties lost
when fire broke out at about 8:40 a.m. Monday, in Purok Magtiayon, Barangay 10, in Bacolod City.
Chief Insp. Bartolome Beliran, fire marshal of the City Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), said the fire that lasted for
almost two hours, affected about 274 families.
The number of families affected was four times the number of houses destroyed because some of them were occupied
by two to five families.
He said that although the BFP office was near Purok Matiayon, firefighters had a hard time penetrating the area since
the pathways were narrow, and the fire started at the center of the place, where most of the houses were built close to
each other.

By Carla Gomez
Inquirer Visayas
February 18th, 2014

Earthquake News story
- it involves events about the movement of the earths plates
Quake kills 52 in Negros Oriental
DUMAGUETE CITYAt least 52 people were killed when a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Negros and Cebu
provinces shortly before noon Monday, causing landslides and huge cracks on highways, and violently shaking
buildings, officials said.
A three-story building collapsed, while seven bridges were rendered impassable, they said.
In Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, at least 29 people were feared dead following a landslide in Barangay (village)
Planas, Mayor Ernesto Reyes said in a phone interview. He said there could be more fatalities in other barangays.
They were buried in 30 feet (10 meters) of soil. If you had been buried from noon until now (6 p.m.), I dont expect
you to be alive, Reyes said.
Rescuers dug with picks and shovels trying to reach dozens of people trapped under houses that collapsed, according to
The Associated Press (AP).
Ten others died due to a landslide at the Guihulngan national road, Reyes said.
Governor Roel Degamo said a 9-year-old girl, Bernadette Raidan, died when a wall collapsed in Tayasan town.
Twelve other fatalities were listed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Eight were
from Guihulngan, one each from Jimalalud and Bindoy towns, and two from Tayasan.
The earthquake, which struck at 11:49 a.m., was located 5 kilometers northwest of Tayasan town in Negros Oriental,
and was tectonic in origin. It had a depth of 10 km. The US Geological Survey placed the magnitude at 6.7.
In Manila, Malacaang urged the people affected by the earthquake to remain watchful and calm, and to cooperate with
the authorities while the threat of immediate dangers appears to have passed.
President Benigno Aquino III ordered the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to
assess and collate the extent of the damage and casualties, and to provide the necessary interventions, his spokesperson,
Edwin Lacierda, said in a statement.
Tsunami warning
The temblor also prompted a tsunami warning from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs),
alerting residents near the coastal areas of Negros and Cebu to watch for unusual waves but not requiring any
evacuation.
The alert was canceled after no further reports of unusual sea level changes were received after the two-hour extended
observation period.
But more aftershocks could be expected in the next few weeks in areas near the epicenter, according to Ishmael Narag,
officer in charge of the Phivolcs seismology division. As of 1 p.m. Monday, Phivolcs had recorded 16 aftershocks.
The quake triggered another landslide in the mountain village of Solongon in La Libertad town, also in Negros Oriental.
An unknown number of people were trapped, said Inspector Eric Arrol Besario, the town police chief.
Were now getting shovels and chainsaws to start a rescue because there were people trapped inside. Some of them
were yelling for help earlier, Besario told AP by phone. Three key bridges in the town cracked and were no longer
passable, he said.
The earthquake sent shoppers scrambling under tables and workers and students rushing out of their buildings in cities
of Negros and Cebu.
Classes in all public and private schools in Negros Oriental were suspended, while businesses in Dumaguete City were
closed.
Building cracks
In Negros Occidental, the earthquake caused cracks in the city halls of Sagay and Cadiz, and the city hospital and
gymnasium of Himamaylan.
Big waves damaged two houses and an ambulance fell on its side in Barangay Martilu, La Libertad, according to Mayor
Lawrence Limkaichong. Two houses were also reported damaged in the town of Jimalalud, some 100 kilometers north
of Dumaguete.
Huge waves washed out five bamboo and wooden cottages from a beach resort in La Libertad, but there were no reports
of injuries, said Superintendent Ernesto Tagle. Elsewhere along the coast, people rushed out of schools, malls and
offices.
Two people died in another town close to the epicenter, Tayasan, including a child when a concrete fence of a house
collapsed, said Benito Ramos, head of the Office of Civil Defense.
Church wall collapse
Another child was killed in a church when a wall collapsed during a funeral in Negros Orientals Jimalalud town, Mayor
Reynaldo Tuanda said.
Tayasan police officer Alfred Vicente Silvosa told AP by phone that aftershocks were preventing people from returning
to their homes.
We are outside, at the town plaza. We cannot inspect buildings yet because its dangerous, Silvosa said. I felt the
building shaking, so I rushed out of the building. Our computers, shelves, plates, the cupboards, water dispenser all
fell.
A three-story office building also collapsed in La Libertad, but occupants escaped.
Scared cops
The Negros Oriental police chief, Edward Carranza, said police rushed out of his building when the quake struck. All
my personnel ran out fearing our building would collapse, he said.
Now its shaking again, he said as an aftershock hit. My keychain is dancing.
In Negros Occidental, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered the suspension of work and classes in all public
and private offices and institutions. He, however, directed the citys disaster team to be on alert and to inspect buildings
for cracks.
In Iloilo City, employees and students rushed out of offices and classrooms as buildings swayed. Classes in the city and
province were suspended in anticipation of aftershocks. Government employees were sent home in the afternoon.
A blackout occurred in the city, but power was normalized at 3:45 p.m.
The earthquake was slightly felt in Boracay Island and a few Mindanao and Luzon provinces.
Medical attention
Guihulngan Mayor Reyes said about 100 people were injured and brought for treatment to Guihulngan District Hospital
and neighboring district hospitals.
Reyes said Guihulngan had about 100 patients who are in need of immediate medical attention. We need to transport
these patients to Bacolod, Cebu or Dumaguete but our roads and bridges are impassable, he said.
Food and medicines were waiting in the provincial capital of Dumaguete, but the aid could not reach the villages in
need because of damaged roads and bridges.
There is a Canadian and an Indian doctor who are here for an earlier scheduled medical mission and its a good thing
they are helping us, Reyes said. They have some medicines with them but that may not be enough.
All bridges and roads leading to the north and south of the city were damaged, leaving it isolated, he said. These
included the bridges of Martilo in La Libertad, Pangaluan in Jimalalud town, and Tinayonan in Guihulngan.
Many buildings were damaged, he said. The Landbank building is leaning on one side while a portion of our public
market collapsed.
Cracks appeared along sections of the national highway and on public and private buildings, the Provincial Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a statement.
Series of quakes
The first earthquake occurred at 11:49 a.m. with a magnitude of 6.8 and a depth of 20 km. The epicenter was located 72
km north of Dumaguete, 74 km west-northwest of Tagbilaran City and 80 km west-southwest of Cebu.
A second tremor hit various areas in the Visayas at 12:03 p.m. at a depth of 34.8 km. The epicenter was located 62 km
north of Dumaguete, 69 km west-northwest of Tagbilaran and 84 km southwest of Cebu.
Still, a third tremor was felt at 12:20 p.m. with a magnitude of 4.8 and a depth of 34.8 km. The epicenter was located 71
km south-southeast of Bacolod City, 84 km west-southwest of Cebu and 84 km north of Dumaguete City.
Bobby Caete of the local Phivolcs station in Palo town in Leyte said that the series of earthquakes felt in the region
was caused by the movement of the Philippine Sea Plate diving down under eastern Philippines along the Philippine
Trench. With reports from J hunnex Napallacan, Carla Gomez and Nestor Burgos J r., I nquirer Visayas; Christine O.
Avendao and Leila B. Salaverria in Manila; and AP

By Alex Pal, Florence Baesa, Inquirer Visayas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 7th, 2012

Accident News story
- the news is about the unwanted accidents (car crash, plane crash, sinking of ships, etc.)
4 dead in Christmas Day car crash in Tagaytay
CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna, Philippines A speeding car, carrying a group of friends, crashed into a concrete
wall and left four people dead and one badly injured in Tagaytay City in Cavite on Christmas Day.
Police Officer 3 Semdan Sitchon, the case investigator, named the lone survivor as Jelil Ampuan, 16.
Sitchon said Ampuans friends and co-passengers in the car, identified as Manilyn Quinzon, 23; Renilyn Pearanda, 20;
and Paysalin Benito, whose age was not immediately available, died on the spot. The driver, Jamil Ampuan, 22, died in
the hospital. The Ampuans were brothers.
In a phone interview Thursday, Sitchon said the victims car was running above 100 kilometers per hour (kph) along
Aguinaldo Highway in Barangay (village) Crossing before it went out of control and slammed into a concrete wall of a
townhouse unit at around 3:30 a.m. on December 25.
A witness from a nearby hotel said the car screeched as it ran too fast, Sitchon said.
Sitchon said that at the time of the accident, the road was empty and well-lit and the weather was clear in the often
foggy city.
The victims families, all from Dasmarias City in Cavite, told the police that the group left their homes before
Christmas eve. The victims were all found to be intoxicated with alcohol based on the doctors findings, Sitchon said.
We also found messages on their cell phones about what drinks they planned to buy (before the accident), he said.
By Maricar Cinco
Inquirer Southern Luzon
December 26th, 2013

Weather News story
- about the forecasted weathers of an island (storms, el nio, la nia, low temperature, global warming, etc.)
Yolanda is most powerful typhoon for 2013---weather experts
MANILA, Philippines Yolanda (international name Haiyan) is the most powerful typhoon for 2013, US
meteorologists said Thursday, as they classified the supertyphoon as Category 5.
The most powerful tropical cyclone of 2013 anywhere on Earth is raging toward the Philippines, the US-based The
Weather Channel reported Wednesday at 5:16 p.m. EST (6 a.m. Thursday Philippine time) .
As of late Wednesday afternoon (US time), Super Typhoon Haiyan had top sustained winds near 175 (281 kilometers
per hour) mph according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center, it added.
The JTWC said in an update at 5 a.m. that Yolanda was expected to remain a supertyphoon in the next 36 hours.
More areas were placed under storm signals as Yolanda (international name Haiyan) headed towards Eastern Visayas,
the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical and Services Administration (Pagasa) said Thursday.
Yolanda is so far the strongest typhoon in the Philippines this year, said Pagasas Connie Dadivas . It is now packing
maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 250 kph.
Storm signals were raised in the following areas of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao:

Signal No. 2
Eastern Samar
Samar
Southern Leyte
Surigao Del Norte
Siargao Island
Dinagat Island
Northern part of Surigao Del Sur
Northern part of Agusan Del Norte

Signal No. 1
Camarines Norte
Camarines Sur
Catanduanes
Albay
Sorsogon
Ticao Island
Burias Island
Masbate
Romblon
Marinduque
Southern Quezon
Aklan
Capiz
Iloilo
Antique
Guimaras
Negros Occidental and Oriental
Cebu
Camotes Island
Bohol
Siquijor
Leyte
Biliran Island
Northern Samar
Camaguin
Misamis Oriental
Rest of Agusan del Norte
Agusan del Sur
Rest of Surigao del Sur

Yolanda was last observed 822 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur and continued to move west-northwest at
30 kilometers per hour. It is expected to make landfall over Eastern Visayas by Friday morning and exit the Philippine
area of responsibility by early Sunday if it continues with its speed.
Heavy to intense rains were seen within its 600 kilometer-diameter. Sea travel remained risky over the eastern seaboard
of Southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas.
The typhoon entered the Philippine area of responsibility Wednesday midnight.
Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon continued to affect Northern Luzon.
Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and
thunderstorms. The regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Ilocos will be partly cloudy to cloudy with light rains,
Pagasa said.
Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.
Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the
northeast to north over Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough.
By Frances Mangosing
INQUIRER.net
November 7th, 2013

Death News story
- news associated with the passing away of person/s, planned or not (untimely death, mass murder, etc.)
QC cops murder likely work-related, say investigators
MANILA, Philippines A Quezon City policeman was gunned down Sunday morning by a lone shooter outside his
Novaliches home while he was washing his Asian utility vehicle before driving to work.
SPO1 Michael Gayagoy Jr, 55, assigned with the follow-up section of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD)
Novaliches station, is the third local policeman to be killed since December 2013.
Supt. Norberto Babagay, the QCPD Novaliches station commander, said that Gayagoy was set for compulsory
retirement late this year and that the motive behind his killing was most likely work-related.
SPO1 Eric Lazo, of the QCPD Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (CIDU), said that Gayagoy sustained nine
bullet wounds in the head and in the body after he was cornered by the gunman.
He (Gayagoy) was not able to run for his gun and fire back because he apparently did not want collateral damage,
Lazo told the Philipine Daily Inquirer, explaining that there was a funeral wake at a neighbors house along Ibon Pilak
Street, Sitio Aguardiente, Barangay Sta. Monica in Novaliches.
Lazo said that before the killing, which happened at around 10 a.m., Gayagoy had been in the middle of his pre-duty
routine of cleaning his Toyota Tamaraw FX.
A witness told police an armed man suddenly appeared and fired at Gayagoy, who was initially able to duck for cover.
However, instead of running towards his house, Gayagoy ran away from it apparently to lead the gunman away. It was
then that he was cornered, repeatedly shot and instantly killed, the case investigator said.
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) recovered six bullet casings and four fired bullet slugs, all from a .45 pistol, at
the site.
Babagay said that the Novaliches policeman might have been targeted for his involvement in several cases, including
the recent killing of a murder suspect during a shootout.
The station commander also said that it was possible that Gayagoys death was orchestrated by drug offenders in the
area who were afraid of the victim. It was learned that before he was assigned to the Novaliches police station, Gayagoy
had been detailed with the anti-narcotics section of the QCPD Batasan Hills station.
Babagay said that the victims family had mentioned that Gayagoy previously received threats from a drug suspect he
arrested while assigned with his former police station.
The Novaliches station commander assured that all possible angles behind the killing would be investigated.
Before Gayagoys death, two other Quezon City policemen were gunned down and killed since last month.
On December 5, last year, SPO4 Edward Torio was ambushed and killed while he was driving to work on his owner-
type jeepney along Commonwealth Avenue.
Torio was overall supervisor of Task Force Commonwealth, tasked with conducting clearing operations against illegal
sidewalk vendors on the major thoroughfare.
Just last week PO1 Aldrin Castro, of the QCPD District Police Safety Battalion (DPSB), was on a motorcycle riding to
work when he was shot dead by one of two motorcycle-riding men in Taguig City. The suspects then took his
motorcycle and his service firearm before fleeing.

By Jeannette I. Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 12th, 2014

Political News story
- news concerned with the governments campaigns
Polls open in tense Thai national election
BANGKOK, ThailandThailands tense national election got underway Sunday with protesters forcing the closure of
several polling stations in the capital amid fears of more bloodshed a day after gun battles in Bangkok left seven people
wounded.
The extent of disruptions was not immediately clear when polls opened nationwide. But there were early indications that
several hundred polling stations in Bangkok and southern Thailand, an opposition stronghold, could not open because
protesters had blocked the delivery of ballots or stopped voters from entering.
Whatever happens, the outcome will almost certainly be inconclusive. Because protesters blocked candidate registration
in some districts, parliament will not have enough members to convene. That means beleaguered Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra will be unable to form a government or even pass a budget, and Thailand will be stuck in political
limbo for months as by-elections are run in constituencies that were unable to vote.
The risk of Election Day violence remained high a day after seven people were wounded during an hour-long gun fight
that broke out in broad daylight at a busy Bangkok intersection Saturday between government supporters and protesters
intent on derailing the polls. Among the injured was reporter for the local Daily News newspaper and American
photojournalist, James Nachtwey, who was grazed by a bullet in the leg.
The exchange of fire was the latest flare-up in a months-long campaign by protesters to overthrow Yinglucks
government, which they accuse of corruption. The violence crystallized the power struggle that has devolved into a
battle of wills between the government and protestersand those caught between who insist on their right to vote.
Under heavy police security, Yingluck cast her vote at a polling station in northeastern Bangkok, cheered on by
supporters.
Today is an important day, Yingluck told reporters. I would like to invite Thai people to come out and vote to uphold
democracy.
Voting was not as easy in other parts of Bangkok, where protesters vowed to fill the streets to prevent voters from
reaching polling stations.
At one of the more volatile districts of central Bangkok, a group of would-be voters in Din Daeng tried and failed to
push through a crowd of protesters.
This is too much. I want to vote, said 42-year-old Yupin Pintong, a Bangkok resident. I dont care if theres violence.
I will be really upset if I dont get to vote.
The conflict pits demonstrators who say they want to suspend the countrys fragile democracy to institute anti-
corruption reforms against Yinglucks supporters who know the election will not solve the nations crisis but insist the
right to vote should not be taken away.
The protesters, a minority that cannot win power at the polls, are demanding the government be replaced by an
unelected council that would rewrite political and electoral laws to combat deep-seated problems of corruption and
money politics. Yingluck has refused to step down, arguing she is open to reform and that such a council would be
unconstitutional.
Since protests began late last year, at least 10 people have been killed and nearly 600 wounded.
The political standoff in the streets meant the campaign, at least in the capital, was done without the usual billboards,
posters and sound trucks, with the pre-election buzz focused on violence instead of policies.
How did we get to this point? asked Chanida Pakdeebanchasak, a 28-year-old Bangkok resident who was determined
to cast her ballot Sunday no matter what happens.
Although unrest has already hit Bangkok and polling stations were not expected to open in some parts of the south,
voting was expected to proceed smoothly in most of the country.
Police said they will deploy 100,000 officers nationwide, while the army is putting 5,000 soldiers into Bangkok to boost
security. More than 47 million people are registered to vote.
A power vacuum may entice the military to step in and declare a coup as it did in 2006, when Yinglucks elder brother,
ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was deposed. Thaksin lives in exile but has remained a centraland highly
polarizingfigure in Thailands political strife ever since. The rural majority in the north adore him for his populist
policies, such as virtually free health care, while Bangkoks elite and many in the south consider him and his family a
corrupting influence on the country. Protesters say Yingluck is a puppet of her billionaire brother.
Another possibility is what is being called a judicial coup. Analysts say the courts and the countrys independent
oversight agencies all tilt heavily against the Shinawatras political machine, and Yinglucks opponents are already
studying legal justifications to nullify Sundays vote.

From Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 2nd, 2014

Event News story
- occasions and holidays (New Year, Christmas, anniversary, etc.)
No Christmas break for policemen
Like Santas elves, policemen will be kept busy manning their shifts during the Christmas holidays.
Director-General Alan Purisima, chief of the Philippine National Police, yesterday said policemen will not break for the
holidays and are instead will be keeping watch over communities. The countrys top cop was in Cebu yesterday to
preside over the command conference of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7).
We do our jobs this Christmas season because our fellow countrymen need us, that is why we dont have vacation, he
said.
The number of crimes did not increase during the holiday season in the past years because of police visibility, Purisima
explained, also reminding the public to be vigilant against thieves.

We are enhancing our operations for the different activities this Christmas. Taon-taon may ginagawa tayong hakbang
para mabawasan ang krimen sa mga simbahan, he added.
After the conference, Purisima led the recognition of seven police personnel for their outstanding performance.
The awardees were: Supt. Alet Virtucio, Insp. Fortunato Villafuerte and PO1 Albert Jucom of Bohol, Supt. Rex Derilo
of the regional intelligence division, and Insp. James Conaco, SPO2 Meliton Agadier and PO2 Pepo Ansag of Cebu
province.
He lauded the Central Visayas policemen for their organized and well thought-out response to the recent calamities.

By Michelle Joy L. Padayhag
December 15th, 2013

Flood News story
- the event is about flash floods and/or land/mudslides
Davao landslides, floods kill 14
DAVAO CITY, Philippines At least 14 people died while 34 others were hurt after landslides and flashfloods brought
by a low-pressure area struck towns that are still recovering from the devastation of typhoon Pablo.
The Office of Civil Defense-Southern Mindanao said four persons from Monkayo, Compostela Valley and a resident
from Lupon, Davao Oriental, have been reported missing.
A six-year-old girl was killed while 10 others were wounded after a series of landslides hit the mining area of Mt.
Diwata in Monkayo town on Sunday.
Another four-year-old-child was killed in the nearby village of Babag in the same town.
Three miners were also killed and one person was hurt in Sitio (sub-village) Bango, Barangay (village) Ngan, in
Compostela, Compostela Vice Mayor Reynaldo Castillo Jr. said.
The OCD added that another resident was killed in Barangay Andap, New Bataan, also in Compostela Valley. The
village was one of the hardest-hit by typhoon Pablo. Meanwhile, a 70-year-old woman was killed by landslide in
Tagbaros village, Maco town in Compostela Valley.
In Davao Oriental, five people were declared dead while 23 others were wounded in the village of Bangol in Tarragona
town. Another resident died in the nearby village of Tubaon.
A resident was also killed in the village of Marayag in Lupon town.
Meanwhile, 25,634 families or 128,215 persons are temporarily taking shelter in 79 evacuation centers in 16
municipalities and two cities in the region.
At least 33 roads and bridges were damaged making the search and rescue operations harder for the emergency
responders.
Some 1,971 families or over 7,000 persons have been staying in evacuation centers in Compostela Valley, and most of
the roads there are still impassable to light vehicles, according to Raul Villocino, provincial disaster action officer.
In Davao del Norte, 1,508 families or 5,760 individuals were evacuated to safer ground as rivers, particularly Saug ang
Liboganon, swelled from waters heading downstream, Romulo Tagalo, provincial information officer, said.
The junction of the Pan-Philippine highway in Bincungan, Tagum, was also rendered impassable as water from the
mountains already reached downstream, Tagalo said, even as he called on residents to heed government calls to
evacuate.
Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario also ordered the suspension of classes throughout the province due to the bad weather, Tagalo
said.
Several local government units (LGUs) in Davao del Norte, have been placed under a state calamity, so funds could be
used in providing help to affected areas.
In Surigao del Norte, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Gilbert Gonzales said several areas
were also flooded, while a person was reported missing, Gonzales said.
On Monday, evacuations of residents continue as flooding persisted in several towns in Compostela Valley and Davao
del Norte.
The LPA was last observed 70 kilometers southwest of Cagayan de Oro City, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical
and Astronomical Services Administration said at its 10:30 a.m. weather advisory.
Pagasa said the LPA would bring cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms over Caraga,
Zamboanga Peninsula, Eastern and Central Visayas and Bicol region.

By Frinston Lim
Inquirer Mindanao
January 13th, 2014

Sports News story
- everything about sports
Everything I needed to know about volleyball, I learned in Ateneo-La Salle game
I remember when I first fell in love with volleyball: I accidentally switched to an Ateneo-La Salle game and was never
the same. For someone whos naturally geared toward basketball, both as a player and spectator, I just never expected
myself to be so hooked on a game that involved girls being airborne while wearing really nice uniforms.
No, really.
The first thing that grabbed me was the intensity. Girls in competition are truly sights to beholdtheir focused faces are
full of magic. To confess, I was confused at firstonly to discover soon enough that volleyball rules were in fact pretty
simple (unlike footballs off-side rule, for example). So simple were they that in no time at all, I was already holding my
breath throughout the rallies and screaming at the television whenever a point was won or lost.
My first exposure to the Ateneo-La Salle volleyball rivalry ended with La Salle winning the five-set thriller. This was
fairly recent and certainly no more than a couple of years agoMichelle Gumabao of La Salle was, I think, in her
sophomore year and I had a huge crush on Ateneos Bea Pascual. I remember being so tornboth sides had equally
talented (not to mention insanely pretty) players, and at that time, the game was so close that it didnt matter who won;
everything was beautiful and nothing hurt, etc.
This brings me to this seasons first Ateneo-La Salle face-off in Januaryremember that one? Of course. It was a
f***ing golden moment in Philippine volleyball, you guys. I will never tire of re-telling this: That afternoon, La Salle
was down by two sets, and went on to win in the fifth set. I MEAN SERIOUSLY. Aint reigning champs for nothing,
eh? That was arguably my most unproductive afternoon at work, ever, but I regret nothing. Not even the embarrassing
all-caps tweets that contained nothing but names and strings of non-words.
Anyway. Their second meeting at the Mall of Asia arena on Feb. 9the first volleyball game at the venuegathered
more than 19,000 fans who eagerly awaited a repeat of the five-set thriller. The game ended in a three-set sweep by the
defending champs. While it was a game very well played, I guess I was slightly disappointed that it didnt go on longer
as La Salle outplayed Ateneo at every juncture.
That said, having both teams play for the UAAP crown is an absolute dream come true. And I expect everything to be
beautiful again.
I wouldnt call myself avidnot just yetbut I do have a list of things that would probably turn the occasional
spectator to someone as hooked as I am:
Group hugs. I love how much teamwork goes into this game and how every point, whether won or lost, ends in a group
hug. I understand that it must be a sort of huddle in between serves, but I bet hugs do boost performance. The whole
thing makes me wonder why we dont do that in basketball games. (Disclaimer: I tried doing this with my teammates,
and got very strange reactions. Eventually gave up the whole group hug thing altogether.)
(P.S. I recently discovered that youre actually also allowed to hug your opponents. What is this game, its so magical.)
Taunting at the net. Oh man, attitude. Say what you want, but girls and their swagger are just the best things ever. I
mean, dont you just love it when someone comes up with a big block or kill, then when she gets back to the ground she
does a little shimmy or that subtler (but equally fierce) across-the-net staredown? True, annoying when its against your
team, but it feels pretty good when youre on the winning side. (My favorite in this department: Mika Reyes.)
Bodies on the floor. You gotta love the girls who know how to dig and dive. You know that moment when you almost
release the breath youve been holding thinking your teams finally broken a rally only to have the other teams pesky
libero push a fist between the ball and thefloor, thereby keeping the ball alive? Yep. The sensations a cross between
choking and being kicked in the chest AND YET it feels so damned good. How does volleyball do that, exactly? I dont
know, you tell me. All I know is that when there are too many bodies sliding across the floor, this must be a good game
Im watching.
Womens (airborne) bodies in motion. People call it ogling, I call it appreciation. Do you know how hard it is to be
beautiful while in mid-air (and sweaty)? Yep. Even more awesome? Mid-air adjustments.
Killer spikes and solid walls. Practically the deciding factors of most, if not all, matches. The sort of spikes I love best
come from nowhere, really. You dont see them come from such great heights and before you know it, theyre already
landing on the floor with really decisive-sounding thuds. About the same sound your jaw makes when it drops in awe.
Yep. (My favorites in this department: Ara Galang and Alyssa Valdez.)
On the other hand, La Salle is currently the leagues top team in terms of blockingits almost like playing with a wall
throughout, and Im absolutely in love with it. Speaking of things Im in love with: These girls and their really long
legs. That is all. (Favorites in this department: Gumabao, Aby Marano, Mika Reyes.
Game faces. You know that face Gumabao pulls when shes serving, the one where shes all intense and focused?
Thats the one. I love that tense pause between getting ready to hit the ball and actually serving it across the net.
Celebration. I love how visible the players reactions are bless you, UAAP cameramen, for knowing when to zoom in
on whom. Apart from the intense joyful hugging, I also love: Sisterly ruffling of hair, outstretched arms reaching for the
sky, and the occasional kneeling on the floor.
New vocabulary. A few of my favorite new phrases: Down the line, off-speed, drop ball, back row attack, and (my
favoritest)joust. But only because I enjoy imagining these girls on horses, holding these really long swords. I think.
Editors Note: Kate Pedroso, 28, is a researcher at the Philippine Daily Inquirer. Group hugs amaze her like unicorns
spitting rainbows and perfect sunsets amaze other people. She still hasnt succeeded making group hugs after every
point a part of the basketball culture.

By Kate Pedroso
Philippine Daily Inquirer
March 1st, 2013

War News story
- forces against each other are the main topic
Army activates expanded anti-terrorist unit Thursday
MANILA, Philippines-The militarys Light Reaction Regiment will be activated tomorrow, Thursday, during the 23rd
Founding Anniversary of the Special Operations Command (SOCOM) at its headquarters in Fort Magsaysay in Nueva
Ecija.
With the activation, the former battalion would be expanded into a regiment composed of six companies which would
be put under the command of Colonel Teodoro A. Llamas, who was provisionally activated on January 1.
Formerly known as Light Reaction Battalion, the Light Reaction Regiment would include the 4th Light Reaction
Company which is expected to be activated this year while the 5th and 6th Light Reaction Companies would be formed
not later than 2015.
In an earlier statement, Army Chief Lieutenant General Noel Coballes said that the battalion has proven its mettle in the
countrys counter-terrorism efforts during the Zamboanga siege.
Among the units expertise are hostage rescue operations, special reconnaissance, special operations target interdiction,
direct action operations and counter-terrorist operations.

By Bong Lozada
INQUIRER.net
January 15th, 2014

A newswriter must:
have paper and pen for taking down notes
be ready for actions, if someones to be interviewed
be alert; knows whats happening around him
be persuasive in knowing the truth
look in every details of the event
fully understand the topic he will write
know the background or history of his topic
be responsible for what he writes
not confuse the readers
Principles on Effective Writing according to Philippine Press Institute (PPI):
Think first, then write
Get to the Point
Use Familiar Words
Omit unnecessary words
Keep your sentences short
Shorten your paragraph
Use specific, concrete language
Prefer the simple to the complex
Be positive
Use the active voice
Write as you talk
Use adjectives sparingly
Revise and sharpen
Write to express, not to impress
Odds and ends

Tips for newswriters according to Alito L. Maliano
Be inquisitive
Be constant with your purpose
Be fair and balanced
Be genuinely interested in people
Seek the truth
Be resourceful
Have guts
Master your grammar
Know your medium
Read

Contents of a basic news story
Lead:
-it tells the reader what the news is about, and includes who, what, where, when and why
-better if its composed of less than 35 words
-attracts readers to continue reading
-usually the first sentence of the news story
-gives the most important information about the event (this is often called a summary lead according to
www.gwu.edu.com)
- should be supplied with facts, quotes and statements that supports the information
Types of Leads:
- Summary Lead-states the topic directly; most used in newswriting
Aquino flying to KL Feb. 27 for state visit
MANILA, PhilippinesPresident Aquino will fly to Malaysia on Feb. 27 for a two-day state visit on the invitation of
the Malaysian king and the prime minister, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Thursday.
Aquino will be welcomed by Tuanku Abdul Halim, Malaysias king (Yang di-Pertuan Agong) or head of state, who will
host a state banquet for the President.
Aquino will meet with Prime Minister Najib Razak and they are expected to discuss the coming signing of the
Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, as well as matters of mutual concern between the Philippines and
Malaysia, including political, economic and defense cooperation, the DFA said in a statement.
The Philippine government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed the Annex on Normalization, the last
of the four annexes of the GPH-MILF Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro on Jan. 25.
Malaysia has hosted and facilitated the GPH-MILF peace talks since 2001 in Kuala Lumpur.
Aquino will also keynote a Business Opportunities Forum with the Malaysian business community, where he is
expected to highlight the Philippines positive economic growth and invite them to invest in the country, particularly in
Mindanao. He will also hold meetings with Malaysian businessmen and corporation heads.
The President will meet with the Filipino community in Kuala Lumpur, and encourage them to promote Philippine
interests and help raise the countrys profile as resilient and a viable investment and tourism destination.
This will be Aquinos first visit to Malaysia. Najib visited the Philippines in October 2012, upon the invitation of the
President, to witness the signing of the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro.
Not all is well between the two countries, however. Sabah remains a sore point.
In February last year, the state of Sabah in Malaysia was invaded by armed fighters of the Sultanate of Sulu to enforce
the latters claim to the land. At least 68 people were reported killed in the four-month standoff with Malaysian security
forces that ensued.
The Philippines, whose claim to Sabah remains dormant, denounced the attacks.

By Jerome Aning
Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 21st, 2014

- Novelty Lead-used in some events particularly those under the human interest
Heart-warming messages to patients etched in snow
MINNEAPOLIS At ground level, the patted-down snow doesn't look like much. But from the hospital windows
above, the messages are quite clear. The latest are the words "love" and "believe," along with a peace symbol. Each time
there's fresh snow, there's a new message.
And the huge messages on the frozen Mississippi River are giving patients at St. Cloud Hospital a lift.
Nurse Mary Habiger has seen a man and woman in snow shoes stamping out the messages. She says the mystery man
and woman seem well organized and plan their messages in advance.
Habiger tells there are lots of family lounges in the hospital that face the river. So even if a patient's room doesn't
overlook the river, they can view the messages from there.

By Associated Press
February 11, 2014

- Punch or astonisher lead- a short but snappy sentence
Pacquiao earns 7th title in 7th class
LAS VEGAS -- Manny Pacquiao's speed and power were way too much for Miguel Cotto's heart.
Pacquiao put on yet another dominating performance Saturday night, knocking down Cotto twice and turning his face
into a bloody mess before finally stopping him at 55 seconds of the 12th round.
The Filipino star used his blazing speed and power from both hands to win his seventh title in seven weight classes and
cement his stature as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Cotto took such a beating that his face was a river of
red from the fury of Pacquiao's punches, but he refused to quit even as his corner tried to throw in the towel after the
11th round.
"I didn't know from where the punches were coming," Cotto said.
The fight was billed as a 145-pound classic, and in the early rounds it didn't disappoint. The two went after each other
with a vengeance and Cotto more than held his own as they traded punches in the center of the ring before a roaring
sellout crowd at the MGM Grand arena.
Pacquiao dropped Cotto with a right hand early in the third round, but he wasn't badly hurt and came back to finish the
round strong. But after Pacquiao put Cotto on the canvas with a big left hand late in the fourth round, the Puerto Rican
was never the same again.
Cotto won two rounds on the scorecards of two ringside judges and just one round on the card of the third. The
Associated Press gave Cotto just the first round.
"Our plan was not to hurry, but to take our time," Pacquiao said. "It was a hard fight tonight and I needed time to test his
power."
Cotto's face was marked early and he was bleeding midway through the fight as Pacquiao kept bouncing around and
throwing punches in his unorthodox southpaw style. Cotto tried to keep taking the fight to Pacquiao, but by then his
punches had lost their sting and his only real chance was to land a big punch from nowhere.
"He hit harder than we expected and he was a lot stronger than we expected," Cotto's trainer, Joe Santiago, said.
Cotto fought gamely, but in the later rounds he was just trying to survive as blood flowed down his face and Pacquiao
came after him relentlessly. Santiago tried to stop the fight after the 11th round, but Cotto went back out to take even
more punishment before a final flurry along the ropes prompted referee Kenny Bayless to end it.
Cotto's wife and child, who were at ringside, left after the ninth round, unable to watch the beating any longer. They
later accompanied him to a local hospital for a post-fight examination.
"My health comes first. I just want to make sure I'm fine, but I feel great. I'm swollen but that's all," Cotto said.
His face swollen, Cotto was bleeding from his nose and his cuts, and he simply couldn't stop Pacquiao from bouncing
inside and throwing both hands at will.
"Manny Pacquiao is one of the best boxers I ever fought," Cotto said.
Pacquiao, coming off of spectacular wins over Oscar De La Hoya and Ricky Hatton, added another one against Cotto,
who had lost only once and held the WBO version of the welterweight title.
Pacquiao did it in his trademark way, throwing punches in flurries and from all angles until Cotto began to slow down.
Then he pursued him nonstop until the end.
The fight likely will set up an even bigger one against Floyd Mayweather Jr., and many in crowd were already chanting,
"We want Floyd! We want Floyd."
"I want to see him fight Mayweather," trainer Freddie Roach said.
Mayweather may have second thoughts after Pacquiao did what no fighter has done before -- win a belt in a seventh
weight class. More impressive, though, is how he has fought, dismantling opponents despite moving up consistently
from 106 pounds to the 144 he weighed for the fight.
The welterweight ranks will be the last ones Pacquiao conquers, though.
"This is the last weight division for me," Pacquiao said. "It's history for me and more importantly a Filipino did it."
He was so dominant in the later rounds that Cotto was fighting backward most of the way, simply trying to survive.
Pacquiao was credited with landing almost twice as many punches -- 336-172 -- as Cotto.
"I knew when Cotto started backing up, the fight was over," Roach said.
Pacquiao earned a minimum $13 million, while Cotto got $7 million.
Pacquiao was favored, largely off his last two performances in which he forced De La Hoya to quit on his stool and then
knocked out Hatton with a huge left hook in the second round. Some in boxing, including Roach, thought Cotto had
been slowed by his devastating loss last year to Antonio Margarito and would be further slowed by having to come in 2
pounds lower than his normal weight.
That wasn't the case early in the fight, with Cotto winning the first round and fighting well. Once he was knocked down
by a big left hand late in the fourth round, though, he slowed noticeably.

November 15, 2009
The Associated Press

- Direct quotation lead-taken as exactly as the said words from a certain person
Sotto bewildered by uproar over legality of online libel
MANILA, Philippines Whats wrong with libel? so asked Senator Vicente Tito Sotto III amid protests on
the Supreme Courts decision declaring online libel constitutional.
Sotto, who proposed the online libel provision in the Cybercrime Law, said he could not understand the uproar against
online libel when a similar law on libel is being imposed on journalists.
You are all subject to libel while only a few bad eggs will be subject to online libel. They are only few
because majority of netizens are responsible. There are only a few malicious bad eggs, he told reporters on Wednesday
in mixed English and Filipino.
Why should these malicious bad eggs be given the right to ruin the reputation of people when you, journalists, have to
follow the law? Thats the question that they have to answer. Whats wrong with libel ?
They have completely misunderstood the word libel. Akala ko pa naman marurunong sila, samantalang kami iskul
bukol lang e naiintindihan naming yung Revised Penal Code. Ano ba sila? he said.
Sotto rejected perceptions that online libel runs counter with the freedom of expression. He said freedom of expression
is alive and kicking in the Philippines.
He also dismissed allegations that the passage of the cybercrime law, particularly the online libel, was meant to protect
legislators, who had been the target of criticisms online.
Why will I need protection from them? They need protection for themselves, I mean the bad eggs, the malicious bad
eggs, Sotto added.


By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
February 19th, 2014

- Descriptive lead-made up of sentences that purely describes the event
Quake kills 52 in Negros Oriental
DUMAGUETE CITYAt least 52 people were killed when a 6.9-magnitude earthquake hit Negros and Cebu
provinces shortly before noon Monday, causing landslides and huge cracks on highways, and violently shaking
buildings, officials said.
A three-story building collapsed, while seven bridges were rendered impassable, they said.
In Guihulngan City, Negros Oriental, at least 29 people were feared dead following a landslide in Barangay (village)
Planas, Mayor Ernesto Reyes said in a phone interview. He said there could be more fatalities in other barangays.
They were buried in 30 feet (10 meters) of soil. If you had been buried from noon until now (6 p.m.), I dont expect
you to be alive, Reyes said.
Rescuers dug with picks and shovels trying to reach dozens of people trapped under houses that collapsed, according to
The Associated Press (AP).
Ten others died due to a landslide at the Guihulngan national road, Reyes said.
Governor Roel Degamo said a 9-year-old girl, Bernadette Raidan, died when a wall collapsed in Tayasan town.
Twelve other fatalities were listed by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Eight were
from Guihulngan, one each from Jimalalud and Bindoy towns, and two from Tayasan.
The earthquake, which struck at 11:49 a.m., was located 5 kilometers northwest of Tayasan town in Negros Oriental,
and was tectonic in origin. It had a depth of 10 km. The US Geological Survey placed the magnitude at 6.7.
In Manila, Malacaang urged the people affected by the earthquake to remain watchful and calm, and to cooperate with
the authorities while the threat of immediate dangers appears to have passed.
President Benigno Aquino III ordered the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) to
assess and collate the extent of the damage and casualties, and to provide the necessary interventions, his spokesperson,
Edwin Lacierda, said in a statement.
Tsunami warning
The temblor also prompted a tsunami warning from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs),
alerting residents near the coastal areas of Negros and Cebu to watch for unusual waves but not requiring any
evacuation.
The alert was canceled after no further reports of unusual sea level changes were received after the two-hour extended
observation period.
But more aftershocks could be expected in the next few weeks in areas near the epicenter, according to Ishmael Narag,
officer in charge of the Phivolcs seismology division. As of 1 p.m. Monday, Phivolcs had recorded 16 aftershocks.
The quake triggered another landslide in the mountain village of Solongon in La Libertad town, also in Negros Oriental.
An unknown number of people were trapped, said Inspector Eric Arrol Besario, the town police chief.
Were now getting shovels and chainsaws to start a rescue because there were people trapped inside. Some of them
were yelling for help earlier, Besario told AP by phone. Three key bridges in the town cracked and were no longer
passable, he said.
The earthquake sent shoppers scrambling under tables and workers and students rushing out of their buildings in cities
of Negros and Cebu.
Classes in all public and private schools in Negros Oriental were suspended, while businesses in Dumaguete City were
closed.
Building cracks
In Negros Occidental, the earthquake caused cracks in the city halls of Sagay and Cadiz, and the city hospital and
gymnasium of Himamaylan.
Big waves damaged two houses and an ambulance fell on its side in Barangay Martilu, La Libertad, according to Mayor
Lawrence Limkaichong. Two houses were also reported damaged in the town of Jimalalud, some 100 kilometers north
of Dumaguete.
Huge waves washed out five bamboo and wooden cottages from a beach resort in La Libertad, but there were no reports
of injuries, said Superintendent Ernesto Tagle. Elsewhere along the coast, people rushed out of schools, malls and
offices.
Two people died in another town close to the epicenter, Tayasan, including a child when a concrete fence of a house
collapsed, said Benito Ramos, head of the Office of Civil Defense.
Church wall collapse
Another child was killed in a church when a wall collapsed during a funeral in Negros Orientals Jimalalud town, Mayor
Reynaldo Tuanda said.
Tayasan police officer Alfred Vicente Silvosa told AP by phone that aftershocks were preventing people from returning
to their homes.
We are outside, at the town plaza. We cannot inspect buildings yet because its dangerous, Silvosa said. I felt the
building shaking, so I rushed out of the building. Our computers, shelves, plates, the cupboards, water dispenser all
fell.
A three-story office building also collapsed in La Libertad, but occupants escaped.
Scared cops
The Negros Oriental police chief, Edward Carranza, said police rushed out of his building when the quake struck. All
my personnel ran out fearing our building would collapse, he said.
Now its shaking again, he said as an aftershock hit. My keychain is dancing.
In Negros Occidental, Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia ordered the suspension of work and classes in all public
and private offices and institutions. He, however, directed the citys disaster team to be on alert and to inspect buildings
for cracks.
In Iloilo City, employees and students rushed out of offices and classrooms as buildings swayed. Classes in the city and
province were suspended in anticipation of aftershocks. Government employees were sent home in the afternoon.
A blackout occurred in the city, but power was normalized at 3:45 p.m.
The earthquake was slightly felt in Boracay Island and a few Mindanao and Luzon provinces.
Medical attention
Guihulngan Mayor Reyes said about 100 people were injured and brought for treatment to Guihulngan District Hospital
and neighboring district hospitals.
Reyes said Guihulngan had about 100 patients who are in need of immediate medical attention. We need to transport
these patients to Bacolod, Cebu or Dumaguete but our roads and bridges are impassable, he said.
Food and medicines were waiting in the provincial capital of Dumaguete, but the aid could not reach the villages in
need because of damaged roads and bridges.
There is a Canadian and an Indian doctor who are here for an earlier scheduled medical mission and its a good thing
they are helping us, Reyes said. They have some medicines with them but that may not be enough.
All bridges and roads leading to the north and south of the city were damaged, leaving it isolated, he said. These
included the bridges of Martilo in La Libertad, Pangaluan in Jimalalud town, and Tinayonan in Guihulngan.
Many buildings were damaged, he said. The Landbank building is leaning on one side while a portion of our public
market collapsed.
Cracks appeared along sections of the national highway and on public and private buildings, the Provincial Disaster
Risk Reduction and Management Council said in a statement.
Series of quakes
The first earthquake occurred at 11:49 a.m. with a magnitude of 6.8 and a depth of 20 km. The epicenter was located 72
km north of Dumaguete, 74 km west-northwest of Tagbilaran City and 80 km west-southwest of Cebu.
A second tremor hit various areas in the Visayas at 12:03 p.m. at a depth of 34.8 km. The epicenter was located 62 km
north of Dumaguete, 69 km west-northwest of Tagbilaran and 84 km southwest of Cebu.
Still, a third tremor was felt at 12:20 p.m. with a magnitude of 4.8 and a depth of 34.8 km. The epicenter was located 71
km south-southeast of Bacolod City, 84 km west-southwest of Cebu and 84 km north of Dumaguete City.
Bobby Caete of the local Phivolcs station in Palo town in Leyte said that the series of earthquakes felt in the region
was caused by the movement of the Philippine Sea Plate diving down under eastern Philippines along the Philippine
Trench. With reports from J hunnex Napallacan, Carla Gomez and Nestor Burgos J r., I nquirer Visayas; Christine O.
Avendao and Leila B. Salaverria in Manila; and AP

By Alex Pal, Florence Baesa, Inquirer Visayas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 7th, 2012

- Question lead-a question pertaining or leading to the topic
A postYolanda Christmas
Why do these things happen? It cant be explained. There are so many things we cannot understand. In these moments
of suffering, dont shy away from asking why?
Pope Francis to Filipinos
After six million Jews died in an attempted genocide by the Nazis in the 1930s and 1940s, many grappled with the
question whether it is still possible to talk of a good God after the Holocaust. More pointedly, it was said that the test of
theologys authenticity is whether it can explain the victimization even of infants in gas chambers.
The unspeakable tragedy experienced by the Jews was human-made. The issue of a loving God and suffering can even
be more puzzling in the face of natural disasters. The question was raised when an earthquake hit Lisbon in 1755, killing
50,000 people. More recently, the same problem was posed when an earthquake in the Indian Ocean resulted in a
tsunami that killed more than a hundred thousand people in 2004 and when another tsunami hit Japan in 2011. Does
God choose which areas disasters can strike? If yes, what is the basis of the choice.
There are those who show much self-righteousness in their certainty that a calamity like Yolanda was brought about by
God because of some ungodly laws recently passed. As if they have answers coming straight from heaven, these people
believe that God is punishing us for our wrongdoing which they are not a part of. But in the quote above, Pope Francis
shows empathy with the victims as he too wrestles with the question of the whys of Yolanda.
We see the different approaches of the self-righteous and of Pope Francis in the story of Job in the Old Testament. Job
was pious and upright. Yet, he experienced enormous misfortunes: He lost his family and his property and he himself
was afflicted with a serious physical ailment. The friends of Job told him that despite external appearances, he must
have grievously sinned since such tragedies could not have fallen on a righteous man.
Job, on the other hand, raised a question, Why me? He believed that if tragedies are punishments from God, his
suffering was undeserved.
Unfortunately, God did not give a direct and categorical answer to Job.

Maybe, there is really no intellectually satisfying answer and thus we continue with the struggle with one of the most
important questions we ask every time we encounter human suffering: If God is loving and powerful, why is there
suffering? Could not a powerful and loving God at least command the waters and the winds to temper their destructive
tendencies?
To these questions is added the problem of absurdity and fairness: Why is this poor country that contributes only
infinitesimal percentage points to total global warming more prone to what could be its effects?
The usual answer, oftentimes given without much thought, is that although God does not will disasters as such, God
allows these to happen for a greater good. But one who lost his family and friends will find his suffering too heavy a
price for whatever greater good that can be achieved. If the greater good is to make Filipinos more generous and united,
why should the people of Eastern Visayas suffer? Besides, can not the greater good be achieved without much
suffering?
An interesting idea is that nature itself has the capacity to make decisions which may contradict the will of God. To
illustrate this idea, we point to the sad fact that we humans often go against what we ourselves believe to be Gods will.
But cannot nature do the same? Did the raging waters and the all-powerful wind defy Gods will?
We will never have definite answers to these questions. Indeed, some would say that it is idle to speculate on how the
mind of God works. Some thinkers have a valid point in asserting that instead of asking why there is suffering and pain,
let us focus our energies on fighting against unnecessary suffering.
However, asking the question may be unavoidable for a sincere believer who experiences tragedies. The Pope asks us to
keep asking the question why. The question can in fact turn into our own prayer, a heart-to-heart conversation with God.
If the question remains unanswered, still we have the greatest consolation: that God suffers with us. As we celebrate
Christmas, let us remind ourselves that it is basically a story of God who assumed our human limitations when he
participated in the rough and tumble world of human affairs. That God is one with us may not alleviate physical
suffering but may give us assurance that suffering is not the last word.
Yolanda may have sent tens of thousands of people to tents but the infant Jesus also was in a manger, perhaps together
with foul-smelling sheep. Yolanda may have forced people to go to other provinces away from natures wrath; but Jesus
was also forced to go to Egypt away from the intent of Herod to massacre infants. The victims of Yolanda may have felt
further victimized by political machinations; Jesus was born in the context of a census whose purpose may have been
the systematization of an oppressive tax collection. The victims of Yolanda may have experienced the absence of
electricity for weeks but the Israelites then were also hoping for a light in the midst of darkness.
The message of Jesus to the victims can be, I am a fellow victim. Let us cry together. But together, we hope for a better
world.

By Fr. Ramon D. Echica
Cebu Daily News
December 29th, 2013

Background
-is there any history or background the reader needs in order to understand how a problem or action occurred?
Impact
-whenever possible, the writer should explain how the news affects the readers. The impact sentence or
paragraph should answer these questions:
- What is the significance of the story?
- What in the story makes the reader care?
-not all stories can show a direct impact on readers, but they should all have a clear paragraph explaining the
reason for the story.
Elaboration
-supporting points related to the main issue constitute elaboration. These can be statements, quotes or more
detail to explain what happened, how, and why the problem or action occurred.
Ending
-the most common type of ending is the future action (statement or quote that summarizes previous information;
basically let the readers to think their own best way of what they are going to do in the future)
-avoid summary endings that repeat what you have already said if possible
Officer Outreach Program Shatters Stereotypes
BY JAMES MAGDEN

Elk Creek, Alberta Any mention of teenagers and police officers in the same setting generally conjures up images of
wild house parties getting bustedwhich is precisely the image Sgt. Karin Occino wants to change.

Starting September 1, the Alberta Police Station is organizing daily office hours, officially known as Officer Hours,
that place a designated sergeant at the high school for an hour each day in an effort to improve relations between teens
and the police in town.

There wasnt always such a strained relationship with the kids in this town, said Occino. A few years ago, the
majority of teens and youths knew most of the officers by name and viewed them as a source of protection. Now it
seems like were distrustedseen only as the bad guy that comes out and ruins their fun. Thats not how its supposed
to be.

Senior class president Carly Roy fully endorses the idea: Having access to an officer who can answer our questions and
just maintain a presence in the school will be a really great step toward keeping things friendly between us and the cops.
They wont just be these stiff, mean people who are out to get us. It wont be an us vs. them thing anymore.

Officers Roger Filmore, Cecilia Moore, and Guy Perrier have already volunteered to spend time in the high schools
guidance office from 3 to 4 pm and talk to students on a first-come, first-served basis.

I remember being a kid, said Sgt. Filmore, and if you dont know an officer personally, its really easy to see us as
intimidating or as jerks, depending on what youve been hearing from other kids, siblings, or parents. I dont want there
to be any kids who dont come to us because they think we dont care. Were not just here to stop crime; were here to
keep you safe in every way possible, even if that just means giving advice.

This initiative comes after the Police Commission revealed statistics that indicate the number of infractions issued to
youths and teens in town has more than doubled over the last five years.

Alberta High School Principal Hillary Souza says she worked with Sgt. Occino on the initiative and she couldnt be
happier that the idea has come to fruition.

This is a wonderful idea. Not to shine my own shoes here, but I think its just what these kids need, said Souza.
There have been some students here in the past who have gone astray, unfortunately. I know for a fact that, if they had
had a positive authority figure present, they would have stayed on the right track.

Here are some useful tips in newswriting:
Copyread/Proofread many times
Checking the article many times will help you impress your readers/ the company where you will submit your
entry. You may need the help of other copyreaders/proofreaders to double and triple check your story.
Start strong
Your headline, summary and first paragraph should clarify your news. The rest of your news should provide the
details. You only have a matter of seconds to grab your readers' attention, so you want to capture it with a strong
opening.
Write professionally
Make sure not to agree with one side. A news writer must not give his opinions. The information you will give
should be based on truth, not on speculations and simple observations. False accusations will affect your readers
beliefs. This will show that a news writer is doing his work professionally.
Pick an angle
When you write a news release, pick an angle that will ensure the announcement is timely. Make sure that your
release has a good news hook. Tying your news to current events, recent studies, trends and social issues brings
relevance, urgency and importance to your message. However, there may be cases where the past is questioned. Either
its untimely interesting or just the continuation of a postponed event.
Illustrate the solution
A news writer may suggest a solution to the problem. If the solution is based on real life experiences, the
readers will understand more that your solution may not be perfect, but its the best.
Stick to the facts
Tell the truth, not rumors. Avoid bluff, flowery words and exaggerations. Speculations as informations will
degrade your article. The writer may be filed a case if the details he wrote is not true. This will help the readers to judge
the situation fairly.
Use active voice
Verbs in the active voice bring your story to life. Rather than writing "entered into a partnership," use
"partnered" instead. Do not be afraid to use strong verbs. Writing in this manner helps give life and energy to your
composition, which may make your article unique from the others.
Use simple words
Using complex words will bore your readers. Long words and headlines will make your article rejected.
Eliminate unnecessary adjectives, too much flowery language or redundant expressions such as "added bonus" or "first
time ever." Make each word count. If you can tell your story with fewer words, you'll have better results with your
readers.
-http://service.prweb.com/learning/article/how-to-write-a-successful-news-release/
What is news? It is information only. - Walter Cronkite, former CBS News anchor
Activity 1
Compose a sports news story using a punch lead given the information below:
What: Suspension for one day of Los Angeles Lakers Nick Young
Why: he threw a punch at Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic
When: the announcement was a day after the game which was held January 15, 2014
Who: Los Angeles Lakers guard, Nick Young
Phoenix Suns guard Goran Dragic
Activity 2
Compose a fire news story using the information below:
What: Fire
Where: Harrison St. Pasay City
When: 8 pm, Friday, October 17
Why: faulty electrical wiring
How: three buildings razed to the ground: Go Chong Sari-sari Store, Ever Pharmacy,
Ramos Grocery
Who: two persons died. Identified by the police as jose Ramos, 18;Maria Moncada, 26, a housewife
:six were injured (state some names and ages)
:according to witness, Juan Reyes, security guard: The fire started at the ceiling of Ever Pharmacy
:fire spread rapidly due to strong wind coming from the sea
:fire was put out three hours later
Activity 3
Compose a news story with a direct quotation as a lead using the information below:
What: Robbery
Where: an antique house located at #3 Yakal St., Admiral Subd., Las Pias City
When: September 2, 2009
:around 1:30 am
Who: a group of people of three men, two which are identified by the witnesses as (provide names) while the other is
unknown (provide facial and body features)
:a threatened housekeeper, Enrique Hill, 19 years old, when I checked the hallway, one of the robbers whacked
my back and tied my hands at my back, and my feet at the post
Why: an artifact, costs about 1.5 million pesos was known to be kept inside the house
How: the robbers sneaked at the back door, penetrating the house. They left without the artifact.
Activity 4
Compose a news story having a summary lead using the information below:
When: last Tuesday
Where: Agno River
What: saved a 9-year old girl from drowning
How: swam approximately 200 yards to rescue the girl when the boat shes riding capsized
Who: Elmer Ariarte, a senior member of varsity swimming team of the Philippine National University
:Ramona Roxas of Paco, Manila; daughter of Mr. Vicente`and Mrs. Lourdes Roxas
Why: the girl stood in the boat causing it to overturn
:Ariarte heard the girl scream as she fell















Copyreading
- correcting an article to be published in a newspaper. Accuracy of facts and events, as well as the
correctness of language especially in grammar must be observed in news articles for the stories to be effective.
A copyreader uses heavy pencils for the corrections to be easily seen and understood. He must not rewrite the
article itself. He just needs to write the symbols exactly on where the correction is to be made; unlike in proofreading
where the marks are placed on the margin.
A copyreader must:
be able to identify the errors in an article
know the different symbols used and their purposes (according to Carolyn Boccella Bagin and Jo Van
Doren)

What to Copyread:
errors in fact
grammatical errors
errors in structure
errors in style
false and libelous statements against someone or something
rebellious matters
opinions in the news
redundancy
technical terms, jargon in news

Here are some tips by Carolyn Boccella Bagin and Jo Van Doren:
Never copyread your own copy.
Read everything in the copy straight through from the beginning to end.
Copyread backwards to catch spelling errors.
Read pages out of order.
Have another copyreader to copyread and double check.
Have someone read numbers while you check hardcopy.
Take short breaks so you can concentrate more clearly.
Alter your routine.
Make your marks legible and understandable.
Have a list of errors you spot over a span of time.

Tools a copyreader must have for resources (according to Alito L. Malinao)
Dictionary
Telephone directory
City or country map
Atlas for geographical names and locations
File of all newspapers
Listing of news personalities with their contact numbers
Newspaper stylebook, if theres any

Title Line
- used to identify the works easily from others works when copyreading.
Follow the title format across the top of the first page of your article:
Date as mm/dd/yy STORYTITLEmmdd Your Name
Here is an example of a story about an airport on May 24, 2007:
05/24/07 AIRPORT0524 Jim Matheny

Slugline
Slug line uses a word that describes the story in UPPERCASE followed by the 4-digit date when you wrote the story.
The date portion of the slug has the month and day. The entire slug and date combination CANNOT exceed 13
characters total and CANNOT include spaces or special characters.
The example of a story slug is about the airport written on May 24, 2007:
AIRPORT0524
*If there are multiple versions of your story or you have more than one bite, the date of the slug is followed by a
lowercase letter, starting with the letter a.
Here are story slugs for three different versions of the airport story written on May 24, 2007:
AIRPORT0524a
AIRPORT0524b
AIRPORT0524c






















Symbols used by Copyreaders:
Note: If there are more than two errors in a word, it is better to cross it out and write the correct word.















































































































































Activity 1
Identify the errors in the following passages. Use the correct symbols needed.

Philippines, Muslim rebels clinch peace deal
Kuala lumpur Malaysia The Philipine government and the countrys most largest Muslim rebel grouup
completed talks Saturday on a deal to end four decades of fighting that has killed tens of thousands of people and helped
foster Islamic extremism in Southeast asia.

The accord Filipino between negotiators and the rebel Moro Islamic Liberation Front calls for Muslim self-rule in parts of
the southhern Philippine in exchange for the deactivation of the rebel force. Military presence in the proposed auto
nomous region would bi restrictesd.
By SEAN YOONG, January 25, 2014 12:40 PM

Activity 2
Copyread the passage.
PSA Awards: mvp cites Gilas Pilipinas for unifying PH
MANILA, Philippines Businessman Manny V. Pangilinan reiterated saturday night the value of achieving unity
through sports as proven by Gilas Pilipinas when it stired the nations passion for basket ball with its silvermedal finish in
the two thousand thirteen FIba-Asia Championship

Speaking at the PHILIPPINE SPORTSWRITERS ASSOCIATION ANNUAL AWARDS NIGHT AT CENTENNIAL
HALL of Manila Hotel, Pangilinan cited Gilas Pilipinas as a tremendous unifying factor while giving pride to a country
that considers basketball the sport closet to its heart.

There is no other eventother than a Manny Pacquiao fightthat can unify our people, bring tears to our eyes,
hoarseness to your throats, memories to our lives, than Gilas, said Pangilinan

Yet above all the noise and cheers and all everything else, the voice of a united nation rose to tell the worldpuso,
laban.
Pangilinan added: Thats the essential story of GilasOne team together, one nation united.

The man they call MVP was honored as, PSA Executive of the Year for his role in bringing the fiba Asia
Championship to Manila for the first time in three decades, which eventually paved the wayfor Gilas Pilipinas return to
the world basketball stage.
By Cedelf P. Tupas
Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 26th, 2014

Activity 3
Copyread the passage and have a classmate copyread it again. When the teacher checks, compare your first and second
work with the last one.
China crushes tonnes of seized ivory
The Chines government has croushed more than six tonnes of seized ivory including complete tusks and
carvings as part of a global efort to thwart a worrying rise in elephant poaching.
Ilegal killing of African elephants are at near-record levels, driven in part by demand in an increasingly wealthy
Asia Although there is a legal ivory market in China, munch of the ivory poached in Africa is smuggled into the country
and sold on the market black.
Today 6.2 tonnes of ivory was thrown into two crushers in Dongguan as the government symbolized its stated policy to
crack down on the illegal trade
The event, the first public ivory destruction in China, was to demonstrate the countrys determination to dis
courage illegal ivorytrade, protect wildlife and raise publice awareness said Zhang Jianlong, deputy head of the STATE
FORESTRY ADMINISTRATION (SFA), acording to state news agency Xinhua.
The move has been welcocomed by wild life groups.
We congratulate Chinas goverment for showing the world that elephant poaching and illegal ivory consumption
is unacceptable, said Cristin Samper, presiedent of the WildlifeConservation Society, in a statement. If China were to
destroy the remainder of its ivory stocks and lead the world by committing not to buying ivory in the future, it would have
a transformative, impact positive on the survival of African Elephants.
Last month the US government destroyed a similar weigt of ivory in its own public crushing.

06 Jan 2014 by Daniel Cressey

Activity 4
Copyread the editorial below using the symbols for copyreading
Honor in the PMA
Three not unconnected moments from the annual homecoming rites of the Philippine military Academy last Saturday:
Former senator Panfilo Ping lacson caled on his fellow PMA alumni to live by the academys honor code, Secretary
Manuel Mar Roxas II joined the parade of alummni as an honorary member of the Class of 1984and members of
the Class of 1976 denied reports that controversial businessman Cedric Lee had ever been adopted as an honorary
classmate.
Mr. Lee is not connected, is not associated and is not a member [of our class, which is] being dragged into this
controversy, Edgardo Acua, a retired police general and president of the class, told the Inquirer.
Lee is the al leged master mind behind thebeating of TV personality Vhong Navarro. The reports stemmed from
Lees business partnership with police officials, including at least one from the Class of 1976 Most of us do not know
him, Acua said.
Roxas did not break newground when he marched at the PMA rites; the academys tradition of allowing each class and
the alumni association as a whole to bestow honorary membership on civilians, especially businessmen celebrities and
politicians, is a longstanding one.
It is also unfo rtunate. The idea is to link members of a class or of the alumni association as a whole with
influential civilians; the consequence has been to cheapen the worth of a pma education and to reinforce the continuing
politicization of the military Consider, for instance, the situation at the homecoming last year, an election year: Vice
President Jojo Binay, leader of the United Nationalist Alliance, and businessman Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., founder of the
Nationalist Peoples Coalition, took their oath as honorary members of the PMA Alumni Association. Four of the
senatorial candidates who went on to win in May 2013 (Loren Legarda, Chiz Escudero, JV Ejercito nd Cynthia Villar)
were either honorary class members or the spouse of one
The problem is widespread, and respects no political boundaries. In 2010, another election year, the four sisters of
presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III were indu cted as honorary members of the Class of 1980.
This tradition adds layers of complication to Lacsons speech as homecoming guest speaker. He drew a more or less
accurate portrait of the moral test that PMA graduates face when enter ing active service. Every single day of our lives
after graduation becomes a test of endurance, not of physical [trials] but of our moral strengths, Lacson said
The idealiststill very much armed with academy virtuessuddenly comes face to face with practically
everything that is op posite of what was taught on thge hallowed grounds of Fort Del Pilarcoruption, treachery and
cowardice.
So when young gradates encounter in their fields of assign ment some upperclassmen whohad already
succumbed to the temp tations of misplajced values or had countenanced [such acts], the efects [on the young graduates]
could be very frustrating if not disastrous he said.
The description is notunproblematicbec ause of who is doing the describing. Lacson, in 2001, very soon after
the start of his first term in the Senate, had a famous encounter with another PMA alumnus, defense secretary angelo
Reyes. An editorial on the incident summarized the matter thus: Which, as a matter of public concern, is more important
to the nation? The hnor code of the pma [as invoked by Lacson], or the rule of law as symbolized in the oath that Reyes
took?
theres more. Lacson during his second term went into hiding rather than face an investigation into his alleged
role in the double murder case of Estrada publicist bubby Dacer and his dri ver Emmanuel Corbito. In this same space, we
wrote: We add our voice to the practically universal call for Lacson to submit himself to the legal processif onlyto
show that the constitutional injunction that all men are equal before the law is for real; and ones position in government,
no matter how lofty, does not put anyone above the law
In other words: It is good that lacson has put the spotlight on the PMAs honor code again. Aswe can siee from
the misuse of the honorary-member system, how ever, we regret that Lacson didnot go far enough, and acknouwledge that
the PMAs highest valuescourage, integrity, loyaltymust serve even higher ends


Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 16th, 2014

Activity 5
Copyread the editorial below using the symbols for copyreading
Solving unemployment
It is saddening that despite the rapid economic expansion for the past two years, millions of Filipinos remain un
employed. This is what economists refer to as jobles growth, a phenomenon that afflicts many developing countries,
debunking the myth that economic growth automatically translates to employ ment and poverty reduction
Halfway into his six-year term, PRESIDENT Aquino last week challenged his Cabinet to come up with an action
plan for poverty reduction, mainly through job generation. He presided over a rare full-Cabinet meeting after a Social
Weather Stations survey showed that the unemployment rate in 2013 had worsened to twenty seven point five percent,
equivalent to an estimated 12.1 million, as 2.5 million Filipinos joined the ranks of the jobless between September and
December. And yet the economy expanded by 7.2 percent, the second-fastest in Asia after Chinas.
There are several pro posals to address unemployment, but sadly, there are no short-term ones. These measures
are well known to the AQUINO administration and its predecessors. These involve structural reforms that will make it
conducive for investors to put money in factories and brick-and mortar industries. Only recently, the Asian Development
Bank, in a pub lication titled Taking the Right Road to Inclusive Growth, reiterated that the Philippines failure to boost
its industrial sector was a key reason its economic growth remained far from being inclusive.
The Philippine economys chronic problems of high unemployment, slow poverty reduction and low investment are
reflections of the sluggish industrialization, the ADB said, pointing out that it is the industrial sector, which includes
manufacturing, that should drive the economy to substantialy reduce unemployment and poverty. Economic groweth
during the past years had been fueled by the service sector, mainly the business process outsourcing industry. According
to the ADB, the industrial sector, compared with the service sector, has the better ability to create more job opportunities
for the poor and a much higher multiplier effect on the economy. The ADB suggested more government support for the
industrial sector through investments in education, skillls training and infrastracture to acheive inclusive economic
growth.

Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 17th, 2014

Activity 6
Copyread the archive below using the symbols for copyreading.
Sotto bewildered by uproar over legality of online libel
MANILA, Philippines Whats wrong with libel so asked Senator Vicente Tito Sotto III amid protests on
the Supreme Courts decision declaring online libel constitutional
Sotto, who proposed the online libel provision in the cybercrime Law, said he could not understand the
uproar against online libel when a similar law on libel is being imposed on journalists.
You are all subject to libel while only a few bad eggs will be subject to on line libel. They are only few
because majority of netizens are responsible. There are only a few malicious bad eggs, he told reporters on Wednesday in
mixed English and Filipino.
Why should these ma licious bad egs be given the right to ruin the reputation of people when you, journalists,
have to follow the law? Thats the quesftion that they have to answer. Whats wrong with libel ?
They have completly misunderstood the word libel. Akala ko pa naman marurunong sila, samantalang kami iskul bukol
lang e naiintindihan naming yung Revised Penal Code. Ano ba sila? he said.
Sotto rejeeted perceptions that online libel runs counter with the friedom of expression. He said freedom of
expression is alive and kicking in the Phillipines.
He also dismissed allegations that the pasage of the cybercrime law, particularly the online libel, was meant to protect
legislators, who had been the target of criticisms online.
Why will I need protection from them? they need protection for themselves, I mean the bad eggs, the malicious
bad eggs, Sotto added


By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
February 19th, 2014

Activity 7
Copyread the archive below using the symbols for copyreading.
Moves to decriminalize libel gaining momentum at Senate
MANILA, Philippines Moves to decriminalize libel are gaining momentum in the Senate after the Supreme Court has
affirmed the legality of online libel.
Among those pushing to decriminalize libel are Senators Francis Chiz Escudero and Juan Edgardo Angara, who have
pending bills on the issue.
Neophyte Senator Grace Poe and even Senator Vicente Tito Sotto III, who proposed the online libel provision in
the Cybercrime law have openly expressed support for such measure. Angara, in a statement on Wednesday, renewed his
call to abolish prison time for the crime of libel.
I have been pushing for lighter penalties for libel even before the passage of the Cybercrime law. I think this has been the
trend worldwideto decriminalize libel, He said.
Though I agree that libel committed online should be penalized, as provided in the Cyber crime Law and as ruled by the
Supreme Court, I dont think these offenders should be imprisoned, said Angara, one of the authors of the law when he
was a member of the House of REPRESENTATIVES.
When he was congressman, Angara filed the bill decriminalizing libel. He also initiated the same measure when
he became senator.
In a country where democracy is primarily infringed on the freedom of speech and expression, in a State where the media
is considered the fourth state, it is a sad reality that existing laws on libel have not been attuned to the evolving needs of
the people under a democratic rule and the rising importance of media in effecting transparency and accountability in
governance, he said.
To imprison a person convicted of libel might preclude him or her in the future from digging into issues and
concerns, that with deep investigation, might expose anomalies and abuses, he further said.
Escudero also pushed for the approval of his pending bill, decriminalizing libel.
I am in favor of decriminalizing libel, ibig sabihin kung may liability, civil na lang (it means that if theres a liability, it
should be civil only), he said in a interview Teusday. Poe added her support for the passage of the proposed measure.
Iam in favour of decriminalizing libel. Hence, my support for pen ding bills in the Senate seeking to do, she said in a
text message.
Sotto said he was also in favor of decrim inalizing libel but said the civil liability should be increased.
Im supporting decriminalizationjust raise the civil liability, he said in an interview Wednesday.
Senator Ferdinand Bong-Bong Marcos Jr., meanwhile, urged the Se nate to act on pending bills amending the
Cybercrime Law.
Marcos himself has filed a bill 11 seeking to scrap the provision on the law that imposes a penalty for cyber libel
higher than the penalty imposed under the Revised Penal Code for libel committed through the traditional media like print
(newspapers) and broadcast (radio and television.
The Internet, particularly social media, is the closest thing we have to Athenian brand of democracy where everyone can
speak his mind freely. I think the Senate should give a high priority to bills seeking to protect freedom of expression in
cyberspace, he said in a statement
If a crime is committed by, through and with the use of information and communications technologies, then the
penalties provided under the present laws should be imposed accordingly and should not be increased solely on the
ground that the crime was perpetrated through the use of cyberspace, he pointed out.


By Maila Ager
INQUIRER.net
February 19th, 2014

Activity 8
Copyread the archive below using the symbols for copyreading.
Estrada URGED TO STOP ORDINANCE ALLOWING city hospitals to charge poor patients
MANILA, PhilippinesA party list group on Wednesday is alarmed over the move of the Manila City government to
allow its six subsidized hospitals to charge indigent patients
Anak pawis Re presentative Fernando Hicap said the city government is not only closing its doors to poor patients of
Metro Manila but as well as other patients from nearby cities and provinces who also depend on Manilas freehealth care
services.
We are urging former President and Manila mayor Joseph Estrada to stop the city ordinance which allows public
hospitals to charge their poor patients of hospital fees, said hicap
He said that they are one with Manila governments lament that the lack of adequate funding is compromising the citys
six hospitals free health care serevices, but this should not justify to pass the citys bud get woes to poor patients.
Whe ther they are Manila residents or not, access to health is beyond territory. Its protected by the Constitution, he
said.
He said their group is willing to join efforts to address the issue before the national government.
On Tuesday, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said public hospitals in the city would start colecting minimal fees from the
patients after the passage of a city ordinance that requires patients to pay fees before being discharged except for poor
people from Manila, or those who received orange cards from the citymayor.
Affected hospitals include Ospital ng Maynila, Ospital ng Santa Ana, Ospital ng Sampaloc, Justice Abad Santos Hospital,
Gat andres Hospital and the Ospital ng TONDO.


By Nestor Corrales
INQUIRER.net
February 19th, 2014











Quiz 1
Supply the missing information in the data below:



































Headlining
Headlines are the display windows of computer according to Alito L. Malinao. They serve as a quick source of
information of the topic of the article. Headlining, in short, is writing a proper headline for a news story.
Shorter Words
- these are used to adjust, substitute and fit the number of letters in a headline
Headline word Meaning
accord (n) agreement
aid (n/v) assist/ assistance
axe (v) cut, destroy
awe (v) veneration
back (v) support
ban (n/v) prohibition
bar (n/v) exclude, prohibit
bid (n) attempt
blast (n) explosion
blaze (n) fire
blow (n) injury/disappointment
boom (n/v) sudden beneficial increase
boost (n/v) help, incentive
bring (v) to cause, result in
bug (n) disease, virus
call (for) (n/v) demand
clash (n/v) argument, conflict
cop (n) policeman
coup (n) revolution, change in government
crook (n) criminal
curb (n/v) restrain, limit
cut (n/v) reduction
deal (n) agreement
drama (n) dramatic action,
drive (n) campaign, effort
envoy (n) diplomat
exit (n/v) leave
fear (n/v) anxious expectations
flee (v) escape rapidly
gems (n) jewels
go (v) be sold or knock down
go-ahead (n) approval
gunman (n) a man with a gun
hail (v) celebrate, acclaim
halt (n/v) stop
hammer (v) beat
haul (n/v) large quantity that has been stolen
head (n/v) direct, lead
hit (v) affect badly
hold (v) detain, keep in police custody
hurdle (n) obstacle
jail (n/v) prison
jet (n) aeroplane
jobless (adj) unemployed
key (adj) essential, vital
kid (n) child
killing (n) murder
link (n/v) connection
loom (v) approach (of something threatening)
mob (n) mafia/ uncontrolled crowd
net (v) to capture
no (n) refusal, rejection
ordeal (n) unpleasant experience
oust (v) push out, replace
output (n) production
pact (n) agreement, treaty
peril (n) danger
pledge (n/v) promise
plea (n) strong request
poll (n) election, public survey
press (v) to insist on something
press for (v) demand, ask for
probe (n/v) investigate
quit (v) leave, resign
quiz (v) interrogate
raid (n/v) attack, robbery
riddle (n) mystery
row (n) argument, disagreement
scare (n) alarm
seek (v) request
shock (n) surprising revelation
slam (v) criticise severely
slash (v) reduce
smash (v) destroy
snub (v) reject, turn down
soar (v) increase dramatically
spark (v) cause, produce
split (n/v) divide
squeeze (n/v) shortage, scarcity
storm (n) violent disagreement
strife (n) conflict
sue (v) accuse, appeal
switch (n/v) change, deviation
swoop (n/v) sudden attack or raid
talks (n) discussions
threat (n) menace
toll (n) number of people killed
top (n) exceed
urge (v) recommend strongly
vow (n/v) promise, threaten
walkout (n) strike
wed (v) wedding
weep (v) cry, mourn
win (v) gain, achieve
woe (n) misfortune
woo (v) try to win the favour of

Purposes of headlines
They make it possible for a reader to glance rapidly through a newspaper and obtain a quick summary of the news
highlights
They see forth the mood of the story
They enable a reader to select news stories to read
They help grade organize the news based on the size and boldness of the headline:
a. Stories with headlines of columns set in large type indicates the readers that those stories are important, at
least to the opinion of that newspaper
b. Stories with headlines of columns set in small type suggests that those are unimportant stories, at least to the
opinion of that newspaper
They provide the main ingredient for page makeup
Summarizes important facts of the story
Headlines make the newspaper attractive
Characteristics of a Headline:
They use the present tense to emphasize timeliness
They are adjusted to a predetermined typographical style of a paper
They describe your article
They are believable
They are brief
They generate curiosity
They are easy to read

Rules in headlining
The head should tell the gist of the story simply and clearly
First letter of the first word and proper nouns are capitalized
The first line of two-line or three-line head should not end with a preposition, conjunction, articles or any form of
the verb to be, unless the preposition goes with the verb, as fill in
Never use the word may
Assertions in a headline should have sources
Dont convert verbs into nouns
Use the shorter word (abbreviations) whenever possible

What to Avoid in Writing Headlines:
Fat Head letters of the title is crowded that there are no more spaces between them



Thin Head spaces between words are too wide


Label Head incomplete headlines



Wooden Head weak headline, either lacking in subject or in verb


Mandatory Head it gives a command because it starts with a verb


Hanging Preposition the end of the line contains a preposition; the preposition and the object must not be
separated




Use of and; use a comma instead

Headline Patterns
Crossline- this is a single line of type running over two or more columns. (If there are two lines, it is called two-
part crossline)



Dropline-involves two or three lines of type arranged diagonally, usually of equal length



Flush Left- two or more lines of type, each starting flush to the left, touching the left edge of the column



Hanging Indention- usually three or more lines type. The first line is flush left and right, and the succeeding lines
are usually indented and with their ends flush right



Inverted Pyramid- involves two or three lines of type following a pattern that looks like an inverted pyramid




Flush Right- the two or three lines ends are flush right



Counting Headlines
- Done to adjust and fit the number of the headlines
Count all lower-case letters as 1 except:
* f l i t j count as 1/2 each.
* m w count as 1 1/2 each.
Count all upper-case letters as 1 1/2 except:
* I counts as 1/2 .
* M W count as 2 each.
Count all numerals as 1 except:
* 1 counts as 1/2.
* Count each space and punctuation mark as 1/2.

Activities
Write a proper headline for each part of the articles below taken from Philippine Daily Inquirer and Manila Bulletin.

1.

MANILA, Philippines A magnitude 4.2 earthquake occurred late Wednesday evening in Pangasinan province in Central
Luzon.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said that the magnitude 4.2 quake struck 70 kilometers
beneath Binalonan, Pangasinan at 10:46pm.
Phivolcs said that intensity 3 was felt in Baguio City, Caloocan City, Dagupan City, and Mandaluyong City.
Intensity 2 was felt in Quezon City, Pasig City, Gapan City, and Pantabangan while Intensity 1 was felt in Lucban,
Quezon.

By Matikas Santos
INQUIRER.net
December 18th, 2013

2.

MANILA, Philippines Temperatures dropped further early Sunday in Metro Manila to a chilling 15.8 degrees Celsius
and the weather bureau expects cooler mornings until mid-February.
With the northeast monsoon in effect over Luzon and the Visayas, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecasters said that generally cool and dry weather could be anticipated
all over the country with the peaking of the amihan.
Forecaster Manny Mendoza said that apart from the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon received the full blast
of the Siberian northeasterlies accounting for the dip in temperature on several areas, including Nueva Ecija where it was
as cold as Metro Manila at around 6 am.
Mendoza said that at around 4:50 a.m., Sunday, the temperature measured at the Pagasa Science Garden in Quezon City
was at 15.8 degrees Celsius. Although Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City and Port Area in Manila were
coldest respectively at 18.8 degrees Celsius and 20 degrees Celsius, the weather bureau considers the Science Garden
temperature reading to be most representative of the entire NCR.
The forecaster explained that the temperature readings in Pasay City and Manila differed from that in Quezon City
because of the altitude. Quezon City is on a higher altitude than Manila or Pasay City. There are also other factors,
including their location near the coast, that affect temperatures in Manila and Naia, Mendoza told the Inquirer.
According to Pagasa, the lowest temperature recorded Sunday at around 6 am in Cabanatuan City was also at 15.8 degrees
Celsius. Baguio City was coldest on Sunday at 9.4 degrees Celsius at around 4:35 am while a temperature of 13.6 degrees
Celsius chilled the Souths Summer Capital Malaybalay City in Bukidnon Province at around 7:45 am.
The lowest temperature on Sunday in Tuguegarao City was recorded at 6 a.m. at 13.9 degrees Celsius. Laoag City in
Northern Luzon was coldest Sunday at 16.6 degrees Celsius at around 6:35 a.m. while Clark, Pampanga temperatures
dropped to 16.5 degrees Celsius at around 6:10 am.
The 15.8 degrees Celsius recorded in the NCR on Sunday, the forecaster said, was still far from when Metro Manila was
coldest at 14.6 degrees Celsius in February, 1962.
With strong to gale force winds of the amihan affecting the eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao, Mendoza
advised fishing boats and other small sea craft against venturing into the areas and alerted larger vessels to big waves that
could reach up to 4.5 meters.
The eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao are in the Surigao Provinces, Samar, Leyte, Davao Oriental, as well
as in Dinagat and Siargao Islands, where sea conditions are expected to be rough to very rough.
Weather on Monday for the whole country is expected to be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains.

By Jeannette I. Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 26th, 2014

3.

MANILA, Philippines - The death toll from Tropical Depression Agaton has risen to 49, the National Disaster Risk
Reduction and Management Council (NDRRM) reported on Thursday.
The NDRRMC also reported in its latest update on the tropical depression that the number of missing persons has also
increased to 10. A total of 69 people, meanwhile, were injured.
The agency added that over 191,000 families or more than 921,000 persons were affected by "Agaton" in 111
municipalities in 16 provinces of regions 10, 11, 12, Caraga and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Of the total affected, around 43,000 families or more than 205,000 individuals have been displaced and are now staying at
487 evacuation centers, the NDRRMC said.
A total of 2,166 houses were damaged, 838 of which were totally destroyed, in the wake of the storm in the affected areas.
The NDRRMC pegged the cost of damage to infrastructure and agriculture at P369 million.

By Dennis Carcamo
philstar.com
January 22, 2014

4.
MANILA, Philippines Not even the six-syllable Kuan Yin mantra can ward off the danger of lead exposure from a set
of prayer beads, according to an environment and consumer safety group.
The prayer beads set have been identified by the EcoWaste Coalition as among its Dirtiest Dozen of Chinese New Year
charms with the highest level of lead.
Someone who recites the mantra om mane padme hum to the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy and Compassion Kuan Yin
while holding the prayer beads is supposed to be protected from all kinds of danger.
But the EcoWaste Coalition found 207,400 parts per million (ppm) of lead on a set of prayer beads adorned with a lead
alloy pendant, topping its list of 42 toxic Chinese amulet and charms for the year of the Wooden Horse.
The group detected through portable x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzer excessive levels of toxic metals, including lead,
arsenic, cadmium, antimony and chromium, in 42 of 50 samples bought from retail shops in the Binondo, Divisoria, and
Quiapo districts in Manila at prices ranging from P20 to P350.
Of the tested samples, 34 had high levels of lead, 16 had arsenic while four had cadmium and none of them had labels
informing buyers on the manufacturers, country of origin, or their chemical ingredients along with health and safety
warnings.

By Jeannette I. Andrade
Philippine Daily Inquirer
January 26th, 2014

5.
Grammy Award-winning singer Jack Jones will be in the country on Valentines Day for a concert at the Manila Hotel
Tent. Also featuring theater actress-singer Carla Guevara-Laforteza, who played both Kim and Gigi in the Miss Saigon
West End London production, the concert will benefit victims of typhoon Yolanda.
Born John Allan Jones in Los Angeles, California, Jack Jones, the son of actors Allan Jones and Irene Hervey, is said to
have been born on the night his father was recording his signature song Donkey Serenade. The young Jones finished
high school from the University High School in West Los Angeles, after which he studied drama and singing.
His first professional break was with his father who was then performing at the Thunderbird Hotel and Casino in Las
Vegas. He got noticed by music industry bigwigs with the music videos he recorded for songwriter Don Raye. In 1959, he
signed up with Capitol Records which released his album This Love Of Mine and a few singles. Culled from the album
was the track This Could Be The Start Of Something Big.

by Crispina Martinez - Belen
January 25, 2014

6.
MANILA, PhilippinesThe Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) on Wednesday dismissed
the appeal of Don Mariano Transit to reverse its decision canceling the bus firms franchise after one of its bus fell from
the Sykyway that killed 21 people.
LTFRB chairman Winston Ginez said the revocation of the bus firms franchise is final.
The LTFRB in its seven-page ruling said the appeal was denied due to lack of merit and was not enough to reverse the
decision canceling Don Marianos certificates of public convenience covering all its 78 bus units.
The LTFRB said there were many lapses and violations on the part of bus firm, citing that only six of the Don Mariano
bus units passed the road worthiness inspection.
Ginez denied the claims of Don Mariano that they were not given due process.
He said the bus firm was given notice of hearing and enough time and chance to present their side.
After the tragic accident last Dec. 16, the LTFRB immediately imposed a 30-day preventive suspension on all of the bus
firms units and revoked the franchise of Don Mariano on Jan. 14.

By Nestor Corrales
INQUIRER.net
February 19th, 2014

7.
Paraaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez was put on the spot on Tuesday after a raid conducted by Bureau of Customs
agents on two family-owned warehouses yielded millions of pesos worth of counterfeit goods.
In a statement, Olivarez denied knowledge of the contraband valued at around P800 million and said he would not
condone or tolerate smuggling.
He explained that the warehouses managed by his sister were leased less than a year ago to a company called ZQL
Enterprises owned by Richard Gonzales Chang.
Following the incident, his family has decided to terminate the lease agreement, he added.
We will not tolerate this, Olivarez said. We will cooperate with the proper authorities to get to the bottom of this case
and we will let the law take its course.
I have instructed our police chief, Senior Supt. Ariel Andrade, to conduct a separate inquiry to get to the bottom of this
incident and to file charges against anyone found violating the law, he added.
The BOC said the warehouses located at the Olivarez Compound in Barangay San Dionisio, Paraaque City, were raided
after a month-long surveillance operation.
Jessie Dellosa, BOC deputy commissioner for intelligence, said among the items seized from the warehouses were
imitation Havaianas flip-flops and Converse and Skechers rubber shoes, bags and luggage, and other apparel.
According to Dellosa, the consignees of the fake goods would face charges for violating the Tariff and Customs Code of
the Philippines and Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. With Tina G. Santos

By Jaymee T. Gamil
Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 19th, 2014

8.
MANILA, PhilippinesSenate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano on Tuesday dared Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile to file
charges against his former chief of staff, Jessica Lucila Gigi Reyes, and deputy chief of staff, Jose Antonio Evangelista,
after they were implicated in the P10-billion pork barrel fund scam.
Cayetano said that if Enrile was denying any hand in the racket that converted his Priority Development Assistance Fund
(PDAF) allocations into millions of pesos in kickbacks, he was expected to pursue cases against members of his staff that
witnesses had linked to the funds abuse.
Whats the logical thing to do for a senator? Isnt it to fire and file cases against his employees if he thinks they were the
ones that committed the irregularity? Cayetano told reporters just before Tuesdays session.
But he has allowed Attorney Gigi to leave. Mr. Evangelista, according to reports, is still with his office. In fact,
according to my information, is still also with his office, Cayetano added.
Cayetano said there were only two choices to make whenever a subalttern was found to have committed malfeasance.
Why hasnt Senator Enrile filed any case against his employees? If I found out that there was an anomaly in my office, I
have only two choicesfire them and file a case or coddle and hide them, Cayetano said.

You know I will not discuss my case in public, please, OK? I have been charged so please respect my right not to
comment on it, Enrile told reporters when asked for comment.
Enriles lawyer, Enrique de la Cruz, in a radio interview in 2013 said that the senator didnt endorse projects to be
undertaken by Janet Lim-Napoles dubious nongovernment organizations (NGOs).
Senator Enriles instruction was clear In the endorsements that he signed, he allocated his funds to local government
unitsprovinces, towns and barangays. If he had employees that didnt follow this or did something to divert the said
funds to NGOs, it wasnt in compliance with Senator Enriles instructions, De la Cruz said then.
Perhaps it might not be justified to make Senator Enrile accountable for the said wrongdoing or violation of the law, De
la Cruz added.
Cayetano, in a statement on Tuesday, said that there are documents that showed Enrile authorized Reyes and Evangelista
to sign PDAF papers on his behalf.
Both Reyes and Evangelista were implicated by plunder respondent and now provisional state witness Ruby Tuason in the
hearing last week of the Senate blue ribbon committee on the pork barrel scam.
Cayetano said the documents were allegedly signed by Enrile and addressed to the Commission on Audit.

By Norman Bordadora
Philippine Daily Inquirer
February 19th, 2014

9.
Like their sons, Teofisto Guingona Jr. and Joseph Estrada also became political adversaries.
On Oct. 5, 2000, Guingona, then a senator, delivered his famous I accuse speech linking then President Estrada to the
illegal numbers game jueteng, as exposed by Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis Chavit Singson.
In his surprise privilege speech, Guingona said Estrada had received P220 million in jueteng money from November 1998
to August 2000.
I accuse Joseph Ejercito Estrada, President of the Republic of the Philippines, of betraying public trust. The people
especially the poor reposed in him the trust that he would protect them from illegal gambling. Instead it appears that
shortly after he assumed office in 1998, he entered into an arrangement with Bong Pineda, Atong Ang and Gov. Luis
Singson to further institutionalize jueteng, Guingona said.
The speech precipitated Estradas impeachment trial in the Senate. The proceedings were overtaken by Edsa II in
January 2001, which brought then Vice President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the presidency. Guingona was later
nominated by Arroyo to be her Vice President and foreign secretary.
In April 2006, Estrada said that he had forgiven those who played a part in his ouster in 2001.Inquirer Research

Sources: Inquirer Archives
February 19th, 2014