COLUMN

WRITING

PD Program
EDITOR plus
DepEd Quezon
 OBJECTIVES
TERMINAL OBJECTIVE:
Acquire a deep understanding and learning
about writing columns.
ENABLING OBJECTIVES:
Acquire functional knowledge on the elements
and process of column writing.
Grasp the usefulness of column writing as a
fundamental skill in journalism.
Write a column article about a timely issue.
ACTIVITY.
 ANALYSIS.

• What insights did you gain from the

activity?
• What implication does the activity have in
connection to column writing?
 ABSTRACTION.

COLUMN ARTICLE IS…

•Something that presents opinion/ perspective
based on factual evidence.
•Approximately 500 to 850 words
•opinion of the columnist not necessarily
shared by the staff.
•May use first person’s point of view (personal
context and observation of the columnist)
ANCHOR IDEAS.
...
 kinds/types of columns
according to structure.
1. Editorial column (opinionated column)
•personal column found on the editorial page
•makes use of humor to drive home the
message
•highest expression of press freedom
.
.
.
.
.
 ...
3. the grab bag column
Some columns written are a collection of events coming up,
awards handed out, gossip and anything else too
small for a headline. However, more newspapers are
abandoning these for a thematic grab bag.

4. The anecdote column

Column writing built around a single anecdote take on the
character of a mini-feature.
 …

5. Instructive Column
The tone may vary from the simple directive
approach to a more casual, informal style.
The directions are always carefully written to
eliminate ambiguity and writers often give
the material an "idiot run" to be sure there
are no steps missing.
 How do you write a column/

• Purpose
Why are you writing? Is it to inform the community about
an event? Does the paper's editor, the community or co-
workers want it? Are you entertaining, informing or
educating? Do you seek an identity or exposure?
• Audience
Whom are you trying to reach? Who are you reaching?
Decide on your audience. Write in their language, at their
level, about things the audience needs to know or wants to
know.
 …

• Content
What will your column discuss? How will you discuss it?
Answering why and how will help determine what. Remember,
columns should be based on facts and should be accurate.
• Structure
How will your message get to your audience? There are
other types of columns besides the personal column, too.
Some of these cover specific topics or types of
information. They can be "question and answer," "new
ideas," "how-to-do-it" pieces or "calendars" and "coming
events."
 SO, here we go.

1. Column's regular title

2. Headline - try to use some alliteration or
anything witty.
-Kitang kita ang kita
-kwento ng kwenta
-BasketBRAWL
3. byline
 LEAD/intro.

•lead (hook)- clearly present the main point

a. shocking statistics

The recent PISA results confirmed that the

Philippines scored the lowest in reading
comprehension with a mean score of 340 points,
below the survey average of 487 points; while it
was the second-lowest in Science at 357 and in
Math at 353, below the average of 489 points in
both subjects.
 LEAD/intro.

b. controversial statement
Prostitution is everywhere in the country.
What is more shocking is that there are
more males involve in this 'trade' than the
females, DSWD office reported.
c. rhetorical question
If we truly aim for learning recovery, why
not invest on back-to-basics approach?
 …
d. Strong claim
The 2016 Award under the United Nations Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) categorically held that, “under
international law, the West Philippine Sea, including Reed
Bank, exclusively belongs to Filipinos, and no one else.
d. Surprising fact
Camiguin, an island province in the archipelago
Philippines, has a greater number of volcanoes than
the number of towns the region has. The region has 7
volcanos and just 5 towns.
 …

e. A metaphor
The corona virus along with its sub-
variants is an invisible enemy or a cunning
beast. Still, we must be cautious about it
decreasing cases of transmission.
 body.
•2-5 supporting facts (each fact is on its own
paragraph)
a.POINT - state the fact
b.PROOF - paraphrase or quote an external
source/ statement of same or related incident
c.ANALYSIS - comment on fact and proof
presented. Write about YOUR OPINION on the
facts you have included. Comment on each fact.
d. transition into a personal experience (optional)
 conclusion

concluding by creatively restating your

main point/ echoes the introduction.
Ending with final epiphany (a call for
action works well)
foreshadowing by preceding thematic
statements.
bringing in the most memorable detail,
 More isn't enough
The Department of Education
confirmed that public school teachers' debt
has reached P300billion. This is the
SHOCKING
accumulated value of teachers' loan from
STATISTICS GSIS amounting to P178 billion and Pag-
Ibig Fund with P120 billion excluding the
loans from private lending institutions.
It sounds alarming. There is an urgent
need for DepEd to launch finacial literacy
ANGLE/
NUTGRAPH programs to educate them on how to
manage their finances.
 .
The proliferation of private lending institutions
lured teachers to borrow money since the salary
POINT #1 they receive cannot suffice even the simplest cost of
living. A teacher I item with a salary of P25,000 is just enough
for a single person's expenses for a month. The high cost of
living brought by high prices of basic commodities adds
difficulties to teachers financial struggles. The 2022 DepEd
statistics revealed that 7 in every 10 teachers are bread
winners of the family. Their salary is consumed by the family's
PROOFS
basic needs. They usually fall short of finances when
unexpected expenses come. So, they resort to loans in private
institutions who are more 'friendly' and accommodating.
 .

There is a 49 percent increase on status of

teachers' loans since the time of Secretary Briones
to the present.

Apparently, such numbers speak of truth.

Teachers with big families have no choice but to
keep on renewing their loans to make both ends
ANALYSIS meet. Sometimes, the only option left for them is to
make loans to provide their family's needs.
 .
POINT #2: Of all professions teachers have the
most personally shouldered expenses.
PROOFS:
a. Engineers and others have allowances for travels,
hotels, all materials for projects
b. teachers, despite chalk allowance spend personal
budgets on visual aids, ICT resources, professional
growth, trainings, education, etc.
c. Children's education, and related family expenses.
ANALYSIS.
 .

POINT # 3: The directive of ex-secretary

Briones to stop all loans from private lending
companies add burden to teachers.
PROOF/S:
a. strict rules on DO 38 S. 2017 regulating
teacher's loans
b. teachers resort to 5-6 with 20% interest
per month (with statistics).
ANALYSIS
 .

POINT #4: Teachers overspending.

PROOFS:
a. luxurious lifestyle (with survey, stats.)
b. travels and vacations
c. gadgets, personal belongins (reference:
SALN)
 .

CONCLUSION (Recommended solutions)

a. Comprehensive financial literacy program
b. Salary increase.
 pointers.

• personal is political
• personal insights should be tested against
facts
• no such thing as “this is my opinion.”
• even opinions should be based on facts
not merely emotion
• column writing promotes diversity.
 discourse.

• the ability and power to connect seemingly

unrelated matters.
• Example:
-Duterte and Hitler
-Martial law and hair color policy
-heavy traffic and ants
 APPLICATION.

Write a column on issues about

Michelle Dee’s exclusion from top 5 in
the recent Miss Universe pageant and
the Filipinos passion for pageantry.
 works cited.

• Andrada Mykel, Ph.D. squeeze.ph.

• Rojas Xandra, slideshare.
• The coconut
• Philippine Daily Inquirer.
• Manila Standard.
 Thank you
for listening.