EDITORIAL CARTOONING

It is an editorial page illustration expressing opinion and interpretation (a column

or opinion in cartoon form). The word cartoon is derived from two words:
caricature and lampoon.
A caricature is an exaggerated description, generally by sketching. It is a
pictorial representation of a person or thing in which a defect or peculiarity is
exaggerated so as to produce a ludicrous effect.
A lampoon, on the other hand, is a piece of malicious writing, a personal-written
satire that attacks and ridicules.
A good cartoon appeals to the reader’s sense of humor in order to persuade
him/her to accept an opinion.
How to conceptualize?

1. Read/listen—research your facts well.

2. Decide on your point of view or angle of your chosen issue.
3. Make your comment on the issue.
4. Translate your comment into coordinating, representative graphic symbols
(e.g. crocodile for corrupt officials and typewriter for press)
5. Take into consideration the paper’s target readers.
6. Sketch/make doodles.
7. Draw your final cartoon.
Ways to present your view

1. Take the issue to a ridiculous situation.

2. Exaggerate the effect of an issue.
3. Use cliché or something contemporary or “in.”
4. Juxtapose or put together two events, even unrelated ones.
5. Take quotes literally. Play with words.
6. Consider the occasion.
7. Make an interesting artwork.
8. Caricature a political figure and add a punch line.

Tips for cartooning

1. Limit the use of words and labels.
2. Use universal symbols, those which can be understood at once by your
intended reader.
3. Have your own style. Do not copy or plagiarize.
4. If your cartoon is about the editorial for the day, it must reinforce the stand
stated in the piece.
5. Choose a most interesting issue and express your comment in an arresting
way.
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6. Do not clutter your cartoon with unnecessary details or complicate your
drawing with artistic touches. These will just distract from the impact of the
cartoon. Minimal is better.
7. Cover your cartoon with a frame or border.
8. Use shading to make your article more convincing.

Steps in Editorial Cartooning

Dr. Net Billones, one of the country’s top cartoonists, suggests the following
steps:

1. List down the subjects to choose from.

2. Once the subject is chosen, ask what is the issue? What is the
paper’sopinion about the issue?
Example:
Issue—Press freedom
Opinion—The government is going back to the martial law days as far as press
freedom is concerned.

3. Decide the symbols to be used

Example:
Government—GMA
Press freedom—bird (dove) flying, typewriter, school paper
Repression—chain, scissors, slingshot, bar

4. Draw the cartoon.

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FACT SHEET FOR EDITORIAL CARTOONING

EDITORIAL CARTOONING

BEAUTY AND HOPE

 Madalas, exercise in vanity lang talaga ang mga beauty pageant – pero may mga
pagkakataon na puwede itong mitsa ng pag-asa, pagbalikwas, at social reform
 Bansa tayo na obsessed sa pisikal na kagandahan. At madalas, ang colonial past sa
ilalim ng mga mananakop na Kastila at Amerikano ang nagtatakda ng konsepto natin ng
ganda.
 Sinasamba natin ang mga mestizo at mestiza lalo na bilang celebrity at beauty queen:
kailangan kutis porselana, matangos ang ilong, deep-set ang mata, mataas ang
cheekbones, at matangkad. Hindi bale na kung banidosa, mababaw, at hindi
masyadong matalas, basta “maganda.”
 Sumikat ang kantang “Ikaw ang Miss Universe ng Buhay Ko” noong ’80s na repleksiyon
ng beauty queen bilang pamantayan ng ganda at desirability. Mukhang hindi pa ‘yan
nagbabago hanggang ngayon.
 Isinulat noong 2018 ng ngayo’y presidente ng Rappler na si Natashya Gutierrez ang
isang serye tungkol sa mga beauty pageant ang at dalawang mukha nito. Habang nire-
reinforce ng beauty pageant culture ang pagtingin na tanging pisikal na kagandahan ang
sukatan ng halaga ng mga babae, sa positibong banda, tinitingnan din itong selebrasyon
ng femininity.
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 Maraming ehemplo ng empowering na aspeto ng mga pageant (kahit madalas hindi
natin maaninag): makikita ‘yan sa buhay ng mga activist at feminist na sinimulan ang
kanilang paglalakbay bilang mga reyna ng pageants – halimbawa sina Maita Gomez at
Nelia Sancho.
 Sa kasalukuyan, makikita iyan sa katauhan ng reigning Miss Universe 2023 na
si Sheynnis Palacios ng Nicaragua.
 Kung time-warp inducing ang Pilipinas dahil isang Marcos ang nakaupo ngayon
matapos ang 37 na taon, ganoon din ang bansa ni Ms. Palacios – nasa poder pa rin si
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, na unang nailuklok sa kapangyarihan matapos
mapabagsak ang rehimeng Somoza noong 1979. Mula dating gerilya, muli siyang
nanalo noong 2007 at naging notoryus sa pagkukulong ng taga-oposisyon, negosyante,
at mamamahayag. Sa madaling salita, ang freedom-fighter noon, siyang freedom-killer
ngayon.
 Kasama ang Nicaragua sa lumalalang istatistika ng mga bansang nalulukuban ng
authoritarian rule – ayon sa V-Dem, mula 46% noong 2012, umakyat sa 72% noong
2022 ang populasyon ng mundo na nasa ilalim ng mga autocrat.
 Tiningnan ng administrasyon ni Ortega, lalo na ng kanyang asawa na si Vice President
Rosario Murillo, na sampal sa Ortega regime ang pagkapanalo ng aktibistang si
Palacios. (Na-feel ‘nyo rin ba ang Imelda vibes?)
 Binabantayan ng buong mundo ang magiging kiskisan sa pagitan ni Palacios at
tagasuporta niya at mga otokratikong liderato sa kanyang bansa na may mahabang
kasaysayan ng paggamit ng karahasan laban sa mga tumutuligsa dito.
 Sabi ni Jairo Bolledo sa kanyang analysis piece na Real-life mockingjays? When beauty
queens become icons of hope, resistance, hawig ang kuwento ni Palacios sa kuwento
ng rebeldeng si Katniss Everdeen ng fictional na seryeng Hunger Games. Naging
simbolo si Katniss ng silent majority, ang nagdurusa, nagtitiis na sambayanang
pinagkaitan ng boses.