FEATURE

WRITING/PAGSULAT
NG LATHALAIN
Think of a metaphor for the
following:

• Monday
• GF/BF/Lover
• PNU
• PAMAMAHAYAG
What does the variety of your
answers imply about feature
writing?

What qualities should feature

writers possess?
A feature article is the main
news-related article in a
publication that highlights a
particular person, place, or
event in great detail.

Typically, these nonfiction articles

dive deeper into a story than
regular articles.
Remember

• A feature story follows a specific

format and outline. There will
always be a title/headline,
introduction, body, and conclusion.

• A good feature article contextualizes

the story so it’s relatable and
immediately relevant to the reader.
Why should they care? What’s the
angle? What direction are you taking?
Remember

• In a way, a notable feature article

will resemble a short story. You
want tension and plot, a sense of
progression, with some sort of
payoff toward the conclusion. Who
are the “characters” in your story?
What is the central conflict?
1. The Headline

The headline or title of the article should

grab the readers’ attention quickly so
they’ll keep reading. It needs to highlight
the general topic of the story. If you’re
featuring a person, don’t just use their
name as the headline. Include a unique
detail that will be uncovered as they read
on.
1. The Headline
For example:

David Young: The Man Who Restored

Faith to the Darkest Village in Nepal

Becoming Duterte: The Making of a

Philippine Strongman

Miriam Defensor Santiago: A life

‘dedicated’ to public service
Activity (2 minutes)

If you are going to write feature article

about yourself, what would the headline
be?

Use the example as basis.

David Young: The Man Who Restored

Faith to the Darkest Village in Nepal
1. The Headline
For example:

Mission to Marsh
Uncovering the endemic species of Agusan wet lands

Lawis: Where heaven and earth meet

Wonder Ma’am

Guardians of the Gulayan

2. The Deck

The deck, also known as a subhead or

standfirst, is your second chance to entice
readers. While the title of the article will pop
with a unique angle, the deck consists of one
or two short sentences that’ll leave no
question in the readers’ minds; they must read
this article.
2. The Deck

David Young: The Man Who Restored Faith to

the Darkest Village in Nepal

For years, the people of Nepal lived

under a dark cloud of oppression. That
is, until David Young instigated a faith
movement that would completely
reshape their lives.
 PANGANIB SA BAWAT PAGTAWID:
Ang Cantiasay-San Pedro Bridge sa Surigao at
ang nakaambang panganib

SANS SECURITY
The plight of the City Plaza contractual concierge

Different but Able

How Tagbina PWDs got into business

LIFE SKILLS
What learners gained from their loooong break
3. The Introduction

Your ability to “hook” readers into the story

continues in the introductory, or first,
paragraph. The introduction should tell the
reader why this story is important or worth
their time, but in a sort of oblique way. This
is your last chance to “hook” a reader
before they flip the page or click away.
• Be sure to keep your sentences short. Use
this as an opportunity to say something
attention-grabbing or something that’ll
spark the reader’s interest. Always
remember - the WHY is important. You
establish the tone of your article in the
introduction.
 PANGANIB SA BAWAT PAGTAWID:
Ang Cantiasay-San Pedro Bridge sa Surigao at
ang nakaambang panganib
ni Alvin Hizon

Dahil nasa Surigao City, hindi ko na pinalampas ang

pagkakataon na masilayan ang ilan sa mga magagandang
atraksyon sa lugar, at isa rito ang San Pedro - Cantiasay
Wooden Footbridge dahil isa ito sa mga pinakamahabang
tulay na gawa sa kahoy, 391 na metro, sa buong bansa.
Nasabik akong makita ito dahil nagbasa ako ng mga rebyu
dito at talaga namang nakakahanga. Ngunit napalitan ng
takot at kaba ang aking pananabik nang narating ko na
ang lugar. Ikinagulat ko ang aking dinatnan.
 Why I Love the Philippines
By Greg Bloom

With 7000 tropical islands on my doorstep, all ripe for

exploration, I find it easy to like the Philippines. Love, on
the other hand, is borne of subtler things. Love is borne
of long rooftop jeepney rides through the mountains of
North Luzon; of a frosty San Miguel at sundown on a
sublime slab of Visayan sand; of a fresh-fish lunch,
followed by a siesta on an interminable bangka journey
through Palawan’s islands; of friends with names like Bing
and Bong; of phrases like 'comfort room'; of – dare I say it
– karaoke. Now that is love.
 SANS SECURITY
The plight of the City Plaza contractual concierge
By Mavelle S. Sanchez

Like the Balanghai Hotel, the City Plaza is one of

the oldest and the most famous landmarks in
Butuan. But although both attractions try to age
gracefully through controlled modernization, the
City Park’s charm lies mainly on the hands of one
old man.
 Corny introductions 

Staring blankly at the ceiling of the bedroom,

unmindful of the coldness of the sea breeze that
made the curtains dance, and the rhythmic ticking
of the clock hanging over my twenty-year old
wooden bed, I began to think of my learners’
future.
 Corny introductions 

The learners are the future and the hope of the

land. In their innocent eyes, we can see a glimmer
of determination, perseverance and courage to be
successful in life – a life without problems like drug
addiction, teenage pregnancy, poverty.
 Corny introductions 

In this modern world, technology is accessible

to most people. Smart phones make almost all
transactions done in an instant. Facebook,
Youtube, Instagram. These are the most popular
social media sites that netizens use to post about
their activities and whereabouts.
• 4. The Body

• The body of the feature may be broken

into sections with several headings for e
asy organization.
• This section contains most of the details
of the story. It includes names, places,
times, and quotes related to the person,
event, or organization.
• 4. The Body

• The opinions of the writer, those at the

location of the story, and experts are
presented in the body of the article.
• This is also the place to include any
pictures that illustrate the story, as well
as diagrams, charts, and other visual
elements.
 Habang binabagtas ko ang tulay, dahan-dahang tumataas ang tensyon,
adrenaline rush kumbaga. Malayo sa mga larawang nakita ko sa internet at sa
mga kwentong nabasa ko ang aking nasaksihan. Ayon sa ilang residente doon,
nasira raw ang tulay dahil sa lindol kamakailan na tumama sa Surigao.
Naiintindihan ko naman, pero higit kong pinangambahan ang seguridad ng
mga tumatawid sa tulay na kahoy. Ito kasi ang tanging tulay na nagdudugtong
sa Brgy. San Pedro at Brgy. Cantiasay kung saan pangunahing daan ng mga
mamamayan at lalo na ng mga estudyante at bata.
Sinubukan kong tumawid sa kabilang barangay ngunit nasa kalagitnaan pa
lang kami ng mga kasama ko ay nagdesisyon na kaming bumalik. Iyong
pagtawid sa tulay ay parang pagtugtog ng piano, pag nagkamali ka ng pagtipa
at nasintunado ka, malalaglag ka talaga.
Expectation versus reality. Iyong tulay na inakala kong magdadagdag sana
ng mga magagandang feed sa aking instagram account, tulay pala ng
kapahamakan.
Kung ang karanasan ko sa pagtawid sa peligrosong tulay ay nasa kalahati
lamang at isang beses lang ay nagdulot na sa akin ng takot at pangamba, paano
pa kaya ang mga mamamayan na binabagtas ang pamosong tulay araw-araw?
 Mang Lucas Legaspi, 56, cleans the plaza and waters what’s left of the
old ornamental plants every afternoon. A contractual employee of the city
government, he is the only park attendant to maintain the plaza since the
contracts of his two fellow attendants were no longer renewed.
“Nobody maintains the plaza anymore at night and in the morning
that’s why I need to work double time in the afternoon even if it is often too
hot. Sometimes old age hits me. When pots are broken, I could hardly pick
up the pieces and replace them,” Mang Lucas said in vernacular.
Almost a senior citizen, the park attendant said his job may seem easy
and routinary and that he likes it that way, but at times, he loses sight of the
simplicity of his contractual job.
“Just last week a mentally-ill guy punched me in the face while I was
watering the plants. I started asking myself if a contractual job is worth
fighting for. Contractual workers like me are not sure when we are going to
be jobless again. If I got injured badly from the punch, I would not go to the
hospital because my contract may no longer be renewed for being absent
from work for too long like the two park attendants I used to work with,”
Mang Lucas explained.
• 5. The Conclusion

• The conclusion should leave a lasting

impression on the reader and provoke
some sort of reaction.
• It should prompt action on the part of
the reader, encourage a change of
opinion, or encourage the reader to
make a decision.
 Nananawagan ako sa Surigao City
government, DPWH Caraga at sa lahat ng
ahensya na pwedeng tumulong para
maisaayos kaagad ang tulay na ito. Alam ko
namang sanay na ang mga tao sa pagdaan
dito pero hindi natin pwedeng iasa sa
kasanayan nila ang kanilang kaligtasan.
 For now the City Plaza is haven, at least in
the afternoon, to students and elderlies who
need a break from their routines. While the
park plants are green and the garbage
segregated, know that Mang Lucas or the next
contractual park attendant ensures our
leisure without security of tenure.
• Useful Feature-Writing Tips

• The leeway an author is given in the style

of a feature article is much greater than in
other types of news writing.
• Human interest is key. You want to lure
readers into a particular setting and allow
them to partake in an experience.
 Of Home, Hotel and Quarantine — Manila to Macau
Marvin M. Enderes

Metro Manila was gearing for a lockdown, and I had yet to find a
flight to Macau. For an overseas Filipino worker like me, time was
ticking.
With the impending threat of COVID-19, my travel to Macau and
the ensuing quarantine were nothing short of an adventure.
March 16, 2020. I was in my small flat in Sucat, Parañaque
watching on TV the round-the-clock news of COVID-19 that had
worn me to a frazzle. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte
announced the enforcement of a 72-hour leeway for people wanting
to leave the country before the cancellation of outbound
international flights.
I wasted no time to find the earliest flight available,
notwithstanding the scarce and costly seats.
• Be conversational
• Don’t be afraid of opinions
• Remember you’re still a reporter
• Paint a picture
 • Parokya
• Nowhere else but Tagum
Tips in crafting the features
section of your publication:
1. Present varied topics.
2. Articles must be interview-
based.
3. Always connect mainstream
issues to local setting and
readers.
The Vinculum
Tips in crafting the features
section of your publication:
4. Provide well-taken photos for
each story.
5. Seek honest, meticulous
comments from language and
content experts.
The Pennon
RSPC 2019

The Pennon
NSPC 2020
 Reference
• Kit Kittelstad
• M.A. Education
• https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/grammar
-rules-and-tips/tips-on-writing-a-good-feature
-for-magazines.html
The scariest moment is always just before
you start. After that, things can only get
better.
-Stephen King

A writer is working when he’s staring out of

the window.
-Burton Rascoe

If you wait for inspiration to write, you’re not

a writer, you’re a waiter.
-Dan Poynter
Thank you!