Fletcher Al Latagan

XI – Isaac Newton
AN EXAMINATION OF PIA RANADA’S
‘DUTERTE OPEN TO LEGALIZATION OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA’
ON RAPPLER (10-16-2016)
To understand the news article, examination begins with the content. Afterwards,
a take on the possible viewpoint of the author, Pia Ranada, is analyzed.
To start off, the lead mentions Duterte being known for his ‘all-consuming hatred
of drugs’, which is already a misleading descriptor. Former PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa
tells Inquirer.net that the policy of ‘war on drugs’ aims for “neutralization of illegal drug
personalities nationwide” (Tubeza, 2017), the keyword being ‘illegal’. The descriptor is a
claim that can be corrected by adding the word ‘illegal’ for clarity, or changing the word
‘drugs’ with ‘drug personalities’ to emphasize what the president could possibly express
‘hatred’ for. There is doubt whether the president really hates drugs, and this news
article even contradicts his stance. The adjective ‘all-consuming’ is also unnecessary as
it only adds flavor to the article.
The next paragraph is Duterte’s statement on an interview with Al Jazeera, the
same day of the online publication of Ranada’s article. Duterte claims that he is “not the
authority” for discussing its legalization of marijuana, and mentions Food and Drug
Administration as the one in charge, stating “if it's certified by the government and it's
good, fine, no problem” (Jazeera, 2016). The FDA is under the Department of Health,
on the executive department of the Philippines, and its approval is indeed required.
However, a republic act is crafted by the Congress/legislative powers and fully approved
by the President itself (Official Gazette). Thus, Duterte cannot claim that he is ‘not the
authority’, but rather, not fully the authority. Besides, a president is the highest authority
in a republic.
A proposal to FDA goes through research studies and is regulated (FDA).
Duterte is also properly stating a claim of value on his additional statement, the fourth
paragraph of the news article. Implicitly, the president also wants to discover more
about the effect of marijuana on the body, aiming to find a “qualifying…activity” to know
if “it can do something good for the body”. However, the phrase ‘positive effect’ is more
scientific and appropriate for usage, than stating the ‘qualifying activity’. Duterte may not
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have known better English words, knowing that he is of Filipino origin, and simply used
a phrase that somehow resembles what he wants to convey.
Ranada then claims that one reason for legalizing marijuana in some places,
including “some states in the US”, is “medical purposes such as for the alleviation of
pain”. A book entitled “Marijuana as Medicine? The Science beyond the Controversy”
disproves this, stating that “marijuana-based medicines could perhaps be combined
with opiates to boost their pain-relieving power while limiting their side effects”, but
“marijuana's potential to relieve pain has yet to be conclusively confirmed in the clinic”,
since cannabinoids, compounds found in marijuana (Patel & Kiriakopoulos, 2018), are
only “proven to block peripheral nerve pain in experimental animals” (Mack & Joy,
2000). The book also mentions that some clinical studies found out that “the drug
[marijuana] has the opposite effect”. However, it may be possible that more recent
studies have been conducted about marijuana’s effectiveness, possibly with
experimentation on humans.
Ranada also says that it can be prescribed to “treat muscle spasms”, which the
same book proves (p. 7). The book also proves Ranada’s claim of marijuana being able
to treat “nausea from cancer chemotherapy” (p. 6), and “seizure disorders” (Patel &
Kiriakopoulos, 2018), although the medicinal testing had side effects.
The author is also correct in declaring the Philippines, along with France and
other Asian countries, having “some of the stricted laws against marijuana or cannabis”,
as proven by Republic Act No. 9165, declaring marijuana as a ‘dangerous drug’
(Congress of the Philippines, 2002). The word ‘stricted’, however, is not a word; it could
possibly be replaced with ‘strict’, as an adjective for ‘laws’. As a typographical error, it
could also be replaced with ‘restrictive’.
The seventh paragraph mentions Germany, Netherlands, India, and Canada as
countries with least restrictive cannabis laws (cannabis is another term for marijuana).
However, these countries have different situations when it comes to legalization of
marijuana. India, having historical value over the plant, is only, truly, the least restrictive
of the four countries. In Germany, it is legal for medicinal context but illegal for
recreational use, while in the Netherlands, it is illegal for recreational use but it is
tolerated. In Canada, the amount of marijuana for possession is the same with
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Netherlands, around 30 grams (Deutsche Welle, 2018), and the plant is also legal for
medicinal and recreational purposes from 2001. However, the true legalization in
Canada is the Cannabis Act, which was signed 2 years after the article was written.
Ranada reports that there have been efforts in the Philippine Congress to
legalize marijuana, and a Rappler link appears within the sentence, which works as a
reference to the claim of fact.
The news’ last part consists of description for Duterte, alluding to him as “fiercely
vocal against drugs, particularly shabu…”, and quoting him that “it tears Filipino families
and heightens criminal tendencies”. Ranada’s use of the word ‘fiercely’ proves further
her usual use of descriptive or flowery words, possibly to intensify the impact it will have
on the reader. A viewer on the page would quickly recognize the word, and then accept
it as a fact, but more on that viewpoint later. The word can be replaced with ‘greatly’,
without having to appeal to any kind of manner. Going back to the statement, Duterte
implicitly describes his view on dangerous drugs, providing a quick conclusion that
shabu “heightens criminal tendencies”. The comparison of Ranada between cannabis
and methamphetamine (another word for shabu), specifically for the report’s use and its
appropriateness for the article is also debatable.
The last statement provides final insight for Duterte as a president. As a side
note, it was a good decision for Ranada to use the word ‘helm’, not only because it is
unfamiliar, but it also provides an opportunity for the reader to discover what the word
means. Returning to the last sentence, another Rappler link is embedded, and the
technique of hypertext becomes the final evidence for the statement.
The content itself is compelling, but more aspects of the article are still left
untouched. The next aspect to be considered is the viewpoint of the author. Pia
Ranada graduated from Ateneo de Manila University with a degree in Communication,
and has worked as a writer-producer for a late night newscast on GMA 7, as shown on
her Rappler profile. This implies that her work on the news site is actually her first
experience as a legitimate journalist.
She also posts news updates continuously almost every day, as denoted by the
news’ dates on her profile timeline. It can be inferred that her pursuit is constant, also
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after knowing that she just recently became “assigned to the Malacañang beat”, as early
as 2016. This article may be part of her first works as well.
The last part on Ranada’s Rappler profile presents her hobbies (reading in
particular), and accomplishments, one of which is the Carlos Palanca award. The award
is meant for literature, and the Manila Standard even call it the “Pulitzer Prize” of the
Philippines for its prestige. Moreover, a PressReader interview with Pia Ranada
describes her passion for creating stories while associating it with art (pressreader,
2018). Surprisingly, this has some connection with her usage of few colorful words for
writing the news article.
It can be inferred that her education and previous career continues to slightly
affect her ability, in the journalistic sense. Her interest in literature shows up in her
articles, if one was so inclined to search such context clues. She was almost all about
writing original and creative texts, before deciding to change and write about factual
texts. The influence of her background becomes evident; however, this also affects her
proper way of writing news. She aims to write factual stories to tell the truth, embedding
art within as a form of informal education, but news only aims to write factual stories to
tell the truth, and nothing else.
After analyzing the writer, it can be stated that Pia Ranada’s history became a
factor in her style of writing. This contributes to some flaws in her article’s content, but
nevertheless, she has succeeded in writing as a journalist, providing a simplified view of
the topic in discord.
There are more aspects of Pia Ranada not taken into account (including the
issue of her being biased), and the content can still be examined further, but this only
focuses on the main and distinct points that can easily be analyzed within the context of
the news article.

Word Count:
1, 440 (without title and bibliography)
1, 455 (with title)
1, 603 (with title and bibliography)
Fletcher Al Latagan
XI – Isaac Newton
Bibliography
Congress of the Philippines. (2002, June 7). REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9165. Retrieved from
The LAWPHiL Project:
https://www.lawphil.net/statutes/repacts/ra2002/ra_9165_2002.html

Deutsche Welle. (2018, October 17). Canada's cannabis legalization goes into effect.
Retrieved from DW News: https://www.dw.com/en/canadas-cannabis-
legalization-goes-into-effect/a-45917817

FDA. (n.d.). About. Retrieved March 6, 2019, from Food and Drug Administration:
https://www.fda.gov.ph

Jazeera, A. (2016, October 16). Rodrigo Duterte interview: Death, drugs and diplomacy.
Retrieved from Talk to Al Jazeera:
https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/talktojazeera/2016/10/exclusive-rodrigo-
duterte-war-drugs-161015100325799.html

Mack, A., & Joy, J. (2000). Marijuana and Pain. In A. Mack, & J. Joy, Marijuana As
Medicine? The Science beyond the Controversy (p. 4). Washington, DC: The
National Academies Press.

Official Gazette. (n.d.). REPUBLIC ACTS. Retrieved March 6, 2019, from GOVPH:
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/section/republic-acts/

Patel, A., & Kiriakopoulos, E. (2018, July). Medical Marijuana and Epilepsy. Retrieved
from Epilepsy Foundation: https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/treating-seizures-and-
epilepsy/other-treatment-approaches/medical-marijuana-and-epilepsy

pressreader. (2018, January 1). PIA RANADA. Retrieved from pressreader:

https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/scout/20180101/281646780566779

Tubeza, P. (2017, February 28). Bato: ‘Neutralization’ means arrest. Retrieved from
Inquirer.net: https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/876096/bato-neutralization-means-
arrest?utm_expid=.XqNwTug2W6nwDVUSgFJXed.1