GUIDE TO WRITING A REACTION PAPER

I. SUMMARY/SYNOPSIS – What are you reacting to?

GOAL: Show that you understand the opinion, main ideas, and supporting ideas in the documentary piece
you’re writing about.

Identify all of the basic information about the piece, including:

• The title of the piece

• The topic or subject of the piece. In other words, tell what the piece is about in a word or a phrase.

II. ANALYSIS/EVALUATION – What are the strengths and weaknesses of the piece?

1. Answer the "w" questions, like why, why not, what, what if, what for, where, why there, who, how, when . .
. Specific questions you might take up include:

• Was the piece convincing? Why or why not, specifically? Is it well-researched? Why or why not?
• Did the piece overlook or leave out anything important? What?
• Did the piece overemphasize or over privilege anything? What?
• Is the piece one-sided, or does the piece present a balanced view?

III. YOUR REACTIONS – How do you react to the piece on a personal level? How does the piece relate to
your experience?

GOAL: Share your own impressions and your own experiences with readers. Here are some questions you
might consider answering:

• Did the piece hold your interest? Why or why not?

• Did the piece bother or annoy you? Why or why not?
• What did you realize as a result of watching the piece?
• What questions does the piece raise for you – about the material, about other things?

GUIDE TO WRITING A REACTION PAPER

I. SUMMARY/SYNOPSIS – What are you reacting to?

GOAL: Show that you understand the opinion, main ideas, and supporting ideas in the documentary piece
you’re writing about.

Identify all of the basic information about the piece, including:

• The title of the piece

• The topic or subject of the piece. In other words, tell what the piece is about in a word or a phrase.

II. ANALYSIS/EVALUATION – What are the strengths and weaknesses of the piece?

1. Answer the "w" questions, like why, why not, what, what if, what for, where, why there, who, how, when . .
. Specific questions you might take up include:

• Was the piece convincing? Why or why not, specifically? Is it well-researched? Why or why not?
• Did the piece overlook or leave out anything important? What?
• Did the piece overemphasize or over privilege anything? What?
• Is the piece one-sided, or does the piece present a balanced view?

III. YOUR REACTIONS – How do you react to the piece on a personal level? How does the piece relate to
your experience?

GOAL: Share your own impressions and your own experiences with readers. Here are some questions you
might consider answering:

• Did the piece hold your interest? Why or why not?

• Did the piece bother or annoy you? Why or why not?
• What did you realize as a result of watching the piece?
• What questions does the piece raise for you – about the material, about other things?
 DepEd Statement on the proposal of PDEA for mandatory drug testing of all students age 10 and older
DEPED PHILIPPINES·THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2018

The Department of Education (DepEd) observed that the proposal of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Administration
(PDEA) to test all students age 10 and older may require the amendment of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of
2002, which authorizes drug testing for secondary and tertiary level students only.

DepEd also cautioned on the cost implication of PDEA’s plan. The population of students from Grade 4 (the grade level of
10-year old students) to Grade 12 total at least 14 million. At PhP 200 per student for the testing fee alone, the budget
will already amount to PhP 2.8 billion. There are considerable related costs for capacity-building and mobilization for the
conduct of the drug testing.

DepEd has an ongoing drug testing program

DepEd clarified that it has an ongoing drug testing program, which started in School Year (SY) 2017-2018 and will be
completed in SY 2018-2019. The program covers all 1,300 officers and personnel at the central office, 3,800 in the
regional offices, and 26,000 in schools division offices. It also covers a sample population of all teachers, numbering
10,000, and a sample population of all secondary students, numbering 21,000. The sample population of secondary
students and teachers is based on a sampling design to yield 95% statistical confidence level of the result.

DepEd's program has the full support of the President

Before the drug testing was implemented, DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones made a presentation of the program
before the Cabinet. The President expressed his full support of the program.
Secretary Briones also noted that for the younger set, the directive of the President is to enhance the curriculum on
preventive drug education, to which DepEd is responding.

DepEd’s drug testing program follows the legal mandate and regulations
The drug testing program is being done pursuant to the authorized drug testing under the Comprehensive Dangerous
Drugs Act of 2002, specifically Section 36 (c) with respect to students, and Section 36 (d) with respect to officers and
employees of public offices. The specific standards and guidelines follow strictly the regulations of the Dangerous Drugs
Board (DDB) Regulation No. 6, s. 2003 as amended by DDB Regulation No. 3, s. 2009, on the conduct of drug testing for
students, and DDB Regulation No. 2, s. 2004. Likewise, there is a Civil Service Commission Resolution No. 1700653 issued
on 15 March 2017, providing guidelines of the mandatory drug test for public officials and employees.
With respect to students, the authority is to test for secondary and tertiary students. Based on the implementing
regulation of the DDB, the objectives of the drug testing are: (a) to determine the prevalence of drug users among the
students; (b) to assess the effectivity of school-based and community-based prevention programs; (c) to deter the use of
illegal drugs; (d) to facilitate the rehabilitation of drug users and dependents; and, (e) to strengthen the collaboration
efforts of identified agencies against the use of illegal drugs and in the rehabilitation of drug users and dependents. The
DDB regulation also provides that the number of samples should yield a statistical 95% confidence level for the whole
student population.
The program is being done in close partnership with the Department of Health (DOH). The preparation and continuing
capacity-building to be able to responsibly undertake the full cycle of the drug testing is an involved process: from
training of personnel in the collection of urine samples; the orientation and notice of all officers, personnel, and secondary
students on the objectives and guidelines of the program; and the training of personnel in the proper handling of positive
results.

Drug testing a component of a broader preventive drug education program

DepEd notes that drug testing is a component of a much broader preventive drug education program. The primary
mandate of DepEd is still the integration of preventive drug education in curriculum and instruction, which includes: (a)
the adverse effects of the abuse of dangerous drugs on the person, the family, the school and the community; preventive
measures against drug abuse; (b) health, socio-cultural, psychological, legal and economic dimensions and implications of
the drug problem; (c) steps to take when intervention on behalf of a drug dependent is needed, as well as the services
available for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug dependents; and, (d) misconceptions about the use of dangerous
drugs such as, but not limited to, the importance and safety of dangerous drugs for medical and therapeutic use as well
as the differentiation between medical patients and drug dependents in order to avoid confusion and accidental
stigmatization in the consciousness of the students.
The integration of preventive drug education in curriculum and instruction is found in the subjects of health, and in
Edukasyon sa Pagpapakatao (EsP) with respect to life skills to avoid involvement in dangerous drugs. Secretary Briones
has ordered the review of the sufficiency and responsiveness of the current curriculum. Presently, DepEd has a team
validating lesson plans for EsP contextualized for preventive drug education from Kindergarten to Grade 12, for use in
homeroom instruction.

DepEd to request a meeting with PDEA

Secretary Briones will be requesting for a meeting with PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino to share DepEd’s program.
The Secretary said that it will be good to compare the objectives of the two institutions; DepEd’s objective is mainly to
know the prevalence so it can provide interventions compliant to its mandate, and for health reasons, so proper
treatment can be provided.