APEC v. Apec (A Case of Capitalization, Part 2)

Christian Esguerra of Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on 11/15/2009:

Ms Arroyo made the pitch for “policies and rules that are fair to the labor-receiving and labor-sending economies and, most especially, the workers” during the first of two closed-door retreats among the 21 leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) here.

The full details of the report can be found in this article: At Apec, Arroyo bats for migrant workers.

I am still not sure why Philippine Daily Inquirer reporters capitalize only the first letter of APEC. Alcuin Papa seems to have committed the same error here.

Lovely news title

In Burgonio’s article entitled “Arroyo on Senate report: Gossip mixed with facts“ , he/she (it is unknown to me if TJ is a she or a he) said:

MANILA, Philippines — President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Thursday bristled at “unsubstantiated allegations” about her role in the $329-million National Broadband Network (NBN) scandal that has dogged her administration since 2007.

I will leave it up to you to read the whole report, but I would love to complement Burgonio for this very truthful title. The truth is “gossip” is a very essential an element of Philippine media and political culture.

APEC vs. Apec: An issue of capitalization

Dear Alvin Alcuin Papa and Philippine Daily Inquirer,

Acronyms are words formed from the initial letters or syllables of other words, e.g. radar – radio detection and ranging. When an acronym is made up of initial letters that are themselves capitalised, then capitalise each letter, e.g. NATO for the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. But if the acronym is formed from initial syllables rather than letters, then capitalise only the first letter. In general avoid acronyms as much as possible. ~~~ Handbook of Journalism, Reuters.

Who is Telling the Truth?

Dear Friends,

In their 11/06/2009 article Palace Rejects Talk with Oil Companies, TJ Burgonio and Donna Pazzibugan (and possibly, Amy Remo) write:

Malacañang on Thursday rejected the appeal of oil companies for a dialogue with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on te possible recall of an executive order freezing fuel prices in Luzon, which remains in a state of calamity. But Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera indicated that the order may soon be lifted in specific areas as the government and oil firms try to reach an agreement on a mutually acceptable response to the devastation wrought by successive storms.

Now, in the ABS-CBN news article Palace to oil companies: Don’t scare consumers, we see a different story:

Reports said that according to Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera that there is a possiblity of a partial lifting of the executive order. Remonde said he has personally asked Devanadera about the supposed statement, but the justice secretary has denied it. He added that the justice secretary has assured him that she is not planning to recommend the partial lifting of the order to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

I believe TJ Burgonio and Donna Pazzibugan owe it to the people to explain or to prove when Justice Secretary “indicated” that the order will “soon” be lifted.  If it was really true. This is a very good opportunity also to TJ Burgonio and Donna Pazzibugan to show their credibility.

Yun lang Po,
Ako Pa Rin!

Inquirer, please tell TJ Burgonio to provide the necessary information

Dear Inquirer,

I would like to share the following observation. In 11/05/2009 article of TJ Burgonio entitled “Palace rebuffs oil companies anew on price issue” Mr. Burgonio writes:

In full-page ads in newspapers on Thursday, oil industry leaders requested Arroyo to “allow us to sit down and discuss with you, so that you may consider recalling” Executive Order 389. They said the order posed “imminent danger” to the economy, business and employment that “far outweighed” the benefits. “A weakened oil sector, forced to sell at a loss, cannot continue to play its strategic role as the government’s partner in the nation’s growth and in ensuring an adequate level of supply given the instability of worldprices of crude oil and petroleum products,” they said.

There is nothing in the same article to indicate who these oil industry leaders are. People needs to know who “they” are. However, in yet another article of TJ Burgonio, Palace Rejects Talk with Oil Companies, he writes:

Inquirer, TJ Burgonio, Donna Pazzibugan and the Weasel Words

Dear INQUIRER,

Philippine Daily Inquirer, please remind TJ Burgonio and Donna Pazzibugan (and possibly, Amy Remo) to raise important questions to clarify unclear statements of a source. In their 11/06/2009 article Palace Rejects Talk with Oil Companies, they write:

Malacañang on Thursday rejected the appeal of oil companies for a dialogue with President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on the possible recall of an executive order freezing fuel prices in Luzon, which remains in a state of calamity. But Justice Secretary Agnes Devanadera indicated that the order may soon be lifted in specific areas as the government and oil firms try to reach an agreement on a mutually acceptable response to the devastation wrought by successive storms.