Araw ng Pagbasa: Reading towards nation building

Posted by Herbel Santiago on 10 December 2010 | 0 Comments

Tags: Reading, library, books, nation building

Araw ng Pagbasa: Reading towards nation building
By: Herbel Santiago
Manila Bulletin
http://mb.com.ph/articles/291025/flexaraw-ng-pagbasa-reading-towards-nation-building
MANILA, Philippines – One of the most fascinating and enriching things I have discovered when I was still young was learning how to read.

Being able to read is indispensable in navigating our everyday lives — we read the signages on the road, at restaurants and shopping malls. We read instructions on how to cook the most delicious dishes, or to install the newest applications in our computers.

But more than that, reading is a sublime activity that takes us beyond what we see in our physical surroundings. It inspires us to reach our goals and the seemingly unimaginable. In reading, ideas cease to become intangible. Abstract notions such as values, aspirations and creativity become concrete in the pages of our books.

In a nation deep in poverty, social injustice and discrimination, we cannot afford to be contented with our present condition. The reality could be so much better and we only need to read to realize that. We deserve to aspire for progress and greatness for ourselves and for our country. Yet, this will all remain a pipe dream if Filipinos decide to sit idly and not do something concrete to resolve the resource gap and illiteracy rate in our education system.

WHY KIDS SKIP SCHOOL

Aside from obvious reasons such as lack of resources and poverty, the 2008 Functional Literacy, Education and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) results also cite lack of personal interest as among the reasons why children skip school.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) thus recommended “non-conventional and flexible approaches” to improve access to primary education as well as public-private sector partnerships for related programs, activities and projects.

Realizing that need, the Quezon City government is helping push for House Bill No. 1457, authored by Quezon City 3rd district Rep. Jorge “Bolet” Banal, Jr.

This bill calls for the declaration of November 27 as “Araw ng Pagbasa”, a regular working holiday geared towards promoting reading and literacy. This will be celebrated in all public elementary and secondary schools in the country as it also commemorates the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino’s birth anniversary.

Even when he was still a councilor, Rep. Banal enjoined schools in Quezon City to conduct storytelling sessions in the subjects Araling Panlipunan, Filipino and English while sharing about Ninoy’s life. Excerpts of Ninoy’s speeches as a senator, including “the most famous undelivered speech in Philippine history” and a book for children about Ninoy’s life written by Rep. Banal himself, entitled The Magic Arrow, were read.

Araw ng Pagbasa advocates reading for enjoyment and learning and illustrates it as a shared physical experience aimed at inspiring a sense of civic duty and unity among Filipinos.

AHON (Acts of Hope for the Nation) Foundation is a partner in this advocacy. In the last two years, AHON Foundation, which serves as the corporate foundation of Filway Marketing, Inc. has helped provide functional libraries to 10 public elementary schools in Quezon City.

Similarly, AHON Foundation aims to help increase literacy levels in the Philippines and to promote a culture of reading and learning among our public school children by partnering with local communities in developing public elementary school libraries.

Public officials part of the Kaya Natin! Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership like Mayor Roque Verzosa, Jr. of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur have also adopted activities of Araw ng Pagbasa for their own constituencies, illustrating its effectiveness as a worthwhile campaign meriting national interest and support.
Guest readers have included Ramon Magsaysay Awardee and former Isabela Governor Grace Padaca, movie and television personalities, QC councilors and iamninoy volunteers.

Araw ng Pagbasa also celebrates continuing community-based interventions such as the Summer English Reinforcement Classes (SERC) in all public elementary schools, the nutrition and reading program Feed the Mind and the literacy campaign iLove2Read.

Through Araw ng Pagbasa, we realize that reading is a strategic step towards nation-building and poverty alleviation. Rep. Banal says, “November 27 need not be another day in the calendar because it stands for both history and opportunity. We collectively look back and find lessons in what Ninoy has done. We also look ahead. For the youth, each story becomes a window to another way of seeing the world.” Wise words from a true champion of reading, literacy and public education reform in our country.

The author is a recent AB Literature in English graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University and is now working at AHON Foundation. For those who want to learn more about Araw ng Pagbasa and its other programs, call 02-9315989.