Reading Advocates' Spirit Remains Strong Despite State of Reading Challenges in the Philippines

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) believes that the determination of reading advocates in the Philippines remains strong despite the current challenges facing the state of reading in the country.

The State of the Reading Nation Address (SORNA) for the second quarter of this year was presented during the inaugural Milestone Meeting of the National Alliance of Reading Advocates (NARA). This initiative, a project of the NBDB, brings together numerous readership advocates and plays a crucial role in the NBDB’s ongoing efforts to foster a love for reading in the Philippines.

The second-quarter SORNA highlighted three key areas: the importance of community engagement and support networks, the necessity of teacher training and professional development, and the critical issue of access to resources and materials.

"To address these vital points, advocates and stakeholders across government, non-government, and private sectors are working tirelessly to rekindle a love for reading among Filipino adults and children and to prevent a reading crisis," emphasized Daniel Lorenzo Mariano, OIC of NBDB’s Readership Development Division (READ).

Established in the second quarter, the NARA and its members are collaboratively working to enhance Philippine readership. In April, the NBDB hosted the second edition of its flagship event, the Philippine Book Festival (PBF), a four-day fair attended by over 30,000 people. This event also served as the platform for the soft launch of NARA. The all-Filipino book fair aims to promote a culture of reading and simultaneously support the growth of the publishing industry in the country.

In response to the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, which underscored the need to address literacy and reading issues, the Department of Education (DepEd) has adopted a science-based approach to teaching reading. Stakeholders are hopeful that the incoming DepEd chief, Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, will advocate for reading and address the country's literacy challenges.

In collaboration with DepEd, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is promoting a reading mindset through its nationwide tutoring program, “Tara, Basa.” This initiative has trained thousands of student-tutors and youth development workers to conduct reading sessions for struggling and non-reader Grade 2 learners in public elementary schools. The program also includes “Nanay-Tatay” teacher sessions to empower parents and guardians to actively support their children’s reading journeys.

Several Local Government Units (LGUs), along with private and non-profit organizations, have also launched their own readership development programs.

Other efforts implemented during the second quarter aim to foster a reading culture among Filipinos and shape the country's reading landscape.

“The NBDB, through NARA, is working on developing a NARA Readers’ Agenda. Alongside passionate advocates such as educators, librarians, publishers, community leaders, and students, we will continue to raise our collective voice to highlight the power of reading and make it an exciting and enriching adventure,” added Mariano.