This is partly due to the country’s inability to keep its people educated because most of its government’s funds either go to corruption or are eaten by the continuing war in Mindanao and other parts of the country. Defence budget – not education – used to get the biggest slice in the country’s spending in past administrations.
There is also the problem of the Philippines having stopped becoming a nation of readers as more and more Filipinos grow up illiterate or unable to read or write.
It is for this reason that we have decided to step up our literacy advocacy at Kristiyano-Islam Peace Library (Kris) by promoting the value of reading in the media and the social networking sites. We feel it is not enough that we just build libraries, give free use of computers and Internet in our libraries; donate books to school libraries and institutions; finance the schooling of scholars etc – we must also help build a nation of readers.
Thus, last Thursday we showed up at the radio program of Ms. Susan Enriquez at DzBB, the radio component of GMA 7 Television Network. We thank Ms Susan, a highly respected and awarded radio commentator and TV personality for being a gracious host who helped us deliver our message about the value of book reading through her insightful and relevant questions.
During the show, we also made a pitch for people to donate books to our five Kris Libraries all over the country for us to be able to give it to poor Filipino children because we cannot have a nation of readers without books.
As we have said before, no Filipino child will ever grow up without a book if only those who have more than three, those who no longer need them; those who have outgrown books; or those who have shifted to electronic books and Internet-based reading and research will only give their old books to those with none.
We can make with books what Jesus Christ did in the miracle of the multiplication of five loafs of bread and two fish and which ended up feeding 4,000 people with plenty left in a place near Bethsaida, the Bible tells us.
We too can make our own miracle of multiplication of books if only we share old books we no longer need and want.
Aside from donating books, you can also help us by passing this message on to friends with lots of books and with generous hearts to give them away. You can also help by helping “multiply” this message to relatives and friends or by posting this message on your FB walls.
Thank you all very much and happy weekend.