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Yesterday, I came across an article by Juan Miguel Luz of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. It is titled A Nation for Non-readers, and is about the "undeveloped" reading habits of Filipinos. 

Someone once remarked that we are not a nation of readers; we are a nation of storytellers. Ours is a culture of oral history passed on by word of mouth not through written word.

I think there is something wrong with the statement. Storytellers? What difference could it be with being a reader?

The problem is, books nowadays are too expensive. 

The general population, especially in the Philippines, can not, so to speak, afford buying books that could enhance their reading comprehension which must lead to grammar expansion.

Photo courtesy of http://www.toptenz.net/top-10-reasons-that-prove-the-world-is-not-getting-stupider.php

In a article by Queena Lee Chua of Inquirer.net, she said that there is really a decline in readership among Filipinos.

According to Chua, a survey was conducted and it showed that despite of the proliferation of bookstores, publishers and writers, there is a decrease in reading in our nation. 

"Only 92 percent of respondents say they read, down to two percent from 2003. The reading of books, comics, newspapers, and magazines has gone down, by seven, 13, 14, and 15 percent, respectively," she said.

Overtime, there is a remarkable increase of literacy rate, but does this mean that the reading habits of Filipinos develop, too?

If, let's say, 85% of the general population are literate, does it follow that 85% of them are economically well-off? Do they have the access to good books?

It may not be parallel to the economic stability of the Philippines.

The growing population does not really imply illiteracy but, culturally speaking, people from other races still look at Filipinos as though we are not good enough to compete.

What should we do to somehow eradicate this notion?

The National Book Development Board of the Philippines uploaded a very good example on how to increase the literacy rate of students, comes along with the increase of their reading habits in their issue of book watch.

Source: http://nbdb.gov.ph/images/bookwatch/bookwatchfirst.pdf

What else more to do? I suggest that:

1. There should be a regulation of book prices.

2. The Philippine government should conduct more book drives not only in schools but also in communities.

3. School libraries should contain really good reads, not only academically but those literary works.

4. There should be a One Town. One Library move/project.

5. Create a nation of bookworms.

There will be a growth and increase in the number of intellectual Filipinos if these happen.

The literacy rate of Filipinos may also bag its highest, if that is possible.

To cap this literacy and to be a bookworm thingy, I found a really good quotation, a reason why people should really read more:

I think that most people go into bookshops and have no idea what they want to buy. Somehow, the books sit there, almost magically, willing people t pick them up. The right person for the right book. It’s as though they already know whose life they need to be a part of, of how they can make a difference, how they can teach a lesson, put a smile on a face at just the right time.”

-          Tamara Goodwin, The Book of Tomorrow

Sources:

http://www.indexmundi.com/facts/philippines/literacy-rate

http://readphilippines.com/Forum/are-filipinos-readers--t42s100.html