Local gov’t unit, companies
link for reading program
By Carina I. Roncesvalles
[see news clipping]

BUSINESS WORLD
Weekender /29
FRIDAY-SATURDAY July 19 – 20, 2002

“Ikaw at Ako, Trip Natin Libro” was the idea behind an independent foundation that consolidates support from local government units (LGUs) and private businesses to promote love of reading.

In January 2001, Sa Aklat Sisikat (loosely translated as “books make you cool”) Foundation was established to advocate reading as a “cool” habit in public elementary schools.

SAS President Margarita L. Delgado said, “SAS wants to build a nation of readers because we strongly believe that with this comes empowerment and that we would like to give the next generation a fighting chance”.

SAS recently distributed 5,600 books to 17 public schools in Marikina City and 2,200 books in 31 public schools in Nasugbu, Batangas. A total of 85 teachers in each venue were trained to implement the SAS reading program.

Recently, SAS Foundation has unveiled the SAS-Tuklas Reading Center in Leodegario Victorino Elementary School (LVES) in Marikina. The reading center in Nasugbu, Batangas will be unveiled next month.

SAS Executive Director Mary Margaret M. Barro said the foundation distributed 40 locally published books to each Grade 4 class. Each title costs an average of P100, while each reading center cost P115, 000.00

More importantly a reading program was implemented to deepen the children’s love and habit of reading books that promote social values.

“We’re not giving children the fish. We teach them how to fish,” Ms Delgado said.

The SAS reading program aims to get students read all 40 titles. Each student is given a personal SAS passport. As a student finishes one book, he writes an entry in the passport, which includes the book title, author, main characters and a two-sentence reflection.

The teachers check the passbook daily then gives the student a paper feather where the student writes his name, section, teacher, title and author of the book read.

Each school included in the literacy campaign is given an Ibong Adarna (mythical bird) banner where students post multi-colored paper feathers. The aim of the program is to complete the mythical bird poster. Upon completion, the SAS reading corner is constructed in the school.

The SAS-Tuklas Reading Corner is also a major component of Marikina’s drive for zero non-readers by the end of the year.

“We encourage the children to read and use reading as a tool for which they can save their families from poverty and will change their lives so that in the future, we can build a nation of Filipinos who are well-educated and have good foundation,” Marikina mayor Ma. Lourdes “Marides” Fernando said.

She added there is an urgent need to improve the quality of education in public schools. The city government would like to make the quality of education in public schools equivalent to that or even better than in private schools.

“We believe that raising the bar of literacy is the key to the future of our city, indeed our country. We must be able to cultivate the minds of our children well is we are to move forward as a nation, “ Ms. Fernando said.

For her part, LVES principal Adora S. Marcelo said the reading program is a well-planned project suited to the needs of the students who are enthusiastic in learning new ideas as they read new books.

LVES Grade 5 students Joyce Ann D. Rada, Divina J. Cagas and Jona V. Damole said they were excited about the project. They’ve learned the value of reading as they see different places in the multi-colored pages of the books.

The Marikina project was supported by various businesses namely, Petron Foundation, Jollibee Foods Corporation, Ayala Foundation, Bristol Myers Squibb Co., Bank of the Philippine Islands, Federal Phoenix Assurance, Globe Telecom, Phinma Foundation, Pag-ibig Fund, SM Foundation and Coca-cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc.