DAVAO CITY – Vice President Sara Duterte lauded the final leg of the inaugural Philippine Book Festival at SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang here on Friday, August 18.
“We are fortunate to host this event in our beloved city in time for the (38th) Kadayawan Festival,” Duterte said as she welcomed all the book and Kadayawan festival guests and spectators to Davao.
The Vice President said this event demonstrates the National Book Development Board’s (NBDB) unwavering dedication to Filipino students. She added that this is also important for all educators.
Duterte disclosed that over the past few years, they have seen “a painful decline” in the ability of young learners to read and write.
Thus, the Department of Education (DepEd) recently launched the revised MATATAG Curriculum, emphasizing essential competencies, including writing, reading, and comprehension, she said.
Duterte said the MATATAG Curriculum, an improved version of the K-10 program, hopes to correct the program’s flaws that affected the learners’ writing and reading skills contributing to learning losses.
“Our direction is not only for our learners to possess the power of writing and reading but, most importantly, for them to value this power as it could help them navigate life successfully,” Duterte said.
She added that such initiative requires reigniting learners' interest in written content by engaging with books and other materials that could ignite their curiosity, give space for their creativity, and nurture their intellect.
“We intend to offer our learners accurate, responsive, and culturally relevant reading materials,” the Vice President said.
Duterte said she believes that books and other related reading materials could change lives, and through books and other relevant reading materials, they want to change the lives of the learners.
The Vice President commended the dedication and achievements of the Philippine publishing industry, including authors, creators, and illustrators.
Duterte said that the Philippine Book Festival is more than gathering the finest book writers, book readers and collectors, illustrators, agents, and publishers.
She added that the festival represents a celebration of the limitless realms of knowledge that can be unlocked by simply flipping through the pages of a book.
"This is a strong assertion of the role of books in our lives as individuals and as a nation,” Duterte said, adding that the importance of these authors, creators, and the likes’ work is something that everyone cannot overemphasize.
She said the value of books penned by individuals who have committed their lives to the vocation and cause of imparting their expert or scholarly wisdom, inspiring or entertaining others through their fictional or factual narratives, also holds undeniable importance.
Through various workshops, exhibits, and storytelling sessions, everyone in the event can craft an immersive “book experience” that embraces families, visitors, and children, Duterte said, as she encouraged everyone to make the most out of the event.
Duterte also paid tribute to Davao and the country’s culture, history, and language richness. She said that each piece of literature is a proof to Filipino thought, imagination, and narrative depth.
“By promoting our homegrown authors, illustrators, and publishers, we not only give voices to stories that have been waiting to be told for so long, we also celebrate them,” she added.
Duterte encouraged everyone to commit to nurturing continuous education and cultivating a society that welcomes diversity, empowers minds, and ignites the fires of creativity.
“May this festival illuminate our path toward a strong Philippines where the pages of our shared story are etched with the enduring ink of knowledge, wisdom, and inspiration,” Duterte said.
Sen. Loren Legarda thanked the NBDB for inviting her as a guest and vowed to recommit herself to fully supporting the Philippine Book Festival that instills a lifelong love for learning among the youngsters.
Loren said in a speech read by the Adarna House Philippines Vice President Ani Almario that as deeply dedicated and committed to promoting education and literacy in the country, she supports the endeavors of the NBDB to help young ones engage into books.
“This book festival is a platform where Filipino authors can showcase their creativity and talents, connect with their readers, and enrich our country’s literary landscape by encouraging meaningful discussions, book launches, workshops, exhibits, storytelling, and more,” she said.
As vessels of knowledge, Loren said she believes books can motivate, educate, promote critical thinking, and awaken the doormat creativity within people.
Loren said she has consistently proposed measures and championed causes to help the country recognize the intrinsic worth of reading.
“I will continue to promote an awareness of our learning poverty as it is crucial for improving the education sector.”
Loren said that having such a book festival is an excellent undertaking.
The senator added that the country could draw attention to the urgent need to address children's low reading ability and comprehension.
She has been advocating for the establishment and upgrading of libraries and their facilities within communities, ensuring Filipinos are granted access to the vast reservoir of knowledge and creativity and thousands of books written by Filipinos for Filipinos.
“This (endeavor) goes beyond near access to schooling. It will give every child adequate learning opportunity to reach their full potential.”
NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade, who welcomed the guests during the opening of the festival, said the board aims to promote the country’ best product in Davao and Mindanao.
Tugade said that the NBDB has been organizing the country’s most extensive mobile book festival to spotlight Filipino literature, culture, and content.
Representatives of booths in the event, authors and illustrators, and 700 teachers also attended the opening of the Philippine Book Festival.