Update: This article was written decades ago, and may still behold truth like many of you discussed below. Copyright to the Manila Chronicles.
Some years ago, a friend of mine observed that in Japan, the bookshop seemed to be the most popular feature of practically every street block. While in the Philippines, instead of bookshop, it was the beauty parlor vying closely with the sari-sari store.
In commiseration, I made the wistful remark that at the turn of the century in London, Virginia Woolf was already making good money doing just book reviews for newspapers and periodicals, and through her highly rarefied novels and short stories, some of which became bestsellers of her lifetime.
Even in those days, a writer as difficult as Woolf had an audience, those who were willing to exchange hard-earned money for her often esoteric experimentation with language and literary forms.
In sad contrast, almost a century after Ms. Woolf was able to support herself with her writing, Filipino writers would starve if he or she depended solely on “literary writing.”
It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers. To paraphrase, George Bernard Shaw, Filipinos will go from being primitives to becoming exhausted as a civilization, without ever having been civilized enough to read books.
Why is this shameful fate of our lot as a nation? There are a few facile reasons that we could cite, we don;t mean sheer poverty either, for even among the richest Filipinos, they hardly read books.
A book, whether a novel, a compilation of poetry, or a collection of essays or short stories, is one of the most demanding forms of intellectual engagement available, a one-on-one relationship and challenge. A book must be met in certain solitude so that the sentences and chapters will seep through the readers consciousness of the reader.
The problem is Filipinos hate solitude. Count the number of Filipinos you know who enjoy being alone, and being in a book. For them, it’s absolutely terrifying.
Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows. And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span.
Furthermore, books deal with ideas, worked out mainly through characters and plots. There is always some horrid symbolism lurking somewhere, and the conflict of one system of thought against another. However for most of us, we prefer our conflicts played out among personalities rather than in ideas–it’s much easier that way and more exciting. Ideas can be so dull.
Another facter could be one reads a book in silence. Solitude na, ideas pa, and then silence? It is too much for average Filipino. It just goes against all cultural traits–the need to move in herds, in exuberance and gaiety, in love songs and dances. Rilke be hung, give Filipino La Bamba any day.
A great pity, of course, and dangerous, too, when non-readers like Imelda Marcos (who was never seen reading a book from cover to cover) get positions of power.
How much does Cory Aquino read, does anyone know?
Alas! Perhaps the only Filipino who read assiduously these days are the Marxists with their tones on agrarian reform, Nicaragua on its liberation theology, and the Latin American political novelists. No wonder they’re often ahead in the game.
Still, here’s to the little band of Filipinos who do read, who scrimp and save to buy the expensive pocketbooks of the latest novels from Europe and Latin America, from Japan, from the Philippines. Even rarer than the Filipino reader is the Filipino Writer. But that topic is too sad for words.
-© The Manila Chronicle, 1987
One of Philippine's first when it comes to entertaining, informative and educative content.
fortunately…i’m a book lover
during my free time si kamahalang book ang kasama ko instead na pumunta sa kung saan-saan.time of relaxation rin ang reading
thank you for dropping sa blog ko and it’s an honor
god bless…
Hi,
I totally disagree, because Filipino’s love books. Once you know how to read, you simply can’t stop. Reading is essential for life. It’s a tool for survival. If you’re on the road, you know where to go or to ride because you see “karatulas” or other signs. Businessmen, lawyers, journalist, typical man and other Filipino’s love to read. Businessmen reads business column, lawyers read the headlines as well as the journalist, what do a typical man read? One of the best example I can give are tricycle drivers because you always see one equipped with a tabloid newspaper. Don’t get me wrong but They read Tabloids not because of the bad things in there but because it’s what there understanding, intellect and education can comprehend. In our local Talipapa, in one of the stores you can see on the display are Tagalog romantic pocketbook. How can I prove that Filipino’s love to read? It’s because they still display it. If nobody buys the books, why won’t they change the display in a more interesting toys instead. For almost seven years I live here in our subdivision, I once ask the saleslady how many times do they have new arrival of books and she told me once a week. It only tell us that Filipino’s love to read. Kid’s love to read, simply because they love stories, they read with you until they can read alone. Other kid’s starts with loving comics to deeper books.Teens say, “We don’t love to read” then why do they have magazines, mangga, comics, novel at home and they even collect or subscribe. Another example of teens gone mad on readings are the international best-selling book made for teens namely “Twilight”. I can understand bookworms getting hook with Bella and Eduard but believe it or not a boy classmate of mine who don’t read thick books even collected series of books by Stephanie Meyer.You just need to base it on your interest. Old people love to read newspapers. Filipino’s love to read they just need to know what best fits them. So, I conclude that I, a Filipino citizen Am a book lover as well as other Filipino’s around the world. You? What kind of reader are you?
Ms. Francisco, I would understand your hurt feelings. But your response betrays all the more how pathetic the situation is. Pocketbooks? Comics? Tabloid magazines? Are these the kind of reading materials that promote ideas over personalities? Sad to say, the answer is NO.
What do pocketbooks promote, especially the romance pocketbooks? For Filipinas to wait for this "knight-in-shining-armour" to save them from poverty? What do they learn from it? It's either to snag a "matandang mayamang madaling mamatay" or to marry a foreigner in the hopes of escaping destitution. Pathetic.
What do comics promote? Creativity notwithstanding, they only promote escapism. Who are the heroes in Pinoy comics? Darna? Her power is derived from a stone, not from deep within. Captain Barbell? Again, his power is derived from an external source – the "barbell." That's a cause for worry, if power is derived from external sources, not from within.
And you mentioned Manga (please check your spelling) –it's an import from Japan. Our artists did not even create it.
On the whole, the point of the blog is to underscore the level of Filipino culture with regards to reading, education, and literary appreciation. I hate to say this but I have to agree with the blogger that the level would require so much improvement.
Lastly, out of concern, I advise you to use your reason than emotion if you want to win an argument. I know you felt hurt by the assertion. But it was not about an attack at Filipino culture or to you as a Filipino – it was a well-meaning criticism meant to make people aware of something, to coax them to change it. Mature people would understand that, and won't take it negatively.
PS. Kindly check your grammar too. Reading might help, but you need to write more to improve it. Read and write more!!!
Upon reading this article, many thoughts came across my mind. Ofcourse, reading is a very important factor in man's education. Reading will enable us to gain more knowledge and be able to expand our vocabulary. Even before we went to a big school, our parents were already teaching us how to read. They used those books with large letters and colorful pictures. Through those books, we were able to build our foundation and background in reading. That's how important reading is to humans.
According to this article, Filipinos are not performing very well when in comes to reading books. Personally, I know that this is not true. However, many situations and instances make me think that somehow what this article is saying is true. First instance is when I observe students after school. When I go to the library, I don't see a big number of students there, but when I go to internet shops, malls, bars, and other places that teenagers go, I see a lot of them joyfully doing what they want. When they are asked why, they would simply say that reading books would be boring. For them, those who are reading books are just for nerds and those who are "uncool" for them. They will say that they don't need to read books anymore because they have internets anyway. That's the mindset of teenagers now a days. Which leads me to another problem why filipinos don't read books. Maybe another reason is because they are so overwhelmed with technology. Instead of holding books, they prefer to hold and use laptops, gameboys, ipods, celphones, psp's and other gadgets which are very big distractions in our education. Sad, but mostly true, those are the some of the reasons why some filipinos do not read books anymore.
Although I said that this article is true, there is also a part of me that thinks that filipinos are not really like this. This is because I know and I believe that somehow, filipinos still would like and love to read books. I mean only some are not book lovers. Infact, almost everyone wants to read. The only problem is our poverty. Because of poverty, not everyone in the Philippines are able to study and learn how to read. Deep inside them, they really want to read, only they did not have the chance to learn. It is again sad that those who know how to read do not use their skills to learn more, while those who do not know how to read are more passionate if they onnly have the money to educate themselves.
I know that someday, filipinos will also realize the importance of reading books. They will soon realize that reading can be the solution to the many problems of this country.
I agree with the article for I myself do not like to read books. If ever I read a book, I would only read a sentence or so and get bored, I would eventually stop reading from that point.
"Out of concern", people have their own opinions and you must so kindly repect said opinions. Ms. Memoria, you are a hypocrite. You have said, "to win an argument from reason rather than emotion" when clearly you are making personal attacks towards the debater. "Mature people would understand that, and won't take it negatively". Mature people would also focus on the argument rather than the person. Please do not criticize others but rather rebuttle their argument.
To continue the discussion..
Comics are derived from ideas also. What is the product of creativity? Innovation rather than escapism. Darna's power is derived from a stone and Captain Barbell's power from a barbell, both external sources, which can suggest the power of inventions and innovation.
From these so called rubbish pocketbooks, comics, and tabloids can be obtained an understanding of morals. What is good and bad? What is socially acceptable? what are big spectrum hopes and aspirations? Sure, they might not be formal writing,considered informal and less refined, but it still shows that there is at least some attraction to literary value of print sources rather than electronic media.
I do agree that Filipino culture needs to be enhanced. I feel that many people in the Philippines are deprived of print media due to economical circumstances. Books these days are expensive, $5 for a new paperback and up to $20 dollars for a small hardback. Cutting hair at a beauty salon is less time consuming; it takes less time to cut hair to write a book, get it published and sell it. Japan of course has more bookstores; Japan is more urbanized, densly populated, and technologically advanced. Books are more easily accessed because they are better off in Japan. Some children need to support their families working and do not have a chance to go to school and read books. Although this article seemed personally negative towards Filipinos, having a generalization as a title and making furthur assumptions of filipinos in the argument, it was a very well written piece with a well developed argument. The critique may touch people personally and affect the person enough to motivate change in today's society.
Well, I have to agree with some points of the article. For me filipinos are just lazy in reading books. Some of us, Filipinos, do read books but they do not understand some vocabulary words that's why they tend to stop reading it. But, I believe that some Filipinos too are book lovers. It's just that most of the Filipinos prefer watching movies rather than reading books. One good example of this is TWILIGHT. But don't you know that the book of twilight is more comprehensive than the movie. Some details are missing in the movie. So for me, reading books is a good habit.
@anna memoria..
you know,i just wanna contradict everything that you just wrote in your comment..Foremost,this article is about Filipinos not being bookworms or not reading too much because for one, i am an avid book reader and I love books (especially the twilight saga :)).What you said on your comment seems like you're degrading the filipinos and they're personality.It's like you, are cursing your own personal race and culture..I think you shouldn't say that filipinos,we,are pathetic just because not many reads books! Do you not consider the other good qualities of filipinos? One example is being hospitable..Maybe we can't be bookworms like other nations but can they be as hospitable as us?There are still many kind of qualities that makes filipinos better than other cultures.And if reading so much would promote to being a better kind of human being,why are some people who reads a lot particularly those americans have a bad attitude especially towards respecting elders?Now, do you say they are better than us filipinos who are known for respecting our elders?
I'm afraid your you have stereotyped Filipinos alot already.
Obviously, you haven't taken filipino literature subjects. Try the PanPil series at UP Diliman.
You sir, failed at your "article".
If you are addressing the blog writer, then please take a close look at the copyright footnote at the end of the post.
hi. goodafternoon everyone! 🙂 First of all, i want to greet my master Emuelson Erce who already commented about this article i believe in everything he says and what can i say? He's my idol. For me, in my mind i think that thank you and Godbless! 🙂
I certainly agree with this article since I seldom see Filipinos read books. We prefer watching television or going to the mall rather than reading books. We are also too busy with either our work or our school requirements. We rely on the internet or other technological devices whenever we need to research or find details about something. We feel like reading books takes a lot of time because whenever we can’t understand a word we still need to look it up in the dictionary. We, Filipinos also hate silence and isolation; we like to talk a lot and interact with other people. Reading books would require us to sit in a corner and focus on the book we’re reading.
But reading books gives a lot of benefits. For example, books can help enrich our vocabulary. The words that we find too difficult to understand can add up to our vocabulary. Books can also broaden up our ideas and imagination. Reading books require picturing the actions taking place in the text. I believe that it is not too late for us, Filipinos, to start reading books.
Hello!
I'm happy to say that I am one of those few Filipinos who are fond of reading. And I'm proud of that. I know some people might strike it as BORING and stuff, but I don't really care about what they say. I mean, in a world like we have now, fast-paced and full of people who sometimes can't enjoy the luxury of relaxation, I appreciate the time I can spend alone.
Curled up in corner, warmed by a blanket while the rain fell outside, and a good book that can keep me occupied for the next few hours, or maybe make me feel like I'm in two different places at the same time. Those are the times that can make me feel relaxed and giddy at the same time. Well, you know what I mean. :)))
And I'm grateful for those FEW Filipino writers, like Bob Ong. It simply means it's still possible for Filipinos to be BOOK LOVERS. Not that I believe it's impossible, it's just that this article IS right. We don't appreciate reading much the way other peoples do.
And it's hard to accept that it's true. From what I've experienced, fewer people are discovering the sheer excitement in browsing the books in a store, the curiosity while reading it, and the sadness that a good story has come to an end. And sometimes, one wonders, "What would have happened if this happened? Would the story still end up the same?"
That's all. Thanks. :))
These are my thoughts. :)) Any violent reactions, just reply.
Krizzia Camille R. Gojar
1ASN2
Based on the date when the article was published in 1987 not all Filipinos were privileged to be educated. Perhaps many of them were forced to tend to jobs that allowed them to earn money for their families. So not all of them were geared towards buying books and reading them. The article tackles a limited point of view of a certain individual who believes that Filipinos lack the interest to read books.
In this time and age when most Filipinos already have the access to different literary genres. It seems offensive for this writer to generalize Filipinos to be non-book lovers. I also understand that when one writes he or she talks about personal dealings but somehow it could have been fair if the writer has been open to the other side of the story.
Obviously, the article is very effective because the article seems controversial at this time and stirs criticisms from readers.
ah I totally agree with that one! However, I would like to count myself as a Pinay Bookworm. I do buy books frequently and since NBS opened in out town I got their card. Sadly though, I have noticed that NBS is never packed and more and more kids these days are glued to a PC screen either playing DOTA or surfing. No one appreciated the fine art of writing.
My English Lit teacher is a Palanca awardee and he introduced me to the fine art of Pinoy literature. There are a lot of really good Pinoy writers out there but alas, readership is scarce, right? Only a handful of Pinoy’s read books these days and if they do read, they don’t bother to read books from Nick Joaquin and others. I find myself guilty on the second count, too. I admit that I have read hundreds of international books but only a few written by Pinoys.
Perhaps school has played a part in the disinterest of Filipinos in the art of reading. Perhaps our parents play a part for us loving books. We really don’t know.
Sadly, the truth is that no one bothers to read anymore. And more and more people watch the boob tube for teleseryes and fantaseryes.
Ah! that was a pretty long comment. I like this article, though.. Xlinks? Sure! Just add my link, msg me, then I’ll link you up.
I’m so happy that a teen like you is still interested in books, there are only a few of us (errrmmm I’m not really a teen…lol) bookworms left.
It is in fact contemptible, but I find myself agreeing somehow to the writer. Most Filipinos are truly unaware of this diversion or sickness rather. Most of teens my age are not into reading and they actually come clean to it that they are aware of this awful hobby that they would rather do anything apart from reading. There's another side though. If you come to think of it, maybe it's just the bibliophobia. Some are not into reading heavy but into reading magazines like Reader's Digest, Newsweek and Time, just like me. Some read newspapers religiously… It's just a matter of preference. It doesn't always have to be a book, for me.
Some I actually do know are PhD-ing already and when I asked one of them to read a book she simply replied, "No time to read." The fact that she is in her mastership already meant a lot of readings already especially in her field which is Science. The fact is, she don't hate reading, apparently she just have a lot of books in line to read.
One more thing I did notice is that Filipinos, especially the youth, are only into reading books which are contemporary or presently popular and less appreciating older works by great writers. I'm not saying it is anyway bad though.
I have colleagues who are bookworms. It's just lopsided to tell that there are none left. Laughs. Just go to Starbucks, Coffee Bean, Seattle's Best you'll see bunch of them. More so in Powerbooks, Books for less, Fully Booked, National Bookstore and just around Recto!
In our fast changing world, business entities like these promote and attract readers sometimes in invisible ways. Like creating an atmosphere to attract readers. In 1987, when this blog was written, globalization was not so much of a wide spread that's why….
In the ultimatum, no one can ever say whether Filipinos are really book lovers or not. The matter that we must look upon is that we must be aware to ourselves that book is not a trend that come and go or we put out of our lifestyle… It is an essential part of our life. Let's say yes Filipinos are not book lovers, and so what? Filipinos are not bookworms, so what? As long as we know that we Filipinos read and never put it out of your lifestyle then we know that we are on the right track.
FYI. Mr. Emuelson Erce is my one and only MASTER.. i agree to everything that he says about this article. please do support him. Thank you and GOD BLESS. tccc mwa mwa :*
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hakhak
antagal na niang artikol ah?
hakhak
elyens
XXXxx
eyy…I don’t see my link sa blogroll mo…anyway msg me when it’s up! thanks!
The article was written more than ten years ago. Perhaps, that`s no longer true today. But I really don`t know for sure… What I do know is that there are more books available in the market that are affordable – thanks to Bookshop and other stores that sell second-hand books. Yay!
In a way yes, but there are other media where they get informed. The internet is one, you don’t only read information, you watch them as you get entertained.
@kamotenista – good to hear that there are still a couple of book readers out there, I’ve thought that I’m one of the very few XD
@Zriz of betterthanezrah – did you see it now?
@rimewire – oo nga, mejo matagal na nga ito.. hehe.
hello!
sure, xlinks. let me know if u’ve added me and i’ll do the same. thanks a lot. nice blog.
@lindsay – so, there you go, I’ve added you, kindly add me too.
ps: it’ll take a bit time for the page to update
hi there! i couldn’t find my link here. pls let me know if u’ve already linked me and will do the same. thanks! 🙂
i agree but not all namn
@amelia belocura – yes, I’m one of those who does reads 😀
hmmmm. onga naman. tsssssssssssk.,
pero ako booklover ako. weee XP
Consider me as part of the small percentage of Filipinos who do actually love to read. I don’t know who I’d be right now if it weren’t for books.
Honest to goodness bookworm! 🙂
@Dresdendoll – the reader count is increasing nga talaga, hehe.
@shaihyie – buti naman book lover ka hehe
books are the best .. kung tutoosin mas gusto ko pa mag basa kesa manoOd nang movie ahahha
Let’s find a way to promote book reading among the people.
@aiiya – talaga lang aiiya hah? hehe
yes, its pretty true. stats showing pinoys who read are declining. and we must do something about it.
nice blog design anyway, link ex?
i agree with some parts of the article, because nowadays especially the youth are quite enjoying reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and other fiction books and they can finish reading it from cover to cover but the only thing is they are ll fiction books(or maybe a novel also). but some filipinos are still book lovers
Upon reading the selection the main gist that I was gravitating towards to was the opinion of the author stating that the Philippines as a nation are not readers, this statement is something I highly disagree with, mainly because I can attest otherwise to most opinions stated.
We Filipinos in my opinion are wide readers. We have countless artists especially in the literary field. The statement wherein the author poses a thought to as why Filipinos are not readers due to the fact that we have short attention spans is highly debatable. One other statement that bothered me is the argument that it is because of our culture that we do not read, to me this is funny. Culture should not be blamed for the problems of society; rather it should be respected and given high regard because it’s something that we have that is unique.
I do however agree on the closing statement. The fact that majority of our populace is living below the poverty line is one of the major reasons why Filipinos do not read they would rather invest money on businesses that require small fees and boom easily such as beauty parlors and sari-sari stores to feed their hungry stomachs, not on books that feed our hungry minds. I would like however to point out that even the impoverished Filipinos still read mass materials such as newspapers and the comics that go along with it, here we can see that just given the chance a Filipino would read; granted the materials.
gnda…..naks i appreciate the person who made this
Why do you say that filipinos are not having been civilize to read books??
Ang baba naman ang tingin mo sa mga filipino…………………
hi………….Filipinos are addicted in tv’s/movies but not in books…………………bye………………
As a person who doesn't love reading books, I agree to the idea that Filipinos are not book lovers. I will say that 70% of the population don't love reading books and the remaining 30% are the bookworms. Not only am I who doesn't love reading books but I also know other persons who find reading as tedious, as a waste of time. Why will they spend their time reading books if they can find something much better or entertaining to do like going out somewhere together with their peers? In the malls, I always find a small number of people in the "books" section whenever I go to a bookstore. And today, where will you find a lot of people?- in the department store, timezone, cinemas, salons, and computer shops loaded with undergrads, perhaps, male students. With the innovation of many scientific know-hows, or something like computer programs, reading will be left out when it comes to entertainment.
I must admit that this article is quite true because nowadays Filipinos are more into computers than books as a means of entertainment. They prefer watching videos or listening to their favorite band than reading a book by some native author. When I was walking inside a mall with my friends, a book caught my attention. The book was named: "Precious Hearts Romances", its about different kinds of love stories written in the past. Then I told them that this book is quite interesting, they replied: "Yuck! Diba yan yung mga binabasa ng mga katulong?" or "Yuck! Those are the books that maids are reading". From that moment it gave me an idea that some look at books in a very low level. That book is still a book, readable,meaningful and unique.
They compare these kinds of books to the big ones like Harry Potter, Twilight and many more. Well those big books are novels and these are small pocket-sized books are short stories. So my point is that books are meant to be read by all no matter what's your status in the society. Whether if you are rich, poor or in the middle, we should be still reading books. Books are much more interesting as movies. Why? Because movies only have a certain time limit, for me in books, if there is ink on the paper there is still a story going on. The most common problem Filipinos face today is illiteracy where some doesn't know read at all. They spend time looking for scraps to sell for food than going to school.
I believe that’s what you call a sweeping generalization.
Do your research before you come up with pathetic assumptions like that.
@Kae – hope there won’t be any misunderstanding.
ahm, the article isn’t written by me, I just posted it here
Filipinos read. Maybe not your novels and academic essays of the West but more like the newspapers, tabloids, komiks, and magazines of local publishing industry in the Philippines. Why then do we have so many versions of tabloids, sold to the masses at hundred-thousands of copies daily?
We are also partly very vocal – centres like the neighborhood stores, beauty parlor, barber shop, and the like end up as places where people gather to hear the latest gossip, the funniest jokes, first or second or third-hand accounts of the most glitzy events, politics, opinions, even the latest lottery winning combination…it is a heritage of our culture – story-telling, interactive with each story changing realtive to the audience.
That’s why we have a Lola Basyang who told tales with a moral lesson. Often with children gathered round, rapt. Later on, the same children will be parents who will pass on the same stories, maybe with a few alterations to serve their purpose, share them to their children. Sadly though, there may not be that many parents who remember, or even bother to share this rich folklore to the young, especially with many among us finding work and living in foreign lands.
But we do read. Not the way that is deemed by Western or foreign standards, no. But we read just the same. One proof is how effective signs are in the Philippines, and how powerful graffiti could be. Just imagine a non-rerader take a jeepney ride off to someplace…with the many contortions or the routes jeepneys ply…it would be impossible to get to your destination if one didn’t read!
As to Filipino writers, there is quite an impressive list. The sad part would be the lack of support from local government, and patronage from fellow citizens.
Internet is also changing the way people read and write. Somehow we are in very interesting times and because we can read in at least two languages, it would be equally interesting to see how these languages develop over time.
anung filipino novel ba ang magandang basahin na para sa mga teenagers? ung mejo modern na novel ha na para sa teenagers.
Naku, wala talaga ako alam dyan, di kasi ako nagbabasa ng mga aklat eh, haha.
try to read the books of paolo coelho and mitch albom
it’s very inspiring to read but you need a lot more patience to finish one book:)
Hey! I agree! Filipinos should read more books. I lived in Singapore for 2 years and now I’m back in Pinas. One thing I really miss most is the library! In SG, every community has got their own Community Library filled with a wide range of references.. everybody goes there! Everything’s updated! Like, newspapers, fiction books, non-fiction books.. they have a chinese books section, malay books section.. children’s section. And they also have audio-visual references.. which you can also borrow! The library there is so welcoming and open and FRIENDLY for everybody. What’s great about it is these government owned libraries are very rich with the updated fiction novels! HAHA. like, the twilight series?? yea.. you cant even find a local library here in Pinas who has ‘The’ Twilight series. Membership only costs SGD 5.00 if i remember correctly. In public places like train stations, you can see people reading a book while waiting for the train to arrive. Even Singapore, a place known for high-technology gadgets and high quality of living still hasn’t forgotten reading good books as an important part in learning. That being said, i think its up to the government to instill in the filipino youth and to all filipinos for that matter.. the culture of reading. It’s where everything starts. Name me a financially successful and influencial person today who doesnt love reading books. Hahaie. It’s my dream for us filipinos to have great libraries available for everyone everywhere.. regardless of social status.
I’m so lucky to have grown up in a home where my parents really encourage us to read books. When i was young, my mom bought a lot of encyclopedias and story books.. until now, my love for books and reading has never ceased.=)
[email protected]
4th year kah ??
yan din topic nmen ee .
s english. .
ciao
topic din naman yan ehh’ isa syang essayist, fictionnist tsaka cloumnist., kahit na book lover ako sang ayon ako sa sinasabi Arlene bAbst Vokey…… e2 pla fs koh.. [email protected]… hehe
topic din po nmin yan ngayon. 4th nrin ako. somewhat true and somewhat false. hehehe.
naku nmn. sana nilagay mo ung insight mo. haha
This essay is in my English Literature book. haha. And it’s so funny how this essay speaks the truth about the library thing-y.
When I read the first line of this essay, what popped into my mind was nobita of Doraemon because isn’t it that he always reads comic books and sa next na kanto, may library that is owned by Damulag? haha. :))
..hmmm!!
gReetings 2 ol…
our teacher ask us give our opinions regarding to the essay written by Arlene Babst- Vokey… and this is my opinion:
..i’m a filipina, 15 years of age and i really find reading very helpful to everyone…because through reading you’ll be able to know more and it helps a lot in expanding your vocabulary….
… so..i don’t agree with ms. arlene..
hope you’ll respect my opinions..
thank you and God Bless You all
i completely agree!
It is quite alarming that filipinos are neither fund of reading good books nor find time to read them. Usually, they would allot their time in surfing the net, texting and with other business related matters than find time to sit down and read a book. Well, i cannot deny the fact that children or teenagers especially boys are not really book fanatics. Usually, girls are the ones who like reading books. Gender differences is not really the topic here, the real point is that almost everyday, the numbers of filipino readers are diminishing because of many social factors and it is a serious matters. I think they are wasting God’s gift of literacy. Even the powerful ones and the leaders are not that worthy of emulation because they do not show love for reading. Sadly, reading has been becoming a lost art for the Filipino Nation and the only way to save it is to use the art itself. in short, have/develop a passion for reading. It wouldn’t make you less of a man anyway if you read. actually the more you read, the more knowledgeable you become. I am actually a book lover that’s why i feel sorry for those who miss the chance of exploring a new world beyond the covers of a book, the pleasure of imagining letters becoming an image or a scene and the excitement whenever the story is in its climax. well, these are the things you missed and only by reading books you could fulfill them. so change now and revive the lost art of reading! Grab a Book now!
i will honestly say that i am not a book lover but then at times i do read because i’m curious about certain things. i also tend to read because whenever i hear about people talk about a popular book, i get curious and so i buy the book and read to see whether the book is worth the price and the time. i agree that nowadays, people will not be seen reading for certain reasons, maybe it’s because they’re too lazy to read one or they’re not interested but i do hope that people will never forget to visit bookstores and to go see for themselves books that may change their lives in such a way that when they read it, it will give them good lessons in life.
I agree.
People should at least try to read books when they have some free time. I'm not trying to force them to read, I'm just suggesting that they try it. When they do, there may be a chance that they'll become addicted to books.
I would probably agree with the author of this article. A lot of Filipinos do not have time to read or do not even have the slightest interest in reading a book. Probably because they find it boring and so “uncool”. Nowadays, Filipino teenagers are more into clubbing, partying and malling,that reading already becomes a “nerdy” activity for us. When we read, we do not belong to the popular group, when we spend most of our time reading a book, we miss the fun and excitement of being a teenager. When we read, we often hear other people make awful comments about us as if we were aliens and that we have our own world. And because of a lot of technological advancements, Filipinos would rather spend their time playing psp, texting or playing computer games instead of staying in one corner and reading a book. But while other people are busy clubbing and enjoying the night life, the people who do read might not have been socializing with others, but atleast they learn more from the other average teenagers. They are those who would be able to get good jobs in the future and those who would be more aware of the things happening around us. Even though you’re a “gimikera”, you cannot say that you know everything because even by reading a book, you would be able to travel to different places through your imagination and you would even know more about yourselves and others. Indeed, reading is an activity that is taken for granted in our country today. A lot of people do not even read newspapers because they see it as an activity for older people. It is not bad to go to parties and socialize especially with teenagers like us, but I guess we really should take time to read for our own good because reading would really bring a lot of positive effects on us and to others as well.:) ..okay ang haba.SARRY.:/
This article is proven true nowadays even if it was written many years ago. I, myself even experienced the things mentioned in the article. First, the latest technology impedes most of us Filipinos to read news articles, novels, poems, and short stories, since in just one click in the computer, we have at once our needed article or story. Second is our action of pretending that we lack of time. We admit that we can’t read a chapter from a book in just an hour but we can do a lot of things in an hour. Third is our hate for being lonely. We do not want to be alone and lonely with our book. We want to have happy and noisy moments with others such as having parties and chatting all along. Fourth, we are happier to see and watch films rather than reading and understanding series of thoughts. Lastly, we don’t really appreciate works of other Filipinos but read other nationalities’ works. But I am not pertaining to the whole bunch of Filipinos, there are still some who loves reading. J
i do believe that Filipinos read.
it’s just that the material that we usually pay attention to, are not those that are worth it. say for an example, a common Pinoy would give more time reading the tabloid featuring the famous actress or actor of that time, ghost stories, classic pocket books, and horoscopes than reading the article about current global economic events, good novels, informative articles or a patriotic essay.
We are more interested to fiction, stories that are not true and far from reality.
We don’t want boring or dull moments of reading. we want instant understanding of the selection we read. We seldom like thoughts or compositions that require much thinking to be understood.
We are indeed lazy when it comes to matters of thinking. and eventually, we end up losing passion for things of more sense and value. We always settle for less, that one which requires also for less work and effort. And that is, ladies and gentleman, the Filipino reader.
-1CA3
MAN!this blog is like slap to my face…am I that bad??!im not a fan of reading…i can’t remember any book that i’ve finished reading…Well!except my textbooks which are required to be read…XC…though i try so bad to concentrate and be able to finally read a book until its ending(and with my patience no wonder why im not a book lover) it’s just that i can’t help it…I’ve read twilight,purpose driven life,Da vinci code and Tuesday’s with Morry sadly i did’nt finish any of these books its either i’ll ask someone to tell me its story…or i’ll just end up waiting for its movie adaptation(hahahah!im really a movie person).
Its not that i hate reading…its just that something in me thinks its boring…sad…and yAH!too much silence kills me!!but if i have to read something i won’t hesitate to do it. I feel like its more of an obligation than a hobby.
This blog made me think that maybe i should start reading more and off course arrive to its ending. I should be able to appreciate the imperceptible benefits it gives. To sum it all up, personally, i would agree to this thought but its something that needs action and change for the better.
I do agree with the said statements regarding about the topic “filipinos are not book lovers.” Yes, it’s true that there are lots of filipino book lovers, but if we gather all of the filipinos and group them into two as one is for book lovers and the other one is for non-book lovers. Which group do you think will have the most number? Obviously, the second group will have the greatest number. Perhaps, it’s due to poverty as said above but it could also be the nature of us… Pinoys.
Thanks for reading my comment… GODbless us all! =)
hi…,
i just wanna reflect on what this article conveys to us.,
yes it is true not all filipinos like books,perhaps most pinoys will just read if they are told to by their teachers(thats why bookstores and libraries are not often crowded). but still there is a small lot that wants to read and is eager to learn more, i praise those person because they never limit their sight to one window,they look at the other windows,
also,i want to react on the last paragraph of the article. true,the filipino reader is somehow still surviving, the filipino writer,for me still stands,i want to tell this because im a literature student, the passion for writing doesn’t disappear that’s why there are the likes of Bob Ong. there will still be writers publishing works,writing, to get noticed and to inspire the country and it’s people. still i’m sad to face the truth that most of our countrymen are too lazy to stand up read a book or better:go to the library,or spend their money on buying books rather than having ‘inuman times’ with their ‘pare’s with reading they’re not wasting money because for me it is money WELL SPENT..
I thank the author of this article for bringing to us this topic which is essential to keeping us in mind of our countrymen’s ways…i just hope that many filipinos will take this article as something to read not something to look at one glance then dispose of it.^^
I think, Filipino are not book lovers.
Actually, I could not see many filipino read books. And some of people even do not know the bestsellers.
Yes, may be some will say ‘I am a book lover.’ However, if we think in whole, probably, most of all people are ‘NOT’ book lovers.
I completely agree with the author, that Filipinos tend to go to the mall,mingle with friends, watch tv than to read a book. Rarely I can see someone very fascinated in buying or reading books which I think is erroneous. Reading books will help us acquire knowledge that will help us in our daily conversation. I know for a fact that being a voracious reader will help you in conversing anything under the sun. Just one suggestion for not so interested in reading books or anything.. Try to find topics that will interest you until reading will become a daily habit.
“The Problem is Filipinos hate solitude”
Kudos to this phrase! Filipinos are socially inclined people, we want to be surrounded by friends, family, peers, etc. We love the feeling of having a company thus our attention is misleaded to other things. We’d rather go out with our friends than stay home alone, reading books. Filipinos read, but in a limited subject. For instance, we’d rather read the Twilight series over Literary pieces, magazines over textbooks. One more thing is that, Filipino’s interest are diverted to other things.. things like new technologies. We’d rather text than read books, surf the net rather than read books. Like for instance, Filipino students would rather use the world wide web in researching rather than take time to read books, copy-paste rather than read and comprehend.
There are a lot of things we could get from reading, so hopefully, Filipinos would later on learn to love reading and get something valuable from it. 🙂
Masyado nang matanda yung article. Hindi na yun katanggap tanggap sa panahon ngayon! sabi nga ng friend ko na si emyfer,” madaming nangyayare sa loob ng 10years.” At saka lahat ng nakilala ko’ng tao sa tinagal tagal ko sa mundong ito lahat sila mahilig magbasa ng books! Hindi ko talaga matanggap yung sa article! kasi sobrang book lover ako! Nakaka-inis na makabasa ng ganung article. *SIGH* 10yrs old na article… Sobrang hindi na katanggap tanggap yung nilalaman.
bida nanaman ako dito. ahaha!
pero diba? tama naman me?! ahaha! madaming nangyayare sa loob ng 10years. siguro nung pinublish yan.. ang chochode ng books. i mean DI KAINTE-INTERESADO yung book. parang ewan lang. haha!
tsaka mas nakakaattract yung NAKIKITA natin yung motion na nagaganap sa istorya diba?
If I’m not mistaken, this article was written 10years ago. So, I STRONGLY DISGAGREE. A lot may happen during that 10 years, right? Books of the present date actually pulls back the enthusiasm of the Filipino youth of today to read fictious and non-fictious books. Bestseller “Twilight” is an example.. If the Filipinos during that time weren’t bookworms, LET US BE THE CHANGE OF THIS SOCIETY. READ BOOKS!
It is true that Filipinos don’t read. The reasons given are also true. But then couldn’t it also be that reading wasn’t really a part of our culture? Just like how the Filipinos are more interested in soap operas, making ourselves look nice (thus the parlors) and music? It’s unnoticable, but then whenever we take up Philippine culture literature always comes last. Over 300 years of conquest should explain that. How on earth are we supposed to get ourselves more interested in books and reading when the ones who take it upon themselves to teach us don’t want to (save for the Americans, of course, bless them for that)? I guess we’re more into the arts involving visible media and performing rather than we are with the arts that involve us having to be alone, to digest what a bunch of words mean–which was a reason cited in the article. I’m not saying it’s ok that we don’t read as much, because we should. If only there were enough text books in the public school classroom for everyone. That would help greatly. Emphasis on literature would spark an interest. Libraries would be more useful and the talented Filipino writers would get more credit. If only we could find a way to get everyone to read!… But then, come to think of it, we also have to think about global warming, the upcoming elections, the charter change that might stop that, A(H1N1), etc! I would worship a leader who could solve all these problems and then tackle the issue on Filipinos not being book lovers. I wonder what sort of miracle we should ask for then. 🙂
I’m fond of reading books, but not that I read tons of books already.It’s pretty sad to hear that FILIPINOS (though not only US), are just setting aside the importance of the “ART of READING”. I agree with some points like “FILIPINOS HARDLY TAKE TIME TO READ BECAUSE OF OUR SHORT ATTENTION SPAN”. This is because we’re not trained to do so. Well, in reading a book, it doesn’t mean you should finish reading it in one sitting. You can always continue reading it until your done. BUT it doesn’t mean too that you’re going to forget about understanding what you’re reading, because that’s the essence of it. You’re reading because you’re going to get something from that book.
It’s true that most Filipinos do not read at all. I also agree to the fact that the act of “Reading” is way off to the typical Filipino attitude of being impulsive and impatient. But there are does, just like me, who does read and true there is a part of me that tells me to sway of reading…but I strive not to listen to that accursed whisper. Because for me, reading a book is a necessity that can only be achieved through some of the most difficult practice a Filipino could do. But in return, we will be able to learn a side that could never be achieved just by being jolly all the time. We Filipinos need to learn to seat back and relax and try to understand things like ideas.
It was by the help of a book (or something like that, I couldn’t really remember, sorry) that started the revolution during the Spanish era.
that’s definitely disappointing. there are many filipino writers and great personalities and it made me think before that most filipinos really love to read books. now i guess this has just always hidden the fact that we are really not book lovers. it is really flattering to know and realize that filipinos have good social values and that we are so friendly but it seems that this has always been the reason why we hate solitude. of the myriad facts and reasons that explain why filipinos dont love books, it could be ony one thing which can solve this shame, passion to learn. if rwe eally love to learn and discover new things then we better read books because they are more reliable and its could be a great way for pleasure. perhaps we’re just beaten by procrastination or anxiety in doing so, but i think we could still find ourselves enjoying the business once we get started doing this. that’s helpful, i think.
i don’t agree.. maybe not all Filipinos read as frequently as others do, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they do not love or rather like books.. especially now. many people read books. for example teens, they may not read informative books but THEY READ. they read young adult books. people would rather read something they can relate to, rather than reading something they have no interest in.. so in my opinion the statement Filipinos are not book lovers is inappropriate.. also this article was written in 1987. we are now in 2009.. many things have changed in the past 22 years. maybe the number of Filipino book lovers have increased.
For my own opinion, Filipinos do read books and we even treasure them because "we are book lovers".
But sad to say most of the Filipino people spend much of their time on non-educational readings. Magazines, Fictional Stories, Romantic Novels, Tabloids, and so on.
Well as you can see, reading these things is more interesting than the books we used at our school. I am sure that most of us do enjoy reading science fictions and love stories because they can easily catch our attention. The can give us excitement for what to expect next as the story unravels. Honestly speaking, I also do enjoy these kinds of readings.
We cannot deny that some Filipinos are lazy and spend much of their time doing nothing, but if they do something, expect that they'll be reading these things. As I repeat, they are far more interesting and this is what we enjoy more.
As far as I can see, we do love books. But sometimes I also feel reading school books are somehow boring. It makes our head ache for spending much of our time thinking and thinking just to understand what we are reading. But don't you dare say that We Filipinos are not Book Lovers because I'm telling all of you right now, we do love read a lot, but it's our decision on what we are going to read and what is not.
And even though we are not book lover as the author of this article said, that doesn't mean that we Filipinos cannot spend time with our books for many days. I'm sure that many of us doesn't have spare time to read books and maybe that's the first thing we should know before saying that We are not Book Lovers.
Filipinos are not book lovers. They do read but only those from tabloids, magazines, and komiks. But if you give them a book, some wouldn’t dare to read a single page. They would rather watch t.v, or find something worth spending their time for.
Some Filipinos would read books because of trend like when “TWILIGHT” showed up. “TWILIGHT” was published years before they started filming the movie, and the movie got popular only because of a particular reason, THE HUNKY VAMPIRE GUY (no offense to those who are die hard fans though) and not because of the book(that’s what I think). Yes, I watched the movie but it was my most awful movie experience ever, besides the fact that they changed almost every details of the book,but girls were screaming because of the ACTORS. Reading books because of trend? not a good reason.
Some Filipinos would read because it’s compulsive or it’s a requirement in school. They wouldn’t think that its a opportunity for them to broaden their vocabulary or even enhance their English.
Some Filipinos think it’s a nerdy hobby.
I love reading books, from books about Dracula is still alive up to the lives of unfortunate children. And when I’m really interested with the story, I can read it in one day or less. Books can change you, and it can make you curious and make you want more from it. And you can never open a book without learning anything from it.
SO COME ON FILIPINOS! Start reading and you’ll feel a change.
It’s sad to say that the number of Filipinos who have reading as a hobby is disintegrating nowadays, perhaps because of the emerging gadgets that get more of the people’s (especially the youth’s) attention. Long ago when PSPs and iPods are were still not invented, most people devote their time reading books or newspapers. Now, most people devote their free time playing with PSP games, listening to MP3 players or even text messaging. People have become attached to more convenient things, and as a result they slowly lose interest in reading books.
Personally, I love reading. I make sure that I read a novel once in a while and I see to it that I finish it. I believe reading sharpens the mind and widens the vocabulary. I learn a lot in reading, may the book be fiction or non-fiction. Therefore, I also believe that reading is vital to everyone of any age. Learning isn’t over in the four walls of a classroom – it should always be continuous. Everybody should be a “perpetual student” – someone who constantly has the eagerness and thirst for learning.
I just hope more Filipinos will come to realize the importance of reading, not just sitting in front of the television watching soap operas and koreanovelas.
This article really presents a fact. This is an alarm clock that is ringing loud to the most Filipinos who are not fond of reading. Actually, the literacy rate here in the Philippines is very much low. It gives us a glimpse of how the education in our nation works. And unfortunately, it doesn’t make us proud. In some ways, it triggers us to be ashamed of our own country. But who must to be blamed? The answer is simple. It is we, ourselves, must be blamed for we are accountable for the good manifestation of our whole country in any matter.
However in my case, I am fond of reading. I like reading and it completes my season. I remember this 2009 summer, before classes started, I’ve read six books. I thought at first, I would be fed up but I can sense now that I’m still thirsty for more. I can’t help it.
Reading can be boring for some. Others would say that it is just a waste of time. Still more would just go to disco bars and spend their vacant time there enjoying themselves with the influence of alcohol rather that picking up a book and enrich their vocabularies. But I believe in the therapeutic aroma of reading. I believe that when one reads a certain write-up, it penetrates the soul and force their mind to absorb it. Sooner or later, mind jumps and releases a wide understanding to further break down the information. At the end point, one can see that he or she is relating into it and providing his or her own perspectives. And that’s the power of reading—-it persuades, it brings you in.
I hope that in my present generation, the youth, ourselves, will make a step to be a good example in a way that each of us will start to love reading so that we can able to teach the next the importance of it. It is one of the learning tools that is not changing. It must be gradually improving.
I think that our Filipino culture somewhat impedes the development of a reading habit. I agree with the article that Filipinos love the company of people, not the solitude of a written work, and the Filipino’s stubbornness on the vividness of ideas. And perhaps I wonder, people rarely read books also because of a vague anti-intellectual attitude of the populace regarding books and those who write them. I, for myself, received a lot of comments and queries from everyone regarding my choice of my college course, AB Literature.
I believe that a progressive society is a book-reading society. Book and other written materials offer a powerful medium for the transmission of modern ideas. Filipinos will continue to cling to their old adages and indigenous knowledge without new learning to guide and rectify their misconceptions about basic facts concerning our world. But it will take an awful lot of effort and time to make libraries and book stores the pivots of communities – even if that becomes the case, it will still be in par with malls and parlors. Its quite easy to change an attitude, but hard to change a culture.
I am baffled buy this statement. If the literacy rate of the Philippines is to rival other powerful nations, then why are we not book lovers?
I am book lover, maybe it comes naturally. But how about others who cant afford books what really wants to learn and read books, do they belong under the label as "not-book-lovers"?
Let us not limit ourselves to what we see from our brothers and sisters who live in urban communities who easily get jaded. Let us also consider those who live in the poorer side of our nation that strive to learn but has seldomly or never held a book.
The article is true. There are more Filipinos spending there free time in salons and sari-sari stores and less spends time reading. But time changes peoples perspective and attitude. Maybe before Filipinos are not interested in reading and writing books but nowadays, we can encounter people who loves reading and even saves money to but good books like me.=) Before i really hated reading books because i think they are so boring and can easily bring me to sleep but when you encounter the book that caught your interest, time will come that you will save up to buy more good books.
It is not true that Filipinos of this generation don’t read books because I still see a lot of Pinoys spending their time reading books in a library with their friends. Many of us still spend a lot of money buying expensive books despite of the crisis.Many Filipino teenagers love to read books like Harry Potter and Twilight. Everytime I go to the national bookstore or any other bookstore, I can still see a lot of people reading and buying books. Many books are sometimes out of stock in the bookstore because of its popularity. This only shows that many Filipinos are still fun of reading a book.
It is not too late to make a change. Let us make this generation better than before.
It is not true that Filipinos of this generation don’t read books because I still see a lot of Pinoys spending their time reading books in a library with their friends. Many of us still spend a lot of money buying expensive books despite of the crisis.Many Filipino teenagers love to read books like Harry Potter and Twilight. Everytime I go to the national bookstore or any other bookstore, I can still see a lot of people reading and buying books. Many books are often times sold out in the bookstore because of its popularity. This only shows that many Filipinos are still fun of reading a book.
It is not too late to make a change. Let us make this generation better.
I myself am a book lover…
I Feel so sad if many filipinos are not book lovers..I mean why can’t they love books it has such wonderful stories that we can learn from… so that we can apply them to our daily lives
I myself am a book lover…
I Feel so sad if many filipinos are not book lovers..I mean why can’t they love books it has such wonderful stories that we can learn from… so that we can apply them to our daily lives
I think some filipinos lack patience, they always avoid difficult situations and I really do agree that the filipinos has ningas-cogon attitude which can make some filipinos unsuccessful in their lives… but I really do think that filipinos can change for the greater good, well some of-course….
I have to agree with the author of the blog. Why?
First: Filipinos are more focused on other media than on books. To agree also with those who posted their comments (whom some of them happened to be my classmates, anyway) some Filipinos waste more time talking than reading.
Second: Because of what they want, Filipinos forget to read. Instead of buying books, or at least items that would further enrich their minds, they would rather buy cellphones, PSPs, laptops, cellphone load, accessories for the girls, 15 Pesos or so to play DoTA for the boys…and the list goes on.
Lastly: There are some who hate, or worse, curse reading. It is up to the next to reply if he or she agrees or disagrees
There is sill hope to change this attitude of decaying Filipino literary work. Every time a Filipino disregards reading as a habit, he slowly kills Philippine Literature as we know it. You may ask if what is my authority to say this, this is what I could answer:
“Even though I keep track of the trend, I could never disgust reading. This was the skill I first learned as an infant. I am not in higher education if I didn’t read anything at all. Every page of a good book is like music to my ears.”
I must advise this to those who already made comments and to those who would sill make one so that they would make reading a bit more fun–every time you read, don’t just focus your eyes on every word, use your imagination if necessary.
In our family, especially on my mother’s side, are a bunch of book lovers. I like to highlight my cousin, Sanley, who is at Italy at this moment. He is a full scholar there, and has went to Belgium, Spain, and presently, in Italy. He was a scholar there mainly because he is fond of reading. He can finish a book in a day or two(wish I could do that too).
He was one of my many influences about book reading. Reading is an activity for all people og all gender, age, and status in life. We can learn a lot from reading because the strored knowledge that we have may expand and be elaborated.
I remember during my highschool that we are required to read a book every Friday for thirty minutes. The program was called SRLP(Silent Reading for Learning and Pleasure) and that program molded me to read books. By reading books gradually, I became good not only in my vocabulary, but also in reasoning out and communicating to people.
Reading books has a lot to offer. Wether the reading material is in English or in Filipino, we learn a lot from them. By books alone, we are able to travel the world, and understand other cultures.
For Filipinos who are not fond of reading English texts, there are texts witten in Filipino. There are great novels by L. Bautista, D.M. Landicho, A. C. Fabian, and other great Filipino novelists. Then from there, start reading journals from Reader’s Digest or Time magazine. Wherever you want to start, it is up to you, as long as you are able to read at make it as a hobby.
i admit, i really hate reading books… At this age, I feel tired and lazy reading. I pity myself for this. I really dont give the big damn blame to the standard of education in our province for the fact I have learned from Sir Andrew (our english prof) that reading books requires only INTEREST… now that im in college, I promise to my self that should love and engage my self the art of reading. ü
i loove it!!!
I only read books if necessary. Some read books for past time and some says they totally love reading books. But why does Filipinos’ are not fond of reading books?
For example, in Harry Potter (the movie). Many had watched the film of this particular movie, but only some of them had read the entire book of Harry Potter. Why is it like that? In my opinion, maybe because they say they are bored because it is too long or what. But actually, the book itself is more adventurous and more complete than just watching although watching the movie can be fun too but some of the scenes had been cut. So you don’t completely know the story. Maybe that’s why.
Reading, as some says, it can improve your vocabulary, can widen your knowledge.
I definitely agree with what the author has written. Yes, definitely Filipinos tend to use their free time in other things that they love to do rather than reading books. They prefer going to salon rather than a library, devoting their time in watching telenovelas or playing online games and others. This is because for some finds reading is boring, using the latest technologies like computer, television, psp, cellphones and other techies will be more lively and enjoyable than reading. Books are more significant in shaping one’s intellectual ability while movies are just for entertainment or pleasure. And lack of time in reading is the problem but in terms of different things we have much time. I rarely see people who devotes their time in reading and studying, i wanna say that reading helps us so much to refrain from ignorance and helps us acquire more knowledge. Just like what my father always tells me that while it’s not too late, use our time wisely by reading different kinds of books not just read but also reading it by heart because the message that we have learned from the books will help us in future things that we will encounter and we can use it on our daily lives.
i really felt bad with the fact that filipinos are not EVEN CLOSE to being a bookworm as a whole.
i dunno, maybe because it is our nature to be lazy and we are more adapt to things that doesn’t require much effort.
or perhaps reading, as we see it, is something such as waste of time.
but i do not think so–
i read quite a number of books and i think it is the best leisure aside listening to music.
reading is like learning at rest.
there are things you can anticipate through reading and it is very much advisable.
most people’s mind are limited because they have not gone far to the extent reality and perception that books can give us.
let’s read book.
I love to read books…Those who dont are illiterates and lower classes of the country that only drink alcohol and use drugs…
It’s my assignment … now i think… filipinos were not book lovers because of the culture they were in…. filipinos were creative…. and because of our creativity and craftiness….. we usually think that we were skilled enough to live…thats my opinion about that
It’s sad that they say Filipinos are not a book lover. I disagree on that because I love reading books and I know many people,reading is their hobby.And infact when I am in my High school years a lot of the students in our school,reading ius their hobby. But I know a lot of people that do not want reading they prefare to watch a movie beacause they said that watching is more fun than reading. But I disagree on that one because I find reading more fun and exciting than watching movies because in reading you control your imagination about that particular scene in the book. So whatever they say about Filipino I know in my mind that not all Filipino arenot book lovers.
Truly, it is really sad to say that only few Filipinos read books. =(
I don’t consider my self a “book lover”. Because I only read books when it is necessary (like school assignments) or when a certain book interest me.
But my mom would always encourage me to read books. Because she would always remind me that if i want to be a successful individual in the future, I should engage myself more into reading books in order for me to expound my knowledge and skills in reading and speaking.
Now i want to make reading books as part of my hobby. I just need to discipline myself not to be lazy.
I feel pity for those Filipinos who are not fond of reading. Frankly, I believe that they are missing a lot of things simply because they think that reading will lead them nowhere. They have no idea what books have to offer. Let me base this on my personal experience. Before, I hate reading. “Internet is created! So why bother?” That was my thinking then. But my mother influenced me into reading. She bought me Thirteen Reasons Why. I learned a lot from that book and it helped me become a better person. And it moved me to the point that I find time just to read books every weekend.
Though written many years ago, the article still states a fact nowadays..The main topic here is, “Filipinos are not book lovers”…Yes. I agree with that one. Filipinos are really not.Though some Filipinos are fond of reading books,let’s not forget that this is just a small portion of millions of Filipino population (we’re talking here about the totality). And how about the majority of Filipinos?? ..Being a book lover states a “deep passion” in reading books unlike those who just read books out of necessity.
A lot of reasons states why is this so..
First, Filipinos hate solitude.
In a nation known for being happy even at its worst, Filipinos don’t want to be left alone or to have a feeling of being isolated. Close family ties, friends, are just few reasons why we don’t want to be alone. Sad fact is that, “reading” is none or atleast last of our choices to get bonded with each other. Compare in spending a few hours during our spare time reading alone a certain book than attending disco parties or going to the malls with our friends, we might atleast choose the “not boring” one..That’s what most Filipinos behavior like.
Second, Filipinos are much interested in watching than reading (latest showbiz news,reality shows,telenovela,movies..etc)
We, Filipinos, are getting more entertained in watching than reading for it allows us to view the actual happening than visualizing and encoding what are we reading..
Lastly, technology plays a role in it.
In times where almost everything seems to be just one click away, Filipinos who do not give attention to reading books resort to the internet for it gives us more convenience than utilizing an hour reading a book.
Illiteracy percentage are increasing.Who will be blamed for it? Of course, we are accountable for the consequences of our own laziness. Hail to those who are passionate in reading. But I do hope,we,Filipinos, could change our ways into a civilized and literate reading society.:)) We are given all the resources,so,we must have the initiative and courage to give attention to it for it is for our own benefit also.
~.~
Fortunately I’m a book lover. It is one of my favorite past times and I can easily be too much into it. For example, even though I’ve watched Harry Potter movies I still love reading the books because somehow they have differences and sometimes the books are better than the movies.
It’s kinda depressing that Filipinos are in more reliance into other stuffs than reading materials. And sometimes it is already stock in their mind that reading is boring so they don’t explore reading much.
It’s a good thing that I’m a book lover. It is one of my favorite past times and I can easily be too much into it. For example, even though I’ve watched Harry Potter movies I still love reading the books because somehow they have differences and sometimes the books are better than the movies.
It’s kinda depressing that Filipinos are in more reliance into other stuffs than reading materials. And sometimes it is already stock in their mind that reading is boring so they don’t explore reading much.
..
Lately, I have discovered that I love to read. I appreciate the pleasure of reading and learning something from it.
It’s very disappointing that majority of Filipinos do not read a lot. They may be too busy that they have neglected reading or may be they don’t realize it’s importance.
Nowadays a lot of teens read Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn, – Well, I’ve also read those – some readers may be reading it just because that’s the fad. (No offense to anybody, its just my opinion) And I think it’s better that they read because of the fad, than not reading at all. Through this fad, teens becomes motivated to finish the book.
In my opinion, reading is very essential because it contributes a lot of knowledge to us, it also expands our vocabulary. Try reading and learn to appreciate it.
-Marielle Magtira [1BeS1]
I agree upon what the auther haave written. Filipinos , especially the teenagers, would rather go out and have fun, play online games or surf the net. I agreed so because it is indeed hard to analyze abd to understanda literary work that uses a foreign language ‘though it is said that english is our 2nd language.
I want to add another reason that may help us to understand more why Filipinos are not book lovers. Remember that Philippines is a 3rd world country. Economy is not so good unlike the said countries, Japan and London. Therefore, we need to work twice or even thrice to support our needs. So from that reason, I may say that reading a cover to cover book would just be a waste of time. So we cannot totally say that Filipinos are not book lovers.
My mom loves reading novels when she was at my age. But she can’t do it anymore because she is busy. and so am I.
Reading requires concentration and a lot of time to fully understand what you are reading.
It is really degrading to know that filipinos are not intrested in reading. at first i want to disagree, but as i observed, it is true, so why waste my time. Reading is usually disregarded since cellphones and internet are discovered. this fact is also one of the reasons why superb english speakers in our country become lesser in number. i love reading because it can improve my vocabulary, my imagination or creativity, and of course, it can make me brighter. i wish, i can encourage everyone to be a book lover. i also hope that people with authority, not only those in the government but also our teachers,parents and public figures will be a good example to all. this article should be read by everybody, it is really an eye opener for all of us. reading is not a crime. let us all give it a shot.
I’m a book lover now!! I hate reading books before but when I tried to read a book that my sister gave me I enjoyed it, that’s why I’m continuing reading books.
Reading books helped me to enhance my vocabulary and it helped me to speak English fluently but not that much.. hehehe..
That’s why I encourage you people who don’t like to read books, try it sometime.. it will surely help you..
Hehehehehehe….
In my family my mother is my mother is always influencing me to read books so that i can learn so many things inside or outside our university.If you posses a book you can improve you skills and it can answer some of the questions that are bothering you.so I can say that even that i’m a filipino i really love books!!
I guess Filipinos read. It’s just that we are in the new era that’s why there are other alternatives in acquiring knowledge, getting information or even for entertainment rather than read a book. I guess the right term would be Filipinos are lazy. I read a lot though. But honestly speaking, especially when the part we are reading gets a little arid, we tend to get bored and torpid. Maybe READING suits people. There are those who call themselves “book worms” for they have passion for reading; and there are those who won’t even give a look on a book. It just varies, i guess. We cant completely say that Filipinos are not book lovers for there are really those who are erotic in reading. Maybe you could say you are one of those. But I dont count myself one, for I read books a lot.
https://pinoyteens.net/2008/07/filipinos-are-not-book-lovers/
Unfortunately, i agree with the selection. It is true that Filipinos rarely read books, but not all of them, but most of them. I for one loves reading books, my mother is a Robert Ludlum fan and my grandfather almost made our house a library because he loves reading books. On the other hand, my father doesn’t really love to read books and so does my brother, my grandmother and most of my relatives. I think that this situation is also happening in our country today, most of the Filipinos doesn’t really incline themselves in reading books. I totally agree that we Filipinos have a very outgoing personality, we always like to have fun and make noise which is the exact opposite of reading books, that’s why Filipinos don’t find reading books fun. But reading books can be fun too, it depends on how you look at it. But unfortunately most of us doesn’t the bright side in reading books, we find it simply boring and a total waste of time. For people with deeper level of thinking simply learning new words is fun, but for most of us we would likely say ” Why not go to SM instead of reading that boring book for hours?”. This is the kind of mentality that Filipinos have these days, plus the fact that we have now access to internet which is has the friendster, the facebook, the myspace, the y8 and many other sites which we find more fun than reading books. I really think that it still depends on the person if he/she will incline herself in reading books as a hobby as a pleasure or a pass time. I salute all the Filipinos who loves reading books, and to those who fine SM and shopping in Trinoma more fun, you’re missing out so much guys! 🙂
Unfortunately, i agree with the selection. It is true that Filipinos rarely read books, but not all of them, but most of them. I for one loves reading books, my mother is a Robert Ludlum fan and my grandfather almost made our house a library because he loves reading books. On the other hand, my father doesn’t really love to read books and so does my brother, my grandmother and most of my relatives. I think that this situation is also happening in our country today, most of the Filipinos doesn’t really incline themselves in reading books. I totally agree that we Filipinos have a very outgoing personality, we always like to have fun and make noise which is the exact opposite of reading books, that’s why Filipinos don’t find reading books fun. But reading books can be fun too, it depends on how you look at it. But unfortunately most of us doesn’t look at the bright side in reading books, we find it simply boring and a total waste of time. For people with deeper level of thinking simply learning new words is fun, but for most of us we would likely say ” Why not go to SM instead of reading that boring book for hours?”. This is the kind of mentality that Filipinos have these days, plus the fact that we have now access to internet which has the friendster, the facebook, the myspace, the y8 and many other sites which we find more fun than reading books. I really think that it still depends on the person if he/she will incline herself in reading books as a hobby as a pleasure or a pass time. I salute all the Filipinos who loves reading books, and to those who find SM and shopping in Trinoma more fun, you’re missing out so much guys! 🙂
I consider myself a book lover, but not the type that reads lots of books in a short period of time. I read a book when I feel the need to, and when interest strucks me. There are lots of things that we can get from reading. Aside from the fact that reading gives us solitude, we also learn new things, and also new words. A lot of Filipinos may hate solitude, but not everybody. There are still people who long for it, and I believe that in any situation, we shouldn’t generalize.
Reading a book requires interest, time, and patience–the same things that we lack nowadays. Most of the time people are preoccupied with lots of things that technology provides us that we neglect reading. But I still know people who would just sit around all day to read a book. Books are just there, and the choice is always with us. The only way we can see the importance of reading is by simply doing it.
TO ALL MY FRESHMAN THOMASIAN STUDENTS WHO AIRED THEIR THOUGHTS AS REGARDS THE ISSUE, THANKS! I AM ALSO HAPPY FOR YOU HAVE FINALLY REALIZED THE INDISPENSABLE VALUE OF READING IN YOUR ACADEMIC AND PERSONAL LIFE. KEEP READING!
THANKS TO THE AUTHOR OF THE ARTICLE AND TO THE BRAINCHILD BEHIND THIS WEBSITE!
Okay. HAHA. I admit, reading is kind of boring. And Filipinos are happy type of persons. And yeah, reading books as a recreation is booorrrriiiiiinngggg. But hey, loads of knowledge are packed within them, so why not read? Maybe, they enjoy partying or dancing or singing or hanging out with friends, or having siesta instead of feeding their minds.Anyway, who would like to be stucked-up in a silent place concentrating themselves on what they are reading? Perhaps, they don’t want READING to jeopardize them spending leisure time on anything else they think that’s more worthwhile. But I believe though, that through reading, we can be more competent and sophisticated. And through reading, we’ll be able to have our minds set and can make us confident in whatever we’ll be dealing with. 🙂
ASSIGNMENT 😛
hmm. i think some of the Filipinos don’t enjoy reading books and they focus “more” on other things rather than reading, I think internet also is one of the factor that affect the interest of people in reading books.. but i think we can do something about it..right?
I’m not reading book that much but i really appreciate books.. hehe.. :]] well, There are benefits in reading books so we Filipinos “SHOULD” read books and learn to love it.. hehe.. I hope i could be one of them someday, to be a book lover.. hehe.. :]]
In my opinion, majority of the Philippines population are adventurous and prefer to go out and explore rather than read a novel or any kind of book. I for one am part of the adventurous crowd, I don’t find reading as interesting as sports, watching movies or surfing the net. But as I grow up, I realized that reading is very necessary to my life because it enhances my skills in writing, develops my grammar and widens my vocabulary. So then I learn to value, love and give time for reading.
This article is a slap on the face. I’m guilty with the fact that I barely read books but that doesn’t mean Filipino teenagers are not smart enough or competent enough to other people. In my opinion, Filipino teens barely read books since what they learn in school is enough to make them flexible in their everyday lives. Filipinos want to learn the easy way through media. And besides, this article was published 10 years ago. I think we developed enough through that 10 years whether it is good or bad.
I know for a fact that Filipinos are frequent readers and book-lovers and that the word “Filipinos” on the title should not be generalized.
Upon reading this article, i was quite disappointed that we Filipinos are labeled as NOT book-lovers because we should also take in to consideration those who spend almost all of their lives reading.
Though i must say that Filipinos are “techie people” meaning we often fixate ourselves in front of the television, our iPods and the like. but despite this circumstances, we still find time to grab a book and read.
I’ve once said that i hate reading. but through time, i’ve realized its importance and slowly, i take back what i’ve asserted. and i’m sure that those Filipinos who don’t really have the sympathy and enthusiasm for books will soon realize its value just like i did.
I would also want to comment on the statement “The problem is Filipinos hate solitude.” actually, Filipinos’ insolence for solitude isn’t really that of a problem. it is just a little factor which minimizes Filipinos’ interest for books which could be solved with just appreciation and discipline.
Even though the Filipino culture is, by a large margin, opposite of the silent, contemplative reader, some folks have still the urge to open even just barely 60 pages.
I refer to those locally produced Romance books that are for rent at Php 2 per day, or for sale at Php 60. People, especially women who clamours for those melodramatic love stories, read those kind of books. Also, locally (again) produced horror novels are kinda in demand.
But even those things are in their twilight years.
I myself read books, just to remove myself from ignonimity. Only a divine intervention could turn the tables down for a literary Filipino.
i think most of these days, filipinos just use the internet if they want to search/browse something. but for me a book still contains much accurate facts, coz in the internet, people could just post something that i dont really rely on.
coz some of us just prefer to do the “1 click away” from information from the internet.
today, some filipinos still enjoy reading books, especially when there is a preview of a movie. like for example “angels and demons” others prefer reading the book than watching the movie itself coz they find it more interesting in a contextual way.
Reading plays an important role, for it expands our knowledge and it can move lives of people. I believe that the article is certain for we Filipinos are so hooked with the advancement of technologies around us; And with that, we are too lazy to notice the all time source of knowledge which is reading. We Filipinos, especially today’s teenagers like things in instant, for we excuse ourselves from experiencing hardships whenever we want to gain or achieve something. Personally, I am not into reading books for pleasure but only for academic purposes. I can say that I have only read 3-5 books/novels that are not required by the school mainly because it caught my interests but it is never too late for me to start reading and considering it as pleasure.
I’m not a booklover myself. Honestly speaking, I really hate books. I’ve never finished reading a book in my whole life. Often times, I would see my mom just read and read when she is not doing anything, and I would tell myself, “Yuck, what’s so great about books? It will only give me headache”. Even if I’m exposed with my mom’s love for books, there is no way that it will convince me to love books as well. I’d rather be busy doing something else like chatting or listening to music, even though these two actually wastes more time.
Books may be amusing for others, but not for me. I know that I’m wrong about this, but I really don’t see anything great about books. But we all have different tastes in life, so I think that we should still respect each other’s taste, whether a person is a booklover or not.
This article puts forward the idea that Filipinos do not like to read. Because of this, writers do not get paid enough for their craft and there are very few bookstores. This aversion to reading is not caused by material poverty but by three reasons: Filipinos hate solitude, they do not like to deal with ideas and they cannot stand silence.
There is some truth in these statements. Filipinos are not often seen reading a book. Bookstores make money selling textbooks rather than novels. True too that Filipinos like company, merriment and singing rather than mental activities. But I beg to disagree that this can be dangerous. The faults of former leaders like Imelda Marcos and Cory Aquino did not lie in the stuff they read but on the decisions they made reading. Furthermore, as we see now, the Marxists have not succeeded in their ideology. I don’t suppose that Filipino Marxists were any different from Filipinos who are not Marxists in their aversion for solitude, silence and intellectual work.
I think that the reason for our not liking to read is the lack of knowledge of ourselves that can be written about in a book. His writings mirror the writer’s soul. This is the reason for Bob Ong’s success – he touched the Filipino psyche in what he wrote. The Filipino that he was talking about is everyman and it clicked. The more books that are truly Filipino that come out, the more we will turn to reading.
I feel pity for those who are not fond of reading. Frankly, I believe that they lack a part of their life if they dont have passion for reading. To understand more on why I feel this way, let me base this article on my self. Before, I hate reading. “Internet is created! So why bother reading books when it’s just one click away?” That was may thinking then. So, you might be asking when my passion for books started. Last January 2008, my mother bought me “Thirteen Reasons Why”. Then I started reading it out of boredom. To my surprise, I finished reading the book in a week! I learned a lot from that book and it definitely made me a better person. So for those non-readers out there, get a good book, try reading it and I assure you, you’ll never regret. 😉
Well I don’t believe that all filipinos are not book lovers. I still believe that many youths out there are fond of reading books and a proof of that is why are filipinos going crazy over the twilight saga, the harry potter series and all the other literary masterpieces. It’s just that it depends on the person. I have one friend, a filipino friend who loves to read books as her pastime. I also see a lot of people buying books that are expensive just to satisfy their pleasure on reading, Like my aunt in the states we often send her pocketbooks cause she loves reading so much.So that is my insight on this article just wanna let you all know that there are filipinos who are fond of reading books.
I agree with the author stating that Filipinos are not book lovers. If you observe the Filipinos today, esepecially the teenagers, you would surely notice that most of these people can be seen at the computer shops rather in the library. Filipino teenagers, nowadays, are fond of using internet as their resource materials rather than looking up from an encyclopedia or from a textbook. I’d like to interpret part of it what the author had stated, based on my undertanding. Since some or most Filipinos likes everything to work fastly and lightly, they are not book lovers, particularly because reading a book takes time and patience. Therefore, for me, some of the Filipinos will never like or love reading a book, unless that person understands fully how important a book is to our life and unless we Filipinos understand and apply patience as a virtue.
The only time you would see many Filipinos reading a book is when a certain novel is flashed on a news. Therefore,that novel will become famous in which the influence of reading that book passes to a lot of Filipinos.
Honestly, I am not reading books such as novels, except when it is needed and if I am really interested with a certain novel. But as a student, I prefer making or getting textbook, encyclopedia, or dictionary as a source or reference for any requirements rather than using the internet except when it is necessary.
I agree with the author stating that Filipinos are not book lovers. If you observe the Filipinos today, especially the teenagers, you would surely notice that most of these people can be seen at the computer shops rather in the library. Filipino teenagers, nowadays, are fond of using internet as their resource materials rather than looking up from an encyclopedia or from a textbook. I’d like to interpret part of it what the author had stated, based on my undertanding. Since some or most Filipinos likes everything to work fastly and lightly, they are not book lovers, particularly because reading a book takes time and patience. Therefore, for me, some of the Filipinos will never like or love reading a book, unless that person understands fully how important a book is to our life and unless we Filipinos understand and apply patience as a virtue.
The only time you would see many Filipinos reading a book is when a certain novel is flashed on a news. Therefore,that novel will become famous in which the influence of reading that book passes to a lot of Filipinos.
Honestly, I am not reading books such as novels, except when it is needed and if I am really interested with a certain novel. But as a student, I prefer making or getting textbook, encyclopedia, or dictionary as a source or reference for any requirements rather than using the internet except when it is necessary.
The article was very well said
and composed. I agree to some points
delivered in the article.
Due to the appearance of modern
technology, people most especially
Filipinos, become dependent on such
technology particularly the Internet.
Through the Internet, it’s just one click
away in order for you to find what you’re
looking for. Because of this invention,
libraries become useless nowadays. People
mostly do not read books that make them
look lazy. But I observe that there are
still people who still read a lot
of books. They read because they know that
not all information in the Internet is
accurate. This situation stated in the
article is evitable. People can still
change the way of learning. They can
both use the Internet and the library,
not only for research purposes, but also
for fun and entertainment.
The article was very well said
and composed. I agree to some points
delivered in the article.
Due to the appearance of modern
technology, people most especially
Filipinos, become dependent on such
technology particularly the Internet.
Through the Internet, it’s just one click
away in order for you to find what you’re
looking for. Because of this invention,
libraries become useless nowadays. People
mostly do not read books that make them
look lazy. But I observe that there are
still people who still read a lot
of books. They read because they know that
not all information in the Internet is
accurate. This situation stated in the
article is evitable. People can still
change the way of learning. They can
both use the Internet and the library,
not only for research purposes, but also
for fun and entertainment.
Honestly, I’m not a bookworm myself. But this blog really made its way through me. I realized that reading is quite essential, especially now that teens are occupied by stuffs that are oh-so-far from reading books. But I guess, this scenario became more visible now for there are lots of things that capture the attention of Filipino teens — internet, online games, social networks and cellphones.
This idea really struck me:
“A great pity, of course, and dangerous, too, when non-readers like Imelda Marcos (who was never seen reading a book from cover to cover) get positions of power.”
Maybe the lack of the initiative of people when it comes to reading books also causes the uninhibited growth of the less productive leaders in our place.
Ahhm, actually I had already read this article last year. as for me my comment is that this article shows the reality that now a days people especially the students don’t like to read books anymore they prefer to watch t.v or play with the computers. But we students should not hate reading and start practicing it as a hobby because you know why as for my own experience I don’t really like reading then during our disscussion in cllass I can’t undestand the terms sometimes my teacher uses and my mother also said that I’m very low in comprehension and vocabulary. that the one big thing that I’d ever blkame to myself why I don’t make reading a hobby.
Ahhm, actually I had already read this article last year. as for . But we students should not hate reading and start practicing it as a hobby because you know why as for my own experience I don’t really like reading then during our disscussion in cllass I can’t undestand the terms sometimes my teacher uses and my mother also said that I’m very low in comprehension and vocabulary. that the one big thing that I’d ever blkame to myself why I don’t make reading a hobby.
I strongly agree on that. In my case, I am never interested in reading books. Also, most of us are relying on online references.
Your article showed us one of the sad truths that the Filipinos experience. Truly, we have been so consumed by the digital media and all that is fast and easy that we have forgotten the great beauties of the worlds that are in books. Books,have long been a great source of knowledge and so I sympathize with your regret of how the Filipinos had come to (bad) terms with it.
Though we must not forget to take into account the new ways of learning that new technologies now provide, the book still has the special power of to bring a man a chance with his imagination, solitude, and reflection.
I believe that the Filipinos should learn how to appreciate both what is fast and easy (technology) and what has been and still of value, even if it is less convenient. 😀
Hmmm. Just wondering where those folks who think that Filipinos are not book lovers come from.
I used to work with an international attorney in the U.S. (he worked in Europe, most of Asia, parts of South America, Africa and the U.S., of course). He commented once that in all of his travels throughout the world, the Philippines was the ONLY country he had ever been to where he saw kids who had their backs to a wall, sitting on the ground and — of all things, READING! Actually reading! He marveled at such an unusual occurence.
I look around me and all of my nieces and nephews cannot get enough of books. My siblings and I all have small libraries and we all look at our collection with such love and pride. I have a brother who must always have the latest book from any one of his many favorite authors ordered through the internet. He has few luxuries and this is certainly at the top of his list. As for me, I thoroughly enjoy getting my latest news from the websites of The New York Times and Washington Post for they have their place. But books — they are a treasure like nothing else.
I personally disagree with this article because I myself love reading books specially novels written by several authors and I grew up that people around me specifically my family loves to read whenever the time permits. I specifically remembered around 2 or 3 summers ago when I was really bored and had nothing to do I was surprised by one of my Tita who brought more or less 20 pocketbooks in our house then she told me since I love reading why not lend me those precious novels she had. It was the most fruitful summer for me then being able to read different plots of a story up until now I still enjoy reading those again and again and it seems that it was the first time I was reading it.
I can say that this attitude of mine about reading rooted through my childhood wherein my parents would buy me a lot of story books and read those. Until now I enjoy reading as one of my hobby whenever I have nothing to do at home or in the dorm I enjoy just sitting down reading a pocketbook. I also believe that majority of the Filipinos love reading books because whenever I enter book stores I can see heads down reading books according to their taste. Also as an example the generation today have read the books of Harry Potter and Twilight before watching them in the big screen and still after that majority of them says that indeed it is really different from reading the book itself and letting your imagination run wild as to how those events happen in the story. As one of our professors said that movies taken from novels are merely taking the story out of the book but cannot fully capture it's true meaning and essence to it's readers or viewers.
Reading is for everyone we just have to learn to appreciate it's true meaning and beauty because as what our National Hero did to obtain the reformation that he wants is by writing to let his fellow Filipinos read the exact situation that our country was in then.
READING CAN BRING US TO ANYWHERE WE LIKE 🙂
Very true, indeed. I rarely see teenagers, my age, enjoy the fun of reading. Well, Twilight is an exception, I guess.
We never see the true essence of reading books. Why? Because we don’t engage ourselves in reading activities. Majority of the people would say that it’s boring. Reading could improve our vocabulary. It can provide us with ideas we least expect. I find it really disappointing how naive these people could get.
Actually I had already read this arcticle last year. as for me people don’t like to read because of the technologies. for me we should read a lot of books coz reading makes us a better person and a knowledgable person.
Let’s just say that I agree… and disagree as well.
Well, it IS reality. A lot of the Filipinos find reading a boring and tedious hobby. They are those who prefer watching television and movies (for instance, a movie based on a book so that they won’t read it anymore) because they can’t find time to sit through a book. Probably because of technology, internet and cellphones. We see the world as something that is fast-paced and easy. With a click we can access anything through the internet. As quick as a snap of your fingers. Unlike reading a book which will take hours.
Even if there is truth in that, we can never really say that Filipinos are not book lovers… in general.
I, for one, love reading books. I’m from a family who loves reading books, English or Filipino. And I am a Filipino. I think it will be wrong to say that “Filipinos are not book lovers” because many Filipinos who ARE book lovers will disagree to that. It’s just like first impressions. When we see something, we think of this and that but we never really know what it really is until we get to know it. Saying that Filipinos are not book lovers just because we observe that a Filipino, or some Filipinos do not read books seems unfair to those Filipinos who do read books.
And since it’s all about us Filipinos, it can only be us who can change this opinion about us too.
So, to all Filipinos out there…
Let’s read books. 😀
for me, i am agree to what the author have just stated because as i observed from my environment a lot of people in the Philippines is having a hard time to communicate with books. Maybe some people are born to be a good reader, some are trying to read but they don’t know how to understand the words from what they have read but majority, is the one who are not really a fanatic or a supporter of being a book gazer or not wasting his time to what he is not interested about. Maybe this is the effect of the poverty in our country, instead of taking care of his studies he is more oriented to earn money in every way. So how can Filipino spend his time for reading if no one is supporting his needs to be learn at the same time, he is the one who’s providing the needs of his family in his early age, how much more if you are already old? And my other reason is, we are truly, madly, deeply influenced by the Spaniards because we adapted to their attitude of being a ningas- cogon. we can prevent this type of attitude disease only if we exert a lot of time, effort, patience and love in reading books.
it is true that many Filipino doesn’t read books one of them is my family and even I, but I never lost hope, since I become addicted to books and now my course is literature, we can change Filipino by influencing them
I can say that Filipino is, slowly but increasingly hooking up with books, like the bookstore FULLYBOOKED they let people read there books even if they don’t buy it, that’s there way to encourage Filipino to read.
I totally agree with this one. Most Filipinos prefer watching movies which the story was based on the novel. Some Filipinos don’t bother to buy the novel. So sometimes this is the very reason why some are unable to speak the English language fluently, but English is our secondary language so this is a problem most Filipinos encounter.
As far as date is concerned, this article has already been published in our english textbook last year. We do strongly disagree of this. Cause many of my classmates last year and schoolmates too. READ, a ton! of books. I’m strongly surprised that they still have 20×20 vision. True, that some Filipinos don’t read much, but not really all.
for me, i am agree to what the author have just stated because as i observed from my environment a lot of people in the Philippines is having a hard time to communicate with books. Maybe some people are born to be a good reader, some are trying to read but they don’t know how to understand the words from what they have read but majority, is the one who are not really a fanatic or a supporter of being a book gazer or not wasting his time to what he is not interested about. Maybe this is the effect of the poverty in our country, instead of taking care of his studies he is more oriented to earn money in every way. So how can Filipino spend his time for reading if no one is supporting his needs to learn at the same time, he is the one who’s providing the needs of his family in his early age, how much more if you are already old? And my other reason is, we are truly, madly, deeply influenced by the Spaniards because we adapted to their attitude of being a ningas- cogon. we can prevent this type of attitude disease only if we exert a lot of time, effort, patience and love in reading books.
well in my opinion filipinos do not read because of one think most of us are to loazy to think and we like visual aids like the internet and tv etc and some of us like predictable stories like the ones airing in our local channel the problem is that if we dont read we wont learn and our vocabulary will be limited. I myself read books so that i can learn allot more and my advice is to read always not only to the students but to all.
tnx for the author of this article thank you for posting this.
While I’m reading this article, it made me realize that “Filipinos are lazy in reading books.” Well, I’m not saying everyone. But, it’s very disappointing because, eventhough some filipinos are educated and knows how to read, it’s like they refuse to read. I admit that I’m also one of those people who doesn’t like to read. I feel guilty after reading this article.
I’ve also come to a realization that reading books is a wonderful thing to do because you will learn something new and your vocabulary may enhance. Your knowledge may also expand and gives color to your meaningless life. =)
This situation depends on the people who might be involved. Some may agree or disagree to this. But on my part, i strongly disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers. I am a Filipino, and I love reading books. That’s one evidence that can explain my disagreement to this article. Another thing, if Filipinos are not fond of reading books, why would there be establishments like libraries and bookstores that will exist? Yes, it might be a need for institutions but it can also be a reason that Filipinos are really book lovers. This is my stand in this article.
Unfortunately, i agree with the selection. It is true that Filipinos rarely read books, but not all of them, but most of them. I for one loves reading books, my mother is a Robert Ludlum fan and my grandfather almost made our house a library because he loves reading books. On the other hand, my father doesn’t really love to read books and so does my brother, my grandmother and most of my relatives. I think that this situation is also happening in our country today, most of the Filipinos doesn’t really incline themselves in reading books. I totally agree that we Filipinos have a very outgoing personality, we always like to have fun and make noise which is the exact opposite of reading books, that’s why Filipinos don’t find reading books fun. But reading books can be fun too, it depends on how you look at it. But unfortunately most of us doesn’t look at the bright side in reading books, we find it simply boring and a total waste of time. For people with deeper level of thinking simply learning new words is fun, but for most of us we would likely say ” Why not go to SM instead of reading that boring book for hours?”. This is the kind of mentality that Filipinos have these days, plus the fact that we have now access to internet which has the friendster, the facebook, the myspace, the y8 and many other sites which we find more fun than reading books. I really think that it still depends on the person if he/she will incline herself in reading books as a hobby as a pleasure or a pass time. I salute all the Filipinos who loves reading books, and to those who find SM and shopping in Trinoma more fun, you’re missing out so much guys! 🙂
i myself is not a book lover nor a bookworm. i only read books which i really find interesting or if it is needed (like textbooks). but when i read this article i was strongly encouraged to read. i really like conversing and i realized that reading will be a good source in engaging in formal conversations. my aunt used to buy me books but i only used them as ‘displays’. the author’s right. instead of spending time watching tv or doing nonsense things, reading will be a good hobby. :))
I disagree because it does not depend on whether you are a Filipino or not, it depends to the person himself….
i agree. filipinos are not book lovers. they find other things more interesting than reading. they love to read when they want to and when they are in need of information.
I believe that some of them are book lovers. Most of them aren’t. I myself am not a book lover. I just love to read, as in anything, but most of the time I can’t finish the whole book. There are people who love to read books but just can’t afford due to the expensive price. Others would just buy books but doesn’t even try to read it, maybe it’s just for display purposes only. Or others are just too lazy to read books because they don’t need it or they’re not interested. I remembered my friend before she was a book lover, but now she prefers to use the computer rather than browsing through thick books because in the net/pc she can access to more information in a much easier way. And at least in the net or computer you can do many things. This means that people especially Filipinos would rather choose to stay in front of the computer or do any other activities than to read.
For me reading is very important tool to broaden our knowledge especially our vocabulary skills and we may be able to apply what we’ve read to daily life.
I hope that Filipinos like me should read books not because they have to but because they wanted to.
Honestly…I don’t like to read books..i only read a book whenever someone told me to read the book like back in high school, our English teacher always assign a book to read, so definitely i am pressured to read the book.But now, i started to like reading…i t started when i was in the airport.I bought a book of Tom Clancey which is all about advance war.Honestly, if i would have an extra money i would love to collect his books.
🙂
Yes, i have to agree with the article. It’s true that reading requires people to, if possible, be alone so that they could really understand what they read. They would also need silence and patience, but as the article pointed out, Filipinos cannot even bear the thought it. For most of us, it’s terrifying. Another thing is that most Filipinos today are more focused and interested in other media, or better yet, we are actually “distracted” by it. Instead of investing on books, we are more likely to spend our money in buying PSPs, Cellphones, and the like. One more thing that I noticed is that we would rather spend our valuable time talking about unimportant things. But even with that said, I still think it’s up to us people, regardless if we are Filipino or not, if we do want to take time to read, I know that most have the capacity, it’s just a matter of patience and commitment to what we want to do. And if we put our minds to it, I believe that we would be able to do so.
I agree. but i myself don’t read that much. we filipinos enjoy fun. And silence of a book is not one of them. Filipinos often watch tv, play computer or just hang out. But there is a lot of fun written in a book (ive read lots). I think the problem with us filipinos is the laziness of reading each word to form a sentence. each sentence to form a paragraph. each paragraph to form a chapter. each chapter to form a story.. doesnt it sound tiring? well sometimes it does. but not all filipinos are lazy to read. they might not just enjoy the silence of reading. some reasons are filipinos work alot. but i think reading is a pleasure, an entertainment, a source of knowledge. some filipinos are just filipinos. were not known for reading. but reading is crucial for knowledge. but also alot of filipinos are book lovers. i am not one of them but i do appreciate books.
Haha, articles like this deserved to be laugh. But let’s face it – what the article said is a fact. Even though it was made since 1987, many of us are still more of a rather-watch-it-than-read-it people. Almost all of us don’t want to have that personality: a loner who finds himself/herself reading gothic novels alone? Haha, that’s emo!
It’s pretty scary to be one of it (or even if you have that friend), but books are unavoidable. While these books still exist (maybe someday these instruments will be extinct because of the worldwide web), let’s “try” to read. Ignore those words that makes you use dictionary. Reading takes time so get used to it.
I completely agree that Filipinos are not book lovers.
Filipinos,in general, are primarily not book lovers. Perhaps reading for them is a bleeding process of learning. In fact,many Filipinos are illiterate.
Reading, in my opinion, requires the openness of senses that Filipinos,on the contrary, are lackin thereof. And by the way hypertext evolves rapidly,the craft of writing has gone cold for Filipinos who loves to use cyber technology in communicating purposes. And i believe that this might cause huge problem for a country whose populace has a poor education fund like the Philippines.
I admit that i am not a book lover. though there are times i must read books to gather info because of homework,esp. when i was in San Isidro National High School(just a public school;i miss the moment when me and my classmates are using “bunot”on the floor).
Books are not only made for readers to obtain data but also to absorb the ideas that are far beyond knowledge that a man can conceive. moreover,the capacity of imagination is not limited; spending time one-on-one on a book by reading it can make me grow stonger, soar higher and think wiser. DOTA made me crazy,apparently. Nevertheless, for me,reading books is a passion.
so far…there are points that are..well, true. I think majority of Filipinos doesn’t read much, probably because of poverty. Though, it doesn’t mean that they don’t want to read. I mean think of it this way…in a practical way- what will you choose, books or food? definitely an average Filipino will choose food over books, but still it doesn’t indicate that a Filipino lacks curiosity and desire to learn more; to read more.
WOAH!! i’m surprised to see another ALYANNA in this site. Well anyways.
I am a Filipino and I am not fond of reading books. But it doesn’t mean that all Filipinos don’t read books.
This article is very shameful for us Filipinos. But how can the author of this article attest these things if he don’t have proofs. Many points in his article are true. One is the salons are more populated than the libraries or bookstores. Maybe it’s a bit crowded in a bookstore not because of the people buying books but because of some who are buying some school stuffs.=I Another is that Filipinos hate solitude. I don’t know if this is a compliment or an insult. Compliment maybe because Filipinos want a company and man is really a social animal. Insult at some point because some Filipinos spend their time socializing and doing stuffs that could only satisfy their wants but not their needs/ mind. Instead of concentrating on books, they concentrate more on other things.
This article was written 10 years ago. It’s TEN YEARS AGO but the issue is still seen today.
After reading this article and some comments of the people, i felt pity for me and for those who hates reading books. Yeah! Reading is boring. But look at the brighter side of what it can cause you after reading a book.
FROM NOW ON, I WILL READ BOOKS.
*whoops!!*
I’LL TRY TO READ BOOKS. =P hihi.
for me, nowadays the Filipino people are fun of reading books because of entertainment but not all of them, other Filipinos love to read books because they are born book lover inherited by the family or the people around. in my family some are book worm they always love to read and to read and to read, they always want to be alone and reading books not only for entertainment but also for intellectual purposes. me, myself i surely don’t want reading books especially when it’s cover to cover. i only read books when i like to read and when the topic is great but when i’m getting bored i stop like what the article say that Filipinos are “ningas cogon” but Filipinos are not always like that. i believe that books are more accurate than internet because when the book is published it cannot be edited but in the internet it can. i disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers because they are book lover and it is a hobby of some.
Gad….that’s all…
I would agree that Pinoyteens nowadays are not fond of reading books(be it a pocketbook, novel or textbook.) This is because of the advancement of technology.
Growing up, aside from having a television, computer already exists. And so, I had a choice between watching the TV, playing the computer or reading a book. And since books in the Philippines are quite pricey, buying one is at the bottom of the list(except when it is needed in school.)
But don’t get me wrong, I’m a bookworm! I love the works of Paulo Coelho and Mitch Albom. After all, it’s not poverty that hinders anyone to be a book-lover; it’s the lack of interest. Right?
Okay here’s my opinion:
Not all Filipinos may be book lovers but there are a number of them out there who are into reading and are obsessed with books! Trust me i know from where i was raised. I grew up in Botswana and i had quite a number Filipino friends there, and most of them were book addicts. Im not really sure what inspired them but i think it’s usually the background they came from or they probably had friends from different countries who influenced them.
In other words, i’m not really familiar with the situation in the Philippines but i believe it depends on the environment we all live in that which causes a certain impact to our daily strategies. For example, when i first came here to Manila, i experienced a sudden change in my lifestyle. Things were obviously very different and odd for me. Im sure we all know Manila is noise polluted city and like you said “Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be.” Thus it’s quite impossible to concentrate when you’re in the midst of these. I could really relate to this because i seem to read less now than i did before. Well reading intensively and studying are completely different things. Reading intensively here does not seem possible to me.
Another thing we should realize is that, the time we have spent on reading is quite limited here. Obviously we cannot bear to spend the whole day reading a novel especially when you travel 1-2 hours from one place to another. This generation we live in also affects our view on books. None of us can deny that during our free-times we are either surfing the internet or texting friends. If you look in the past when these things were not yet available, you will realize that a quite huge percentage of Filipinos were actually book lovers and regular readers, such as our parents and grandparents.
However, we should not criticize anyone regarding this issue! “Who is to blame?” That is the question! Otherwise it’s not a sin to not be a book-lover. All we need are enough resources and plenty of access to books and hopefully get inspired! Think out of the box! That’s how we learn!
Yes. I agree with the fact that very few Filipinos like reading books nowadays. Why is it so? There are many factors, and in my opinion, technology itself and our own laziness are the biggest factors.
When asked by our teachers to do a research, do many of us still go to the library and use books for references? No, we use modern technology to get the information we need. We use the internet probably because it is more accessible and works faster than the library. After minutes of browsing, we can get the information we need. I myself am guilty of this act too, and it was sheer laziness that drove me to do it. But, I’m starting to like books now though. Books, unlike computers, won’t hurt your eyes and give you a headache when you stare at it for a long period of time. Reading books is fun; others just don’t realize the importance of it. When you use it for reference, you will see the big gap between the knowledge you’ve gathered from the internet and from a book, proving that we can’t depend on the internet’s information all the time.
I hope for our sake that we, the youth of country, will take delight from reading books. I know it’s hard and boring to make the first few steps of going to the library and reading a good book while you can be spending your free time going to bars and playing computer games. But just like the author said, can you imagine people who have no interest in books at all get positions of power? The world would very much like be a chaotic place when that happens. So, look around, cherish the wonderful world of literature. Hard work and patience will pay off sooner than you think.
Well, I do agree with that. Filipinos tend to forget or to set aside reading because, they are BUSY. We look at reading as a “pleasurable” thing because we see it as a past time. We look at it like, it’s only done whenever we have nothing else to worry about. Contrary to that, being very busy doesn’t really connote that we don’t have to think about enriching our minds and feeding them with more knowledge because we’re too much pre-occupied by other things. It only tells us that we must allot and find time, even just for a short while, in reading books, because even though we’ve got tons of things to do, it is still essential for us to read since, it makes us more knowlegdeable about certain things in our daily lives that we ought to know. Lastly, nothing makes us more aware and informed than reading itself. Through it we are not only able to grasp information, but also, acquire the values we need in order to survive our day to day life.
Filipinos are not book lovers? I don’t think so, there are still Filipinos who really love reading, whether academic books, pocket books or even look book. Nowadays, there are still many bookstores present. In one mall, an average of 3 to 4 bookstore is present and is filled with book hunters or even private readers. In school librARIES their are still students prefer to do their research and make use of the library.
Fiction books for some are part of their everyday life: Harry Potter, the Twilight Saga. Most of the time these books are out of stock at all bookstore considering that a movie version of the following titles are shown in the cinemas. For these reasons I can say that not all FIlipinos are not book lovers.
I agree with this article even though I love read. Since our generation is exposed to too much technology, most Filipinos use media such as television, internet, cellphones etc. as source of information. most of us will make use of the internet rather than browsing the encyclopedia whenever we are tasked to do researches because in the internet almost all of the information are there. Filipinos I can say, are so lazy to read books with sense.
I just hope that Filipinos would realize that books can give us so much information that may never be found or shown to us through these technologies around us now. A a book lover, I would like to be an influence to my fellow Filipinos to read. Try reading at least one book or one chapter of a book a day and it will bring you farther than you can ever imagine 🙂
I am not a bookworm but I do read books- not all the time. I do not totally agree with the whole context, especially upon mentioning that “Filipinos will go from being primitives to becoming exhausted as a civilization, without ever having been civilized enough to read books.” For me, that was too much too say. I have a younger sister who is fond of reading books even in her leisure time. She still finds entertainment in reading books and is obviously enjoying it. I also remembered when I went to Powerbooks, I saw people reading books of different kinds.- magazines, fiction books or comics strips.
In a way I agree with the author of this article upon mentioning the attitude of the Filipinos when it comes to reading books. -“The problem is Filipinos hate solitude. Count the number of Filipinos you know who enjoy being alone, and being in a book. For them, it’s absolutely terrifying.” We all know this attitude is common in us but for me, it doesn’t apply in everyone. It still depends on the person, not in all Filipinos. Some people may consider themselves a “book hater”, but I’m sure once they’ve encounter a reading material that it is in their interest, they would give time to read it. 🙂
Interesting article anyway, I had fun reading it. 🙂
well, as of what i’m seeing right now in our generation, most of us don’t spend much time reading a book from cover to cover. most people would just stay in front of the computer all day and play their favorite online game, that or just plain do anything but read.
i’m not much of a “book lover”, but i have read my own share of books from cover to cover. but, i’m starting to love reading books. i learn a lot from it. it broadens my vocabulary, which makes reading a lot more fun when you learn new stuff.
but who knows, people might just wake up and read other books not entirely made up of pictures.
I slightly disagree with the idea that “that Filipinos will never become book readers” because it really depends to a person whether he/she reads a book. I admit, I’m not a book lover. I prefer short writings & easy-readings but I swear, I do not hate books. Books hate me. Hahaha. Just kidding. 🙂 Mm, I do not love nor hate reading books because books give us knowledge in speaking,writing & thinking. It helps improve our macro skills that we use in our everyday lives. Actually, reading books can help us improve our vocabulary words that would help us increase our knowledge about different languages learned from the past up to the present.
“Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows. And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span.”
♥ I probably agree with this statement because as I’ve said a while a go, I do not love nor hate books because of such reasons. I’m just curious about people who wanted to read books instead of watching besides, the books they ought to read are also the one they wanted to watch on the cinema. Hahaha. Silly. :p Anyway, I conclude that reading is an important thing that Filipinos & other people should practice. Like what Francis Bacon said “READING MAKES A FULL MAN”. It’s true. So grab a book na! 🙂
I slightly disagree with the idea that “that Filipinos will never become book lovers” because it really depends to a person whether he/she reads a book. I admit, I’m not a book lover. I prefer short writings & easy-readings but I swear, I do not hate books. Books hate me. Hahaha. Just kidding. 🙂 Mm, I do not love nor hate reading books because books give us knowledge in speaking,writing & thinking. It helps improve our macro skills that we use in our everyday lives. Actually, reading books can help us improve our vocabulary words that would help us increase our knowledge about different languages learned from the past up to the present.
“Reading a book needs time,patience & endurance.”
♥ I probably agree with this statement because as I’ve said a while a go, I do not love nor hate books because of such reasons. I’m just curious about people who wanted to read books instead of watching besides, the books they ought to read are also the one they wanted to watch on the cinema. Hahaha. Silly. :p Anyway, I conclude that reading is an important thing that Filipinos & other people should practice. Like what Francis Bacon said “READING MAKES A FULL MAN”. It’s true. So grab a book na! 🙂
i would have to say that at first i agree with all of it but as i read til the end,i somewhat disagree already. yes,most Filipinos prefer watching TV, surfing,etc. than reading a good old book. yes,most, it is quite obvious. conduct a research and it will give you a poor result. however,not all Filipinos are like that. i can confidently say that i know a few,like myself,who still finds time in this busy world to sit down and read a book. i believe that there is still hope for Filipinos,we just dont recognize it. 🙂
The article was dated 1987 and I think a lot could have happened in a span of 22 years. I don’t agree with the article because I am seeing many people especially teens like me who love to read. I, for one, am a book lover. While we may not generalize the idea of Filipinos loving books, we could just look around us and observe. When I am in a mall, I always go to the bookstore even if I would just check the new releases or check the availability of a book. It never escapes me that the bookstore is always packed with people of all ages. They would be in the different sections of the store but they are always checking on books, contemplating if one has more worth buying than the other. In addition, I also don’t think that bookstores such as National Bookstore, Powerbooks, or Fullybooked would even bother expanding their stores if Filipinos are not book lovers. For me, I think that the article maybe true at that time but may not be applicable at this time. Filipinos then and now have different environments and worries. We have time to spare now for us to read because our other work can be easily done with the help of our gadgets which Filipinos did not have in 1987. We also don’t have to worry about our country more than they did because we are not recovering from the People Power Revolution like them. Now, we could enjoy our books in solitude and in silence because we are not under the Martial Law.
I think more Filipinos will be book lovers if given the chance. Now that we have that chance, our generation grabbed the opportunity of reading books. And for those who still haven’t grabbed it, it’s not too late to grab a book now.
It is true. Filipinos are not book lovers. Or, they cannot be. It is because we were all raised in this culture where we are usually with a lot of people with a lot of talking and socializing. It’s hard for us just to sit quietly, reading a book when we can talk with other people or watch TV which is more entertaining. Also, we Filipinos are very easily influenced and distracted. We usually read books because it’s the trend and everyone else is reading it or, it’s out in the movies. Most of the times, we just read for the sake of reading it and not really getting understanding what the book is really all about.
Filipinos are not book lovers? I don’t think so, their are still Filipinos who love reading, whehter pocketbooks, academic books, or even look book. Nowadays, their are lots of bookstore present. In one mall an average of 3 to 4 bookstores are present and filled with book hunters or even private readers. In school libraries their are still students who prefer to do their research their and make use of the library.
Fiction books for some, are part of their life: Harry Potter, the Twilight Saga. Most of the time, it is out of stock, almost in the bookstore considering that a movie version of the following titles are shown in the cinemas. For these reasons i can say that it is impossible that all of the Filipinos are not book lovers.
This may be ironic, but I am not a reader myself. It’s just not in my nature to read. But I believe that reading allows you to learn and know more. I agree with what the author said that Filipinos are fond of watching telenovelas or cheesy movies instead of reading romantic novels. I think it’s in our culture that we must see first in order to understand. Filipinos are usually (i’m not saying all the time) too lazy to read and would rather see in on screen. We have a habit of liking the “instant”. Personally, i would like to watch a film rather than read it. I would understand the plot better if it’s in the screen. It’s really ironic but i love to write a lot, but read a little. How can I convince someone to read my work if i don’t read somebody else’ work? I think it’s just a matter of preference. I salute those who love books 🙂
I can surely say that I am not a book lover, I slightly hate English because during my childhood days few of my cousins are not fond of speaking English or watching some English movies that will help us to nurture ourselves and i thought speaking in English is only for elite people , and people who are in the showbiz industry or what we called “socialized persons”.But when the time passed by i made a wistful remark that i need to obliged myself to read books because when i was in high school i felt horren and unintelligent one because i cannot spoke fluently and i doesn’t even know how to make a sentence with a good grammar, and i also admit that sometimes i poorly pronounce the word properly but now I was purely encourage to be a book lover,I will do my best to be a better student in this subject.I will change my attitude of being lazy reader and I proved that my past belief that reading books is only for weird and special people was absolutely wrong.
I hope I can develop myself in speaking English by the help and guidance of my professors.I need to manage my time wisely.
I agree. Most Filipinos are not fund of reading books. I remember when i was in 4th year H.S, I observed that most of my classmates barely use their textbooks. ( Laging nasa Locker at ung iba halatang hindi masyado binubuklat.. March na muka pa ring brand new)
Most of us do not appreciate and value the importance of reading in our lives. Most Filipinos prefer shopping, gaming, watching TV, ETC. Scanning Emails and text messages is the only reading most of us do. This contributes to to the increasing number of academically challenged pupils here in the country.
There is no excuse for not reading especially nowadays that there are numerous sources of good readings. Instead of spending the whole day indulging yourself to your usual vices, why not start reading short articles or poems? there’s nothing to lose. Kung ayaw may dahilan, kung gusto maraming puwedeng paraan!
(salamat sa nag post nito at sa lahat ng mga booklovers na PinoY astig kayO.) 🙂
Yes, I do agree with this article. As a young Filipino, I do agree that our generation doesn’t read that much. But I know a lot of people who are bookworms.. and I salute them for that. Because I myself, doesn’t read that much. Though, I have interest with books, I think I am in the process of developing myself to make reading as my habit.
But while reading the article.. questions were raised in my head. Question such as.. How sure is that in other countries, people read a lot? Having the fact that we are now in a generation of technology. I think technology has a lot to do with these. People or specially teens.. would prefer to surf the net, watch tv, or play with their PSP rather than read. I guess that this is also applicable to other countries. So why does it have to pertain to Filipinos only?
Definitely, I agree that writers in our country are not distinguished, thus they don’t earn that much. But couldn’t our government or the media do something with these? I guess we just have to appreciate these writers and their writings by making them known to the public and recognizing their works. And the reason, why others cannot read books is due to lack of opportunity and money. And why not the government could do something with this?
I guess, it is never too late for us Filipinos raise ourselves and devote ourselves into reading. Surely, reading will lead our nation to raise better and competitive people who will stand up for our country
Well okay, I totally agree with everything that was stated here but I’ll admit that I’m one of those “Filipinos who hate solitude”. Seriously, it would keep my saner if I just go out with a bunch of friends and hang out with them. I’m not a big fan of books, and I’d rather learn from other medium than reading…a book. Like if it has a movie version, I’ll go for that. Heck, I’ve never even completed a novel and if it weren’t for our English subject, I would’ve not placed the slightest tip of my finger on it–not lying. But if there’s one person I know who hasn’t lost his interest yet on books, that would have to be my brother. I swear, he’s actually best friends with his Mark Twain novels already. He’ll get his hands on anything that has lots of words, reams of paper and a cover to go with that. So I don’t think that Filipinos have already lost it. Well at least, not YET. And as for myself, fine, I’ll try my best to engage more on reading, but you’ll never make me even take a peek at one word from that vampire-filled novel. I’d rather go for classic literature stuff, or educational and informative books.
Good Morning. I’ve already read this article before back when I was still in my 4th year days. so we have discussed and debated that matters already. Well, I mean it that I myself is so lazy when It comes to reading a book. I would always prefer to surf the net, eat, shop or just to nothing instead of reading a book, how sad for me. In highschool we read books because we are required to and thanks to that because I’ve tried reading a book. I really appreciate a book, though. I think books are just so magical that a single compilation of papers and texts would make a mind go flying, a take us into a world or a feeling that we have never been through. But sadly, we are all Ningas cogon, like what the article said. I feel pitty for us that we focus on things that are not productive.. and I can see our nation in the future being less educated and inspired. Maybe we could also blame technology for bringing us too many entertainment that we forgot how to read more. I just wish that Filipinos would love books as they love doing those lazy things.
I’ll start of by saying that if i hurt anyone’s feelings by saying this then I’m sorry.
In Japan thei bookstores are full of Manga’s, this is equivalent to a comics here in the Philippines. So i think that uses so little of the reading skills and hey isn’t it that those manga’s are part Porno? Sorry to say this or if I’m discriminating the Japanese but this is what i see cause i myself once bought a manga. Imagine spending 400 pesos and above for just a picture book that you’ll read once in your life. With the recession going on what would you rather put your money on? a book you’ll read a couple of times or food that can give you nourishment?
There is another thing that i would like to point out, presidents aren’t elected because they read a book! they are elected because the people trust their capability to lead the country. If you want writers to be president then what is the sense of having writers write and presidents rule? Also you do not have to read in front of the camera to show people that you read. Presidents doesnt have the time or leisure to read a book thats irrelevant to what she’s doing. Imagine our president reading a romance novel, would that help our country at all?
Filipinos do read, they read at libraries and buy books at second hand stores. Though some rich people read books. It is not the person, it just depends on the genre of the book to capture a persons interest. Like the Twilight saga, Harry Poter and many others, they attract the persons mind, they do not bore us. I for one would rather read a fiction book rather than to read a text book. Cause where is the point of reading if your hearts not into it. Filipino’s do read, if we do not then why do we have bookstores? or book sales?
again I’m sorry for offending somebody but this is just my opinion. I’m a Filipino and I have read so many books already. So i am a living proof that Filipinos do read!
Filipinos are book lovers. You can contradict it but it is still true. They may not be voracious readers but they still get their reading fix. We say that Filipinos hate books because no one stays in the bookstore or libraries but try looking in those small places like shops in Manila that sell second hand novels they tend to be there. It is true that some of the books that most Filipino masses read are a bit shallow (like pocketbook romance novellas) but they cherish that book any way. I have seen security guards have small book about “San Lorenzo Ruiz” underneath their Records book, nurses that have long evening shifts reading twilight; teens who I know love “5 people you meet in Heaven”. Saying that Filipinos do not love books is like saying we hate Adobo. Our national hero up to the student in the classroom does like books and even if he/she cannot afford to buy a book will always find a way. They fear the library because it tends to be over rated and posh, too intellectual for the masses, afraid to be judged by experts of that field. The rich Filipinos also love to read because it is their indulgence to buy books which is in their advantage, why do you think PowerBooks or Fullybooked stores open up. You cannot statistically graph if Filipinos are not book lovers or avid bookworms because it is hidden underneath their beds, cramped in between their textbooks and P.E. uniforms. It is True Filipino Culture to be humble and quiet that’s why you don’t see these book lovers but don’t worry they are there.
As mentioned in the article, only a handful devote their time in reading books, well that’s way back in 1987, but today this statement may have surpassed its “consume before date”. Due to the emergence of books such as Harry Potter series (much to its demise, it never won my favor), Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and last and maybe the least the Twilight Saga, which by far went from the ultimate source of fulfillment for the insatiable search for that perfect someone to a mere archetype of the vividness of western literature. Personally I prefer to read, anywhere I can, with constant sounds of an Ipod masking the irrelevant thoughts of the world, that would hinder my understanding of the author’s masked thoughts that are infused in the book.
Wow…i disagree with the whole "not book lovers" thing…its too generalized.Granted not all of us love books but there are a select few that are passionate in reading.I admit i'm one of those select few. Just because one filipino or a bunch of them aren't seen reading doesn't mean they don't.
this is true and yet, ALARMING! i wish that the government may have a program that will totally encourage the Filipinos to read..to be book lovers! One hindrance to progress is ignorance. the more knowledge,the more productive Filipinos can be. .
Actually I enjoy reading very much and I think I think that reading is very valuable in becoming fluent in English and in educated one self. But I must agree that Filipinos are not avid readers, I barely know people who would cite reading as their hobby here. It’s really sad though that a lot of people are missing out on great works of literature. I think the high prices of books here also attribute to this issue. After all, when faced with the choice of buying something to entertain or inform themselves, Filipinos are more likely to choose something that is fast and easy (such as television or the internet) as compared to books which requires patience, intelligence and effort.
Although I myself enjoy reading, I am also very guilty of shunning Filipino literature because I tend to have the misconception that there is barely anything written well anymore or that everything written here is linked with political subversion or symbolical writings about Philippine society.
How i pity the young filipino generation of today. yes, in Japan, my dad often tells me that they do not waste time on silly things that gives them no progress. The simple transportation is a good way to spend time with a book. he said that when even riding a train or waiting at the bus station, a jap would often hold out something to read, a newspaper or a book. And i would often do the same.Dito kasi sa Pilipinas, kapag sasakay ng jeep, o tatayo sa tren, TUTUNGANGA lang. hindi ba nakakatawa? sayang ang oras. tumalino ka sana sa PAGTUNGANGA. i would often shrug my shoulders.
here in philippines, i would often ask my colleagues what books they read. and the answers go around like: “ah. hindi ako nagbabasa eh. ahahaha”or something like, “ano?”.And it is as if they do not understand the language that i speak and turn the topic into a more “light” one.tinawanan pa nila ang kanilang sarili.
SANA, Filipinos would soon understand the BEAUTY of books. i myself grew up with this certain LOVE for books since our parents trained us to have this innate affection, even building a mini library at home, and this passion burns in me everytime i see a book or two. “ayan na naman si cha…” that is what my friends would often tell me whenever i go to the mall and always and always visit booksale to hunt for good books or the powerbooks etc to check out the classics , pouring my money and time to these. SANA, filipinos would read instead of TUTUNGANGA sa sasakyan, SANA filipinos would answer “OMG! i love paulo coelho too!” instead of “ano?”.
I am not a nerd nor a freak. But i am a self confessed bookworm. Filipinos would tend to say “ay, matalino yan” when they see someone reading. BUT TO MIND YOU that it IS True. hindi ba masayang mapagsabihan ng matalino? Start grabbing a book, and not just of junk or a literary trash (yung tipong tabloids at chikka ang laman. hindi naman kayo yayaman o tatalino kung malaman ninyo ang lovelife ng iba diba?)
sasabihin nila na “nerd” ang nagbabasa, kaya nilalayuan. excusa, have you seen people like natalie portman? she is cool isnt she? well, to inform you that she is a genius because of books.(correct me if i am wrong, but this is of what i have read from an article in the newspaper or readers digest for that matter.)
AND I SHALL SAY, that i am a filipino and I READ.(a lot)
ps, thank you so much mr kevin for sharing this. i hope alot will be inspired by this article, and ask themselves “nakatunganga ako ngayon, mukha ba akong matalino?”
For me, some parts of the article are true. Some Filipinos are just not that fond of reading books. When I was in high school, we were asked to conduct a survey to know whether Filipino students are into reading novels. Sadly, 70% said they are not a book lover. They only read books when they are required to do so, specifically when they are asked to make a book report. Frankly speaking, I am not a book lover as well. I do read books, but only those that catch my attention. I am definitely not a bookworm. One factor that affects Filipinos love for books is the so-called “technology”. Most of us prefer surfing the net rather than to kill their time over reading novels. They would rather play on their PSPs or listen to their iPods than to get hooked in the world of books.
But as what I have said, I do not fully agree with the article. My first point is that it was dated 1987. The article was released a couple of years ago. Things have changed, so as the perspective of Filipinos on books. So it is possible that after 2 or 4 years, books will find its way back to the hearts of every Filipinos. Another one is poverty. Of course, if one is not capable of sustaining his or her necessities, he or she will also find it hard to buy a good book to read. Instead of spending their money over books, they would prefer spending it on the essentials. So, we should give all Filipinos a chance to love books.
It’s not that Filipinos don’t like reading. It’s just that they tend to prefer certain books over others. Ask a random Filipino what kind of books he enjoys reading, and he’ll give you titles like Harry Potter and Twilight, then the occasional Angels and Demons. (As the commenters before me have pointed out.) They tend to be picky with books, choosing the popular and/or controversial over pretty much everything else.
“Popular? Isn’t Shakespeare popular?!”
In the Philippines, not exactly. What do Filipinos know about him? His name, where he’s from, stuff he wrote. What do Filipinos know about his works? Erm, titles. And “Romeo, Romeo, where the hell are you?”. (Note how the context changes completely.)
For Filipinos, reading is kind of like fashion. They read according to what’s “in this season”. For instance, Twilight. Everyone reads Twilight nowadays, no matter how ridiculously stupid it is any way you look at it. I personally feel ashamed of being of the same species as its author! But Filipinos still read it, regardless of its tremendous fail. Why? Because everyone else does. Because it’s what everyone loves these days. They think they should read it and love it by default since that’s what everyone else is doing. They don’t seem to realize that every sentence in the four books pretty much gives one message: Edward iz hawt!!!11!
(This last one applies to the whole world, though, but Filipinos are part of the world. So.)
Tell me, then: what does this say about the Filipinos’ reading habits? They just go with whatever everyone else reads without analyzing anything, or they just do it for the escapism and nothing more. They don’t read for growth and wisdom at all.
Reading because they have to? That’s a given, really. They have to. It’s for school/work/whatever. They have to. They have to. They have to. Ad infinitum.
In conclusion: Filipinos read. A little. For the wrong reasons.
yes, i definitely agree with that..i’m not much of a book lover but i still read books that interests me like novels, short stories and stuff..
i agree because i noticed at a bookstore that there were few people inside..and most of them were adults..and then i also noticed at school; like in our class, that not even a handful of students have read a particular book like a novel..those bestsellers you see inside book stores..they don’t know that..it’s like..”ow, that’s a book pala?” or “ay, bestseller pala yan??”
Reading this article made me realize that I really should read more. I don’t have interest in books, for I like doing sports more, playing volleyball to be specific. But all thanks to my Literature class, I read this essay written by Mario Vargas Llosa entitled, “Why Literature?” and I’ve come to my senses that I should read more as soon as possible to add more information to what I already know. Not only that, I know reading would improve my vocabulary since I kind of lack that in myself.
I think not all Filipinos are incapable of not book lovers because some filipinos actually love to read like some of my classmates back when I was in high school. Some of them love to read while the others don’t. Reading depends on the taste of the Filipinos. Some of them read magazines, newspapers and etc. I agree that some of the Filipinos are not book lovers while I,myself, loves to read books and even short stories. For me, it’s more fun reading than any other activity because it’s intellectually stimulating but unfortunately, I only read a few books written by our Filipino authors. It’s also a matter of taste you know.
as mentioned above, i agree that most filipinos do not read books. what they are used to, is to oftentimes play DOTA (especially boys), watch film adaptation of books instead of reading, go to gimmicks etc. what i most hear from those people who do not read is “nakakatamad e!” or “bakit pa magbabasa e nasa movie na nga”. they thought of it as a time-consuming and waste of time. they are obviously proud of it. i see the reasons why students do not bring their books in school, it’s all because they’re not interested on reading those and they hardly even scan the pages of it.
i agree to what the blogger commented on the filipino point of view on reading, sometimes the reason is not because of the laziness of the people but because of newer ways to read a book, like having audio books downloaded on the internet instead of buying the real book;having the audio book would be like having a storyteller right beside you reading you the book,thus making you lazy to read for yourself. sometimes it is the price of the books that is the reason why filipinos are not fond of reading because they might not afford the books. But then,most of the time it is because of the natural point of view of a person whether they would like to read a book or not.
Yes… It’s such a sad thought that many of us Filipinos are not interested in reading books. Though we may be intelligent, we lack the patience necessary. If there is anything common about us, it is that we all want things to be fast.
I have to say, I do agree with the article. Filipino teens nowadays are too engrossed in things which, if I may say so, are very much superficial. It seems that the majority of Filipino teens today are much more concerned with who’s-got-the-most-expensive-phone-in-the-bunch kind of things. If only those teenagers with that kind of attitude set their minds on things which could make them more competent, I believe that alleviation from the bounds of idiocy is possible.
I agree that most of us Filipinos are not book lovers.
But still, there are some who often read books and sometimes, it becomes their addiction.
I prefer watching t.v. or surf the net than reading books.
I believe this is one of the reasons why most of us don’t love to read books that much.
I agree that most of the Filipinos are not “book lovers”. They prefer to watch, or anything.
I agree that most Filipinos are “not book lovers”, just like me. Most filipinos are not so patient like others. They don’t enjoy sitting or lying on a bed reading a book with pictures or without pictures because some likes to watch movie rather than to read. They are not enjoying by just imagining the story in their heads. they don’t to imagine, they want to see it immediately. some are fond of just sitting and watching how the story goes. They somehow can’t understand or maybe appreciate why some are writing literature
For me, it’s true because me either is not a book lover. Not to the extent that I hate solitude but I don’t find reading as my habit. Well, unfortunately most of us, Filipinos are like that but not all. That’s why most of us are having a hard time to speak in English fluently.
Well I agree to the article and I belong to those people who don’t love reading. I only read thick books when needed for school projects. But there are people also who loves reading huge and thick books and I salute to them! They have the patience for such activity not like me I don’t really have that much patience in reading. One reason why some regret reading is most of the books that have a good quality are expensive, which average Filipinos cannot afford.
I enjoy more having fun with friends, going outside with people rather sitting and reading a book. We will go for movies than reading an entire book which needs a long time allotment. We also enjoy surfing the net and playing games more than other things. The article tells us that some officials don’t really have that much quality of being a leader, but most likely they are in position more on because of popularity than their educational background.
I don’t think so… this article was written long ago and I don’t think we can generalize all the Filipinos. I also don’t think that Filipino’s aren’t fond of reading. It’s just that they prefer certain genres that we call “USO”. Even Filipino’s at young age reads novel, pocket books etc. Children’s generation now a day is quite different from before although there are still are some who doesn’t like reading. While I was studying in Elementary and high school, I am a witness on how my classmates read thick books and those books aren’t just any books. They are best selling books and are having profound words. During break time, they will go to the library or seat on one corner with friends reading as well. According to the article, Filipino’s aren’t patient enough to read then if not, I don’t know how Filipino’s finish books such as twilight and harry potter. Those are books having parts and it’s really thick as well. But still it was always out of stock… where does it go?; trash? I had a hard time buying the books especially when I was in Qatar where I see most of the customers are Filipino’s looking for the same book as I was looking for. I went here to the Philippines when I took my college exam and end up with words “Sorry out of stock na eh” Who do you think bought it? I’m sure they wouldn’t sale 1-3 copies don’t you think? Well maybe it’s just different on how others view it. In particular on the article, since it was written long ago, one reason he might have said those words is that during his generation, Filipino who reads are few and maybe the environment he grew up is place where Filipino’s don’t read usually read. In my opinion if not all, at least many are using books to make use of time. The new generation of Filipinos changed is all I can say. What I can admit is that “Young generation of Filipino’s aren’t fond of reading their textbooks” but we can’t say that they are not book lovers or generalize that all doesn’t like reading.
The article was written in 1987, how can it be true to this date?
It’s the year 2009, if Filipinos are not so fond of reading, how come hundreds of thousands of Harry Potter and Twilight books come to our country every time there’s a new addition to the series? It’s just a simple demand-supply chain.
Maybe it’s a bit shallow to cite Harry Potter and Twilight, but hey, it’s still a good start no matter how shallow it is.
It’s also kind of insulting how this article looks at Filipinos as people who don’t like how “books deal with ideas, worked out mainly through characters and plots”. Are Filipinos that dumb? Again, this was dated back in 1987, it can’t be true now.
And it isn’t a bad thing that Filipinos like the company of a lot people, which was cited as one of the reasons why Filipinos don’t read. Yes, being alone and having some quiet time is great, but it also starts suicidal tendencies.
Bottom line is, this article can conclude whatever it wants to, but it can only be true on the year that it was written. Filipinos can be really dynamic, and whatever holds true before may not necessarily do so now.
I do agree and I admit that I am guilty with this. I think it is already in our culture that majority of Filipinos are not book lovers. See, we are fund of going out with our circle of friends. And of course, with that, we often spend some time alone. I am not a book lover but I love to read. I love to learn new things by reading, I love going to the library, but it is seldom that I finish an entire book as in cover-to-cover.
I do agree and I admit that I am guilty with this. I think it is already in our culture that majority of Filipinos are not book lovers. See, we are fond of going out with our circle of friends. And of course, with that, we often spend some time alone. I am not a book lover but I love to read. I love to learn new things by reading, I love going to the library, but it is seldom that I finish an entire book as in cover-to-cover.
A book is a door to different places. When you read, you learn a lot of things, you reach places through imagination, and you develop a lot of skills. But most Filipinos are not very fond of reading, maybe because of the modern technology today. We find pleasure in watching television, texting our friends, playing computer games and surfing the internet instead of reading a good book. Sometimes, we get interested in reading a particular book but when we have read half of it, we slowly lose the interest until we stop reading it. That is because, we easily get bored, we don’t enjoy solitude, and we don’t appreciate silence so much. We always want to be with our friends, to listen to music and to make noise.
Filipinos are indeed not book lovers and it makes me wonder. But I think that we just choose to have our own ways to gain knowledge and information by interacting with people around, and to learn from our own experiences rather than be alone in silence and read.
Sad to say but I agree with the author. I have known people and friends who doesn’t enjoy reading. There are many reasons why, one of these is the availability of information from the internet instead of going to the library and read books; second is that we are known for being sociable and enjoy being in group gatherings and outdoor activities which contradict the idea of being isolated with the book. Lastly, the cultural influences from other countries like music, movies, fashion etc. that diverts our attention from finding good books and spending time in reading them.
I partly agree with this article. It is true that most Filipino doesn’t gave much time reading books or even going in the library. For me, being so into reading was a practice we learn since we were young. But as what I observed, children don’t have time to even glance at book’s pages because they first learn the computer games, cartoons, and televisions, and find it more interesting. Teens, who should have more time on reading books, don’t even give even half of their time just to spend in reading. And because of all this technology around us, we find reading boring.
But Filipinos are not book lovers. We just don’t know how to value the act of reading. Just like the articles says, we can’t finish a certain book because of being used to ningas-cogon. We are easily distracted –and I’m one of them. But the fact that we start reading a book, it means we are constantly learning the value of it.
Reading doesn’t require us to spend the whole time just reading. We just need to practice it. We can read even one book per month. Through this, our vocabulary will expand, we will use our imagination, and will suddenly love reading. We just need to try.
Ava Gandia
1BES1
i’m also a book lover but not entirely
hahaha
i do agree that some Filipinos are like that and there’s a possibility that the next generation might as well be like it or worse. We should encourage the next generation to read book at the same time have fun so that they might not find reading books boring.
-mikee jacalan
Yeah..It’s true.but still,many people are book lovers.I know a lot of people who can read thick novels in a week..That includes my mom,,my sis,and some friends..and I’m sure that there are more Filipino who loves to read.
having read just the title itself gave me a reflective moment.
in some ways, i defend the side of the writer’s article. Filipinos today are so taken away by the advancements of today. Many are into films, gadgets, etc. that the healthy habit of reading is being neglected already.
However, not all Filipinos are included here. The writer should’ve not taken it as if the general patronage does it. There are still quite number of people who’s willing to devote their time in critical reading, book review writing and the like.
the bottomline is we shouldn’t be affected by those people who
don’t patronize reading. Instead, we should influence them and open their eyes to the wonders that books can do. Remember, from reading we started learning, from it we continue doing so.
on’t patronize res
I agree with this article. It seems that even up to now most of the Filipinos don’t read books. I can prove this by saying that internet is the fastest and easiest way to find something you need. Internet somehow dominates books as seen in the assignments of the youth today. Also in pleasure time people tend to use the computer and play online games rather than reading a book. For me Filipinos tend to understand more with moving animations or in actions. I have to admit that I am guilty of these things but now that I am in college I should push myself to love reading.
I disagree with the article, though i am not a book lover. I believe that 7 out of 10 Filipinos love books, specially the teachers. Still, teachers read books to find more knowledge about the course/subject their teaching. I know a lot of people who loves to read books. One of them is my father, he answered most of my questions in my assignments or projects. Sometimes, he will tell a story about things we don’t know.
I totally agree with this selection .Honestly, before I was also a part of those Filipinos who are not fond of reading although I know that reading would be a great help for me in diverse aspects. But as time passes by I grasp that I was missing a big thing in my life that only books can bring and that was the time I’ve decided to fill those missing things. Well, I first started with reading newspapers everyday and by reading at least 20 pages of a book a day until I got use to it. I tell you guys that reading books won’t only give you knowledge about certain things but for me the most important thing that reading can do is it helps me grow as a person. I don’t know if anyone would agree with me but I think reading shouldn’t just only be a plain hobby but it should be done whether you like it or not. One should force not other people but himself to read books. We Filipinos should learn to allot even an hour for reading. Our predicament is we are so much pre-occupied with things which some is really not that important anyways. I think spending an hour everyday reading won’t be a nuisance to us right because an hour is just a small percentage compare to the time we spend in watching those “teleseryes”. For me the only solution for this problem is self initiative that all of us should have. I know some won’t agree in what I have said but that’s my own opinion anyways. That’s just the way I see this problem.
Well, it’s not easy to say that Filipinos don’t love reading because it’s like pertaining to general. I don’t think Filipinos nowadays are quite lazy to read books, because I see a lot of people doing so. Actually, I am not one of the book lovers in our nation. I don’t hate reading, but I just don’t like spending my time in reading long, and deep texts. I also thought how media made a big impact on us. Instead of reading books, people just surf the internet and with just a click, you can easily find the information you need. But what we don’t realize is the importance of books to us.
It’s the sad truth, but Filipino teens do not read as much as they should.
Even though I am a self-confessed bookworm, I understand the things that the writer is saying. Filipino culture (the get-togethers every so often held by family and friends, the noisy fiestas, the nightly convening of the family in front of the television) does not allow for as much silence and solitude that reading requires.
I am, however, offended by this particular paragraph: “It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers. To paraphrase, George Bernard Shaw, Filipinos will go from being primitives to becoming exhausted as a civilization, without ever having been civilized enough to read books.” It basically states that Filipinos will never become smart enough to be an advanced country.
On a better note, I agree with the writer that the future leaders of our country need to be readers, as well. Reading makes all the difference in educating man.
I really agree in this article..it’s true that Filipinos are not book lovers..including me.And that’s the reason why others are getting ahead of us because they’ve got more ideas and enough knowledge or skills through reading.For some,this article must be an eye opener but i don’t think the rest are convinced.It’s just that we have to realize that reading is really worth it.
Personally, I don’t read that much but I really do love books.
It is true that we Filipinos don’t read as much as other races do. We often see people at malls, playing computer games or just using the internet to read rather than using books.
Most of Filipinos don’t read because of lack of education, lack of money, sort attention span and most of all lack of resources.
Unlike other countries, Philippines does not have a access to public libraries which people can go to just to read for free.
Most of the citizens here in the Philippines find other things more entertaining than reading. But that does not mean that we are not book lovers.
Most of us find reading text books boring. But still, most of us read novels and other forms of literature.
Nowadays, I can say that more people read books than before. There are a lot of bookstores here and most of the people buy books if they can afford. But there are still people who reads other forms of reading materials like magazine, comics or the newspaper.
Filipinos are book lovers but I guess we are not the same with other countries.
Personally, I don’t read that much but I really do love books.
It is true that we Filipinos don’t read as much as other races do. We often see people at malls, playing computer games or just using the internet to read rather than using books.
Most of Filipinos don’t read because of lack of education, lack of money, sort attention span and most of all lack of resources.
Unlike other countries, Philippines do not have an access to public libraries which people can go to just to read for free.
Most of the citizens here in the Philippines find other things more entertaining than reading. But that does not mean that we are not book lovers.
Most of us find reading text books boring. But still, most of us read novels and other forms of literature.
Nowadays, I can say that more people read books than before. There are a lot of bookstores here and most of the people buy books if they can afford. But there are still people who read other forms of reading materials like magazine, comics or the newspaper.
Filipinos are book lovers but I guess we are not the same with other countries.
Not all Filipinos don’t like to read, some are also book lovers. We, Filipinos, are known to be friendly and hospitable. We like surrounding ourselves with many people that’s why it’s hard for us to just stay in one place and read by ourselves. Filipinos are just very much influenced by their environment that’s why they don’t read much. But, in my own opinion, all Filipinos if given a chance to read all the time, they would because they also like acquiring new knowledge. I mean, who wouldn’t? No one would like to be ignorant.
I do believe that Filipinos are solitude, we hate to be alone. Filipinos loves to be with their loved ones always. That’s why we don’t read a lot. We read books but are the books we are reading is right? Do those books gives us important knowledge? Do we read something about nature, about culture, about our society, or stories that will inspire us to be a better person or how about religion? Yes, we read sometimes but we only read books about Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or other books about love. We only read books that entertain us. We don’t read books that gives us knowledge about our culture, nature, about our society, inspirational stories and religion. This topics is far more important that books about battles or love.
woooooossssshhhhh…im guilty:/.im not a big fan of “BOOKS”…tsk..anyway…i do agree with the article.some filipinos do prefer watching movies or spending some of their extra time in playing online games like DOTA,RED ALERT etc. or whatever that doesn’t make them feel BORED, rather than spending some of their time being alone in a room and read(im one of them)…whenever they hear the word BOOK what comes to their mind is BORING thats why not all filipinos enjoy reading books.maybe not all of us can buy books for us to read but that is not an excuse for us not to love books because in every town or city, we can find a LIBRARY…but for rich people it’s an advantage for them coz they have the money to buy their own book…
I don’t completely agree that Filipinos are not book lovers, but i don’t disagree either. Yes, Filipinos enjoy recreation in the form of watching movies or engaging in other outside activities that make Filipinos a little more impatient. Also, if we compare watching a movie with reading a novel, a movie would definitely give you a faster and much understandable story than reading a mouthful of words, and we all know that Filipinos like the “instants”. But not that doesn’t mean that everyone is like that, there are still a number of Filipinos who prefer lifting pages than pressing the remote. Personally speaking, me myself is an avid reader of substancial books and novels, but i am also a TV junky, and though i am used to having faster endings watching movies, i still enjoy the thrill of reading between the lines and deciphering the mysteries of a story aswell. Not all Filipinos may be book lovers, but i am certain that somehow, alot of Filipinos still read books, they might just not hold the same enthusiasm as the others.
I do believe that Filipinos dont want to be alone. Filipinos loves to be with their loved ones always. That’s why we don’t read a lot. We like to be with our loved ones than reading books. We read books but are the books we are reading is right? Do those books gives us important knowledge? Do we read something about nature, about culture, about our society, or stories that will inspire us to be a better person or how about religion? Yes, we read sometimes but we only read books about Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings or other books about love. We only read books that entertain us. We don’t read books that gives us knowledge about our culture, nature, about our society, inspirational stories and religion. This topics is far more important that books about battles or love.
As I read the article, I realized that the writer of this article is right. You would rarely see Filipinos reading books because they consider it a waste of time. Even though rich people, as stated by the writer, even though they have that money to buy books or novels, they don’t because for them its irrelevant. You would just see them reading books if it is really necessary. You don’t see them reading because they want to. As also stated by the writer, most politicians are not seen reading books, though we know that they had finished their studies, they should still read because books are the source of our knowledge. Books are considered recorded experience/source that would help us to be more knowledgeable about many things. For me, books really help in molding young minds. Through reading they develop different emotions, one may not react as the others do but still, it has an impact to the person reading it.
I’m not a book lover myself, I only read books when I am in the mood for it or when I really have to do it.
I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers. I think it is because of the things the teens get occupied with, like the internet, online gaming etc.
And I also think that we don’t have much reading habits. That’s why we’re having a hard time dealing with the English language.
Well I agree and disagree,
Because if you say generally “Filipinos” you’re pertaining to all of them, and not all filipinos are book lovers, probably only below 10 percent of filipinos are book lovers, but still, not all.
I also agree because as I have said, Only below 10 percent of filipinos are book lovers and of course, obviously, without any profoundness, it is the majority. I think most of those filipino book lovers are the elders and professionals while the others reading silly, childish books like the twilight saga are just POSERS thinking that this/these books have profound meanings. But of course not all of therm are posers, others just check the book out and read it to relate with others because of its popularity, but still most of them are just boasting with other people to relate with this silly, childish love story. I feel sorry with this thing.
Most filipinos are so pathetic that they think more of money, business and all other things giving stress to them while others read books as their past time keeping them out of ignorance. That is why most of the filipinos dont know how to handle problems and other things because of their ignorance and thinking more of money and business.
For me, the most powerful persons are the ones who are having deficiency in mind because of their lack of reading books and greediness, they dont know how to solve the biggest problems of the country because they dont know how to handle it, Instead, they are the ones who are making these problems.
Honestly, I am not very interested in reading, yes I read some books but only those that I am interested in. I just got interested in commenting on this topic.
There, I just got Honest….
we all had to admit that we filipinos are not that kind of interested in reading books…
most are interested w/ technological entertainment…cellphones,computer games,etc…
I too play computer games…
but most of the time I can be found inside the shady comforts of my room reading books that I’m interested in….
cause sometimes even the technological entertainments can be boring….
I agree with the author of this article. Only few Filipinos are interested in reading books. They are willing to spend their money and time in reading the books that catch their attention and curiosity. Going to malls and parks will be chosen more rather than reading books because we’re more socially interactive. Other people will say that you’re like a nerd or genius if you read books. It’s like you are being isolated from the real world of people. That’s why others will be ashamed of reading books in public places.
Filipinos are quite lazy and impatient in reading books. Some English teachers would assign their students to read books and submit to them a book review or book report. That’s the only time where students would have time to read books, when it’s needed.
Books could feed our minds lots of information but others can’t afford read books. It’s because of poverty. Public libraries are sometimes just a display in a community. They are being dominated by computers. People want to work with fewer efforts so they prefer working with the use computer than with books.
Even I myself do not read books often. Sometimes, I read books when it’s needed in class or when I’m really bored. I read books of Bob Ong and it inspires me a lot. Maybe one of these days, people will realize that reading is fun and educational. Even I, hope that I will learn to love reading books little by little.
we all had to admit that we filipinos are not that interested in reading books…although some are interested….
but we can’t hide the fact that are attention sometimes wanders away
…we filipinos are more attach in technological entertainment like cellphones computer games etc..
I had to admit that I’m also a computer games addict but sometimes even this games can get boring…
…most of the time I would enjoy the shady comforts of my room and read some books that I could get my hands on….
I often read during my freetime. Although I’m not really a book lover, I often put myself into reading to improve my knowledge and enrich my vocabulary. Also a good way to kill time.
I often read during my freetime. Although I’m not really a book lover, I often put myself into reading to improve my knowledge and enrich my vocabulary. It is also a good way to kill time. But there are times that I am not able to finish reading a particular book because I lose my attention to it. Too bad for me.
i believe that SOME Filipinos are not book lovers.They prefer listening and watching than reading.Some Filipinos are too lazy to read books because for them reading is quite boring.But still,we have Filipinos appreciate literature by reading books.
After reading this article, my first reaction was to feel a little guilty. Not because I haven’t taken the time to read a lot of books. I couldn’t escape reading them even if I wanted to. Whether it be for information, for fun or because my school requires me to read one, books for me are somewhat of a necessity these days. This article has shown me how neglectful some of us are when it comes to reading. Even me. I admit that I am one of those people who uses the internet more often than I read a book. It’s because we rely too much on technology that we often shun reading or looking at textbooks. We can’t rely too much on modern technology because in a some cases there are many errors and mistakes that can be found on the internet on sites such as Wikipedia (anyone can edit the pages there). I think we overlook the fact that books can be useful and more informative (not to mention less prone to giving you wrong information)than other sources.
After reading this article, my first reaction was to feel a little guilty. Not because I haven’t taken the time to read a lot of books. I couldn’t escape reading them even if I wanted to. Whether it be for information, for fun or because my school requires me to read one, books for me are somewhat of a necessity these days. This article has shown me how neglectful some of us are when it comes to reading. Even me. I admit that I am one of those people who uses the internet more often than I read a book. It’s because we rely too much on technology that we often shun reading or looking at textbooks. We can’t rely too much on modern technology because in some cases there are many errors and mistakes that can be found on the internet on sites such as Wikipedia (anyone can edit the pages there). I think we overlook the fact that books can be useful and more informative (not to mention less prone to giving you wrong information) than other sources.
Yes it’s true that majority of the Filipinos does not love reading books. It’s happening because there’s so many things that Filipinos can do instead of reading. For example, instead of reading, he or she can watch movie, play the computer, or hang out with her/his friends. And Filipinos find reading as a hard activity, or a lazy thing to do. And Filipinos are very friendly or very fond of having a companion. That’s why they can’t focus on reading alone. You can’t read while doing some other things,but you are really used to it, of course you can. It’s really fun reading books. Especially if you finished it reading. I finished a classic novel, that after I read that, i feel happy and fulfilled. Because you can feel the sweetness, that after all the hard work you’ve done, it’s finally finished, and the things that you have read is stored in your mind, that no one can ever take it away from you.
This article made me agree that mostly as far as I remembered asking some of my friends and the people I know if they love to read books, some of them says Yes but mostly is not interested. I’m a book lover, but I really need enough time to read. I do accept that watching movies or television shows are much easier than reading. Actually Filipinos have curiosity and interest in the books which were known when it is published as a movie, like for example is the Twilight Saga, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, etc. Now that I am interested in books thanks for the influence of my mom and some of my dear high school friends, I began reading sort of classic novels, inspirational books and other reading materials that will help me in my studies as well as being a good student and as a model of this generation in inspiring people that reading will truly affect a person’s life. Not only by enhancing his/her grammar, but also improving one’s listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
I agree. Filipinos are not very fond of reading. Maybe a few are book lovers but over-all they’re not. Most of them only read books that are well-known. But, it doesn’t mean that Filipinos are unintelligent, it’s just that they prefer doing something else. Maybe it’s because, the real meaning of reading is not very much understood here. Or maybe it’s because of our inherited non-fascination towards books.(e.g.” I don’t see my parents reading books, why would I?”) I guess Filipinos are very focused with their lives and they have very few time to relax. Compared to Japan, our country has bigger poverty issues; people here wouldn’t of course pick books over food. We prioritize our needs because we have very few resources to buy anything else for our pleasure. That’s my opinion.
–nina ubalde
For me, the article is exaggerated. Somehow, I don’t agree with the observation about the developments when it comes to the Filipino traits of reading books. There is definitely an improvement, simply because there are lots of bookshops/bookstores in the city. Even in coffee shops, there are available reading materials on the shelves. And certainly, we have a great chance of becoming booklovers. It will definitely come. In this generation, there is a lot of awareness. Even in the internet, there are lots of online bookshops. We can somehow measure this activity as a positive outlook on Filipinos becoming booklovers.
i agree and disagree about the issue that filipinos don’t like reading.first i agree that filipinos don’t like reading and its true based on the information it is rare that the average filipino goes to a bookstore and that we filipinos prefer other ways of entertainment but i also disagree because i too read not as often but i read in a sense that i enjoy it and that i also see others do the same but if i have to say yes or no i have to say yes because most of the statements in the article are true
I dont agree on this because on my own opinion filipinos read very often. I agree when the writer says that filipino dont like solitude
and ideas that can seen on many literary works such as romeo and juliet,but the time now is different because many whom i now prefer reading books that appeal to there sense for example books made by bob ong,i think when you ask any typical teenager if they had read any book made by bob ong i fearless ly say that 8 out 10 will say yes.so i can say that filipino is a book lover…….
ako lng ata sa 1-lit ang di sumang ayon…..
peace tau lhat
Well, I know that all Filippinoes are not book lovers but they read articles in the newspapers. Every morning I always see people buying newspapers in the sidewalks. While dringking coffe,eating pandesal they read this newpapers and becomes their hobby like my father does. That’s because our newspapers are in Tagalog words like Bulgar,Tabloid,etc.Becausenotall Filipinoes has the abilityto understand english that has deep meanings.For me,this is one of the reason why Filippinoes are not fun of reading.
I disagree..
First of all, not all Filipinos are not book lovers.
Because we cannot force other people to love books even if they don’t want to.
Being one of the book lovers ,I can tell you that reading books is not a bad thing.
Books can be benefited in many ways like you can gain knowledge, creativeness and others.
For me books are almost part of my life because of it I learn a lot of lessons in life.
It sometimes serve as an inspirations on doing the things that I want to achieve.
Makes me a better person.
Books do affect my life too much.
Without it i cannot tell what kind of a person I’m today.
We must try to read once in a while maybe you can enjoy it.
So we can erase the wrong opinions of other nations to the Filipinos.
I do agree with the writer of this blog. We Filipinos are never seen in solitude because we enjoy rumors rather than gaining knowledge from a book. We are too much impressed by technology. Most of us rather watch a movie of our book reports than reading the book itself. Do you agree? ha ha.. Well, it might be laughable but that one is a sad fact. Before, I was one of those people who really hated reading. Once I see the thickness of a book, I’d easily retreat from the horrors of reading it. It’s as if I would be eaten alive once I open it. But when I tried reading a book which was Twilight, I never really felt that the it has 200 pages and I actually finished reading it for just a week. So, what I’m saying is you won’t be killed once you try something out. Let’s say try to read a book of your interest. Once you’ve get a hold of it then all of this would be easy. For some Filipinos out there, If you don’t like to be misjudged by other races then start reading and show them what Filipinos are really made of. We are lucky that we are multilingual. In that way, we should use that ability in gaining some knowledge by reading than to plot against somebody just to earn money.
I agree because I’m not fond of reading books too. Well sad to say, Filipinos are . Just reading few pages of the book makes the reader feeling bored and sleepy, that’s why we resort to stop of reading books suddenly.
Another thing is that, we’re making other things while reading or we listen to the music in the radios or ipods as we call it. It is somehow distructive because we’re using our mind or we are thinking at the same time whether we understand what we are reading or just singing the lyrics of the song. As a student, we must focus on one thing and that is reading the book.
Filipinos are not dumb. We know how to read but we’re not just that interested in reading books. But when we start to enjoy reading books, it will be a good start and we can influence other people to read.
I think that most filipinos are not that fond of reading books because most of us prefer watching movies derived from books.
That’s the problem with us nowadays—we prefer the faster way.
We should let our minds work by reading books. I believe that Filipinos should learn how to be bibliophiles because reading is important in our lives. It gives us knowledge in everything that we must know of and through reading we can somehow become fluent in English.
I agree that most of the Filipinos are not book lovers. Some people I know think that books are boring. But, I also know some Filipinos that are book lovers. I do not consider myself as a book lover. Well, I do read books but mostly of the same genre. Honestly, I seldom read books, only when I am in the mood to read. My mother usually tells me to read variety of books but they seem not to interest or attract me to read them. But, I believe that by reading books one can learn new ideas, expose to new environment and culture and improve one’s skills.
If you would look at it, yes, Filipinos are not readers because for me Filipinos rely more on other skills that could lead to their survival in a complicated surrounding. Filipinos are the type of people who would ask the people around for information rather solve one problem by an article that comes from one or two point of views only and this also proves that Family and friends are big factors for Filipinos in their daily living. I can prove that because there are things you can’t get from books like life experiences that help develop one’s ability and capability to coupe in any situation but I’m not saying books are no use.
The article pretty much says everything about it: solitude, ideas, silence. As the author said, the average Filipino obviously hates that. Maybe not for my case who would rather choose to be alone than to be with lots of people I barely know. And to think that this article was written back in 1987, would anyone think that it was written way back in that time? It’s pretty much the same today.
The Da Vinci Code, Angels & Demons, Twilight, Harry Potter, and, Chronicles of Narnia, these are some titles Filipinos might have never known if they weren’t turned into Box Office Hits. Producing these is also a good thing since Filipinos atleast acquired a little curiosity on the books that originally contained these novels. If no one produced them, maybe the bookshops would only be crowded during the months of May and June.
Remember that this article was written in the year 1987. IT HAS BEEN 22 YEARS AND THINGS HAVE BARELY CHANGED. Would we like to keep this negative connection between Filipinos and books? This would be a challenge to our generation. The choice is ours.
Well, I know that most Filipinos are not book lovers but they read articles in the newspapers. Every morning I always see people buying newspapers in the sidewalks. While dringking coffe,eating pandesal they read this newpapers and becomes their hobby like my father does. That’s because our newspapers are in Tagalog words like Bulgar,Tabloid,etc.Becausenotall Filipinos has the ability to understand english that has deep meanings.For me,this is one of the reason why Filipinos are not fun of reading, because they dont understand some deep english words, and they tend to get bored of reading especially when the context or the article is not that interesting to read.
i agree and disagree with this article.
i disagree because i`m a bookworm. yes, I`M A BOOKWORM. i love reading books especially, paulo coelho books. I agree because MOST of us don`t read books. i mean, they don`t even like books. And that`s the problem with us.
i think our generation today does not like books because of other things, like computers, psp, cellphones and the like. they don`t even bother go to to libraries because if there`s a research projects they`ll just “click, type, click and type” (research on the computer)and voila! they have it already.
i hope our generation will learn how to read more and meaningful books. 🙂
Nice truth the author got there!
Come to think of this… Basically, why most Filipinos are not book lovers can be attributed to the economic status and illiteracy rate of the Filipino which is 7.4% of the country’s population that is more than 88 million.
with the “isang kayod, isang tuka” connotation, referring to the truth on how Filipinos work hard for their survival, leads to the inclination to read.this is common to the marginalized people who are depressed, disadvantaged and under-served in the remotest areas of the country.
the existence of the indigenous people (IPs) in the country who are basically illiterates (no read, no write)and functionally illiterates would be another factor of the reasons why Filipinos are not book lovers.the IPs would rather look for a living than be educated and read books.
moreover, with the signs of time, now being in the modern age of technology especially with the use of internet, Filipinos would be deviated in the desire of being a book lover and a good writer.
speaking of modern time, i would like to share my deepest point regarding with the article. if i may hurt others’ feelings, remember that what we’re trying to show here is our inmost insights and realizations.
i honestly read some of the comments, and what bothers me most is the self-centered realizations of others. for those teens and young adults who believe that they are book lovers is actually fine with me. what i can only think of is that, have they ever thought of the deepest meaning of being a “book lover”?
i know, most of us can read. but do we read because of the willingness to learn more or to just go with the flow of what’s in today?
i believe that reading is the most powerful weapon in revealing the true knowledge within one’s self, but with us Filipinos, it’s just the basic question of, can books ease our hunger rather than making us wiser?
these are my opinions why i agree with the author of the article that Filipinos are not book lovers. why? simply because reading for me is just a matter of what you read, how you read, and why you read.
I guess we do love books; it’s just that we can’t find the time to read and be absorbed into them. Like others, I quite agree with this article. There are factors to consider why the author said that we’re not book lovers. I guess, the topics before were less interesting unlike the ones we have nowadays. And in my opinion, the old Philippine education system may have been also a factor inasmuch as its introduction of literature and reading to the students may have been somewhat boring. Since the article was published a long time ago, i can say that now, we are more interested with reading because of the influences of modernization. And as you can see, people commenting on this were saying that they indeed, love books and reading.
Honestly, my deep patriotism for our country is competing a losing battle against the reality that generally (not everybody) Filipinos are not book-lovers.
We would have to admit, most of us want our entertainment to be blunt, in our faces and salivating all over us instead of a play of ideas that seem to elude us like the shy lovers that they are.
I’m not saying Filipinos are not “intelligent enough” for these endeavors. True enough twenty years ago and perhaps “truer” now, we are given other things to do. There are just other forms of entertainment available to us which are easier to digest and enjoy. So why read, right?
Albeit disheartened by the minority, I’m still quite thankful that there’s still a minority to acknowledge. So cheers!
Another minority I would like to address are the Filipino authors who strive to reach out to our society. I do hope extinction won’t catch up.
I partly agree. For me, Not all Filipinos are not book lovers maybe because of the influences and the environment. or maybe because of what is happening in our country, The Global Financial crisis and etc. I think, They just need to give time to it.
I certainly believe that there are many Filipino spiring writers. It has been written on the essay that, “Filipino writers would starve if he/she depend solely on literary writing.”
Actually, for me being a journalist can take you to many places and it will cause you to change countries more often that you changed shoes. Bob Ong was one of my most favorite filipino writers his word has always been simple yet it has a different effect on me. I am a self-confessed bookworm. I’d do almost anything to get my hands on a good book. Being alone requires a liitle self-love. For me, It was after milling around Powerbooks strolling down the University road of UST that I’d slowly discovered what I really wanted to do and to ponder my thoughts and perspectives about the book that I am reading.
The only things that need improvement are our awareness and involvement on what is hsppening around us.
I agree with this article that most of the filipinos are not book lovers because nowadays, most of the filipinos much likely spend their time in watching movies, shopping, etc. than to read books.
I do not consider my self as a book lover because i hate reading books specially when it is written in english!hehe.. =) I will just read books if there is an exams, recitation on classes, or if it is really needed! =)
but ofcourse I do believe that reading is very important because it will help us to improve our knowledge skills, english proficiency.
Regarding the topic “Filipinos are not book lovers”,
I also agree that it is true. I could simply say that there are some who just read because it is required on a particular subject matter. But nowadays it is quite grateful that some of us are also encourage to read books and then become bookworms. I hope that Filipinos would be more inclined into reading books than surfing the internet for research. It is fascinating if we try to do it because it’s good for learning.
And one more thing is: It’s so sad to think that the author of this article entitled the Filipinos as not book lovers.
I say it differs from person to person. One may not have discovered yet what book they are fond of, or one may be too engrossed in an issue of their life ~ they may not have tried to pick a book yet. I guess it is the choice of a Filipino citizen if they would want to take a book. Sad to say that some people prefer to save for a pair of havaianas, rather than a set of A Fantasy Fiction series ~ it’s what I’ve noticed. For me though, I prefer English Modern literature that is easy to understand and read… the type of book that would really engage you into searching that ‘SAT’ word perse in the dictionary. Actually, there is only a countable selection that I’ve read in Filipino, and most of them are those ‘SPOOF’ books… while the others are read for academic reason only. I actually fell asleep before even starting Jose Rizal’s literature.. >.<
Anyway, my point is that with modernization, it is more difficult to find a person who likes MAKATA works.. and easier to find a person who likes TWILIGHT books. -peace man, I love Twilight ~easy to read-
I honestly believe that the love and desire for reading still depends on the person. Some people may be fond of shopping some may not. Some may love watching movies some may not. Same goes for reading some may love it some may hate it. Reading is one of the most important ability a person can have. Some people might not like reading books, but they love reading magazines. It really depends on the your perspective. I, myself hate reading but when the TWILIGHT SAGA came, I loved the thought that I found time to read. But every book has its different subject, just like everybody has their own taste in the novel that they want to read. So to those Filipinos who hate reading you should definitely try it books can take you to places that you would definitely love.
The main idea of this text is the personality of Filipinos when it comes to reading books. The writer states a sad opinion because he thinks that Filipinos would have been much better individuals and would definitely achieve more if they read books and are fond of it. I personally do not believe in this article but it any way, it has a good point. It is true that reading is a good way of learning and I believe it exercises our brain to think but we Filipinos seldom find time to do so. When we read, we are aware of the things that are happening around us most especially in our world today as we also provide our mind extra knowledge too. I don’t want to judge fellow Filipinos regarding this issue because I know that we can still do something about improving our reading skills. Well, I am a nocturnal kind of person and instead of reading; I actually choose to do the alternatives. I just think I don’t have the luxury of time and the power of grammar to make reading a diversion of fun nor relaxation. I’d rather rely on the newest technology which is the internet to provide me the information I need. We are all familiar that it is the easiest and the most convenient way but I know that it still doesn’t undermine the pleasure one can read from books. It is important to inculcate the habit of reading during our younger years because as we grow older, it is a lot harder to instill reading as a hobby to love. I guess what matters is that we still learn and that we take our own initiatives to grasp the knowledge we need to survive in our every day life whether it may be viewed from televisions, heard from other people, previously experienced or simply, found inside a library.
I think it still depends on the person or his/her interest. It’s true that only few enjoy reading books but I know there are still book lovers out there, maybe we just don’t know them. But i’m sure they exist. Like me, I don’t like to read books of shakespeare, which is very popular, but I love to read books of conan doyle, It just depends on the book that you think will help you and the book that you will enjoy reading. So, don’t put in mind that all filipinos are not book lovers.
I think it still depends on the person or his/her interest. It’s true that only few enjoy reading books but I know there are still book lovers out there, maybe we just don’t know them. But i’m sure they exist. Like me, I don’t like to read books of shakespeare, which is very popular, but I love to read books of conan doyle, It just depends on the book that you think will help you and the book that you will enjoy reading. So, don’t put in mind that all filipinos are not book lovers.
I think it depends on the person and his/her interest. Some may prefer sleeping rather than reading books, but that doesn’t mean that we don’t love to read books. In my own opinion, there are still Filipino book lovers maybe we just don’t know them but i know they do exist. Like me, i love to read books but not the books of Shakespeare which is very popular all over the world. I enjoy reading books of Conan Doyle. So, don’t put in mind that Filipinos are not book lovers.
from the title “filipinos are not book lovers)
i think filipinos are partly don’t have the hobby of reading books. because many of us sometimes go for shopping or even just sleep.actually, i’m not a book-reader person, but its essentially needed for us to read for it can nourish our mind and adds more valuable informations. reading is one of the most important aspects to be learned by a person. i consider myself as one of the persons that hates reading books. i love the idea of “no brain,no entry in our college english class”. when our professor said to us in our first meeting. then, i started to read. now, its part of my daily routine but not the “addict one”. i will never read such novels or stories for a hobby. i will read if its needed. i do believe that reading is playing a big part in our daily activities to grow with.^-^
I honestly think it depends to the person and his or her interest. Some people prefer sleeping than reading a book or even an article of any reading book material. But that doesn’t mean Filipinos are NOT BOOK LOVERS. In my own personal opinion, there are Filipinos out there who read books not just because it is required but for the simple reason that they are enjoying what they are reading. It may only be few but for all you know there are so many, and I am 1 of them. I love the book of Conan Doyle. I don’t prefer the books of Shakespeare even though it is very popular because it is not my interest. The stories of Doyle really inspires me a lot. There are still book lovers out there. Maybe, we just don’t know them. But I am pretty sure there is.
I do agree that a large number of Filipino citizens are not book lovers and avid readers but not all. Because using the word “Filipinos” is pertaining to the whole nation’s race. It’s a huge generalization. Maybe few are still reading and love books even though Filipinos dont like the feeling of being alone or solitude. Some prefer watching tv or watching the talk of the town latest movie/s, listening to music, and the most enjoyed and easiest habit– making a lot of gossips. I always see people especially the old ones buying newspapers every morning and enjoy reading the local and international news while sipping hot coffee and having their breakfast and I guess for some reading news or an article with no particular time is part of their daily habit. As told by my grandmother wayback on her 40’s when she still have the good eye sight thing she always read books and about 100 pages a day and considered reading as a part of her daily lifestyle. Filipino race are competent enough to face daily problems and as an eminent scholar has written that Filipinos wayback in the prehistoric times had already shown high intelligence and virtues up to this generation. Even though a lot of Filipinos dont often read books or not a book lover we are not dumb and stupid. In my own view, when you talk about fascinating worlds of fantasy, heroism, romance and knowledge what better place to find them than in a book? I do read books, because reading books can take us to exciting places. Its like a free ride to places you never knew existed and reading can make us learn new things.
I do agree that a large number of Filipino Citizens are not book lovers or avid readers but not all. Because using the word “Filipinos” is pertaining to the whole nation’s race. It’s a huge generalization. Maybe few are still reading and love books even though Filipinos don’t like the feeling of being alone or solitude. Some prefer watching television or watching the talk of the town latest movie/s, listening to music, chilling, relaxing, and the most enjoyed and easiest habit I guess — making a lot of gossips and talking about other peoples business. I always see people especially the old ones buying newspapers every morning and enjoy reading the local and international news while sipping a cup of hot coffee and having their breakfast and I guess for some reading news or a piece of article with no particular time is part of their daily habit. As told by my grandmother way back on her 50’s when she still have the good eye sight thing she always read books about 100 pages a day and considered reading as part of her daily lifestyle. Filipino race are competent enough to face and solve daily problems and as said and noted by an eminent scholar that we Filipinos way back in the prehistoric times had already shown a high intelligence and good moral virtues up to this generation even many of us don’t read often or not a book lover we are not dumb and stupid. In my own view in reading books, it’s a necessary habit. Hmmm… when you talk about fascinating worlds of fantasy, heroism, romance and knowledge what better place to find them than a book? I do read books those w/ interesting sense thing (I guess) because reading books can take us to exciting places. It’s like a free ride to places you never knew existed and reading can make us learn new things.
for me, it depends on what the readers interest. it is true in this article that most of the filipinos are not fond of reading. i actually not reading books, i just read academics books that is required in school, sometimes, novels if I’m interested in the story. but in reality, most of the filipinos know that reading books is very important, it will help us to gain more knowledge and skills in English proficiency. even though they know how important reading is. they are much more fond of buying things, watching movie and etc.
I honestly think it depends to the person and his or her interest. Some people prefer sleeping than reading a book or even reading an article of any reading material. But that doesn’t mean Filipinos are Not Book Lovers. In my own personal opinion, there are Filipinos out there who read books not just because it is required but for the simple reason that they are enjoying what they are reading. It may only be few but for all you know, there are so many, and I am 1 of them. I love the books of Conan Doyle. I don’t prefer the books of Shakespeare even though it is very popular because it is not my interest. The stories of Doyle really inspires me a lot. There are still book lovers out there. Maybe, we just don’t know them. But I am pretty sure there is.
wow.
I agree. This is because nowadays, most Filipinos are not fond of reading books and this fact is quite alarming. It’s true that most Filipino families now, would rather bond through watching television shows rather than reading books, during their past time. In my opinion, this factor can affect most Filipino children because they have the tendency to become sluggish and distracted, especially when it comes to studying. Unlike books, which obliges the person to use his/her unlimited creative imagination, television limits the person’s thoughts.
Aren’t We Really Fond of Reading?
I think that they have said that because most of the filipino people are just always busy to do other things like going to salon ,clubbing and partying all day rather than to read educational stuff like newspaper beacause they think its too boring to read.I think that the article is not just telling that were not book lovers but it is persuading us to read a lot for our learning to be more advanced so that we will not be left behind by other countries because as they say reading books makes you a smarter and brighter being.
I also agree to the other readers… It is true that many of the Filipinos do not love to read books because they easily get bored for what they read. But I will say that it depends upon the person who reads… Some people love to read books, some have collections of the books they want. They are just some factors why the people does not want to read. the traits of the Filipinos, most of us does not want to be in silence, and it requires most of our time and also patience…
And I will say of course that I am one of those Filipinos who does not a book lover.
Concerning “Filipinos are not book lovers”, people’s interests differ from one another: one may prefer reading books than go to play DOTA; the other may prefer shopping or collecting items than reading books.
It depends upon the person if he/she may read books or they may prefer to do something else.
In my childhood days, I do not prefer to read books even my mom always tell me to read because as she tells it, reading may take you to places. As I grow up, I realized that it is an essential tool for us to read, not only books but also different texts like magazines, newspapers etc., because it can enhance your vocabulary and you may have deeper understanding of things not only what the book can bring you but also understanding what life may bring you. The first book I have read: “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom, an inspirational book.
Later, I have found out that books really is a big help to us for it expands not only our imagination but also, the most important, knowledge.
Some Filipinos do not know the essence of reading yet, but when they discover it, I tell you, they will surely love it because
“BOOKS CAN TAKE YOU TO PLACES YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN BEFORE”. 🙂
–we can do it, one step at a time ü–
feed your mind…..
let your tiny brain works..
I can certainly agree with the selection that Filipinos are not fond of reading books. Well, I can honestly say that I’m not a book reader. I really hate books; the fact that I will see a thick book, I will eventually back out from reading it. But i read magazines and sometimes newspapers. Sometimes I also read books when it is required in school.:)) Like for example, we have a test or graded recitation the next day. But Nowadays, you can see that some Filipinos rarely read books. Because they find it boring or “uncool”. Also, some will say it is a nerdy thing. But there are really other reasons for this. Some of us are being too lazy to read books. Some are more interested and allot their time in going to the mall with friends, shopping, watching tv or movies, surfing the net, partying and other matters. But I myself agree that by reading a book will really gain you knowledge and you will learn a lot of things. And also you will be updated on what’s happening in your surroundings.
I don’t agree that all filipino’s dont love to read. Because it really depends on the person if he would want to read. I want to read but it’s really hard for me bacause I usually get headaches, even using a computer my maximim time is only 30 minutes or else I will have a headache. Some really do read for researches and to learn more. Some read to entertain themselves.
I can certainly agree with the selection that Filipinos are not fond of reading books. Well, I can honestly say that I’m not a book worm. I really hate books; the fact that I will see a thick book, I will eventually back out from reading it. But i read magazines and sometimes newspapers. Sometimes I also read books when it is required in school.:)) Like for example, we have a test or graded recitation the next day. But Nowadays, you can see that some Filipinos rarely read books. Because they find it boring or “uncool”. Also, some will say it is a nerdy thing. But there are really other reasons for this. Some of us are being too lazy to read books. Some are more interested and allot their time in going to the mall with friends, shopping, watching tv or movies, surfing the net, partying and other matters. But I myself agree that by reading a book will really gain you knowledge and you will learn a lot of things. And also you will be updated on what’s happening in your surroundings.
me personally I don’t read books…I prefer more to hangout and have bonding time with my family and friends..but still I find time for myself to read books to be informed as well as to learn…
It’s plain and simple, it’s the lack of book-reading environment(?) where we should have grown on. I have the privilege of visiting Italy, as we all know, it has its share of prolific and great writers, and in their, as early as 1 year old, a child is given books! Illustrated for their age of course, but the point is the government or their parents have given them, that early, the first step on becoming a book-reading individual. If their has been a large scale comprehensive campaign of our government on emphasizing book reading, we should have not been left behind…
I’m neither contradicting nor agreeing regarding the topic that Filipinos are not book lovers, because only some Filipinos are not book lovers but it’s because of poverty. Some Filipinos just can’t afford buying books, but it doesn’t mean that Filipinos are not interested in reading books. I don’t think that it’s the fault of the Filipinos that we are branded to be book haters or not a book lover, maybe it’s the poor economy we have here in Philippines. In my case, I love reading books not just because I can afford buying books but because reading is a nice habit. It’s relaxing and gives more knowledge about various topics.
It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers. The problem is Filipinos hate solitude. Count the number of Filipinos you know who enjoy being alone, and being in a book. For them, it’s absolutely terrifying. Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows. And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span. Not really at any different rate as any other nationality. Some like reading-most probably don’t. I do think, most Filipinos do prefer to watch to TV than read though. I know I’m one of them but I’d love to read books. Most especially if the story have a moral lesson…..
I agree that filipinos are not book lovers but not all.It is true that instead of bookshops around the Philippines you can see more of beauty parlor around.There is a sentence in this article that i don’t agree with “a great pity and dangerous,when non-readers like Imelda Marcos who was never seen reading book from cover to cover get positions of power”. It doesn’t tell a human capacity to lead based one his or her love for reading books,it is not a basis of her capability because you can learn things not only from reading,you can also learn in other ways.All I can say is that even most of the Filipinos are not book lovers it doesn’t make us lower to other nationalities because it is not a basis of our capability of doing things.
Not all Filipinos hate books. Because if all Filipinos hate reading books. There wouldn’t be writers and journalists who tries their best to impart their knowledge to the Filipino people. But there are Filipinos who doesn’t appreciate books. People who take books for granted. Thats why those “book-haters” are quite ignorant in some things in life. Because instead of reading books, they watch absurd tv shows. Who only teaches them to be stupid, dancing around like a monkey to earn money.
In my opinion, Filipinos has a weak orientation when it comes to reading, because they view reading as a boring activity. Mostly, Filipinos acquire their knowledge through watching televisions and listening to the radio because they are too lazy to exert their efforts in acquiring knowledge. They are bombarded by media (televisions, radio and magazines) which dos not encourage Filipinos to read. In the family, children are not encourage to read, they usually spend their time in playing computer games and watching nonsense telenovelas that makes some Filipino feebleminded.
The majority of the Filipino people are fond of celebrities that only entertains them by their so called “Kilig Factor” and gossips that doesn’t get the anywhere. Why? Because there is no useful knowledge associated with it.
The article is convincing and for that reason, I highly agree that Filipinos are not book lovers.
Let us face the fact that we prefer the use of media instead of using our imagination in reading books. We watch tv and movie because it gives more entertainment than sitting and reading books. For us Filipinos technology gives us more satisfaction than books.
I also agree that filipinos are not a book lover. Maybe because filipinos prefer on texting, watching movies, shopping or playing computer games than reading books. 🙂
The interest in reading books really depends on ourselves. I must say that I am not a book lover but I have read Bob Ong’s books and I really enjoyed reading it because it was fascinating and fun.
Most Filipino read books but they get tired of reading it and then suddenly close it then put it in the shelve until it gets old, because we have this “impatient” attitude in reading.
One more thing,Some Filipino families suffers from poverty and they can’t provide education because of insufficient budget. Some cannot read that’s why they spend most of time on television and recreation.
In my opinion, Filipinos has a weak orientation when it comes to reading, because they view reading as a boring activity. Mostly, Filipinos acquire their knowledge through watching televisions and listening to the radio because they are too lazy to exert their efforts in acquiring knowledge. They are bombarded by media (televisions, radio and magazines) which dos not encourage Filipinos to read. In the family, children are not encourage to read, they usually spend their time in playing computer games and watching nonsense telenovelas that makes some Filipino feebleminded.
The majority of the Filipino people are fond of celebrities that only entertains them by their so called “Kilig Factor” and gossips that doesn’t get the anywhere. Why? Because there is no useful knowledge associated with it.
The article is convincing and for that reason, I highly agree that Filipinos are not book lovers.
i have to disagree with you Kevin Paquet, though we share the same name, not all Filipinos hate books, if we’re not book readers, then we would be dumb as of now.
HEY GUYS! I am Ms. Monica K.A. C. Jordan, a freshman student and we were asked by our Prof. in English 1 to post our comment/s about this article.
In my opinion, I somehow agree & disagree on some parts being mentioned.
First, as a Fil-Am who both experienced to study & live in the States & in the Phil., I noticed that in the States, the public libraries are only a few blocks apart. People go there mostly because of their interests & education. But in the Philippines, most public libraries are not well equipped with books, esp. new ones that are very essential to the youth now. A library is often appreciated & noticed by its presence if it’s in a University or school, and if it’s essential for a research for a course.
Second, public libraries are very important in educating the youth in this generation. Scary as it is, in the Philippines, you can see internet cafes in every block and see students either playing computer games, namely DOTA, updating their ME-profiles, namely Facebook or Friendster, or watching Youtube. Others do researches while logging in to their ME-profiles and in their YM or MSN.
In the states, watching movies is expensive, $15 & up per person, and since libraries are easy access & books are cheap because they are available everywhere that’s why the interests of the Americans are diverted to reading books. They only watch movies often if it is their personal interest. However, stating the fact that Filipinos are not book lovers is because there’s a limited source of books to read for additional reading aside from school. So if there is limited financial income for the family, parents will end up using their money for food instead of books. Therefore, ones interest is diverted to watching TV or watching the movies. But since Filipinos love to talk about intriguing things or rumors, and if by any chance the topic is about a book, Filipinos would read it for example “Twilight saga” or “Harry Potter series”.
Filipino’s have only a little sense of nationalism in literary works that’s why most Filipino writers are unknown to many Filipinos, and much more to the Youth in this generation. It is because Filipinos do not appreciate the art of writing anymore. For them it’s too much thinking and understanding. I don’t agree that it is because Filipinos do not like being in solitude or in silent. In my opinion, the reason is that Filipinos think that reading literary arts are not necessary, and there are more important or vital things to be concerned more than this.
This article has struck ed me because I really don’t like reading. I find it boring. I prefer the more entertaining ways of learning like watching and using technological devices. It is easier to see and hear and see than just read and imagine things using your own way of thinking. People spend their time hanging out with friends rather than being alone and reading. This is because we think that being a being alone makes us EMO and being a book lover makes us nerd or geek. But at the same point, I disagree about this. Maybe I really don’t like to read. But not all Filipinos are like me. There are so many Filipinos who likes and wants books. They really want to learn. But the problem is Poverty and we have a low literacy rate. Some can’t afford of studying in a school. And how can they read if they don’t even know how to do it. I realized that I am so lucky that I can read and I can afford to buy books. So, I hope that some Filipinos like me would appreciate reading books as a very important thing especially when it comes to the degree of life. It can take you somewhere you’ve never been before.
People have concluded that Filipinos are not book lovers. Tracing back our history, especially during the Spanish era, Filipinos were not given a chance to learn to read and write especially Filipino women. In my opinion, not all Filipinos love books. Most of them just read books because of the presence of pictures like comics and gossips found in magazines. They are lazy and tend to rely on others to tell them the story or information. But still, the interest in reading depends upon the person.
I cannot say that I am a book lover because it’s hard for me to find a book that suits my interest. But reading is one of my past times. It is very important for us to practice a habit of reading because it enrich our vocabulary and improve our skills.
Reading the article, I cannot help but feel disappointed. It is certainly times like this that my head seems to get knocked out of senses because suddenly, every single thing becomes real. I must admit that every statement written down in this article about Filipinos is undeniably true – and is continuously happening.
I think the problem with us Filipinos is that we cannot get rid of our ‘fiesta’ culture. What I mean by this is that we tend to become so interconnected that it goes to the point of hating silence or solitude even. When will we ever learn?
Not only this, but apparently even those who are afforded cannot ‘waste’ their ‘precious’ time reading. They are so busy with their ‘priorities’ that they cannot even finish a book, yet flip a page or two! What is worse, reading is now a dispensable activity that is ideally only used for adornment/entertainment/recreation. What a lame, lame excuse.
I really pity those who choose not to read even if they can. Little do they know that by doing such, they are only depriving themselves – they are impoverished of thoughts. Because for a society to work, we need ‘free individuals’ who are capable in forming good citizens – and we can only achieve this through reading or being literate.
No wonder why we are always at the END of the game. We Filipinos should always keep in mind that what we will become depends entirely on our vision and determination. We must act now.
WE MUST READ.
I agree on this essay, “Filipinos are not Book Lovers” because honestly I’m not a bookworm. I rather watch television than to read books because I grew up without knowing the importance of reading. I thought that reading is boring and waste of time but my perspective changed. I realized that through reading, we can earn knowledge and can change one’s life.
For me, I can say that filipinos are not really fond of reading because we hate to read long ideas, stories, news, etc., because we would consider watching them than reading them. Just like the fictional books/stories that made it to the movies, we would rather watch the movie than the book because we, filipinos find it more interesting if there are pictures or motion pictures in it than just plain text in a very thick book. I think that reading is not part of the filipino culture but on the other hand there are still filipinos who finds reading very interesting and entertaining like me. In my own opinion, when the author said that “Filipinos are not book lovers”, he’s not really pertaining to all of us, his point is most of us are not book lovers but not all of us.
I agree and disagree in this article. I disagree because; I know a lot of people who like to read. I myself love to read. I have always found it relaxing. I believe that by reading books we can broaden up our mind and enhance our knowledge. On the other hand, I agree because some people think that books are boring. Some people are just partial to watch TV and look at the pictures in the magazines. Some might just be too busy to even have time to read. Most people think that if a book is good it will in time be made into a movie anyway. But for me, I would rather use my imagination to understand what the writer is trying to express instead of some revised director’s version. On my opinion, everybody may turn into a book lover if he/she will be able to find the suitable genre of the book which will give him/her the interest to read.
*like and want
HEY GUYS! I am Ms. Monica K.A. C. Jordan, a freshman student and we were asked by our Prof. in English 1 to post our comment/s about this article.
In my opinion, I somehow agree & disagree on some parts being mentioned.
First, as a Fil-Am who both experienced to study & live in the States & in the Phil., I noticed that in the States, the public libraries are only a few blocks apart. People go there mostly because of their interests & education. But in the Philippines, most public libraries are not well equipped with books, esp. new ones that are very essential to the youth now. A library is often appreciated & noticed by its presence if it’s in a University or school, and if it’s essential for a research for a course.
Second, public libraries are very important in educating the youth in this generation. Scary as it is, in the Philippines, you can see internet cafes in every block and see students either playing computer games, namely DOTA, updating their ME-profiles, namely Facebook or Friendster, or watching Youtube. Others do researches while logging in to their ME-profiles and in their YM or MSN.
In the states, watching movies is expensive, $15 & up per person, and since libraries are easy access & books are cheap because they are available everywhere that’s why the interests of the Americans are diverted to reading books. They only watch movies often if it is their personal interest. However, stating the fact that Filipinos are not book lovers is because there’s a limited source of books to read for additional reading aside from school. So if there is limited financial income for the family, parents will end up using their money for food instead of books. Therefore, ones interest is diverted to watching TV or watching the movies. But sinceFilipinos love to talk about intriguing things or rumors, and if by any chance the topic is about a book, Filipinos would read it for example “Twilight saga” or “Harry Potter series”.
Filipino’s have only a little sense of nationalism in literary works that’s why most Filipino writers are unknown to many Filipinos, and much more to the Youth in this generation. It is because Filipinos do not appreciate the art of writing anymore. For them it’s too much thinking and understanding. I don’t agree that it is because Filipinos do not like being in solitude or in silent. In my opinion, the reason is that Filipinos think that reading literary arts are not necessary, and there are more important or vital things to be concerned more than this.
I think the writer of the article has a point. I believe that many of us, Filipinos, really don’t like reading books. Maybe they think reading makes them “nerdy” or “uncool”. Or maybe they just think that it’s BORING. I agree with the writer when he said, “Solitude na, ideas pa, and then silence? It is too much for an average Filipino.” It is true for MOST of us but not for SOME of us. I, for one is an average Filipino but i do love reading. And also, sad to say, many Filipinos hate the thought of actually THINKING.
I also agree with what the writer said that us, Filipinos, hate solitude. It is in our nature that we like being with other people. Reading requires concentration and many Filipinos do have the attention span of a squirrel. We tend to be enthusiastic, at first, with what we’re doing but halfway through it, we lose interest in it.
But I must say, these do not apply to ALL Filipinos. I’m sure some enjoys reading very especially here in 1Lit. 😀
THIS PROBLEM IS STILL UNSOLVED because this issue was posted last 20 years already.The attitude of Filipinos will never be change unless they change their mentality attitude.am I right?
furthermore,I believe that reading often is a easiest way to become a good writer and speaker someday.(Dean’s Lister)joke!!that’s impossible to me.Even READING AND SCANNING magazines or any prints are very helpful in building a creative ideas.Base on what I have read, IF YOU NEED SOME THRILL OR UNIQUE EXPERIENCE OR SOMETHING THAT NEVER BEEN HAPPEN TO YOU…just read assiduously and you will find out that books is fun , it really add flavors in our nerves…toppings ba…
I can strongly say that, I am not a book lover. but that does not mean, that all the Filipinos are not book lovers. I think of reading books as boring and a big waste of time. i have this friend, named Cheska. She loves reading different books. In fact, she read 50+ books. I can say that she is a bookworm.but most of my friends dont usually read.In general,the majority of the population in any country do not consider themselves “book lovers”. Mostly, everyone thinks of reading as boring. because, they dont have great interest on a specific subject. most of the guys will spend time on playing dota, instead of reading educational books..but if you give them FHM or men’s magazine.. They’ll have the initiative to scan the magazine because they are inerested. That is what i am pointing about. I may agree that Filipinos are not book lovers. Or I may strongly disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers. It depends on the situation. Like in my case, i dont usually read books but i learned to love Bob Ong’s books which is about out of the blues stories. The title of the book is “ABNKKBSANPLAKo?”. The book is so nice, that i have read all the books of Bob Ong. Because it reflects one’s life as a book character,they relate themselves as characters in the story. That’s why they are interested.
Nowadays, I observed that most Filipinos would rather spend their money on doing and buying expensive and useless things rather than buying and reading a cheap book which is definitely not useless since reading can enhance widen their vocabulary and of course, enhance their reading skills.
SOLITUDE, the feeling of being alone, a very crucial feeling in reading a book: to be able to concentrate and understand more what you are reading, to be able to be eaten up by the book and feel that you are in another human race, in another era. Yes, it could be quite frightening to a lot of Filipinos. And you ask why? Well, it doesn’t need a lot of effort to figure it out. In realism, Filipinos would rather go shopping at the mall with their friends than going alone at a book store to read books.
Well, I don’t want to be a hypocrite here. I admit that I, myself am not much of a book lover, but I do buy and read books that I find interesting even if it is expensive. In fact last summer vacation, I read 3 books. And yes, the feeling of being alone, I also admit that I am not very fond of it, but when I start to read books, solitude eventually becomes my friend, a friend that I am comfortable to be with, a friend that relaxes me.
And as a conclusion to my comment, yes, I BELIEVE THAT MOST FILIPINOS ARE NOT BOOK LOVERS.
First, I would like to share my opinion in reading. What is the importance of reading? Well for me, reading is just part of learning and gaining knowledge. Reading is a decision. I am a certified Filipina and this article shocked me so much because “Filipinos are not book lovers.” For me, hat’s a big NO. Maybe in early times in the Philippines, may do not read but for an instance when the time of Rizal came and his fellow scholars reading is a need. They read newspapers and books to gain knowledge to fight Spaniards.
Based on the text, in the Philippines instead of bookshops, we have beauty parlors. That’s a YES but we have also bookshops located in mall or any infrastructures. Filipinas love to beatify themselves in order to be beautiful. W, Filipinos, love to be clean all the time.
“Filipinos will NEVER read books.” That’s a BIG NO! I have many friends and schoolmates who read. In fact they love reading. They finished many books and even save money to buy a book to read and add it to their collection. For me, reading is a part of life and it’s important. I read books to and also my father. So, how can Filipinos in general will NEVER read books?
I think reading a book and enjoying at the same time has been done by several Filipinos also. It can be in the library or maybe at home because it is where we can read peacefully and concentrate properly.
In the essay it is said that: “Reading a book requires time, patience and endurance.” So if Filipinos do not read or love books meaning we don’t have time, patience and endurance? That’s definitely a BIG NO, because Filipinos are well known for being patient and responsible. In Tagalog, MATIYAGA AT MASIPAG.
We, Filipinos, have short attention span, maybe yes but we have short attention span because we like to try different things because Filipinos are adventurous.
What’s wrong in being a Filipino full of love songs, dances and also happiness? It’s just that we love our culture. We are well known for it and we are proud to have a rich culture.
“Even rare than the Filipino reader is the Filipino writer.” I’m not sure of it but I think before a writer can write a book he has to know knowledge on what he can write because it will be humiliating if the writer writes a book with no sense. Thus, he or she read books or search to gain knowledge.
This article can really make Filipinos defend and go beyond the limit because FILIPINOS READ BOOKS and we love our culture.
Filipinos are not bookworms and reading is not of our nature, we are more of the laid-back ones who love doing easy things and that are things this reading is telling us. One of the ideas I agree with the author is that Filipinos hate solitude and reading in silence. Being alone is not a Filipino thing. Take for instance studying, many Filipino students are “allergic” of libraries because it has this quiet ambience that is conducive to sleeping. And if they will be forced to study inside one, they would rather study in a group. Why? Because when the time comes and they become tired of reading and studying, they would have someone beside them that they can talk to. Reading a book needs focus. One may not understand the story if once in a while he will talk to his “neighbors”. And also, with the Filipinos’ trait of leaving something they have started, they won’t be able to finish a 300-page novel or even a 100-page one.
Another idea I agreed on is that Filipinos rarely read books by Filipino authors, save for some who reads books by Bob Ong or Eros Atalia. If one would spot Filipinos reading Filipino writings, I would be guessing they are students and they are required by their Filipino professors to read novels by F. Sionil Jose and the like.
There are many ideas of the author that I have agreed, there are also ideas we differ. The author said that Filipinos will never become book readers and even paraphrased George Bernard Shaw. In my opinion, there are really many Filipinos who dislike reading; however they are not the representative of the whole population of Filipinos. I think only the population who do not read is highlighted in this article because it is all about Filipinos as non-book readers. And also I think that these non-book readers would eventually develop a liking to this matter.
Lastly, I don’t think that a book must be met in a certain solitude so that the sentences and chapters will seep through the readers’ consciousness. There are many book readers who can read books within a crowd or while listening to music but still can afford to understand the whole context.
I think that the title of this is too much of a negative. Yes, Filipinos are not book lovers but change is not an impossible thing. Maybe in the future the majority of Filipinos will become book readers. Maybe in the future, I would become a book reader myself.
we must accept the truth that this problem is not resoving unless the source of thier mentalility that they want read and learn are changing.
in my opinion, these reasons are resonable, and effective.
in case that book brings many advantage, giving an oppurtunity travelling an unknown place where we can’t do in the reality, we can enjoy. we can realize and renew ourself to read book. sometimes, it brings a new life that you will challenge on something.thinking advantage for reading book is being happy although being solitude, and silence are tired.
my opininon is thinking not only a case that you should be patient
but the fruits and results that you will get after a silence.
we must accept that this problem is not resolving unless the source of their mentality that they wnat read and learn are changing.
in my opinion, these reasons are resonable.
in case that book brings many advantage; giving an oppurnity that we can travel in fascination, we can enjoy reading a book.
sometimes it bring challenge on something.
thoug reading book is
very hard ,my opinion is thinking not only a case that you should be patient but considering the results that you will get after a silence
The author of the article is very negative about us become not book lovers. It is certainly that we are not BOOK lovers. Books are JUST mediums of what it is that we want to read, right?
We now have the internet. We can now READ on our laptops, pc’s and whatever gadget we have that has internet connection. That way, we save money (blame it on the GLOBAL RECESSION) and less hassle. Nowadays, it’s as if we can’t go without our laptops or pc’s, right? Wifi (wireless connection) places are scattered at almost EVERYWHERE.
It’s not the problem that we are NOT BOOK LOVERS.
The problem is that WE DON’T USE BOOKS as mediums.
‘Inside The Mind Are Gears Used To Think,Books On The Other Hand Is The Grease That Kepps The Gears Of The Mind Moving!!!!!’
i just wanna shout this out..this is my concept of what the importance of books are..^^
that’s the point of it… Boooks are basically a plain instrument.. it may give you information but if you don’t fully understand it’s contents, well i guess it’s useless.
Well to some degree I agree that Filipinos were not book lovers. I mean by the time the article was published Filipinos did not like books at all. The time that you would only see a Filipino with a book in 1983 was if he was either reviewing for a exam or he doesn’t have money to go to the movies and he would get distracted most of the time. And that’s a fact. But it’s less applicable these days as more people especially the youth/our generation as more of them start crowding the bookstores like Fully Booked and Power Books. More of them are starting to like books and write their own rendition of their favorite novels.
nag comment lang ako dito kasi sabi ng PROF.NAMIN eh
c sir ANDREW hehehe….
ako si kellvin monato…
wahah magaaral..bow…
this is my simple explanation…
yes filipinos are not book-lovers
bcoz….we only read if we wanted too..needed..for ourselves..and
for information…
1lit
-xenosyd-
:))
Partly true, because Filipinos are more likely to be with friends or barkada. Rather than be caught reading books alone.
Tama ka, we only read books that we like or books we are force to read, especially in class(by our teachers).
Marami kasi enjoyable gawin, kesa magbasa. Pero sa akin I like it, Siguro acquired taste lang ang pagbasa ng buks. m/ enuff said. c”)
for me i disagree because most of the filipinos love to read books especially novel and fictional books if they have their free time.
E may kwenta ba at makakatulong sa intellectual developments nila ang mga pinagbabasa ng mga sinasabi mong Filipinos?
well, this is somewhat a sad truth. most filipinos are more fascinated with the physical beauty rather than the sense an individual do. maybe soon it would change, filipinos are slowly becoming more of a book enthusiast.
In my own opinion, not all Filipinos are not book lovers. There are still some Filipinos who enjoy reading books. I have friends who really save money to buy thick and expensive books like Twilight Saga, Vampire Kisses, Angels and Demons and etc. But I admit that I am not a book lover. I will only read if needed or if I like the book. 🙂
Do you really think those books will help lift the level of consciousness and thinking of your friends? Do you think those books can help us decide whom to vote in the coming elections?
The bottomline: The problem is not merely lack of reading; it is also the case that not all Filipino readers actually read quality works.
“life without reading is unimaginable”. Filipinos love to read books and I’m one of them!
Hi. I'm researching about the readership of the Filipino people. I'd be happy if you can support your assertions with statistics. There is this National Book Development Board (NBDB) survey in 2007 which claims that 92% of Filipinos read, only with 2% decline from a similar survey in 2003.
Actually, I believe too that Filipinos aren't great book readers (although I dare say I am) however, with this statistics, my opinion is totally futile. Do you have a source so we could refute this NBDB survey?
(http://www.quezon.ph/2009/05/12/we-the-people-as-…
Sa palagay ko, malaking problema ito. Kasi kahit naman mahilig tayong magbasa pero hindi naman ganun kaganda ang mga binabasa natin, wala rin. May book akong gustong i-recommend na gawing gabay: How to Read a Book by Mortimer Adler and Charles van Doren
I think generally Filipinos does not read as much as they ought to because it’s not inherent in us to do so. In highschool we read works by Balagtas or Rizal (which ofcourse we are very proud of) but that’s about it. Our Literature is not as rich as those of foreign countries, US for instance have Ernest Hemingway
John Steinbeck, J D Salinger, et al. Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and more for UK and why would they be included in our curriculum, right? Such counties encourage their younger generation to read and learn from this ‘classics’ and hone the talents of those inspiring writers. I just hope the same can be said to us.
As for reading quality works? Do you mean literary fictions? As much as I would like to read those they can be quite a drag and may only be consumed once in a while (in my opinion). I’m a fan of of popular fiction ie young adult, chicklits, mysteries and between watching those popular crap on TV I’d rather do it reading. I have a little pet project — http://pretentiousreader.blogspot.com/2009/10/never-give-up.html . You guys can do your own =).
I somehow agree and disagree
I disagree with what the author wrote- “Filipino hate solitude”. I have seen a lot of Filipino people who wants to be alone while reading. They hate to hear noise while reading because they got distracted. But this is one proof that Filipino people really wants to gain knowledge.
I don’t think that Filipinos hate reading books. There are lots of bookstores here in the Philippines but they are located inside the mall. And a lot of people go there to buy books of their choice. Sometimes, we have a lot of things to do and we can’t find the right time to read a book.
I somehow agree that SOME Filipino are not booklovers because they are fond of using the internet and other gadgets such as an ipod for fun and relaxation. Some people tend to get bored and sleepy while reading a book so instead of reading they just do something adventurous.
I think, it depends on the interest of the person. He or she could only tell what kind of books he or she would read.
When I first saw the title of the article, it made me feel disappointed because I am a book lover myself. I love reading especially if it’s my kind of book. But after reading the article it made realize that some Filipinos really don’t enjoy reading. I know of a few people who read just because they are required to and not because they want to. Maybe one reason is because they still don’t know the genre that they like. Two things in the article that I disagree with is the part where it said Filipinos hated solitude and that there is only a little band of Filipinos that read. I disagree that Filipinos HATE solitude because in my opinion every person is supposed to have a quiet time or a time for relaxation. After a stressful week from work, you need to rest and relax yourself. And why would Filipinos hate that? I also disagree that only a LITTLE band of Filipinos read because there are many literate Filipino citizens out there. A proof of that is the fact there are plenty of local books( school books,reading materials,etc.) in the market and there are also many writers, authors, and composers of local books.
I do agree that Filipinos are not booklovers. But I can say that, Filipinos do read books. The only thing is that, Filipinos are not so interested into those stuffs. Majority of us Filipinos would actually prefer to watch television, listen to music, surf the net and the like. Filipinos always want to keep themselves busy by doing activities which are not boring. Reading for them is a boring stuff. It requires too much thinking because some words are hard to understand. We Filipinos react better visually. Most of us would love to see things that are real like watching movies. We are too lazy to imagine situations that are not presented visually. We are too lazy to read because it requires too much time and our mind do not explore the thoughts on what we read. I’m not saying that most Filipinos are not knowledgeable because we are not interested in reading books. The only thing is that, Filipinos are too lazy to read books and we are too engrossed in doing other things.
I agree on SOME points of the author. But I think i need more proof showing that Filipinos are not book lovers. Maybe some are NOT and some are Book-LOVERS.
For me, this article is so opinionated.
But, my concern right now is that I think I need more proof or evidences showing whether the other countries of different cultures are the same with the majority of the Filipinos who doesn’t enjoy reading that much.
Actually, I really wanted to compare whether the other “progressive countries” are well-read people or not. I’m curious whether those in power of those other “progressive countries” are bookworms or booklover. That is because it is mentioned in the article that some people in the country of the Philippines, especially whose in position of power are non-readers. Again, I need some proof.
The reason behind that is for me, Filipinos especially those who are in power must be really intelligent-or book intelligent.
We Filipinos should really be knowledgeable. That is just one step toward the progression of country. And by being knowledgeable, we must thirst for knowledge and wisdom. By being thirsty for that, we can start by loving to read and being a good lover. And we Filipinos can be a BOOK-LOVER whatever personalities we have, and despite the fact that majority of us are too happy-go-lucky and doesn’t enjoy much spending our time being alone and in silence.
Is it a bad thing that I agree with most (not entirely) of the article? Let's face it, most of us doesn't like reading. Some
read only because the school requires them. Then there are others who only read because a particular novel was made into a movie. It seems half-hearted.
The author points out three reasons on why Filipinos are not inclined in reading: solitude, ideas and silence. They are contradictory to the Filipino culture. The fact that most Filipinos prefer to watch tv and listen to music than sitting down and read a book is obvious.
However, I disagree with this part: "It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers. To paraphrase, George Bernard Shaw, Filipinos will go from being primitives to becoming exhausted as a civilization, without ever having been civilized enough to read books." It seems that the author is quite haste in generalizing the Filipinos. It's like pointing out that just because few Filipinos don't really read means that all Filipinos don't really read at all. I won't necessarily call myself a bookworm but I try to read beyond the school's assigned/required readings. Also, based from my
personal experience, I do know people who absolutely love reading.
This article was written more than 20 years ago and it's really shocking that it's still applicable today. Most young people today are preoccupied with television, video games and the internet and they think of reading as boring (unless it was some popular novel).
I guess it's our choice in the end whether to continue this perception of not being book-lovers or to break it.
I agree with what the article said that Filipinos are not totally in to reading books, especially long ones which will make them bored. We have this certain attitude called the Ningas Cogon which was also mentioned in the article that whenever we start doing something, we get tired of doing that as time goes by. Sometimes, we do not even finish what we've started and start again with another one. The article compares Filipinos with other nationalities regarding book reading and it's a shame to know that instead of having bookshops along streets, we find beauty parlors and other unnecessary shops. Books are essential to because they give new knowledge to us but we're not putting effort into gaining new knowledge. We don't care about books and I think only 3 or 4 out of 10 Filipinos are interested in reading books. The government should make a move in making Filipinos like books. We should not let this pass or else, the future generation will suffer.
I agree and disagree. After reading the article, I realized that Filipinos are not book lovers. Majority of us Filipinos would prefer to do other things than reading a book. For me, they enjoyed other activities than reading. Maybe because they find reading as a boring activity. it also takes time, so instead of doing that, they choose to spend their time in other activities. Aside from that, for me, Filipinos are too lazy. Reading requires understanding. There are times we start to read but after 1 hour or 2, we just stop and never continue it. Sometimes we just read because it is a requirement or a homework. And as time goes by, Filipinos spend most of their times in electronic gadgets and other activities. On the other hand, I disagree. because every time I visit a bookstore, I see a lot of people reading . Not only in a bookstore but also in streets. Few people use reading to relax their mind and to gain knowledge. Sometimes it is their hobby and way of spending time.
Let’s take into consideration that the new generation of Filipinos now are not booklovers. Ergo, it’s like the past generation of Filipino writers and readers are now deteriorating in a sense that the new generation lacks the enthusiasm to read a book. If ever one does, it’s all about the fad of neither romance nor fantasy fiction. The literary taste of readers is only limited for the reason that most of them do not extend their view on the different genres of literature. Nonetheless, the past generations of Filipino readers are more inclined to neither literature nor books. I would say that the issue of “Filipinos are not booklovers” has evolved through time because of the preferences of readers. I could not generalize all Filipino readers because each reader has its own preferences but the only I am certain about is there are more readers years ago compared to the present time. Let’s face it we lack the enthusiasm to read books for we enjoy doing other things rather than finishing the book in how many days and sometimes we may not even get the exact meaning of the story.
The other points of this article are agreeable for me but it is not convincing for me to say that all are not booklovers. I think the readers are the ones who are open minded to the ideas offered of reading books. The non-readers are probably the ones who are still blinded of the fact that reading is a dull past time. I believe that reading enhances your intellectual ability needless to say that poverty does not disables you to read. It is saddening to say that we lack Filipino writers at this time compared to what has been done before. I do believe that every Filipino is a writer on his own ways. We just lack the enthusiasm of developing such idea. The queer thing is, I think that some of the new generation writers are financially disabled so as to develop a print of their own writings.
I am startled of how the Filipino literary works were written. I would even read books written by F. Sionil Jose. I am awed of the Filipino talent. I think that the number of Filipino writers decreased for the fact that few have been reading books and thus is the beginning of the Filipino readers and writers deterioration.
My concern right now is that I think I need more proof or evidences showing whether the other countries of different cultures are the same with the majority of the Filipinos who doesn't enjoy reading that much.
Actually, I really wanted to compare whether the other “progressive countries” are well-read people or not. I'm curious whether those in power of those other “progressive countries” are bookworms or booklover. That is because it is mentioned in the article that some people in the country of the Philippines, especially whose in position of power are non-readers. Again, I need some proof.
The reason behind that is for me, Filipinos especially those who are in power must be really intelligent-or book intelligent.
We Filipinos should really be knowledgeable. That is just one step toward the progression of country. And by being knowledgeable, we must thirst for knowledge and wisdom. By being thirsty for that, we can start by loving to read and being a good lover. And we Filipinos can be a BOOK-LOVER whatever personalities we have, and despite the fact that majority of us are too happy-go-lucky and doesn’t enjoy much spending our time being alone and in silence.
dude wth?! Well first of all, in my opinion its too much for you to conclude that Filipinos are not book lovers. Dude even though we don’t see much bookstores around our country as much as those countries you mentioned, I could confidently say that tabloids or newspapers are sold in sari-sari stores. Tabloids and newspapers may not be books but I’m pretty sure that both are reading materials. Dude even tricycles and jeepney drivers, which both are considered under the poverty line, and are pretty much uneducated reads these tabloids. These people read during their free time, isn’t it maturity is shown with what we do during our free time? Reading is one hell of a mature way to spend their free time, considering their status. Therefore, how could you say that Filipinos are not book lovers? Maybe, you’re the one who needs to do more reading.
dude wth?! Well first of all, in my oipnion its too much for you to conclude that Filipinos are not book lovers. Dude even though we don't see much bookstores around our country as much as those countries you mentioned, I could confidently say that tabloids or newspapers are sold in sari-sari stores. Tabloids and newspapers may not be books but I'm pretty sure that both are reading materials. Dude even tricycles and jeepney drivers, which both are considered under the poverty line, and are pretty much uneducated reads these tabloids. These people read during their free time, isn't it maturity is shown with what we do during our free time? Reading is one hell of a mature way to spend their free time, considering their status. Therefore, how could you say that filipinos are not book lovers? Maybe, you're the one who needs to do more reading.
Hello!
Well, based from what I've read, what the problem is, SOME PEOPLE ARE FOND OF GENERALIZING.
"I am not a book lover. I am a Filipino. Therefore, Filipinos are not booklovers." Not true, so false.
Admittedly, I am a selective book lover. I just select books of
my interest and then read, when it already bores me. I stop. But there are still a lot of Filipinos who really find joy in reading books. I can attest to that because I have came across Pinoys who will surrender everything for just the sake of finishing all chapters of the book they are holding. Being a booklover really depends on the person whatever race they have come from.
I would like to quote a sentence in the article that said "Filipinos hate solitude". I also disagree on that. I do like being alone. That's one thing that can make the statement invalid. The author generalized what the Filipino race can offer. As I continue reading the whole article, it only fed my mind with negative vibes towards what Filipinos look like to other people. Yes, SOME Filipinos can be really not into books but there are still SOME who are really interested in reading. Some may also conclude that why Pinoys are not booklovers because we are lazy, and that really irritates me. Progressive countries may also not have booklover leaders but they flourished. In the Philippines, though we are not as progressive as other countries are, there are people who get ahead of the game regardless of being a booklover or not. What I really want to point out is that if people would actually look at Filipinos in a differnt way and stop generalizing our nation and the youth, they can see that Filipinos really have something to offer. Even though, some Filipinos would find books as something that can make them sleep or snore.
Reading is one way we can get out of our shell and be the persons the society wants us to be. Booklovers are those who gave reading a devotion that helped them shine as citizens. But you don't have to be really a booklover just to prove others that you have something significant. Reading is helpful, yes. Books are helpful, yes. Being booklovers, is helpful too but being aware is a lot more helpful.
As a conclusion, Filipinos have their own way of accomplishing things. If reading won't be a part of their methods then we should just let it be. 😀
I agree to the interesting and catchy article of Arlene Babst – Vokey. Yes, Filipinos are not book lovers. From Luzon to Mindanao, I think the majority still do not read books. Most Filipinos hate solitude because Filipinos likes chatting, gossiping, singing, going to malls or any recreational place, tambay, story telling, net-surfing and all other acts of socialization. Because it is in our culture though. We are happy people and festive.
Yes, Filipinos don't enjoy being alone and being alone with a book. "Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows. And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span." Because some Filipinos started doing a tasks or chores but not finishing it. Therefore not accomplishing anything!!! Like the author said Filipinos lacks of patience and organization. They don't provide a TIME for reading and if they have time they will start reading only few pages but not finishing the chapter or the whole book itself.
We Filipinos should balance our time. There's a time for everything: a time to chat, a time to read, a time study, a time to do net-surfing and all other stuff that we need and want to do. Proper time management is just needed.
Besides BOOKS are TREASURES and GOLDS. It is the form of INTELLECTUAL ENGAGEMENT. We can learn anything from it. There is literature and monographs; novels, magazines, journal and history books. They will feed us with KNOWLEDGE, INFORMATION and LEISURE. We obtain knowledge and ideas. We LEARN. Reading books can lift our status, save us from poverty and problems; it can bring progress in our life, society and country. And get a better and brighter future.
So let us begin reading books on ourselves.
In my own point of view and also based on my own experience I can say that we can never conclude that Filipinos are not a book lover.
Maybe some but not all, why?
Because it is affected by our lifestyle and culture as a Filipino. We are very family oriented type of person, we always want to have a conversation with our relatives and friends while doing many activities to enjoy, and relax. A lot of Filipinos that belongs to the lower and middle class are very sociable and spend their spare time with love ones and have a good time to somehow forget their problems in life. And Filipinos enjoyed more when things that are interpreted visually. Like watching movies, looking at pictures and etc. I think some of us Filipinos don’t get that fun in reading books and the other one is some of the Filipinos don’t have interest reading at all. I also think that a high percentage tells that Filipinos don’t appreciate the importance of reading books because they are also exhausted in their own work, responsibilities, and because of what the technology offers. And I think that one of the main reasons that Filipinos are not fund of reading books is also because of financial reasons that Filipinos cannot afford to buy books even if they want to.
In my own point of view and also based on my own experience I can say that we can never conclude that Filipinos are not a book lover.
Maybe some, but not all, why?
It is because it is affected by our lifestyle and culture as a Filipino. We are very family oriented type of person, we always want to have a conversation with our relatives and friends while doing many activities to enjoy, and relax. A lot of Filipinos that belongs to the lower and middle class are very sociable and spend their spare time with love ones and have a good time to somehow forget their problems in life. And Filipinos enjoyed more when things that are interpreted visually. Like watching movies, looking at pictures and etc. I think some of us Filipinos don’t get that fun in reading books and the other one is some of the Filipinos don’t have interest reading at all. I also think that a high percentage tells that Filipinos don’t appreciate the importance of reading books because they are also exhausted in their own work, responsibilities, and because of what the technology offers. And I think that one of the main reasons that Filipinos are not fund of reading books is also because of financial reasons that Filipinos cannot afford to buy books even if they want to.
well, i somehow agree and disagree, since filipinos really dont want to be alone to get the solitude of reading, the fact we are a poor but happy nation and we just dont put it in reading books to show we love to read, even the street people can read and statistically we filipinos are a nation of english speaking(second to our national language) people, that rooted to reading from the very beginning. It doesnt mean that we do not love to read, we just want to be more proactive rather than inactive, if we have to choose between music and books filipinos would absolutely choose the music since it will make them more active while dancing and singing,well how could you tell that filipinos dont like to read where before hand we have to understand the lyrics of a music first before we can sing it and to be happy with it. so, thanks a lot and enjoy reading this note.
True enough, that the modern Filipino youth does not take interest in reading books, but they would rather hang out with their friends, go with the trend, watch movies and play computer or online games like DOTA and all. There are many factors when it comes to this.
The very main and 1st factor here is the passion of the Filipino to read, if the Filipino takes no interest in reading books, then there is nothing we can do about it, that is his/her decision. The 2nd factor here is poverty. Even though the Filipino has the passion, still, it would require money to purchase good books. But even if poverty is a hindrance to reading, the Filipino will find ways on reading books because he/she has the will and perseverance for it. The 3rd factor would be the literacy rate of the Philippines. If the Filipino youth is not exposed to high quality books rather than those in the low-quality ones, then their thirst for knowledge would not be quenched. And the last factor would be the influence of the parents and friends. If they themselves do not read and show it to the Filipino youth, then how would the parents convince their child to read?
The reading percentage of Filipinos is decreasing. Be that as it may, there are still Filipinos who still read and find it enjoyable. Though they may be at the poverty line, but you cannot avoid to read everyday. There are a lot of reading materials scattered here in the Philippines. Though they cannot be considered high quality material for reading like tabloids, newspapers, advertisements, comics, emails, informative blogs and links.. what you see everyday around you. Also, there is a problem when it comes to the attention span of the Filipinos, though it is in our culture when it comes to Ningas-Cogon, but if the Filipino is passionate and has a lot of patience and endurance to read, then he/she will choose to read rather than divert his/her attention to watching tvs, playing games, listening to music and other things that distract from reading.
Filipinos may not be true-blue book lovers, but it does not mean that they not be successful in life. There are renowned Filipinos out there that even though they did not have a high quality education, they are very successful in life. Just like Manny Pacquiao..
So to end my long comment, I disagree with the article, but if I am to face reality, then the article is very true.
GOOD AFTERNOON! 🙂
well, when I heard the title of this blog I was put into silence. I was currently reading a biography. The main character feels that her best friend was books. The character is hooked into books because she is learning. But then, upon reading this article it kinda made me feel that Filipinos are not into books. I somewhat agree and disagree with this matter. I agree that reading books needs a lot of patience, time and the like. And as for us Filipinos, we are very outgoing. We don't want to be alone. That's why books is just a waste of time. But I could say that we are into reading like newspapers, magazines, periodicals etc. In a way it still enhances our knowledge even though it is not a book. It provides information etc. We love seeing pictures that's why were reading this magazines but books and novels don't have these eye-catching colorful representations that's why it is not that pleasing for them. I disagree that we are illiterate and who say's were one? Research said that Filipinos are 93% literate. We could read but it is just our attitude and feeling that's keeping us from not reading. A bit of motivation, perseverance and a lot of patience could help us find reading books very fascinating.
"to me writing and READING was pure pleasure. It helped me escape the hard realities of life in a simple way."
-Adeline
I’m against this article because if Filipinos are not book lovers their will be no Filipinos that will be successful in other countries and they will not be well known all over the world if they are not being properly educated and education requires reading books. If Filipinos do not like books why would their be good teachers and professors teaching in schools and universities if in the first place they don’t like reading because what will they teach to their students if they don’t know about anything and obviously their knowledge came from reading books. Why would other countries hire many Filipino doctors and nurses to work there if their not good about their professions and how will they cure patients if they don’t read books and i know for you to become a great doctor it requires reading many books.
Even you already have a good job and a well known profession reading books never stop there because we still have to learn more if we want to be the best and i believe Filipinos are determined to be one and already proved that whatever others criticism we are not failures even in the accusation were not book lovers because many Filipinos are eager to learn from books where not just a little band because what would we be if we don’t read books.
Nicole Marie Atal / Section: 1BES2 / Course: AB – Economics
The main idea of this text is the personality of Filipinos when it comes to reading books. The writer states a sad opinion because he thinks that Filipinos would have been much better individuals and would definitely achieve more if they read books and are fond of it. I personally do not believe in this article but it any way, it has a good point. It is true that reading is a good way of learning and I believe it exercises our brain to think but we Filipinos seldom find time to do so. When we read, we are aware of the things that are happening around us most especially in our world today as we also provide our mind extra knowledge too. I don’t want to judge fellow Filipinos regarding this issue because I know that we can still do something about improving our reading skills. Well, I am a nocturnal kind of person and instead of reading; I actually choose to do the alternatives. I just think I don’t have the luxury of time and the power of grammar to make reading a diversion of fun nor relaxation. I’d rather rely on the newest technology which is the internet to provide me the information I need. We are all familiar that it is the easiest and the most convenient way but I know that it still doesn’t undermine the pleasure one can read from books. It is important to inculcate the habit of reading during our younger years because as we grow older, it is a lot harder to instill reading as a hobby to love. I guess what matters is that we still learn and that we take our own initiatives to grasp the knowledge we need to survive in our every day life whether it may be viewed from televisions, heard from other people, previously experienced or simply, found inside a library.
On my opinion as to what I have read about the article, I can somehow agree that some Filipinos are not fun of reading. They prefer watching television, going out, listening to music and wasting their time doing other stuffs. Well, maybe because some Filipinos just want to entertain themselves. Reading can be a source of entertainment but it needs effort, time, patience and interest for you to be able to understand what you were reading. Cause for some it was a sleepy and boring thing to do. And maybe this could be a reason why some Filipinos are not well-informed or erudite especially in English.We could learn so much from it. I think that the government with the help of the schools could change this by encouraging the students that reading could do a lot of things and has a big effect on our lives as to the future.
Hello..
My Name is Renz and I am studying from UST :)Our professor asked us to read this article and give our reaction to what we've read.
For me, it's 50% true and 50% false. 50% TRUE because most of the people I know doesn't like reading book, even scanning a page of it they have no interest in it. Also, they often like to go malls when they get bored. For them, reading is sleeping haha!. Some of them choose to sleep than to read books. They often watch more tv just to be entertain or go somewhere else just to forget their boredom. 50% FALSE because I know that some people only select what they read, they often choose love stories. Maybe you can say that "Filipinos are not book lovers" because you see that many people doesn't read books but it's the fact that they choose what they will read or maybe what feeds their interests. I myself is also choosing what to read because of the fact that not all books are great to read because of their topic. It is also being practical because of the fact that you can understand more when you see it rather than imagining it.
Hello..
My Name is Renz and I am studying from UST :)Our professor asked us to read this article and give our reaction to what we've read.
For me, it's 50% true and 50% false. 50% TRUE because most of the people I know doesn't like reading book, even scanning a page of it they have no interest in it. Also, they often like to go malls when they get bored. For them, reading is sleeping haha!. Some of them choose to sleep than to read books. They often watch more tv just to be entertain or go somewhere else just to forget their boredom. 50% FALSE because I know that some people only select what they read, they often choose love stories. Maybe you can say that "Filipinos are not book lovers" because you see that many people doesn't read books but it's the fact that they choose what they will read or maybe what feeds their interests. I myself is also choosing what to read because of the fact that not all books are great to read because of their topic. It is also being practical because of the fact that you can understand more when you see it rather than imagining it.In the end we cannot conclude that reading books are very entertaining to do or a boring thing to do because it depends on the person's choice we cannot dictate them on what are their interest and like things to do. 🙂
On my opinion as to what I have read about the article, I can somehow agree that some Filipinos are not fun of reading. They prefer watching television, going out, listening to music and wasting their time doing other stuffs. Well, maybe because some Filipinos just want to entertain themselves. Reading can be a source of entertainment but it needs effort, time, patience and interest for you to be able to understand what you were reading. Cause for some it was a sleepy and boring thing to do. And maybe this could be a reason why some Filipinos are not well-informed or erudite especially in English.We could learn so much from it. I think that the government with the help of the schools could change this by encouraging the students that reading could do a lot of things and has a big effect on our lives as to the future.
filipinos are not book lovers…
i have to say that it's different for my case, i love books. in a young age i was taught how to read by my aunt. at first i didn't like to read because i couldn't understand the words and of course, because i'd prefer to move around and play than to just sit still and read, but as time went by and i was getting to the right age, i realized how precious reading was, i experienced like what they say, how it can take you to different places, how it can give you pleasure and at the same time you gain knowledge from it.
as what dr. seuss said “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.” it all started with his books… i loved how the words rhyme, though most of the words are made up, and how the characters were drawn, his books were one of those that made reading fun for me.
i can say that i prefer reading than solving a mathematical problem. haha. my head aches more with the sight of numbers, and I rather memorize a poem or a short story than memorize the trigonometric functions.:))
saying that filipinos are not book lovers is not completely true, most of us love to read pocket books and though it may not be educational, it's still a book and it could be a start into reading something more… i don't know something with more ummmph! haha.
It’s very disappointing that majority of Filipinos do not read a lot. They hardly take time to read because of our Short Attention Span. And also because we’re not trained to do so. Sadly though, there may ot be many parents even bother to instill to the young the importance of reading, especially with many parents work and living in foreign land. They just have to entrust taking care of their children to the Nanny.
In my opinion, reading is very essential and would like to stressed the importance of bringing back the love of reading among children, especially because reading now competes with a growing number of leisure options, like television, PSPs, iPods and online gaming. We can still do something about it and start with ourselves like joining projects of NGOs like the “Inquirer Read-Along” project and volunteer to be one to read stories participating pupils.
Let’s find a way to promote book reading among the people and for all parents try to start the habit of reading while your children are still young and be a storytellers.
I'm not saying that I completely agreed with the author. But honestly, there are some parts in this article which is true and hard to accept. Because we all know that Filipino people are outgoing, and not all of us could stay home and read in silence. Yes, MOST of the Filipino people do not consider reading a book as a part of their everyday activities because they find it boring to be in isolation, to read opinions or ideas of people they don't know & to be in silence, which includes deep concentration & focus while reading.
But we can turn everything around if we start right now, and think more about those people who will come after us. If we won't change, we might suffer and lack knowledge, we will not be able to learn a lot of things this world has to offer and we might miss half of our lives by not experiencing the peacefulness and relaxation that we may get from reading a book.
We should start right now and do something right away before it's too late.
On my opinion as to what I have read about the article, I can somehow agree that some Filipinos are not fun of reading. They prefer watching television, going out, listening to music and wasting their time doing other stuffs. Well, maybe because some Filipinos just want to entertain themselves. Reading can be a source of entertainment but it needs effort, time, patience and interest for you to be able to understand what you were reading. Cause for some it was a sleepy and boring thing to do. And maybe this could be a reason why some Filipinos are not well-informed or erudite especially in English.We could learn so much from it. I thnk that the government with the help of the schools could change this by encouraging the students that reading could do a lot of things and has a big effect on our lives as to the future.
–Let the blood bath begin.
:))
RIGHT-O. I have to agree. Filipinos are not book lovers. However, this doesn't mean that some of us don't like to read. As I have observed, people would only find reading pleasurable if what they bury their noses in are literary materials that appeal to their interests. Well, duh. Give a person something entertaining to read and he'll probably read it from cover to cover.
Anyway, others succumb to the "torture" of reading because their grades depend on it. Basically, it's READ or DIE. (That's how my Phil. Lit. professor puts it.) This is majorly evident in students, of course.
Then there's the group of individuals who read, research, study [insert other verbs that are similarly tedious in nature here] to be informed on whatever subject they choose to explore. Reading for these studious people is a must, probably even a means for survival. Students, teachers, doctors, researchers, the cream of the crop…
MOVING ON. Filipinos are generally festive and loud but this doesn't entirely mean that we hate solitude. Silence is gold, it's good for the soul. Yes, we have short attention span but only because we get bored easily. (Pun-intended)
This peculiar line struck me the most: "Even rarer than the Filipino reader is the Filipino Writer." Oh really now? I, with all due respect, beg to differ. Our forefathers' nationalistic sense was ignited because of J.P. Rizal's works. I'm sure you've heard of the classics "Noli Me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo". Surely, your high school teacher must have drilled through your thick skull the depictions of 19th century Philippines and how we as "Indios" were discriminated against, and in our own turf, no less!
Filipino writers are a HUGE constituent of our history. The propagandists helped strengthen nationalism and revolution through what they do best: writing. I am well aware that these facts apply to "been-there-done-that-history" but contemporary Filipino writers look back on these heroes and find their inspiration.
In our country, literacy is not dead, albeit under appreciated. And that "little band of readers" you're talking about? There's still the undying possibility for it to expand and grow. Things change; your opinions live, and shall stay in the 80's.
I am a reader, I am a writer, I am a Filipino.
This article is drenched in cynical opinions that degrade our race and culture. You seem so quick to dismiss that Filipinos are not well-read. How unfortunate. Yes, I agree. Filipinos are not book lovers but hey, we still read a lot for purposes that vary for each person. Catch my drift? 🙂
I agree in the article. Base on my observation, most Filipinos don’t have patience in reading books, novels, stories, essays especially if it is written in English or in other language. In fact, we Filipinos have difficulty in understanding English words especially those unfamiliar words that we see while reading. And it is really hard to imagine what the story is all about if you don’t know what is the story is talking about or what the meaning of that is. And I think not all of us want reading while every word that is unfamiliar to us, we always browse dictionary just to look for its meaning. Yes, I think it is really part of reading and gaining something but the fact is Filipinos don’t have patience in that kind of system, we always want things to be easy for us, and we don’t want our lives to be complicated. And books are quite expensive instead buying books we Filipinos prefer to buy something we really want like clothes, foods, shoes, bags, etc,. something that we Filipinos thought that is more important than what a book can give us to gain our knowledge. Filipinos really hate solitude they don’t want to be alone I think it is part of our system that we can go alone, that we cannot live in our own, that we want to have buddies or friends to be with. Because I believe we love communicating with people, we enjoy the company of others for us it is more enjoyable than reading long stories and books.
I somehow disagree with the article because me and my sister love to read books specially when the book were reading is interesting. I don't know with other filipinos but i think people from the high society are not book lovers but they are reading books that can help them become richer and successful. It is not a matter of calling yourself a book lover but a choice of reading the books that you like. Some filipinos are not book lovers but they still read the books they like. Reading books can help us in many ways like giving us information on how to become a good person, fix yourself from being broken and many more so why don't we start reading books instead of just hanging around somewhere.
People really have different views when it comes on reading as
their hobby, interest or past time.
Some really get bored and others find it interesting. Well, for me, in my own opinion, maybe it's true that Filipinos are not book lovers. Yeah, I am a Filipino and I'm putting it this way. But it doesn't mean that MOST Filipinos are not book lovers. SOME I would prefer and maybe much better.
Filipinos are not interested in reading because they get lazy, they don't want silence and they don't want being or staying alone in a place with just a book. It really takes time to love this hobby. We can't force someone to read and read and read and learn to love it. We have our own interests and wants when it comes on having past times and self activities.
We all know that reading is very important to us. We need it to gain knowledge and to learn something. Filipinos just choose what they want to read and it may not be always books. It may be newspapers and magazines because maybe they find it more entertaining.
But still we should learn to love books. We should learn to love reading them. They would be a great help for us because it's one way of teaching us unfamiliar facts and ideas that are helpful (maybe in future?) and discovering something new for our knowledge.
BOOKS are precious. treasures. diamonds. Whatever it is, novels, articles, newspapers, journals, as long as it would make our minds intelligent and knowledgeable enough, they are all useful for us. Booklovers might be a great help someday in our country's future. 😀
I also agree with this article. I am a korean who studies in the philippines. When i studied in korea, i saw many people read books and i did too. even in TV program, many MC recommend some books. and every year in the school, teachers sell books(novels, magazines, science books and etc) for education. and they let their students to write reaction papers for vacation. I think the philippines' schools need to get a new education system that can make students love books. but one thing is amazing, i've never expected that filipinos can read books in english very fast with fully-understanding when i came to the philippines at the first time. but now i know that they are so smart to learn language.
hey you!
if you think that we really hate books. why are you studying here? duH?
go back to where you belong
I have nothing against the ideas of the article. Of course, I cannot deny the fact that here in our country, bookstores are not really stores selling mere books and periodicals but rather full of school or office supplies [although they do have some connections regarding books]. Anyways, I still do see some points why most Filipinos are not this so-called “Book Lovers”. One, Filipinos are known to be very hard working, I mean, we do such works that we think that is more necessary than others, it’s like PRIORITIES FIRST. Although reading is important, it is not as if we will literally die if we are not able to read Paolo Coelho’s books and something like that. It is also like, “Why do we need to study difficult math such as Trigo and Calculus? Are we going to tell the SOCATOA method to a vendor before we can buy something?” Anyhow, another point is, we are in a country where even the earlier people proved that even if they can not or do not read, they did survived. Then I also got this idea that reading goes with one’s personality, let’s say a person is fond of operas and plays, which we can refer to as an intellectual activity such as reading books would rather go to a theater than read a book at home and then it also goes the other way around. And to cut my ideas short, I don’t really conclude that Filipinos are not book lovers, but then again, If people, most especially here in our country would finally stop reading books, I can sense the future we are heading to and I can say that it is something really disturbing, frightening and frustrating.
“…Filipinos will go from being primitives to becoming exhausted as a civilization, without ever having been civilized enough to read books.”
This is a sad fact that many Filipinos nowadays no longer seem to be interested in reading books. It is true since many of us are too preoccupied partying, surfing the internet, or, doing the most common “hobby”, texting. No one ever has time to read, or even to go to book stores. It is not a strong part of who we are as Filipinos, who are usually out and about, loud and fast, and etc. Reading a book requires attention, lots of it. It also requires one to be consistently interested with what he or she is reading. Moreover, reading books requires one to be open to the ideals written in between its pages and lines, its chapters and covers. All these, a common Filipino have not been brought up to by its culture and tradition. It is not usual or common for most of us to be reading books while riding the train maybe, or while waiting for a cup of coffee at Starbucks (since mostly laptops have been invading coffee shops, thanks to free WiFi.) It is lucky for some though, who, at this day and age, still have a passion for books. They are the ones who have that edge. If you’re wondering what that edge is, why not find out for yourself and start reading. Now.
Okay Angela, I'll start reading NOW! 🙂
I completely agree with the article. Being a book lover myself I find it hard to meet other people who share the same interest. I'm not forcing or even trying to encourage other people to read books. Because I don't really blame them for not wanting to read books. Let us not forget that books are there not only for us to educate ourselves but also to entertain ourselves. But why settle for entertainment through books which is just too troublesome for the average lazy Filipino teenager. Why go for go books when there are other means of killing boredom? Especially in our society today wherein technology offers a vast amount of fun things to do AND also a number of reasons to not read. I completely agree with the statement in the article saying that we Filipinos want our entertainment fast and light. Because let's face it, we Filipino's are not the kind of people that sit around coffee shops reading books. That's just not us, we would rather play socialize or play video games rather than read books. I mean, I would rather kick ass in Dota rather than stay in a corner reading. Don't get me wrong, I do love books. But honestly, I'd rather take what our times technology offers.
From the blog itself “Filipinos are not book lovers” by Kevin Paquet, I barely agree and disagree. First, I agree because since poverty is a big issue here in the Philippines, a lot of Filipinos are illiterate to read books, novels, magazines etc. Second, from what I think, the majority of Filipinos as of now are not into reading not only because they hate it but as well as having this kind of mind set that books are not a necessity in our lives. Some of our brothers and sisters might know it, but the thing is they haven’t realized what the real situation is. Reading books is very essential to our lifestyle; it develops our brain in comprehending things, shares a lot of experiences, enhances the brain etc.
On the other hand, I barely disagree because I knew a lot of people who reads pocketbooks. This kind of pocketbooks im talking about are the one that are to shallow and cheap. Shallow because it’s not that significant. These pocketbooks contains different themes such as; abusive sexual behavior, horror, suspense, brutality and a lot more that are to immoral for our young generation. An example of that kind of pocket books are the ones you can see in national bookstore in the comics section. From what I remember I have seen a lot of this kinds having titles like; Romasa sa gabi, ”Evening Romance” Panata ni tata, “Faith of tata” Pinoy horror stories and Si totoy at nene, “Totoy and Nene”. Yes there is nothing wrong about the titles but the thing is, it’s to shallow to be read that it only consumes time and money. I’m not judging books by its cover but base from experience I have heard a part of the book Panata ni Tata having this kind of languages that are too brutal. The story goes this way; a Filipina was raped by his American father when she was young. As the protagonist grew up from the slums, she then realizes that being a prostitute is the only way to support his two brothers from studying. The weird part is, when she had a boyfriend, the sexual scenes are not skipped. It was still a part of the story that the romantic scenes are explained too much. I won’t go further anymore because it’s so disgusting to face the fact that it’s more of a best seller than those of academic books.
Yes it shows and reflects the reality that a lot of instances have occurred here because of poverty. But my point is that these kinds of books are more hit and hip than those books that are more essential. One reason is that because some of our new age authors nowadays write only books that are easy to sell added by the fact that Filipinos are easily deceived by this kind of books for their source of entertainment.
I don’t know what kind of entertainment it brings, but as far as I am concerned, I hope that Filipinos will soon realize that there is a higher pleasure when reading more wholesome and essential books than those inferior, paltry, disgusting, poor pocketbooks. Alas, I forgot, I did disagree on a part of it because, as what I have said before, they are READING, at least.
Filipinos are not book-lovers…
My comments on the topic itself..
Do 100% of the Japanese population flock bookstores? I repeat, do 100% of the Japanese people flock the bookstores, their millions inside them?
Or that most Filipinos (I give credit to the small clutch of readers we have, as you have said) really dislike reading? These are some questions, some gaping holes in the question of this article. The said “facts” here have no citations and references, thus prompting me to think that what is said here may be more or less “heresay” or “2nd-hand information”.
Putting all questions of clarity aside, I would now state my opinions.
I cannot agree that Filipinos do not love books. Was it not the Noli me Tangere and the El Filibusterismo of Rizal, two veritable novels of Jose Rizal, that sparked the 1896 Revolution? Filipinos have even went far as to die because of these certain books’ messages.
The article gives too much of a “doom and gloom” impression regarding our reading culture, which is not absolutely true. The article so describes our lack of attention, our narrow-mindedness, and our fear of solitude as the causes that impede our reading habits. Although these are considerable factors, they are the creations of a phenomenon besetting the Filipino people, and not because of the people themselves: Poverty.
Poverty is a monster that devours a nation’s soul and culture into near-animalistic tendencies and the lack of values. The lack of money, accessibility, and good reading material are all effects of poverty, but not the effects of us being Filipino.
Most of the time, the Filipino people are born as complete beings with the capacity to think, feel, read, and write like any other people out there. Get rid of poverty, and we can develop into a very smart race of people. Our reading culture is not something to weep for, but something to modify and improve. The glass is not half-empty, but half-full.
How many centuries did the Japanese people have in honing their culture as an independent people? Many centuries, even up to a millennia. We on the other hand just grasped freedom some 50, 60 years ago (excluding the Marcos regime, because we were slaves of one of our own). It will take a lot of patience to get our people reading like the Japanese or the English or the Americans, but needless to say it is not impossible.
Perhaps to get our people reading, we should focus on alleviating poverty first. Whether it be through better public services, access to books and materials, and a supportive government. With this solution, I see three major players that have the burden of educating the people on the joys of reading.
That is our authors' most solemn burden, and a blessed (if not cursed) burden it is. If they suffer (as you have indicated)from a lack of an audience, then they must still continue writing, knowing that Christ himself died for seemingly losing cause, which in the end produced massive converts to his faith. Until we as a people learn to embrace reading, then these outspoken writers are parallel to our saints who suffered and died for what is good.
It is also our teachers' burdens, to show our youth the beauty of, and not the eccentricity, of reading as a habit.They should teach not just verbatim-based, parrot-like memorization of texts and lessons, but drawing from their students insights and opinions that would spark learners to read more.
Lastly (and most ironically), it is our leaders who should be themselves well-versed people,and they should be the ones to coax the Filipinos to read. Congress should pass laws and implement policies protecting and supporting our authors. Local governments should find ways to make reading, via more advanced and accessible libraries, a town habit.
I think even the outlook of this article must change. It should be from “Filipinos are not Book-lovers” to “Filipinos are not yet into books”.
If you're so sad that we're not picking up the reading habit, then reserve your lamentations. It is not yet the end of the world and there is always hope so long as the clock ticks and people continue to reproduce. As a saying goes: "In the dark, it is better to light a small candle than to curse the darkness".
Saying it politely and respectfully, do not mourn for our culture for it is not dead, but merely asleep. People like us should try to awaken it.
(I wish the author of the article no disrespect and insult, and that his insights and freedom to perceive what is going on with our culture is his right.)
papa bear ang haba naman nung sayo=)
Solitude na, ideas pa, tpos silence?
Who dares to say that Filipinos are not book lovers? Does he know everyone in this country?
If you’ll be looking around in this country’s people, you might see a few reading “books,” but can’t you consider other reading materials as books? For example: newspapers, daily news journals, comics, magazines, and other more readable materials.
Open your minds guys! We were modernized! Books that contain fiction or non-fiction articles are not the only one that can be considered as books. Every compiled reading material is a book!
They considered us, Filipinos, not book lovers because they seldom see us reading books. But it doesn’t mean that we were not book lovers. Some were book lovers but they were not able to give this want to themselves because of their status in life. Some were book lovers also but they are too busy that they don’t have time to read books. So their answer in this need is to read “easy” readings (example of these were some of written medias that was stated in the first paragraph).
Another thing, how can the one who wrote the article said that Filipinos’ can’t be solitude in reading? Yes, he is right. Filipinos can’t be solitude in reading because in this modern generation, reading is not anymore considered as solitude. It is an active process that shows interaction of readers.
The author of the article also said that Filipinos hate ideas. But I strongly oppose on that. We love to express our ideas as well as to gather them especially when it comes from a book.
And lastly, it is about silence. The article seems to say that Filipinos can’t contain themselves on silence. Yes, we can’t because we have an inquisitive and curious personality that wants always to ask and to know more. Things always bother our mind every time we read. That is why we can’t be that silent.
So? As I end this comment, I want to say to everyone that FILIPINOS ARE TRULY BOOK LOVERS.
go dexy!!!!!!
hahahahaha
not all totally filipinos are not book lover. im a book lover of greek methology i love to read all the myth and legends and mystic creatures…
and now a days some student like to read books and how you can say filipino are not book lovers actually with out books how can we learn to read and know what our history made….
and theres many interesting things you will read in the books
As I read this article, i found out that this is somehow true for us Filipinos. For me, being a good reader is really impressive and a need. A need because we could gain so much knowledge form it. New vocabulary words per day, morals of each story or article. Maybe we do not appreciate that much before when we were all young. But ever since, I consider reading as one of the most important things.
Yes, I admit. I am not a reader. Unlike my friends, they read a lot. And it’s really evident. That is one thing that I regret. Too lazy to read and I feel sleepy every time I have the chance to read long selections or stories. And now, the result, some deep words, meanings and etc, I cannot understand. I need to think twice or three times before I get the point. I need the dictionary or thesaurus to be able to understand some.
In this article, it was written that we Filipinos are not showing that huge interest in reading books. Partly, I disagree though i somehow agree. An example would be the students who go to the library or to the bookstores, mostly; and parents just push their children to read. But when it comes to shopping, using gadgets, surfing the net, Filipinos are always ready and calls our attention more. Some think that reading is not a cool stuff to do. ]
Hopefully, this would change.
As I read this article, i found out that this is somehow true for us Filipinos. For me, being a good reader is really impressive and a need. A need because we could gain so much knowledge form it. New vocabulary words per day, morals of each story or article. Maybe we do not appreciate that much before when we were all young. But ever since, I consider reading as one of the most important things.
Yes, I admit. I am not a reader. Unlike my friends, they read a lot. And it’s really evident. That is one thing that I regret. Too lazy to read and I feel sleepy every time I have the chance to read long selections or stories. And now, the result, some deep words, meanings and etc, I cannot understand. I need to think twice or three times before I get the point. I need the dictionary or thesaurus to be able to understand some.
In this article, it was written that we Filipinos are not showing that huge interest in reading books. Partly, I disagree though i somehow agree. An example would be the students who go to the library or to the bookstores, mostly; and parents just push their children to read. But when it comes to shopping, using gadgets, surfing the net, Filipinos are always ready and calls our attention more. Some think that reading is not a cool stuff to do. ]
Hopefully, this would change.
I am commenting as a book lover, a freedom writer and as an open minded critic. I search for truth in everything and 'unfortunately' there is much truth in this article.
Reading and writing is a culture of its own, developing that culture as any other takes time, lots of it. from an economic prospective, when one hears the word 'Philippines', he or she automatically lands on the fact that the country is one of, if not the most corrupt country in Asia, a fact that speaks enough for itself. Solutions are diamonds in the rough and problems are encountered by the minute. This of course takes away precious time for certain responsibilities and private pleasures such as… reading. I agree that Filipinos find it hard to be alone yet alone spend time in silence. As far as being one of the most corrupt nations, the country is also known for its gossip. I wont be a hypocrite, I am part of this country so let me rephrase that, 'we' are known for our gossip. We spend more time texting than learning. We find it interesting when something bad happens to someone we know. This is our entertainment. T.V novellas and love stories are what puts smiles on our faces. How can our country improve if we don't have the motivation to want to know more things. A quest for knowledge is always a beginning for great things to come. Reading is food for thought and the soul, at the same time it improves out vocabulary and understanding of certain things from different prospective. Imagine the whole nation going silent for 24 hours and all you hear is nothing but the sound of pages turning. So many new things to understand and talk about, all in a day's work. Then again I'm told my imagination is a fiery one. Would be nice though if, for a change, conversation topics were about passion, freedom, change, ideas, opinions on how lives can be better, writers, books, how poems and stories can actually connect with our inner beings and who we really are. Yes all these thoughts pop into my head when reading a book. Books and words take you to a different world. They help your imagination grow, and in the words of Einstein; "imagination is more important than reality". And so to end this piece I'd like to just say, pick up a book, start with the first page, try to sink into what you are reading and burst into sudden realization… Books are not that bad.
Well, it is your opinion that Filipinos are not book lover. Base on your own perception. It may be true or not. You may have basis of this in order to come up with this article. But, it is limited. You cannot simply judge all Filipinos. You can just simply say that most of us Filipinos are not book lovers. You have offended those who truly love reading.
Even though you are partly right, it doesn't mean that all of us are not book lovers. It is inappropriate to use 'Filipinos' which includes us all..
I am positive that most of us love reading books but you just don't see them reading.
You have no right to judge everyone. In this article, there is no assurance that you are really right.
But as I said, that is your opinion. That is how you look at Filipinos.
Maybe this would help most of us who thinks this is true. This may enlighten the minds of most Filipinos who hate reading books.
Have a pleasant day to all of us!
I strongly disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers. Who says so? Is it terrifying to sit alone with a book? Of course not. I know a lot of people who prefers to sit in a corner with a book that to talk to somebody else. In those people, i counted myself as one of them. It's easy to say that Filipinos are not book lovers because of the worsening of poverty in our country. But, is poverty a hassle? if you are a broad-minded person you will always longed for knowledge and wisdom. The financial status of a person is not a valid reason. A lot of rich people focuses on how to earn more money to make them richer. But the poor people wants to gain wisdom to increase his knowledge on the things that he doesn't know.
I believe that reading is a part of our everyday life. Without reading we would remain nothing because we didn't know anything. We read and then we gain something new. We also need to understand and appreciate what we read to know the essence of it.
I also want the author to prove whether his source is reliable or not. It is not enough to focus on what we observe but also we should know the consequences of these.
Well it is very opinionated if we say that Filipinos are not book lovers or simply not fond of reading, I think it's a matter of choice if a person wants to read or not.In our society,first, as students, of course we are required to read a ton of books for us to survive school. however, those who are not priveleged to attend school, reading seems not to bother their lives and i think that is the reason why many (including, whoever wrote this article) say that we filipinos are not fond of reading because majority in our society are like those people. having the characteristic of being not solitude or entertainment lovers is also not an excuse for us to say that we are not fond of reading, It is still our choice, we can be entertained by the form of reading (duh, reading is a form of entertainment ), FHM is there, Pocket books are there, Twilight is there and etc.But there are others who like to be entertained but not in the form of reading, just like me, i don't read that hell of a crap Twilight books but instead i prefer to watch the movie, because it is less eye straining:).
My side for this is just in between, we can choose if we like to read or not, and this just not goes for Fi;ipinos exclusively but for all those who are also living in the same world.
Filipinos are not BOOKLOVERS?? Its a Yes and a NO.
I agree on what you said that " Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span." It's true, because I know a lot of people like that and we are now entering the era of Globalization. "CHANGE" is the very common word in our generation today, like "Ako ang simula" in voting, "Ako ang pagbabago", etc. SOME filipinos became sick of reading books because there's Technology and computers. I admit that I am not that much of a bookworm anymore because there's facebook and friendster, plurk and other websites which you will be really entertained. So I don't read MUCH anymore than the usual.
Its like our lives right now revolves around computers! Facebook is now our book. our literature in life. And whenever we have research, we immediately turn on to the computer not in books. RIGHT? And if ever we do searched in books, websites still rule our bibliography page 😀 funny but somewhat TRUE. Do you know the Generation Y? That's US people, we want INSTANT, we want change, that's why reading disappeared in our lives, technology civilized us.
"Filipinos hate SOLITUDE", this statement is definitely, a YES for me.I mean, who loves being ALONE?? Ofcourse all of us wants company, unless you really hate the world and have trauma talking to people. But we filipinos are known for that, we are friendly and loves socialization. We hate being bored, we want fun and we want to be happy.
BUT HOW DARE you CLAIM that ALL.. As in, ALL OF US FILIPINOS are not booklovers?? Who are you to judge? You're a filipino right? But it seems like you're not proud that you're one of us. Your blog is full of negative thoughts towards us filipinos. You may say that filipinos are NOT booklovers, but not ALL!!! You should have atleast entitled your blog as SOME Filipinos, but yeah. It's your blog, You're the author. Who cares? But I just want to inform you that not all filipinos are not booklovers. I don't believe that, I will juts believe that if you have really searched the whole Republis of the Philippines and asked them one by one. We are not who we are to judge our fellow filipinos. I hope this helped and It is an honor to comment on your blog. Thank you.
I think Filipinos would rather enjoy the reality of life when they see it rather than read it because we could easily adopt in the situation we are personally participating in but in contrast we only know a little of anything that is going around our country like the issues that affects our stand in the world community. In some views Filipinos read only what we want to read but the negative side of it is that like we are bias on our ownselves, yes we read but we do not go beyond that matter so it naturally some things does not matter to us at all in our own knowledge that is why, i think, that we are limited in pursuing more wisdom that we should acquire and unfortunatly it's also our own decision. Many students in the University does not read often, only quite a few would prefer it maybe it's their habbit or the book they are reading is suit to them and in theri respective colleges. There's nothing wrong in not reading, me, I knew Most of the Events in World War 2 and other significant dates and people in the History then I became interested with it then I sought much of it by watching and then when I became interested and intouched with it, I clarrified in books and I developed the love for that matter, now I am fascinated with all the significant things in history, I am anxious to read about them and I learned from them not like when someone asks you to read this particular subject, you get bored or something because you do not want the subject you are reading. For me it's enough to learn in the past in any way not just through reading and apply what I learned today and to the future because that is the source of my being, I will never know myself had I not fascinated with history because there I learned. But of course that is just an example, many circumstances may teach us to learn even without reading but of course we don't have to be book lovers, we can read anything we want so long as it is profitable to our mind and would teach us the lessons that we tend to forget everytime. In many unfortunate circumstances, many read but ignores the signifance and values of it and that costs the life of this Country and its people, you know who am I talking to. My point is, even though most of us are not used to in reading, at least we should try to be as human as possible.
i doooooon't get yooooooouuuuuuuuur pooooooooiiiiiint!
what the hell does world war II have to do with reading?
mali pa spelling mo nang habit. at hindi habit yun, hobby…
bobo!
OMG, I hope what you wrote here won't haunt you for the rest of your working life or whatever career you want to pursue in the future.
I guess I was lucky enough to have teachers who taught us the basics of cohesive writing.
Loving books is one thing, but if you learn nothing from it, then it is utterly irrelevant.
kevin right?
are you aware that there are almost 90+ million filipinos out there???
were you also aware that when you used the word "filipino", you are saying that all of us (yes including you) are illiterate and dumb?
i know what you feel, because on one side, i don't know why "SOME" filipinos hate reading.
but the next time that you are going to publish an article, be careful with the words you use. okay?
now, instead of insulting your own race, why don't you rather state some ways on how to help our dying passion for books?
the family and environment is one factor of developing this skill. even the goverment should be involved since they have such power to influence the people.
this article is almost 20 years ago. you should publish a new one so at least we can be informed of we are improving or not.
the philippines is a third world country. do you think that everyone can afford to buy books that are too expensive? when you read, it does not neccessarily need to be pocketbooks or so. newspapers and magazines will do. as long as the material you read contains substance in it, you are already reading.
the article opened the eyes of the many yet insulted some.
It is interesting to see how you love our race and defend it against negative ideas. But the article speaks about love for books and not merely reading very short pieces. And the point is, it is easy and fast to read a newspaper or a magazine but it needs extra patience to finish a single book. A good book for that matter. Moreover, the author did not mention anything about Filipinos being illiterate and dumb, just being not lovers of books.
as i've said in my previous blog, the article publish had been an eye-opener to the may and an insult to a few. we might have a 101 interpretations of the article and i have presented my side.
with that illiterate thing, sir did tell us that when we read we learn. and since we hate reading, we hate to learn. get the point?
p.s.
mas mura pala ito kesa sa text……=)
dito niyo na lang iparating ang inyong mga hinaing…
hahaha
Yeah you're exactly right about that. For we are different from one another, therefore, we have different ideologies.
But Miss Salvador, illiterate people do not know how to read and write. Not just non-lovers of books.
but our argument last thursday went that way. it all ended up with the illiteracy of the filipino people
Filipos are not book lovers…
as i read this article i noticed that some of the statements are true, but can you blame us filipinos if we are so called" not book lovers"? how sure are you that filipinos "hate" reading books???
maybe this are some of the factors that made you say that filipinos are not book lovers..maybe some of you think that poverty must not not be an excuse for this problem.
it starts in the formative years. Average filipino children do not have adequate reading materials.in our beloved country if you are studying in a normal public school. you will notice that 3 or 4 children even 5 are sharing in just a single book and the book is ot even new. do you think that filipinos are very proud that they are not so called "book lovers?" we are not proud that filipinos are book lovers if you may say. its just that filipinos are not given the opportunity to read those book that we might love to read, if we are provided with those.filipinos would have become book lovers. Filipino's did not want to be born below the povety line.All of you cannot blame filipinos if they use their money to buy food than to spend that money in buying book that cannot statisfy their families hunger. In the Philippines,everyday, average people here never stopped thingking on how to survive the day, the minimum wage in our country is not even enough to buy nutritious food for our family.people in this country wants to avail education for themselves,enjoy reading books,and be better individuals but because of this poverty some of our countrymen die without even knowing how to read and write
another comment how can you explain "sold out" books in the books stores? book supplies even ran out if supply even before its release because of the reservations if the exited readers that would want to have that book or the thrilled enthusiasts that would love to get that copy of the book and add it to their library at home? how can you explain thge foreign authors that became famous because a great number of filipinos that are so called not book lovers made the sales the sales high and made that author famous?
to wrap up , although the situations that i hav egiven are somewhat contradictory try to reflect .reflect before you judge. we are not as lucky as you are try
sorry fo the viloent reactions,typographical errors etc..
The article ,frankly i might say, is very convincing. I can totally relate it to what i see today. Although I am a book-lover, it seems that we Filipinos just don't like the idea of sitting down and grabbing a good book and reading it. We might read it, for a while then, when we become bored we stop. The way of ningas-cogon. Some of us just read books when we are bored and have nothing else to do, it is as if reading books are our last resort. I'm not referring to the idea of reading books as a "past time", but it is the purpose that has a problem. We read books as "pampalipas oras lang" not because we have an urge to know something different or to learn something. Another factor that i can see it we Filipinos want to see action instead of imagining actions like what we do when reading. Our economic status may also affect this. Some Filipinos would rather go and look for a job, thus having no time to read at all, or some can't even afford books to read. Maybe it's not really the books that we don't like, maybe its all in our interest to read and what to get in return. But I'm not in the right place to blame anyone. I am a Filipino sometimes guilty too. I'm not reacting solely as a student but also a citizen.
hahaha funny quote don't judge the book by its cover
hahaha!
go filipinos. patunayan niyong meron tayong ibubuga!
go go go go!
do not draw conclusion comming from your own perspective we have to do a lot of research before we say that a dog is actually a dog.. got the point???… at least conducts surveys that could provide a very much reliable data. try not to ask only your brain. try to explore and see for yourself the real action in this life. before you conclude think first until your mind gets the ultimate answer.. study study dtudy GODBLESS EVERYONE…
No matter how much I would want to believe that my country is a place where people sit once in a while with a good read and somehow forget, even just for that moment, all inhibitions and dilemmas, the truth of the matter is way too much to ignore.
I would not go all the way down to the past when early Filipinos had books as their means of rebellion against the oppressive countries that once dominated the Philippines; instead, it would be more appropriate too look at the current status of our love for reading at the present. Yes, I would have to admit and give credit to those who saw the beauty of reading back in the day, but this beautiful trait has, sad to say, vanished at the present.
With the rise of science and technology, when the world is practically at our fingertips, paperbacks and hardbounds has found themselves a mere thing of the past; to put it in the vernacular saying, "pupulutin na lang sila sa kangkungan."
Another sad fact is that when given the chance to explore the thousand majestic sights behind the doors that books open, what do most Filipinos do? More often than not, they take it for granted having that mentality, "why should I read the whole thing when I could click on a few buttons on the internet and every important detail scattered around the book would appear right in front of me instead?". Now this may sound like I have totally put all the blame on the internet and all the wonders it can give in a blink of an eye, the truth is even if it does play a big role on the situation, the finger, in the end, points squarely on us; the lack of interest, the choice to see reading as a big fat pain in the neck, the constant preoccupation with thousands of things to do, and perhaps the worst is the mere lack of interest, are some of the biting realities on why this country reached a state when it is so rare to see someone with a book with him.
But, to conclude that this country would never again have the kind of people who used books as their mightiest weapon in the spread of knowledge and of courage, at the time when it was held in the neck by its oppressors, would be too presumptous. I'd say there is still so much room for improvement and learning. Whatever problems that has risen because of our ignorance, could hopefully be corrected and, much better, be prevented in the future.
Right now, the biggest weight, if we want such image to be erased in the face of the Filipino race, is on the shoulders of the present generation; on the youth. If we want to change every bit of ugly reality that has come up in every aspect of our community, perhaps the best way to gear up is by gathering information and knowledge. And what do you know? All that we need is right in the pages of books; big or small.
well, i can say that most of pinoys are not book lovers but still some of us pinoys are bookworms and sometimes we can't blame pinoys who don't want to read especially if they were born in the computer age where in you will just seat, relax and have fun without any effort unlike in reading you need time, patience and endurance.
i think most young adults like me prefer reading magazines. some even prefer sexy mags, but we some really cant help reading such magazines because there are also meaningful and good entries in those magazine.
i'll be honest. i;m one of pinoys who doesn't want reading. i really find it kinda boring excet if there are drawings. but i still read good articles in magazines such as Men's fitness etc.
We should face the fact that most filipinos hate reading or should we say find reading boring especially now that technology is becoming more advance. we can't blame ourselves for not being booklovers for being one requires patience and pasiion for it.
I very much agree with the elicited thoughts as to why Filipinos are not book lovers since the conditions that are required in reading are not encompassed within our environment and culture. However, that can be just one of the factors affecting the prevalence of this phenomena since we cannot deny the reality that Filipinos see reading as more of an obligation rather than as a hobby or an interest worth venturing into. We can observe this in most of the schools that do not religiously encourage students to engage themselves in leisure-reading as they usually mold and prompt students to embark more on academic reading.
Oh, and in my opinion, the fact that some Filipinos love to read novels like Twilight and other popular contemporary works made known or popularized through mainstream media and trends does not entail that Filipinos love to read books. The selectivity of reading materials cannot always guarantee one’s “love" or "fondness" for reading 🙂
To start, I would like to comment on whoever wrote this article: Do not speak in general.
Now let's get the ball rolling…
I believe, being a book lover is an inevitable Filipino trait. When the books were introduced by the "colonizers", the indios strive to learn how to read. However, in this contemporary time, there are some factors that hamper Filipinos' interests in books.
I myself is a book lover (yes, I am…), but, as I stated in my premise, there are reasons that prevent me in pursuing my pleasure in reading. Books (unsmuggled) are quite expensive. For a regular straightened Filipino, it is an obvious act of stupidity to exchange daily necessity such as food, clothing, shelter, whathaveyou for books. For an example, the book "The Time Traveller's Wife" costs approximately Php500. This Php500 can feed a small-size family for a day or two. You may say: "Why don't they go to the library and borrow books?" Well, not all Filipinos have access to a library of some sort. Come to think of it: the indegenous people from the boondocks or the children of war-stricken Mindanao looking for a library.
Also, good (and I mean GOOD!) reading materials nowadays are difficult to find. Some bookstores are bombarded with books with really senseless stuffs (I really don't know how the author convinced the publisher to publish such mediocre texts). And I think, with these reason, Filipinos would definitely lost their interest on reading. Even the newspaper stalls were filled with tabloids for that matter.
That's it for now. There are a lot more obvious reasons I know, which I know you already know. LOL.
Filipino's interest in reading may fade, but the passion in reding will always be there.
(In compliance with the requirement in English 2…)
What do you mean by "book lovers"? Obviously, it refers to people who LOVE to read books. But it is different from those who JUST read and CAN read…
Personally speaking, I disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers. There are just some reasons that hinder Filipinos from reading.
One is, lack of education or those who are not able to study. Some Filipinos are incapable of reading because they weren't able to study due to some factors. I watched a documentary show and the topic was about children who can't read and write(impoverished children who work as garbage collectors). They were asked by the journalist: "Kung papipiliin ka, gusto mo bang mag-aral o ipagpatuloy na lang ang pagtratrabaho dito?" Most of them chose to study if ever there's a chance…They thirst for knowledge.They want to learn. They want to have a better future but because of some pitiful reasons they can't achieve their dreams and aspirations in life.
Another reason is, nowadays, books are so expensive. An example is "Harry Potter" which estimatedly costs around 500 pesos. Not everyone can afford to buy these expensive books and not everyone has admittance/access in the library. I have experienced this. When "Twilight" came into trend, I really wanted to buy one but it was expensive. If you will apply this situation with the impoverished people, they will rather just spend the money for food, clothing, shelter and other important/survival necessities.
There are other factors that hinder Filipinos from reading but I won't elaborate them more. I just want to point out that Filipinos are, indeed, book lovers. Knowledge is what we desire. We all want to discover and learn new things in life and in order to acquire it, it involves READING.
You can't say that a certain group of people is not a book lover, it's just depend on what book they want to read. In accordance with the national development on reading, we should really read a lot about a certain topic that we are engage on. All of us do not contain the same taste to all many books that had been produced. It depends on the people if they want to read or not as some other comments said, he is not part of the subject. If we are talking about self development, there are many factors other than reading that we can lean upon. In these times technological advancement made a direct way in learning everything but of course all what we have learn came from the written records that we should always remember. And of course, one thing why most of the Filipinos don't read much is that the text is in English. Sounds funny. Conduct a research maybe I am right.
"And of course, one thing why most of the Filipinos don’t read much is that the text is in English." Don’t you think this is pretty much the reason why we have been labeled as non-lovers of books? Okay then, conduct a survey to prove whether you’re right or wrong, but will they read books of Jose Rizal that are 60 or more chapters long because it is written in our language?
It's so sad to know that we Filipinos do not love to read books. And that there may come a time when the Filipinos will mentally deteriorate because of not reading books.
When I was a kid, I really loved reading books because I was inspired by mom whenever she reads me a book before going to sleep.
I would pick a book to read then abruptly imagine the things that are happening in the story. It was so fun because you get to imagine first hand what the characters look like or what they're doing. And the places that the story revolves in.
But as I grew older, little by little I started to have difficulty in reading books. First is because because of our technology nowadays, we have audio books so why bother read it if you can listen to it. Second because of so many distractions that I don't have the time to read. Lastly, I am very particular when it comes to reading books. I don't like books that talk about the so much serious things.
Although I said that I don't have time to read books, I am now trying to find time to read books because reading should be thought of something as a productive activity, that we can learn from and not bored of.
For me, most of the Filipinos are not book lovers. I really think that Filipinos would only read books if the instance comes that they really need to read a book. Typical Filipinos would not really bother to read a book in their daily lives especially when they have more important things to do or would have things that would entertain them more. Some Filipinos would , yes, read books for entertainment but there are a few. Some of them would only dare to touch a book if there would be nothing left to do. Some would read a book because the book or the author is famous. There are more reasons why Filipinos seldom read books, but i think the most prominent reason is that most of the books nowadays are pricey. Filipinos would not buy books before anything else and would not be even in their priority list.
I think most Filipinos find the idea of reading a book quite intimidating. It is mentioned in this article that "Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be."
But by saying that "Filipinos are not book lovers," we should also consider the genre of the book. I have noticed that Filipinos love entertainment, especially those that will make them laugh. When I go to the Entertainment section of the bookstore where Pinoy comics and joke books are placed, it is often the busiest. The "most recent" published books are even sold out. We can say that those avid Pinoy Entertainment books supporters can be considered book lovers.
Also, the influence of media (especially the Internet), I think, have improved Filipinos' views on reading. I know non-book lovers who started reading some books because of their popularity, and they have somehow developed a love for reading.
hoy blando!!!!!
hindi ka si ninoy aquino!!!
bumalik ka na sa planetang pinagmulan mo!!!
hey blandoooo! don't you think you should study english first because it's our second language before proceeding to any other? your grammar sucks!
Filipinos are not book lovers…..
I somehow agree and disagree to this article. I agree because one, it's a result of the social status of our fellow "kababayans" that they could not afford to buy even a single book, some could hardly go to school. In this country, survival is the most important thing, if they could eat at least once or twice a day it will be ok for them not paying attention to their kids education. But I think poverty is not a hindrance to learn, if one really wants to learn he/she will find ways. Second is the lack of parental guidance, now, parents are so busy earning money so as a result they forget to attend to their children. Parents should push their children to read GOOD books or they should be models to their children. Third is the person's own choice, Filipinos tend to complain whenever they scanned a thick book or whenever their teachers asked them to read. Again as I said earlier, it's their choice but I hope this will change because what we learn in the books we read is one of our passport to the world market or to adopt to the changes in this modernized country. Fourth is our acquired habits, instead of reading academic books, teens are more into surfing the net and playing computer games. This is one of the disadvantages of technology to us.
I disagree because as a student, I travel a lot everyday, going to other places I still don't know but I noticed that everywhere I go I see people holding newspapers and other materials. This will only prove that Filipinos are into reading. And in this modern time, movies based on books are now becoming popular and people, of course, want to 'go with the flow' so they buy books and read it and converse with their friends about it. Although, we tend to appreciate foreign books, still we are reading books. Who said that Filipinos don't go to bookstores? Actually, we do, why do bookstores say that they are out of stock? it's because the books have been bought and were in demand. This only shows that we, Filipinos are book lovers.
Reading books is very important. I think Filipinos know this idea because no matter how hard our lives could be we still want to learn even in the smallest way we could like reading newspapers or other easy to read materials.
One wouldn't be able to reach his/her destination without reading.
I hope that all of you will realize that KEVIN PAQUET did NOT WROTE THE ARTICLE HERE, the original source has been added to the footer.
To all who criticize the article to be biased and very harsh, please, read it again and you will realize that it isn't the author, more importantly it isn't Kevin Paquet who said that Filipinos are dumb, but according to other people who have been involved in the post through the research of the original content provider, thank you.
We cannot blame other people telling that we are not book lovers maybe because they seldom or have never seen a Filipno reading a book. Well, I'm not a reader myself but saying that Filipino are not book lovers kinda made me a little sad because, I cannot say all, but a lot of Filipinos have this fond of reading. In observing this situations, we shouldn't just limit ourselves with books. Newspapers, magazines, etc, we can see Filipinos reading these materials, for teenagers, they have this fond of reading magazines, some of them are collectors of magazines and there's a good in that. It's just there are factors in present in Filipino society of today that makes it kinda difficult for Filipinos to read or open books, but that doesn't say that Filipinos don't love books. In my perspective, I think that Filipinos love reading.
As I read the article, It made me realize that we have so much that we need to prove to others. Well, I'm not that of a reader myself, yet I'm not saying that I hate reading, but I do know the importance of reading, my father always reminds me the importance of reading and other things, It's just that I only read what I'm interested in and if it's needed to be read for example, for the purpose of homeworks. I hope that whoever reads this article will be able to realize that reading don't take much our time just for nothing, it gives us something that is best in return.
For me, it’s a 50% agree and 50% disagree. I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers in a way that we, Filipinos use the free time to watch movies and television or any other form of entertainment instead of reading books. Some Filipinos today will not waste their free time just to read piles of books instead they prefer going to the malls and theme parks. A good example is in the line for registration for election, we know that it is so long and people are really bored waiting for their turn to register. But in the line, we rarely see people reading while waiting. Maybe 5 out of the hundred people waiting are the only people who read. That only shows that some Filipinos want nothing to do than reading books.
But on the other hand, I can still see Filipinos who are really book lovers. Let's start from our classroom. Most of my classmates read books especially novels; they borrow each other’s book if one already finished reading it. How about in the other rooms? I'm sure that in every room there would be a lot of students who also loves reading. It only counts our building in UST and how about the other buildings inside of UST and the other schools in the Philippines. Let’s also add each house in the Philippines that one of the members of the family would love reading. Isn’t enough to say that Filipinos love reading books, not only books but also newspapers and magazines? Maybe we don’t just see them reading. We don’t know how these people we see in public read books in their home.
I think, we don’t have to include ALL the Filipinos. Maybe it’s more appropriate to say that only some of Filipinos.
Filipinos are not book lovers? It may be true for now. Let me repeat it, it may be true for now.
As a Korean who studied in here, Philippines, for more than 5 years and 8 months, I agree with that right now most of the Filipinos don't read books. I don't think that I had a friend who likes to sit and read books for hours for a day.
But I don't agree with that Filipinos will never become book readers.
I don't know if you've been to a lot of countries or what, but in South Korea, too, have bookstore every street just like Japan. But does it mean that Koreans before, about 20-30 years ago, were book lovers? I don't think so.
Those Korean people I met in Philippines who are on the same generations with my parents and grand parents, they usually say "Philippines is just like Korea in 1970's-1980's. A lot of homeless people, not really arranged transportation system, cost of items, jobs of people, etc.
So by this empirical data, we never know if Philippines will develop like Korea or Japan in 20-30 years or may be in shorter period. No one knows the future. So I disagree with that Filipinos can never be book lovers.
And just because that there are a lot of bookstores in Korea and Japan, it doesn't mean that all the Koreans and Japanese are book lovers. My friends in korea? They like to hang out with friends more than to read books at home. But well, they read the books that they like. Because it is so easy to get, and the cost is not really something to be concerned about. But in Philippines, it's hard to find bookstores, and the costs are really expensive.
So it would be much better if you say Filipinos are having hard time to be friends with books, not that Filipinos hate books.
And you said Filipinos can't keep quiet? Oh come on. No teenager wants to keep quiet for a long time! They like to enjoy every moment! Not only Filipinos, but other people in this world too!
So I conclude that, MOST OF THE Filipinos may not be book lovers for now, but I say Filipinos CAN BE BOOK LOVERS.
Filipinos are not book lovers…..
I somehow agree and disagree to this article. I agree because one, it’s a result of the social status of our fellow “kababayans” that they could not afford to buy even a single book, some could hardly go to school. In this country, survival is the most important thing, if they could eat at least once or twice a day it will be ok for them not paying attention to their kids education. But I think poverty is not a hindrance to learn, if one really wants to learn he/she will find ways. Second is the lack of parental guidance, now, parents are so busy earning money so as a result they forget to attend to their children. Parents should push their children to read GOOD books or they should be models to their children. Third is the person’s own choice, Filipinos tend to complain whenever they scanned a thick book or whenever their teachers asked them to read. Again as I said earlier, it’s their choice but I hope this will change because what we learn in the books we read is one of our passport to the world market or to adopt to the changes in this modernized country. Fourth is our acquired habits, instead of reading academic books, teens are more into surfing the net and playing computer games. This is one of the disadvantages of technology to us.
I disagree because as a student, I travel a lot everyday, going to other places I still don’t know but I noticed that everywhere I go I see people holding newspapers and other materials. This will only prove that Filipinos are into reading. And in this modern time, movies based on books are now becoming popular and people, of course, want to ‘go with the flow’ so they buy books and read it and converse with their friends about it. Although, we tend to appreciate foreign books, still we are reading books. Who said that Filipinos don’t go to bookstores? Actually, we do, why do bookstores say that they are out of stock? it’s because the books have been bought and were in demand. This only shows that we, Filipinos are book lovers.
Reading books is very important. I think Filipinos know this idea because no matter how hard our lives could be we still want to learn even in the smallest way we could like reading newspapers or other easy to read materials.
One wouldn’t be able to reach his/her destination without reading.
I am a Filipino and I consider myself as a book lover.
Isn't it a bit foolish for a person to generalize people with accordance to his/her perception about a certain thing or phenomena? No offense, but in my opinion, I think this blog generalizes Filipinos as not book lovers. In that case, people who read this can conclude right away that the author of this blog, a Filipino himself, is not a book lover. It makes sense, right? To mock a group of people wherein you yourself is included is a tad bit hypocritical.
The author does have a point about the state of our Filipino writers; they are unsupported and would starve if they depended solely on literary writing. But isn’t it wrong to compare our time with the time of Virginia Woolf? Aren’t Filipinos just being practical nowadays? For instance, a mother who has five (5) children and is an illegal settler has only enough money to support her family for a day. Would she sacrifice her family’s survival just to buy a novel which she wanted? I think not. It’s practicality. We all know how the Philippines is, we aren’t that rich of a nation. Also, it doesn’t mean that if you don’t read books or you are unable to read books, you are not a book lover. Isn’t it up to the person to decide if he/she is a book lover?
Another generalization made by the author is how Filipinos perceive books. I’m a Filipino and I don’t hate solitude, I most especially don’t hate ideas. It’s degrading to hear that from a fellow Filipino, this is what you perceive of us.
Yes, reading is importance but it isn’t the only source of knowledge and information. We are modernized people; there are a lot of new ways to be up to date. Still, I do have a great respect to reading. Heck, without reading, where would we Pol Sci majors be? 😛 Let us try to be open-minded individuals. And kuddos to reading! 🙂
being a book lover are u satisfied? frances katrina arsua! 😀 living in paranaque? am i right? 😀 mztah na kat? haha pinapabasa lang sa akin nang friend ko to e! tas nkta ko name mo! haaha 😀 gara amf! 🙂 ge ngatz
I think the article is too negative. Yeah, I agree that there are really Filipinos who doesn’t seem to enjoy reading, but the article seems to imply that all Filipinos don’t like reading books or any reading material there is. Then how can you explain the people I know, unfortunately Filipinos, who enjoy reading, the Filipinos that I see bothering to go to bookstores just to buy books (rich and not), and all those who I actually see reading? The article is talking too generally. It’s too impossible to talk that way, I believe. Though I think that isn’t actually the point of this article. Yeah, I guess many Filipinos don’t actually appreciate reading, the silence, the solitude, making you think so much, and all that. Yes, I absolutely think that this would lead us nowhere near a country so well like those rich countries. I must say, I am also not an absolute book lover, because I only read to mostly satisfy curiosity or when I actually enjoy the story. So I totally can’t say I don’t enjoy reading and there’s just something about this article that I can’t totally agree with. It’s really a sad fact that there are Filipinos who are not fond of reading, and they think reading is for geeks not for cool people, who they think they are. And not to mention the Filipinos with positions in the society who think they know so much, but then they actually stink in reading books. Yes, it makes me puke so much! Really something to be shameful about.
So here it is again though, the article is really too negative. There would definitely be a lot of Filipinos who would strongly oppose to this, book lovers especially. You just can’t talk so generally when it is still obvious that there are actually a lot of Filipinos who love reading so much that it makes them whole in their own sense.
except of course the band of Filipinos the article is talking about at the end part.. I disregarded them in my comment.
After reading the article, I find it hard to tell whether I agree or disagree with the it. I agree with the article not for the same reasons presented. In my opinion, though those reasons hold true, they are somewhat petty to the point that they are seemingly based on flimsy grounds. First, I don't agree with the title itself, that Filipinos are not booklovers. They are, as a matter of fact. It is just that, these books are unavailable to them, out of their reach. Why? Then comes the role of the government in promoting the welfare of the people. They collect high taxes, we have the EVAT, but do the people see where these taxes go? No. Take a look at the nearest library. The books found there aren't even updated, for crying out loud! Another thing is that, it's hard to borrow books from the local library. Even harder to take one out. So you see, it is not entirely the Filipinos' fault that we are not inclined to reading. They think that it's too much of a burden, rather than a source of pleasure and enjoyment. Another factor could be our activities and lifestyle. What we choose to do. What we have to do. Instead of picking up newspapers to read relevant information about the world they live in, Filipinos would rather go out in the streets, tumambay sa kalye and talk with the other tambays, gossip, drink and gamble. An even if they do pick up something to read, these would be tabloids like Toro, Bulgar, Bandera and the likes just so they could read the lewd contents of these (no offense intended). Also, they are so busy working, doimg what to them are more important things that they don't even have the time to read. They think that, what they'll read, they can always see on TV or get to search on Google. In these changing times, everything's just so fast paced. Fast food. Quickies (sorry for the term, but to show my point, I have to use it). One night stands. Fast cars. Easy money. Google. What am I trying to tell you? That Filipinos, like all other people, lack the patience to sit still or lie down for hours, or days, and flip pages of a 543-page book. Also, with all the political instability and threats of terrorism coming from Mindanao, Filipinos would want a break from these. They want entertainment, and that's what pocketbooks (like Precious Hearts Romances and whatnot), online networking sites (Facebook, Multiply, Twitter, Friendster, hi5, MySpace, whatever), gag shows, movies, et cetera. They don't want to tire their eyes anymore, in Pinoy speak, magdugo ang ilong sa pagbabasa ng mga libro't artikulong mahirap namang maintindihan.
Filipinos are booklovers. They have this insatiable hunger for learning. Why else would buying and selling secondhand books in the streets of Recto and along Baguio's Elliptical Road flourish if not for this fondness of reading? Why else would bookstores have numerous branches all over the country? In some places here, there are even three bookstores side by side with each other. So you see now, we are a nation of people who enjoy reading. It's just that, there are many factors that hinder some of us from doing so, or acquiring a liking for it. 🙂
What do you mean by “book lovers”? Obviously, it refers to people who LOVE to read books. But it is different from those who JUST read and CAN read…
Personally speaking, I disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers. There are just some reasons that hinder Filipinos from reading.
One is lack of education or those who are not able to study. Some Filipinos are incapable of reading because they weren’t able to study due to some factors. I watched a documentary show and the topic was about children who can’t read and write (impoverished children who work as garbage collectors). They were asked by the journalist: “Kung papipiliin ka, gusto mo bang mag-aral o ipagpatuloy na lang ang pagtratrabaho dito?” Most of them chose to study if ever there’s a chance…They thirst for knowledge. They want to learn. They want to have a better future but because of some pitiful reasons they can’t achieve their dreams and aspirations in life.
Another reason is, nowadays, books are so expensive. An example is “Harry Potter” which estimated costs around 500 pesos. Not everyone can afford to buy these expensive books and not everyone has admittance/access in the library. I have experienced this. When “Twilight” came into trend, I really wanted to buy one but it was expensive. If you will apply this situation with the impoverished people, they will rather just spend the money for food, clothing, shelter and other important/survival necessities.
There are other factors that hinder Filipinos from reading but I won’t elaborate them more. I just want to point out that Filipinos are, indeed, book lovers. Knowledge is what we desire. We all want to discover and learn new things in life and in order to acquire it, it involves READING.
It is actually DID NOT WRITE, Miss. 🙂 And yes, you are right.
Well, it is your opinion that Filipinos are not book lover. Base on your own perception. It may be true or not. You may have basis of this in order to come up with this article. But, it is limited. You cannot simply judge all Filipinos. You can just simply say that most of us Filipinos are not book lovers. You have offended those who truly love reading. Even though you are partly right, it doesn't mean that all of us are not book lovers. It is inappropriate to use 'Filipinos' which includes us all.. I am positive that most of us love reading books but you just don't see them reading. You have no right to judge everyone. In this article, there is no assurance that you are really right. But as I said, that is your opinion. That is how you look at Filipinos. Maybe this would help most of us who thinks this is true. This may enlighten the minds of most Filipinos who hate reading books.
Reading books require more time, understanding, patience and attention. Thus, more effort compared to watching our favorite films, TV shows, etc. But it surely gives us more ideas since media nowadays tend to be more absurd and repetitive. However, Filipino’s tardiness when it comes to reading, I say, cannot be the main reason of the Philippines not being “ahead of the game”.
I would like to stress the part that struck me most. It was pointed out in some way that reading is the secret of a country’s success. We cannot blame the leaders who do not spend time reading books for the failure of this country to respond to the needs of its people. There are many other things to be considered in ruling a country like the leadership and the proper use of power.
Not being fond of reading can be shameful in some way because this can be an indication of the literacy of the people belonging in our country. But there are more things that our country can be proud of. We have rich culture and bountiful natural resources.
Not agreeing to what this article states does not mean that Filipinos do not anymore need to read books. I am plainly stating that it is not right to blame this tardiness to why this country has become under developed.
For my own opinion, Filipinos do read books and we even treasure them because "we are book lovers".
But sad to say most of the Filipino people spend much of their time on non-educational readings. Magazines, Fictional Stories, Romantic Novels, Tabloids, and so on.
Well as you can see, reading these things is more interesting than the books we used at our school. I am sure that most of us do enjoy reading science fictions and love stories because they can easily catch our attention. The can give us excitement for what to expect next as the story unravels. Honestly speaking, I also do enjoy these kinds of readings.
We cannot deny that some Filipinos are lazy and spend much of their time doing nothing, but if they do something, expect that they'll be reading these things. As I repeat, they are far more interesting and this is what we enjoy more.
As far as I can see, we do love books. But sometimes I also feel reading school books are somehow boring. It makes our head ache for spending much of our time thinking and thinking just to understand what we are reading. But don't you dare say that We Filipinos are not Book Lovers because I'm telling all of you right now, we do love read a lot, but it's our decision on what we are going to read and what is not.
And even though we are not book lover as the author of this article said, that doesn't mean that we Filipinos cannot spend time with our books for many days. I'm sure that many of us doesn't have spare time to read books and maybe that's the first thing we should know before saying that We are not Book Lovers.
Therefore I will end my discussion and I will say this again,
Filipinos are Book Lovers.
We Filipinos are not so pond of reading. It is clearly manifested in the surrounding we have nowadays. We can barely see bookstores and people buying books. Most of us are only obliged to buy and read books for academic purposes. But considering reading as a habit is a big NO. Majority of Filipinos read newspaper which is full of showbiz news. For books, the best selling is the precious romances pocket books. If we will try to analyze, these are not really educational or informative. This kind of reading materials are not for the betterment of our mind and thinking as an individual. How pathetic that there are Filipinos who are really brilliant in writing but here in our country they are not appreciated. The worst is that our government is ruled by people who are not literally educated.
Well, I agree that most Filipinos are not book lovers, including myself….
Reading and writing books, journals, articles and the like has been one of the least discussed issues in the Philippines, except for the part of the academe. The world of today is largely consumed and preoccupied with dealing with larger problems, such as poverty, environmental concerns, trade, financial capacity, labor and many of the same character. However, without due notice, disagreeing with the blog posted about a general statement as Filipinos not being book lovers, the solutions to the prevalent problems of the country that the government and the individual citizens of the Philippines pose and utter are opinions, ideas and thoughts that were written or was already realized by writers and scholars, therefore, these people to some extent must have some sort of reading habits. It might be irregular, it might not be highly academic, but in some point in time they must have read.
Most commonly in people of unfortunate status, for example, encounter newspapers, magazines, pocket books.
Book lovers? What is in books? Why do we classify Filipinos as having this sense of not wanting to read, while reading is not only confined in books. Perhaps the most variety of information helpful in practical life would be time magazines or my personal favorite, the economist.
What I am simply trying to say is, people have a variety of interests and this interests, most often than not, are products of the present or current situation as well as the trend in their environment. Being a ‘developing nation’, the people of our country is highly focused with growth, hoping to alleviate their lives from poverty, therefore, a high regard is given in production and a focus to the market economy. Since in such a globalized society opens the possibility for non educated people with great skills to better their economic status, which is mainly the focus of almost everybody today.
Although this circumstance causes people to read less, it does not mean that it is right for us to give a general statement of people living in countries are this and that. Everywhere in the world, in every country, there are really people who love reading and do not love reading.
Based on my personal observation and experience, Filipinos love to read, especially when given the opportunity to do so. Most people living in the country might not have the available measures and capacities in order to encounter books. But they do like to read.
Try visiting the number of coffee house in the country, with only one coffee, young ones spend more hours than what they pay for.
Try looking at the poor, who sees education as a means to go a level higher to where one is.
Try to observe around you, the Philippines is one of the countries who most value education, it is one of the prejudices mostly found in the work place. In order to be hired, one looks up to graduates of UP, Ateneo, UST and the like. We compare schools, almost everybody knows the good schools.
Try to examine the United States, Americans come to the country and we look at them like ahhhhhhh or wow, but I tell most of them are military men, most of them did not finish college, most of them did not go to Harvard, Princeton or Yale, but they know how to go around lives because their country, their government gives them the opportunity to have a good life even without the hardship of education.
For this reason we should note that the people of our country are pone of the book lovers of the world.
Honestly, I am not a booklover, a certified booklover. But whenever I find a book that suits my interest on a bookstore (especially when it has the cheapest price) and got enough money, I buy it. But after buying it, it takes a week or a month for me to start reading it. I only find time to read it whenever I have a vacation, nothing to do, or I am bored.
Filipinos are not booklovers…I have two sides on this issue and I get to agree and disagree. First, I agree because what the author had stated in this article was partly true. Like the first one that he mentioned that instead of bookshop teeming around the city, it was beauty parlors mushrooming in every corner.
I also get to agree with him that poverty is not the reason why Filipinos do not intend to read books all the time. Take Andres Bonifacio as an example. Poverty has not been a hindrance to him to study by himself and to read books late at night after a day’s hard work.
Another point is that reading a book takes a lot of time and patience. You cannot understand what you are reading if you will just read it without imagining and understanding every word and line.
But aside from these, I get to disagree with the other points that the author has mentioned and whenever I read the article all over again, I keep questioning myself. Like what has been mentioned is “when non-readers like Imelda Marcos get positions of power.” I am not defending Imelda Marcos nor anyone else but it is not stated in the Constitution that people in power should be booklovers and should be seen reading a book from cover to cover. It is enough that he/she knows how to read and write.
Are all politicians who are booklovers, take reading as a hobby and are seen reading a book from cover to cover the best public servants in the country?
Another is that Filipinos got a lot of ideas and it does not mean that the ideas will not sink in your mind if you are not a booklover. Another is it is not appropriate to call Filipinos not booklovers and “will go from being primitive, without ever having been civilized enough to read books.” ALL Filipinos read books but not all can be considered as booklovers. It is such that they do not consider reading as a hobby. Not being a booklover, for me, is not a shameful act for us. It is such that not all of us prefer it as a part of leisure time.
The last point that I want to address the author is that the article, for me, obviously insults and criticizes Filipinos. Is not being a booklover a shameful act? Is not being a booklover degrades oneself?
Well, I don't totally agree with the author's view because I, myself is not a book lover but there are times that reading books are getting into me. It's just that he generalized. Not all Filipinos are not book lovers. I know a lot of people who spend their money and time to read and digest what they are reading.
Yes, it's true that some of the Filipinos are not paying much attention to books. They find it more entertaining to watch telenovelas and do other stuff instead of giving their time to books. But still, it isn't right to tag us as not book lovers.
“It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers “
I think this statement was too much. You must also consider the factors that may be the reason why SOME of the Filipinos aren't into books that much. For an instance, they are maybe busy with some other things and they can't find time to read books.
And what's with Imelda Marcos' part there in the article that she's not a non-reader because she wasn't seen reading a book from cover to cover? And because of that she is not fit to be in position? C'mon! Is that the only basis of a good leader? And what's a “non-reader” to you?
Not all readers have to be in solitude in order to absorb what they are reading. Filipinos are always curious so they always want to learn. We read books because we know that we will get ideas from what we are reading and we could earn knowledge.
I agree on most of the statements here. Its sad but true that most filipinos prefer doing other things other than reading. But I disagree on the part with the filipinos using their personalities instead of ideas. Filipinos have a big and wide imagination, it just depends on whut the topic is all about. The youth nowadays are more interested and occupied with social networking sites and games. Filipinos like doing stuff that would make them feel seen rather than being alone in a room reading a book. Filipinos should read a book because reading can really change the world.
When my English professor told us to read this article, I was literally insulted. The reason being, I am a self-confessed book lover. Then upon reading the article when I got home, I saw that it was written 23 years ago. I completely agree that 23 years ago, Filipino book lovers were rare. Especially since the first People Power happened a year before. Filipinos were more concerned with holding guns and shields rather than Shakespeare or Dickens. Come modern times, however, things changed. I know people who come to SM not to buy clothes or shoes but to buy books. They drag me inside the Book Sale and we stay there for about 30 minutes. Nowadays, people aren't that interested in movies or TV shows anymore, they prefer the solitude, silence and ideas books have to offer them. Today, most TV shows and movies are made from book adaptations like Twilight or The Vampire Diaries. Sure, they made millions but most people still stick by the books. A friend of mine even told me that a certain movie massacred the characters of the book she was reading. She preferred the character in her head than on the screen.
A lot of things can happen within a time span of 23 years. Anything can change or stay the same. Maybe now, there'd be another blog. Filipinos: Self confessed, addicted, devoted, predisposed, loyal book lovers. Now that is worth a five star rating. Have a nice day!
Reading this article, I do not know if I will be amused or quizzical about the ideas presented. Well, I admit that some facts regarding the Filipino culture are true, yet, some I find myself worth disagreeing.
Will Filipinos never become book readers? I tell you what. I'm an avid book reader myself, and I believe that there are millions of Filipinos out there doing just the same thing as what I do.
And who said that all book readers love solitude? Look around you and you'll see it doesn't seem to be like that. It's just a matter of time management and balance on our environment.
I certainly have a mini library in my own room which contains books about literature, history, fiction- you name it. I love reading, yet I always have time for my social life.
One of the main problems of us, people, is that we always focus on the pessimistic side of the situation, and change the pronoun 'some' to 'all'. Filipinos, although one race, are individually different in personality. This is without doubt not a 'One band, one sound' theme about passion for books.
I believe that Filipinos has still the urge for reading only that the economic stability of the country hinders everything. What we see doesn't mean that the panorama is exactly like that. There a re many things we actually do not know yet so don't pretend that you know damn well all the Filipino citizens in every corner of this country. This place is bigger than we think!
Not all Filipinos are not book lovers, there are still some who likes to read books. Its also true that most of the Filipinos wants to watch television or hangout than reading books. Another is that, nowadays, students use the internet in researching than going to the library.
I couldn't agree more.
Nowadays, people the youth especially teenagers are more occupied with social networking sites and other things rather than reading. I mean, who would bother to sit in silence with a book with a minimum average of two inches thick without pictures and words incomprehensible enough for them to go grab good 'ol dictionary and browse for the words, I can even bet that those readers wouldn't even bother getting through a fourth of that book. On the contrary, at some point they do love to read? And what might those reading materials be? Tabloids, Magazines, and other nonsensical things. I don't tag the Filipino youth as lazy but simply the lack of interest.
I can't even imagine how some prefer tabloids over the standard newspaper. One thing explains it all. Entertainment. Its true that you get something more from tabloids and magazines but sometimes these texts maybe nonsensical or harmful in a sense that it might be false information. I also think that students are not motivated enough to read. The reason why they prefer magazines and as reading materials its because they can relate to different articles.
In that sense they fail to notice that literary works such as novels are related at some point with reality. That I think should be the goal of the schools in order for them to encourage readers. Another thing is that they should emphasize the saying "don't judge a book by its cover" LITERALLY. I have noticed people my age go in and out of the bookstore checking the front and back of the book and seemingly measuring its width then when discontented they return the book on the shelf.
Another thing is its effects on the youth, as we know the children today will be the leaders of tomorrow. So in a sense how can you let a person lead or work when he/she is impatient for starters. The impatience a person has in simply reading a book has a whole lot to do when he/she is put in a different situation that requires patience. Or simply the critical mindedness developed in reading (reading beyond the lines) that may be applied in making tactics. These are some of the skills developed in reading that would be more useful in the maturing days of a person and I personally think that above all interest should be awaken since you can't force a person to do something that is out of his/her boundaries.
I'm not saying this to degrade my fellow teenagers, Its just if we could spend our money on movies and hang outs, then all the more we can spend our time sitting down even for a while and read.
Filipinos do not read and love books. How true could this statement be? As a Filipino, I cannot say that the said statement is a fallacy. Why? Let us admit it, we, Filipinos have a very short attention span and are easily bored. We would always want to be on our feet, move around, see and explore things. Widening our horizon in terms of discovering new ideas and information is not a bad idea for it leads to learning. Now, the real question is, why would a Filipino not want to dig out pieces of information and unearth hidden treasures in education through reading? There are certain advantages when it comes to reading. Who does not want the luxury of traveling and seeing the world at its best? All of us want to, but only a few are blessed to have the means to set eyes on places on earth wherein we can learn the culture of others and learn how to adapt and mix well with people of all walks of life. In reading, we can go to places and absorb the place's riches through the enticing words that may bring us to another world to be explored. Also, I do not believe that Filipinos will never become book readers. Filipinos are always willing to learn.We all have the freedom to express ourselves as Filipinos and respect should be practiced by the ones we share ourselves with. I still believe that most of the great people come from the Philippines. We, Filipinos, excel in our chosen fields and that is achieved by READING-believe it or not.
I agree with what the article tries to point out. With this era of social networking sites, online games, fast paced lifestyle, and all sorts of "entertainment and leisure", books are completely ignored (unless if it's a school textbook). In this generation, majority of Filipinos are rarely seen with a book (i.e. novels, literary anthologies, etc.), instead, cellular phones, iPods, game consuls, and others we can lay our hands on are the things we see usually in a common Philippine setting, which leaves almost every Filipino ignorant what is going on with the world.
With this ignorance, Filipinos are going backwards while other neighboring countries are progressing, thanks to their preservation of their literature that helped them to be what they are now. This ignorance is completely evident with the rise of the jejemon freaks who slowly deteriorates our own language, because they didn't like the idea of reading a good book to increase their vocabulary (and awareness to the world), which those people leads us to terrible embarrassment.
Sadly, even our society suffered from their own ignorance that one day it will destroy our civilization. Because of our ignorance, we fail to have the sense of observance on the things that is happening at this point, which by this observance, we may come up with solutions that may help us prosper, thanks to a good old-fashioned book.
Sadly, I have to say that some of the observations made by Mr. Paquet are true. Speaking as a book-lover and a writer, the lack of interest in literature in our country is staggeringly alarming. Let me rephrase that: the lack of interest in GOOD literature in our country is staggeringly alarming, as I have lost count of how many teens have protested that they do indeed read, as they have devoured Stephenie Meyer's sad excuse for a vampire saga.
But I digress.
I have no idea whether the facts presented in this blog are indeed facts. All I'm offering is what I see everyday. The person next to me in the LRT loudly complains about being forced to read a novel for his literature class. The only piece of reading material a certain girl in my class has ever read is a copy of Candy magazine. The annoying cheater sitting next to my friend only ever reads character profiles on DOTA.
There exists a really, really sad notion that reading is "uncool" or "lame", as it implies you are boring, have no social life, and nothing better to do with your time. I vehemently (and quite violently) disagree with this. Some of my friends have Fridays and Saturdays that are anything BUT boring, and yet these people are some of the most voracious readers I know.
Of course, this is not true for EVERYONE. There is a persistently growing number of people who realize that reading is an important part of ANY life, and there is indeed hope that this group will keep on multiplying. It's as John Tayabas said, "do not mourn for our culture for it is not dead, merely asleep". 🙂
On another note, I would just like to ask UST AB 2009 freshmen taking English 2–were we ALL given the same assignment? 😀
Jarvis Edmond L. Cubelo English2
1POl2
“Filipinos are not book lovers”, a statement that many of us Filipinos would not agree with. However, there might be a little truth behind this statement that we Filipinos are not book lovers. There may be some factors that could affect not our capacity to read because Filipinos are not only used to speaking the language, but also reading it. Even the “balut” vendor who probably only finished lower school has the capacity to talk to people in English, and what about those maids who love to read pocket books on love of course in English. The possible factors instead would affect our habit towards reading and the time that we would spend doing it. One good example is our interest in new technological innovations like the internet that in effect makes us spend lots of hours on opening our facebook accounts or checking out what’s going on with the world in twitter instead of spending time in reading a three hundred page book! We Filipinos are known to be jolly and friendly people and the usual choice between the “barkada” calling you out to play a good game of basketball or watching movies and being alone to read a book is without a doubt the more enjoyable one, the barkada, I also sometimes feel that our country is already so full of poverty and economic and political problems and the fact that every Filipino child not yet born has a debt from the Americans that makes us believe that we have a lot of more important work to do than reading a book that reading one would mean wasted time that is intended for work, unlike the other countries whose people could sit back and enjoy a good book because they always have their government to take care of them.
These are just insights and feelings that a normal Filipino 17 year old boy like me would feel. It is not my fault that I feel like that. Waking up every morning to see another day of poverty would truly give me negative ideas on the average Filipino’s status. A person who reads a good book is perceived as “sosyal” by the poorer people because that would mean that that person has money to buy an expensive book not having to worry about the money that is spent for food. Despite all this, to say that Filipinos are not book loving people is wrong because we are not only jolly and friendly and busy, hardworking and impoverished people. We Filipinos, after being enslaved by other nations, and surviving gruesome years under a tyrant and still having to face the consequences of our dreadful past, have that common and unending thirst for success and a better life. This is why we study hard, this is why we dream of being lawyers and doctors and all the other things that we think will give us the good life without poverty, and our love for learning through the most basic way of reading books is a part of it.
Jarvis Edmond L. Cubelo English2
1POl2
“Filipinos are not book lovers”, a statement that many of us Filipinos would not agree with. However, there might be a little truth behind this statement that we Filipinos are not book lovers. There may be some factors that could affect not our capacity to read because Filipinos are not only used to speaking the language, but also reading it. Even the “balut” vendor who probably only finished lower school has the capacity to talk to people in English, and what about those maids who love to read pocket books on love of course in English. The possible factors instead would affect our habit towards reading and the time that we would spend doing it. One good example is our interest in new technological innovations like the internet that in effect makes us spend lots of hours on opening our facebook accounts or checking out what’s going on with the world in twitter instead of spending time in reading a three hundred page book! We Filipinos are known to be jolly and friendly people and the usual choice between the “barkada” calling you out to play a good game of basketball or watching movies and being alone to read a book is without a doubt the more enjoyable one, the barkada, I also sometimes feel that our country is already so full of poverty and economic and political problems and the fact that every Filipino child not yet born has a debt from the Americans that makes us believe that we have a lot of more important work to do than reading a book that reading one would mean wasted time that is intended for work, unlike the other countries whose people could sit back and enjoy a good book because they always have their government to take care of them.
These are just insights and feelings that a normal Filipino 17 year old boy like me would feel. It is not my fault that I feel like that. Waking up every morning to see another day of poverty would truly give me negative ideas on the average Filipino’s status. A person who reads a good book is perceived as “sosyal” by the poorer people because that would mean that that person has money to buy an expensive book not having to worry about the money that is spent for food. Despite all this, to say that Filipinos are not book loving people is wrong because we are not only jolly and friendly and busy, hardworking and impoverished people. We Filipinos, after being enslaved by other nations, and surviving gruesome years under a tyrant and still having to face the consequences of our dreadful past, have that common and unending thirst for success and a better life. This is why we study hard, this is why we dream of being lawyers and doctors and all the other things that we think will give us the good life without poverty, and our love for learning through the most basic way of reading books is a part of it..
Wow 1POL2, I'm really happy that a number of us did this assignment. 🙂
Kate Heceta, lucky for you Mr. delos Reyes hasn't submitted his yet, and doesn't know that you call him a cheater. But that's how you see him anyway.
I know right? 😀
But hey, you know what they say. The truth hurts. 😛
First of all, we cannot generalize. Not all Filipinos are not book-lovers. I have few of my friends who actually are fond of reading books. I will not label myself as a book lover because personally, I am not. But there are circumstances when i would just sit in a room for like hours and spend my time there reading books that gets my interest.Basically, the kind of reading materials that a person looks for are the ones that compliments his interest. Like for example, you cannot expect me to read fictions because I easily get bored with them. I like non-fictions rather, not to mention that I am a student so naturally I get myself acquainted with non-fiction books everyday.
Second, I think a person's character and interests develop during the primitive years. If the parents are not fond of reading books themselves, there is a high percentage that the child will not be a book-reader as well. If the child does not see books in their house,or his parents reading, then probably, he will not be exposed to that kind of practice thus bringing it until his adulthood. So basically the point is, the parents' guidance are still the key.
Lastly, I agree that a lot of Filipinos cannot stand solitude and silence. Aren't we known for our cheerfulness and close family ties? We love socializing and we barely have time of solitude and silence.
I agree that a lot of Filipinos are not book lovers. But then, all depends on our environment and most especially, our family.
“Hurt”. That would quite be the perfect word to describe some of us after reading this article. For some, this is an insult saying that not all of us are not book lovers, some are even too defensive for screaming out loud that they are book lovers themselves; you yourself read a good (I must assume) book every now and then. But for some, this may be a wake up call or what they may sometimes call as “the moment of enlightenment”.
I grew up in an environment where everybody wants to learn and everybody studies very well to make it to the top universities and of course to stay as well, therefore required us to read a lot. But of course not all Filipinos are like these people, not all of them (love to) read. What about the fraction of the population who are deprived of reading materials due to they-know-what? Well maybe they read some stuff like magazines, news papers, graphic novels, or pocket books but the point is having the patience to finish a 500-page book. As what Mr. Paquet has mentioned, “Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span.” Of course I do not know everyone in this country but I know enough, and only a few of them could patiently read and finish J. Austen’s works, classical novels I might add, which I must admit took me longer time to finish compared to other books.
Book lovers do not only read because their friends or colleagues forced them into reading a “very inspirational” book filled with romance and life changing events. They do not read just because their teachers required them to make a book report or just simply required them to read it. They do not read just because their friends are uber kilig with the love scenes and are in love with a certain character. They do not read a book just because it’s on the International Best Selling section of a bookstore. They read because want to. They read because they love literature. They crave for knowledge, and imagination, and good literature. And when I say good literature it’s not the everyday, typical sort of writing. I’m not a good writer myself but I know what good writing is.
It is like a vicious cycle, what you read is how you write. And when you read good books you write good ones too, and people who read your works will also be influenced by your style, and the cycle goes on and on and never stops.
Filipinos are not book lovers. In one way or another, I agree to some information in this article but still, I consider certain factors that could falsify this statement. People nowadays are not that much inclined to reading. We could not always compare ourselves to strangers. We, all, have different perspective due to variation of culture.
Filipinos, especially young ones would rather play online games, chat, party or do mall hopping. This has already been the trend since the past decades. We could say that maybe there is lack of motivation but this is not the problem. We, Filipinos, should realize that reading could help us a lot in our everyday lives. Education is a very important tool for survival. Life is a continuous learning and to be able to cope with changes we should feed our brains with vital information.
We should not blame poverty. It’s just one of the many factors that may hinder us and for sure we can do things if we really want it to be done. We have to ACT due to the fact that no one can help us but ourselves. If we want change we need to have incentive even in little things we do.
There are some people who read books. They read for the sake of reading. They don’t even understand what they are reading. People lack appreciation. If we continue to ignore this, we should not expect for better change.
I object to this article because it attacks the literacy of the Filipino people. You see, observations are based from facts, but that doesn't apply as a whole! Yes, a good number of the populace might be poor and economically challenged or academically challenged even, but there is a possibility(or a fact if I were given time to observe) that some of them actually love to read books.
Yes, a part of education is learning alright, but that doesn't mean we are illiterate people and hate books because we DON"T WANT TO LEARN! Who in the world wouldn't want to learn?!
To whoever wrote this, please take in to consideration that WE and your kind are DIFFERENT. You may love to read books, and some of us not, but still some of you do not, and some of us do. There is always a possibility in everything. Man is a constant web of possibilities, according to Martin Heiddeger, and those possibilities can be turned into facts if given some time to work on.
Let's say that one man gives his friend a very good book. This friend whom he gave the book is a very busy man. Of course, once he gets home, he'll put the book somewhere, saying to himself that he'll read it later because he first has to answer calls pertaining to his work, sitting in front of the computer for hours typing papers, and other stuff. Do you think he'll remember to read the book? I think not. The book to be read also depends on the person. What if he/she is not interested in that book's contents? What if he/she does not really need to be reading that thing right now? There are so many possible circumstances to be probed upon. "Don't judge a book by its cover", they say.
In Statistics, I could still accept that the observation made on a portion represents the whole. But this is not Statistics. This is REALITY. This article is an insult. This is no mere observation. It was made for boasting. We may lack writers like Homer, Shakespeare, Poe, and the others like them, but in every heart of a Filipino resides the spirit of a poet. Just give us time to develop it fully and you'll see. We'll show the world what the Filipino is really made of.
Viva Las Islas Filipinas!
Have you ever wondered why we should read books? When we were a child we read books because we are curious and we want to satisfy that curiosity. As students we read books because it is obligatory. But I think as we grow up we should read books because it will help us know what the world really is.
As I was reading the article, I came to realize that Filipinos are not really book lovers. We hate reading mainly because we get bored. Many of us feel that way for the reason that we are not interested with the topic of the book or because we did not grew up realizing how one good read can help us get through life. We should read books which will fit our taste and personality.
It is not right to say that Filipinos are not book lovers because they are poor and they will not be able to afford to buy a book. There are many book stores that are now selling books in their lowest prices. There are many ways to find a book to read, like, you can borrow books to your friends or in the library. It just takes a creative mind to find out a way to read a book.
There are a lot of things that a person can do and everyone is so busy that we don’t have enough time to read books. An easy remedy for this problem is that we should find a time for ourselves during break in the office or in class and try to get a book which triggers your interest and your emotions. It’s all about feeding up our mind with new ideas even it takes one bit a time.
We are now in the time of computers. Maybe we can use it as a medium to read books. There are many online book stores where they post good books that we can read. Computers are not only for games and chatting, they can also serve as an easy access to find books.
We Filipinos need to make reading a book a habit. We should make a point on reading books on a regular basis. Even if we don’t love reading books maybe we can read other literary genres. It is not difficult to make books a part of our life; it just takes time and dedication to learn how to love books.
I agree with the statements above that Filipinos are not book lovers. I believe that Filipinos are general social people who like to engage in activities which involve other people- surfing the net to meet friends via facebook, going to the mall with friends or even watching TV with one's family members. Next, Filipinos do not want profound ideas, as stated in the article. Filipinos may want to be fed with information in other means more pleasing and more accessible like through television and the radio. Books may seem to be for the intellectual and for the common Filipino who has undergone average quality of education in the public school, the value of reading books may not be instilled. Books may also cost more than watching television or listening to the radio.
Filipinos are not book lovers maybe because they are not into it. We all people have our strengths and weaknesses. Not all are fond of reading but others have different skills that can express their knowledge.
some how I agree in this article when it said that Filipinos are not book lovers, but i want to clarify that when i said books these are books we use in learning not those for fun like magazines, pocket books, or tabloids, their are factors why filipinos are not book lovers one of this is our poverty problem that even our own government can not do anything about it, poverty can cause people to become uneducated and we all know that if you are not an educated person how will you able to read, why would a person spend his own money for books if he in the first place cant read and if he have alot more important things to buy than buying books that are so expensive. and the other thing that i want to point out is the technology that we have, in the past when the teacher said to his students to submit a reseach the student will go directly to the library to do the research but as the world become modernize student instead of going to the library they will go to their computers and search,type the topic to any search engine, click, print, and submit they dont even read what they submit that is why plagiarism is popular in our country, people forget the important of reading, that by reading we learn everything, we answer our own question, and even advance ourselves to other people but i belive that we filipinos are not dumb we can make something that can help our own country for its betterment and not the other way around, we filipinos still have hope…
It is true that nowadays, there are more Filipinos who doesn't pay much attention in reading books. Maybe it is because of the developing technology in our country. Filipinos, specially the students, tend to make life easy for them by using internet. With just one click, you can read the articles you want to read. Books aren't the only source of literary works or whatever articles. The internet also has it. Besides, not all can afford to buy books which are quite expensive, so they use the internet or whatever gadget that it may suit them. But it doesn't mean that they don't read at all. There are still a lot of Filipinos who enjoys reading.
Hoy BLANDO sinong nagsabing si NINOY AQUINO KA?? ni sa kuko nun wala ka pa,umuwi ka na lang please and CHECK YOUR SPELLING!!! LUL >:)))))
hello kevin dear:)
BOOK LOVER din poh ako 🙂
cguro nga masasabi mong maraming pinoy ang hindi na ngbabasa dahil mas gusto pa nilang manood ng tv at makinig ng radyo.. pero marami pa rin naman ang gustong mgbasa ng libro…
kasi kung walang ngbabasa ng libro sana sarado na ang NBS ngayon.. hahaha
maybe it's too late for me to give my position about this topic but i will give it anyway. lol honestly, i don't read books that much, that was on my grade and high school years. now, i read books but not that often…[seems like there's no difference from the past, ryt?]
now, i prefer to read news or articles on the internet rather than browsing each book's page.
To a certain extent, I agree with this article. Because in my generation, I see that Filipinos will pick television and movies over books at any day. I’m not generalizing. But it’s unequivocally true. I also agree with the fact that Filipinos today are “ningas cogon”.
They read alright, but mostly, I myself admit that when I start reading a novel, I will easily give up. Because it bores me. I can finish a novel but it must have some pictures. Not just entirely words.
In one survey, it tells that most Filipinos are visual readers.
This is bad I know. Because I know that one main objective of reading is to promote imagination. Now I know why most of the Filipinos do not think deeply. I’m not generalizing though.
Reading promotes knowledge and deeper thinking. It requires people to analyze what they read. By this, we can easily analyze and conclude if the story we read was good or not. Same is true if we scrutinize a person.
This is also one reason why Filipinos pick the wrong leaders. They don’t examine one’s personality. Just because one person is popular it doesn’t mean he is experienced in leading.
I agree with the fact that Filipinos don’t want solitude. It’s absolutely factual. Filipinos love to talk and share gossips with anyone. Even ones they just met. Filipinos just talk and talk. This is also because of the background of many Filipinos. Maybe, when they were young, they don’t read as much. And many Filipinos didn’t even go to school. I remember one commercial; Kids were tearing the pages of the books so that they could make paper planes and boats. Some kids don’t know the importance of reading because SOME parents don’t have time to teach them because they were always busy finding jobs. In some provinces, other parents prefer their kids to work rather than study.
So are we surprised by this? I’ am not generalizing though. I’ am just citing my observation. Now a days, I see teens reading books. It’s quite popular. I see teens and even some adults rushing to the bookstore if their favorite novel is out. To conclude not all Filipinos are book-haters.
I agree to his ideas that we Filipinos don't love or appreciate reading books right now. Most of us prefer o watch movies or TV programs. It is probably because that some of us lack proper guidance or something else that may do encourage us Filipino youth to read books. There are some speculations whether most of us do not really mind reading. But i still believe that someday when we do realize the importance of this matter. That's the time for us to make a change.
Unfortunately, a huge percentage of the Filipino population is too hungry to read books, and as for the lesser-financially-fortunate ones, they're too busy to do so.
we have lost hope, we failed to think that in this battle of poverty, a vast range of knowledge is required for you to win.even our national heroes have proven that.
we've become so laid back that we leave all the imagining to the directors, the producers, etc, etc. ayaw na kasi nating mag-isip ng para sa sarili natin.
at kung may naiisip man tayong solusyon sa mga bagay-bagay, we always resort to violence. it's bloodier, and better. more heroic.
i am saddened by the fact that we Filipinos don't even bother promoting our own in this field. some of us may even boast reading, but have we read our own? all of us here may claim that we are book lovers, at the start of this comment i do too. but as i typed on, i realized, no i haven't read lots from the fighters of the filipino literature battlefield. and i still have a long way to go.
as they say, improvement begins with I.
good day! 🙂
So I have been reading for around 20+ minutes now and still I haven't finished with the comments. I maybe a little bit too late to give a response to this.
So far the people who commented here does not read clear enough. The author clearly putted the time stamp at the bottom which shows the article was done 2 decades ago ~_O. Because of this most, not all, of the comments have I read are rather pointless, meaningless, senseless , and or fruitless. I'd give bananas to those who said reading books are essential.
People think us Filipinos doesn't like books, yes they may be true, but real statement should be "Filipinos Like Literature" like not love. Newspaper for the old folks to be updated, Business planner books for the working persons, Instructional guides for researchers, Children's book for the children, etc etc.
Maybe the most controversial would be the internet. People are still not that open about the internet being a good source of literature. Rather people should abolish their ideas that the internet has no form of literature. In fact, the internet has greatly boost literature. Internet removed the boundaries and gave birth to a new era. The era of reading. Ironic isn't it the future is reading XD. When you open a site it shows text, almost 70-100% of it is covered on text. I myself would rather choose to read an article rather watch it. When young ones are exposed to this they develop a habit, a habit of what? Reading.
Filipinos are not that profound on books, instead they are more akin to literature especially literature on the net ~_O
-cheers
All I have written here are based solely on my observations, googling, and personnal opinions. If ever I have offended you in any way possible, I am not obliged to apologize in any manner nor am I reponsible. Just bare it.
Uh? Not all but some…I prefer watching it on movies!!!
..hi
hmm..
hey! we just had this context in our english textbook and we had talked about this topic as filipinos are not book lovers. actually, i just disagree with that. Filipinos love books if they have the resources to buy one. For instance, i want to read the Twilight novels but its kind of expensive for a filipino! and i might add, we filipinos have our own language, and its not english, almost all good books are in english, and some have no knowledge much about anglish language.
The article seemed to be written years ago perhaps what this article talks about has a different relation upon today. By relation, i mean how true it is or how false it is based at this point of time. I am not totally disagreeing with what I just read for I myself is don't read books as much as the bookworms out there though I have read a lot of books already and Nicholas Sparks is my favorite writer but sometimes I get bored and prefer watching or doing stuffs like surfing the net. On how I look into it, the "book lover" thing is much based on interest. Maybe the non book lovers are much more interested in drawing or singing or dancing or sports, there are more things to do in life, somehow its just that not everybody gets to be interested in all. Anyhow, when you're not a book lover it doesn't make you less a person though I'm sure being a book lover gives you a higher personality or it can make your personality as well. Let's just deal with the fact that in a whole being of a person there are things he or she is interested and not interested to. There are a lot of Filipino book lovers and there are also a lot of Filipino non book lovers PS: I think the title of the article is pretty conclusive, I seemed to be the cause of too much arguments. I mean no offense, just pure opinion! Good day! 🙂
When I was in the Philippines, I always wanted to read books. Unfortunately I grew up in the place where there wasn't much books to choose from. I know I was born with this insatiable hunger for reading. So I ended up reading whatever was handy. I had this small collection back home and I spent a considerable amount of my salary owning those, when I'd got a job, that is. In the Philippines, buying a book is like spending about a third of your daily wage and to an average Juan dela Cruz, he would rather buy the more basic necessities like clothes, food, paying utilities/ rent, etc. than spending a big part of his earnings on a book. I oftentimes went to secondhand bookstores like Booksale in some major department stores and along the sidewalks of Quiapo scouting out a good but cheaper books for me to read. But even in those places, the cost of books was pretty high for Juan dela Cruz's buying power. So, I couldn't agree on this stance that Filipinos are not book lovers.
POST SCRIPTUM:
Come to think of it, the books I was thinking of when I said an average Juan dela Cruz would spend a third of his daily wage is the cost of a secondhand book. Honestly, buying a brand new book would mean spending beyond what average Juan would actually earn for a day's work. So imagine how could he spend for a book? You might say he could borrow from a library. But it's a lot of effort for a busy, overworked, underpaid Juan dela Cruz!. In countries like US books get handy because books are so cheap in terms of people's spending power.
The gist of the article is that the Philippines isn't a "reading culture" – it's not that Fils. don't read, or that they never read books. I have to agree. Fils. mainly read for entertainment purposes – i.e. newspapers, "pocket books," etc. The article was written in '87, and the situation hasn't changed two decades later. I'm sure many Fils. will get defensive and reactionary, but basically the article was (and is) spot-on.
i somehow agree with the blogger that some Filipino people nowadays are not a book lover anymore. Maybe because of what we have now in our modern time. I'm referring to the gadgets. But take note, not all people are book haters. For me, if i am to rate myself, i'll rate it as 7.5 funny isn't it?maybe some people would ask why is there a point 5? I only read books when i'm interested with the reading material. In a day, I can finish and understand a short novel in just one sitting, maybe because it's my hobby. I think the reason why Filipinos are book haters is because sometime there are some event in the stories that are very complicated, and when they don't understand it,they'll get bored ,that is the problem of the many Filipino people nowadays. Another reason is that, i think it is because of the lack of / poor in reading comprehension. And lastly, Filipinos is poor on vocabulary. For me, despite all this reasons, i will still continue reading. Reading will help us enrich our vocabularies. So, give your self a time to read. Give yourself a DEAR time, which means Drop Everything And Read! Maybe someday, you'll find it nice and interesting!
It is sad but true. Most Filipinos are not into reading books anymore. They prefer other activities that, in some way, doesn't help us improve ourselves. These activities 'entertain' us, yes, but what did we learn from them? Did we really enjoy?
Reading books is much better because it helps us improve ourselves, our grammar, our vocabulary, and even our way of thinking. It can greatly affect us whether we realize it or not. Reading is important for us to grow and for us to improve our way of living.
I HAVE TO AGREE, because in my opinion, I believe that we, Filipinos NOWADAYS are GENERALLY not book lovers. "NOWADAYS" because of the modern technologies we have right now unlike during Jose Rizal's time, in which books are really an important mass media to communicate and disseminate information. In today's industrialized world, reading books as an activity takes a backseat because there are a lot of other media to help spread information and an example of that is the Internet. "GENERALLY", speaking of the Filipinos as a whole, and not subjectively. I have some reasons to support my stand on why I agree. One is that Filipinos are audio-visual learners. We prefer to learn something that is seen visually such as television shows, movies, and other visual media. We don't like reading novels but instead, we watch the movie versions of those novels. We like comics because it contains pictures and graphics to make it more easy to comprehend. In short, we understand and comprehend better when we see visual representations such as pictures, graphs, and diagrams of those objects or ideas, and not just seeing words and paragraphs on a printed page.
From the title itself, I would very much agree that Filipinos are not book lovers. You, and I both know that we are not talking about all Filipinos are like this but, mostly speaking, it is true.
The tragedy about reading is that as time passes and grows, it seems that people have lost their skill and passion to read. I mean, there are many "exciting" and "thrilling" options being offered aside from books.
In bookstores such as Powerbooks or Fully Booked or even the National Bookstore, you would see few people inside. And if the place is packed, it is only because there is a sale or school is again starting.
This article is a true depiction of how the majority of Filipinos hate reading books. Worse, having this laziness to read will lead to a weak desire in writing reading materials. I, myself, am a professed "non-book reader" but I still love reading non-fiction books. Changing times and modern technology really affected the perspective of Filipinos in reading books. Also, the interest of many of the Filipinos to listen to gossip and rumors and later on making up a story from those had also affected the deeper meaning of reading. But if we, the youth, really want to land on green pastures by getting a good job, I think we should master the art of reading for many people say that reading books is the way to success.
Filipinos are not book lovers…
The writer is partly correct that Filipinos are not book lovers as the other country because we Filipinos always tend to go for the easiest, fastest and most comfortable way. We want that in just a snap we will have what we want, by just a simple clap there it is we will be entertained. Even if you ask any Filipino if what will they choose reading a book or watch the movie adaptation, 8 out of 10 will choose watch the movie adaptation than reading the book because just like I said, we always go for the easy way.
In addition to that we are too preoccupied with the things around us, such as; gadgets, internet, and computer games and because of these we tend to ignore the things, which is basically more important. That we don’t notice us, being left behind by others that makes it hard for us to move forward in the field of learning. There are also some students who said that the only reason they were able to finish reading an entire book was because their professors asks them to or they have to, or else they’ll fail the course.
Hence, not only our reading skills are being affected but as well as our learning. Instead of making ourselves useful and gather more information and learn, we become lazy, too lazy to read, to learn, to move forward. And think about this, if this kind of attitude continues then what will be the next generation looks like? If they say that ours is worse then what about them?
But still we cannot blame all of this to Filipinos who doesn’t read that much. There are also people who lacks in education that they don’t know how to read or even write at all. So if that’s the case you can’t ask them to read because they have no idea what they’ll do at all.
And lastly, there is this part in the article that I totally disagree it is the line that says: “It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers. To paraphrase, George Bernard Shaw, Filipinos will go from being primitives to becoming exhausted as a civilization, without ever having been civilized enough to read books.” One cannot say nor predict what will happen, to make a statement like this, it seems, as if the writer is too pessimistic and sees that there is no more hope for us Filipinos. But I hope that this article will be passed on so that we will be aware of what we, Filipinos, become.
CORRECTION:
are not book lovers *AS COMPARED TO other countries
In my point of view, I think majority of the Filipinos are not book lovers. We enjoy more watching it like in movies, series and etc and hearing like others will tell us about that story just like you’re having conversation with others. But a few of us love to read books. Some Filipinos read but that doesn’t mean they are book lovers. They read for reason that reason is not because they enjoy reading books maybe its because we are require to read or something else. And I think we should change that habit because we can get many advantages in reading books like improve your vocabulary and creativity,and its better than the movie. Reading also is an imporatnt skill and tool for almost of every activity.
Uhm, actually when I first read this, I was a bit disturbed. But then I realized that there's a truth in it. I am actually a book reader and I love staying in one place in silence, and just read a book. I don't really like watching movies and prefer reading the books instead because for me, movies are too much of a giveaway where in books you develop and process the way you think. When you read books also, you learn to think. 🙂 I don't actually know why some people are afraid of books especially thick books. HAHA. I think this article is a realization for Filipinos, especially the people who do not read books. It's true that there are only a few bookstores in the Philippines unlike in Singapore, they have this library that is 14-floor high. Oh well. I hope that Filipinos realize that it's important to read books after they read this article. Education is important and you can find that in books. 🙂 Thanks for this article. 🙂
I agree that most Filipinos are not book lovers. I, myself do not love books that much. Before, I really don't like reading books but I want to change that. Reading should be a part of everyone's life. As they say, it's a tool for survival. It surely is. Without reading, no one would be intelligible enough to make critical judgements and decisions in life. In Llosa's Why Literature, I have come to understand the substantial things we get from reading. Aside from pleasure, we get to learn things that other people might have never known for the simple reason that they don't read. We, Filipinos should learn to make a room for reading in our lives. It'll surely help us to become better persons. Second, it'll help us build a better nation. Lastly, it can help us make decisions and handle situations the right way they should be done.
Unfortunately, I do agree in this blog. It seems to be an empirical data for me because I personally include my self to those people who READ LESS and do some other stuffs than spending hours to read. Honestly speaking, I would really want to engage myself to read MORE books more rather than sitting in front of the computer and surfing the net or visiting a social networking like the ever popular Facebook, It's really not that necessary to be called a bookworm but having an interest to read would be fine for me. I've noticed that the progressive growth of the technology today seems to affect the hobby of the Filipinos to read specifically. the teens. Sad to say, if a teacher gives an assignment students will just go to their "VIRTUAL LIBRARY" (w/c is the Wikipedia, Britannica.. etc) rather than visit the real library to research for it manually, as what they say.. "it's just a click away" Let's face it people (this might be an assumption for others) "MOST" Filipinos are just too busy, too lazy, too techy or just not that into it to visit a book store, grab a book and READ! People would rather grab their remote control, Sit in front of the computer, go to a mall, bar or any other places rather than reading a book, some are not just interested or unappreciative to engage themselves in taking reading books as a hobby.
i belive we are book lovers, tayong mga pinoy ay mahihilig mag-aral kaso nga lang ang problema binibigyan ba natin ng importansya ang mga libro, di na tinuturo sa mga bata ang importansya ng pag babasa ang mga bata ngayon ay naka sandal na sa internet they are used to getting information fast in fact mas marami kang makukuha sa mga libro limitado ang nakalagay sa internet ako rin i amguilty of this crime but we Filipinos need to be thankful of being able to read
As i understood when i have read the article, indeed Filipinos are not book lovers, but of course not all, like for example, those Filipinos who have big companies and businesses, i am pretty sure that they were patient enough to read those typical things that they needed to discover, not only through there skills, but of course they also needed to discover different knowledge for their company to grow, and they needed books to discover these things. But for me, Filipinos are truly not book lovers. Impatient is a key word why Filipinos are not book lovers. For Example, in my experience, a jeepney driver already saw that the stoplight was already in the red signal, but for him being so impatient, he still continued his jeep going. So as a consequence, the police saw him and he caught him and took his license. Same scenario goes with reading, if your an impatient person, you wont achieve anything. And you will learn less things. And most of Filipinos are like that, like the BAHALA NA attitude. But i like to make it clear, NOT ALL FILIPINOS ARE NOT BOOK LOVERS, BUT SOME ONLY.
i dont agree with "filipinos are not book lover". if they are not book lover how could they read pocket books everyday in every moment? i used to see many filipinos are reading while traveling,eating and resting. it`s true that because of the developments of meida, many book lovers spend their time not to read but to watch.but still i dont agree that filipinos are not book lover. i know there are less suports for filipino author to produce a good books. every book store in Philippines has many books from other country especially from USA and England but only few filipino books hold their place . it`s understandable because most of filipino knows english well but filipino still has their own language to read and to write. as a Korean, i prefer to read korean book. i know filipinos also prefer to read in filipino for better understanding. i guess lack of supports for filipino authors and filipino books decline their thirstiness for reading.
All i know is that it's true when you said that there are parlors and sari-sari stores out there and few book selling posts. I'm a Filipino, and sometimes, take not of the word sometimes, i love solitude. I'm the kind of guy who loves to bond with people but you know, when it's time to read, I'd prefer solitude because it really enters my consciousness and as a proof of that, in my class in UST, not only me but many of us can't understand what we read whenever it's noisy. I must and will always agree with your statement that reading is with solitude so that what someone reads enters into his/her consciousness. Also, that part about patience, yes that is true and that is what we need for in patience, one can achieve his/her goal, in real life, "pag may tiyaga, may nilaga". I would like to tell you that I am fascinated by that point you're trying to make when you speak about leaders of nations who aren't readers because reading can make a person think better, understand better and know better and just imagine if our leader is a reader, then it would possibly be a good sign for us because as reading enhances the mind, the mind makes the person move, and if that mind is enhanced, the moves would then be enhanced! Isn't it great if all leaders or let's say most readers read?! Oh yeah, the reading that I refer to is historical or academic reading not leisure reading. As a Filipino, I honestly have to say that I am the visual audio type. I prefer to listen rather than read, but you and I and everyone has to face the fact that people who love reading tend to be or become different people. In my personal reaction, ALL the people I know who love to read are very smart and very deep but not all of them appreciate solitude though. Lastly, I love to read, but I have a problem, it's that I only read what pleases me like history, novels and short stories, I was never a fan of poetry. Peace out man m/
The article seems to be a bit old already. However, there might be a couple of facts stated that are still true in the present time. Poverty and this modern age really influenced the views of Filipinos on reading, but somehow, it is not right to make use of “Filipinos” which comprises “all.” One cannot merely judge all Filipinos. I believe that there are still Filipinos who find pleasure in reading.
Anyway, this article opened my mind to realize the value of reading in one’s life. God bless everyone. =)
You know that feeling when you read something and you silently giggle at the words, not because they’re funny, but because you know it’s true.
Every point presented as something agreeable for me. The part about Japan having a lot of book stores is certainly correct. The reasons the author said were also true, having short attention span, hating being in a state of complete silence and other things. The Filipino community (not just today’s generation IMO) was never really into books. I’m not saying we NEVER read, but we don’t do it as often as other nationalities would. Filipinos are active people, they live to watch, to laugh, to… just be out there and have fun with a lot of people. Its hard to find someone who would enjoy staying in a room to read a book. It’s a sad thing we have to accept. Being a bookworm isn’t really a normal “thing” for a Filipino, it’s just not “US”.
I would have to agree that Filipinos aren't book lovers. Generally speaking, I don’t think we are. I, myself, am I book lover. Ironic that I say Filipinos aren’t book lovers when I, a Filipino, am a book lover. But why do I say this? I just think most of us don’t see the value in reading a book. Or is it our short attention span? Or maybe the busy life a Filipino leads? It’s a given fact that to us Filipinos, family comes first. I mean, I study because I want to be able to provide for my family in the future. Most of us work to provide not only for ourselves alone, but basically for our families. And with the high demands of our work, who actually has time to read a book? Or maybe it’s our need to be entertained in the easiest ways possible? And reading a book doesn’t really count as easy for most, right? Reading a book definitely isn’t a fast and light form of entertainment. Entertainment, yes. But still not what most Filipinos would prefer. I guess it requires too much for most of us Filipinos. Reading a book may for some require too much time, effort and understanding. Maybe even money. I mean, not all have access to libraries, right? And I’m quite positive that not a lot of Filipinos are willing to go to a library just to read a book not required for reading. And so, you’d have to use money to get a book you want to read. But I think it all boils down to one reason; it’s the fact that we, Filipinos, don’t see the value in reading a book. Because if we did realize its value, we’d actually make time for it. We wouldn’t mind spending our hard-earned cash for a good read. And we’d gladly turn off the TV or computer just to make to time for it. We’d then be patient enough to read a book, even if requires so much of us.
Reading this article, I've come up with mixed emotions and opinions. Perhaps, there had already a debate amongst the readers. I can’t blame the one who wrote this article, for I could also observe and see the facts about Filipinos’ attitude towards books. Yes, we do read books – but as our part-time only. Moreover, those kinds of books Filipinos usually buy were mostly for leisure and entertainment: pocket books for ladies, magazines/ comic books for men.
The reasons like: Filipinos hate solitude, have ningas-cogon tendencies, and hate symbolisms lurking around state a fact why we see book as boring. Yeah, very Pinoy as the article describes the characteristics. I have nothing but to accept the fact, the reality that this is how it goes. But, it doesn’t end with this. Still, there were some who really do love books, and even wanted to strive to become a writer, a better writer. I am one of them, and I hope, after some years, it would somehow create a change with this blog I’ve read.
We have endangered readers and writers as well. But, it doesn’t end with this. Youth nowadays, though engaged in social networks,were also stern readers. No one would know, perhaps someday, we would be the future king and queen of literary works. 🙂
While the author of the article may have point, I think I will have to disagree somehow.
When I go around places both here in the metro and in the province, I can still see a lot of people who read books — from the tindera in the over pass to ordinary employees in the MRT to businessmen in the office — from pocket books to complex psychology of business hard bound books. Nonetheless, Filipinos do read. And they do so not just to pass the time but they love to.
I believe that there are still a lot of Filipinos who love reading. I think that the size of book stores in key locations and the number of people going there are clear indications to this fact. Moreover, coffee shops in the likes of Starbucks, Seattle’s Best, Bo’s Coffee and others are still filled with people reading books. And now thanks to e-books and audio books, even busy people could read and has a free access to various books.
It is a sad reality though that majority of our fellow Filipinos do not have the interest in reading. But I don’t think that this would be solely their shortcoming as there can be a number of reasons why they did not develop an interest in reading. Would you blame a construction worker for choosing to buy an order of pancit guisado in the nearby carinderia to feed his family over a bedtime story book for his children? I am sure that given the resources, he would gladly do so. However, a hungry stomach would most likely win over the thirst for knowledge. (So applause to Efren Penaflorida for his mission of educating underprivileged street children.)
When you have a casual type of conversation with someone who’s rich (or a highly successful person), or with someone who belongs in the middle class or in the lower class, their insights would be very much different from each other. The rich would probably say that reading is important, that most of their achievements in life can be attributed to the fact that they are a wide reader — that reading is an indispensable medium of learning. The middle class or average Filipino however would likely view reading as something important but not as tantamount to that of the Class A Filipino’s view. Those belonging to the lower class however would have different take in this. They will not view reading as something extremely important because buying a book and learning to read is not in the top of their priorities — food and shelter do top their list.
Regardless of the reason or factors involved, in the case of the Filipinos, one’s socio-economic status plays a big role in one’s views and/or perspectives.
Reading is an indispensable tool in learning and we Filipinos know that already. But someone has to do something to encourage the youth that it is indeed so. Because we are so weighed down by poverty, many of us forget to build big dreams — and to hope fiercely that we can chase our dreams away. Many among us settle for mediocrity — because that is what is easily attainable.
Perhaps our local writers would want to write something that is close to the heart of an average Juan dela Cruz — poverty and the dream of escaping such miserable life.
i agree that most Filipinos dislike reading books, most of them find it boring and uninteresting. others just couldnt stand staying in one place for so long. personally i love books but i wouldnt say that i spend most of my time reading , im very much of an outdoors kind of person and i enjoy moving and wondering. though i love reading books from time to time, besides it enhancing my vocabulary i , from time to time, just want to relax with a good book and let my mind imagine and wonder the context of the book.
mosts kids now a days would prefer watching the movie instead of reading it, people are very much interested in visuals as compared to reading and imagining it on their own. i have to admit that myself. but in reading we could discover new things. things that couldnt be found in the walls of a movie theater or at the screen of your TV. history and new discoveries all found in pages of a book, just waiting ti be read by us. We Filipinos should check ourselves again and indulge ourselves in something that could somehow open our eyes to something new and interesting.
Arrel Frederick Dy
1PHL
First of all, I do believe that most of the people of the populous Philippines aren’t much of a reader. However, I oppose the premise of this article because I believe that such is not an adequate basis to state harsh comparisons as well as to assert hopeless conclusions.
It is somehow true that Filipino literary composers rarely survive in the Philippines, but it is the job of the Philippine national government to promote and publicize such persons. In short, the government should be held responsible for the backslide of education in the Philippines. As of the moment, the national government focuses more to the industrialization of the Philippines leaving educational priorities behind. It is also not true that those people who sits in power are not readers, well in fact they are really pretty good readers, they just lack the discipline and the moral values appropriate enough for a public official.
Cory Aquino, cited in the article as if she does not read or maybe the author of this article is quite bewildered if Cory Aquino could have been an extensive reader or not; well, even though she read books or not, she still did good in ruling the Republic of the Philippines, making her the mother of Democracy in that country.
Imelda Marcos, criticized as if she is insisted to be a hypocrite and show everybody that she reads books; even so, she still contributed largely for the growth of this country. For example, the creation of CCP, San Juanico bridge, etc. were all her projectsideas.
“It just goes against all cultural traits” I completely disagree with this statement. Frankly, our forefathers were more extensive readers than us, proving that reading in solitude isn’t against our cultural traits.
Filipinos are not that much of a book lover, yes, but it does not follow that the future of Filipinos will be miserable because of such a scenario. Given the current situation of the Philippines, be it that it has already achieved some of its numerous goals, and it was accomplished with only a handful of book lovers or readers. The current condition of the Philippines is merely just a mediocre condition yet still we can be globally competitive at times; so, let’s not converse about topics concerning the future downfall of the Philippines due to lack of book lovers because by the time Filipinos gets profoundly educated and when the land of the Philippines will be filled with book worms, we will be even greater than what Japan, America, or any first world country has achieved.
Regardless of the year when the article was written, I agree that majority of Filipinos are not book lovers since I can see that there really are, and with regards to that, I should like to mention some circumstances which makes most of us deprived of the "cheapest, easiest, and simplest form" of entertainment. First, we must put into consideration that not all places in the country have bookstores or library. Second, there's a good number of illiterate citizens in the Philippines. And lastly, even if the first two problems do not exist, people won't still be able to read good books due to their expensiveness.
And, yes, technology also has something to do with the issue. Because movie makers are now putting books into films, people would rather choose to pay P150 for a movie ticket than to buy the book which costs P300+. Plus, when you watch a movie, you can always bring somebody with you, unlike when reading, you have to be alone just to understand its story.
Of course, these are just some of the problems which I think greatly affects the interest of Filipinos in books. I am not saying that we should stop thinking about why there are still many of us who don't make reading part of their lives. We, being equipped with knowledge, should make ways on how to influence them that reading is essential. Also, according to Mark Twain, one of my favorite authors, "A person who won't read has no advantage over one who can't read."
Ciao!
Truth be told, there are quite a few people in the Philippines who love to read and when i say love to read, i mean reading anything they get their hands on. What people value now is the media, the internet, and other privileges where they could get info without having to acquire patience first. Some get too lazy now that others need to spoon feed them info.
In my case, I absolutely love to read. To experience solitude is one of the most priceless moments of my life, but i do party more often than not. Silence can, too, be golden. I like any genres of any form of writing or books. Many people I know who love to read actually do appreciate solitude when they read. Because they find it hard to understand what they read when it gets too noisy. And so do I. So in a nut shell, i somehow agree and disagree with the article.
I certainly agree with this blog. Filipinos are not bOok lovers:( I rarely see someone buried in a corner reading bOok, people would rather go malling. We spend so much on things which are really not necessary, though books are really not a necessity. We do nOt value the benefit that books can provide us, indeed it is such a painful reality:(
Filipinos always read books because we want to educate ourselves, yet we may not say that we are already book lovers. We are book lovers if we always read and read eventhough we are not told to do so. In some aspects, I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers. We chose already to engage ourselves in the internet world, leaving books and literary behind. But look how our Philippine Literature cause a lot, we must be proud that it was still existing, eventhough we read less nowadays. As what we discussed in our class, it depends on the interest of a person. It concerns time, the genre of the book, the information it shows and I believe that our culture is also a factor, our generation is a factor. We are not that illiterate, read what pleases us and what suits our taste 😀 read to be more knowledgeable about things, and read and read and read :DD
Marie Geraldine B. Caballero
1PHL
I find this article true that most Filipinos find reading a book less entertaining than watching a movie or any other type of entertainment. Simply because most of the Filipinos tend to go for the short run of almost every aspect in life.
We should put into consideration that education largely affects what the youth has to build up in his or her primary, secondary and higher education. Education is the only way to at least solve the compunction of the Filipino book lovers as myself and every other aspiring literary writers feel of this situation that we can elucidate and answer this through the Filipino individuals putting an effort to at least try to set aside the monotonous feeling of reading books and try to grasp the entertaining side of it.
Technophiles and other non-readers must have an early introduction to books or any literary pieces at an early age as possible. Interest develops at this stage and therefore growing up with these extensive technologies that we currently have and the technologies that will have to appear years from now would not replace the most valuable treasures that we can have, knowledge which we can obtain from reading essential books and maybe, we cannot tell; that Filipinos might end as the most bookish people in the whole world.
I have not mentioned or commented more of the problems of why most Filipinos are not book lovers but rather I would like to concentrate more on the things we can do to put a halt to this situation and I know that through years time, this article will no longer be the talk of the people and Filipinos will be on the on the right side of the bread.
Veritably, Filipinos are not book lovers. I agree with this blog in some points though I strongly believe that you acquire wisdom more in experience than in reading (as compared to Imelda Marcos). Indeed, I could say that people who love reading has very broad imagination, mental lexicon and the likes than those who do not. Personally, I read books for entertainment reason alone. There are exceptions though, such as when reading the Dictionary, Almanac, etc. for additional general knowledge.
Filipinos, particularly teenagers in this generation, do easily get bored. Imagine reading a book that does not interest you at all. Would you stand reading it for a day or two? Maybe… because you need to. Otherwise, you'll fail a recitation. Right? Let us be extra sensitive and try to see what we are missing as we just sit in front of the computer, leaving comments on our friend's posts and leaving new wall posts. Let us face the truth: WE NEED TO READ. Though we may be overwhelmed and preoccupied with the different technologies that are present, we should find time for us to grow personally. And reading will help us through our journey as we take another step for the future.
Marie Geraldine B. Caballero
1PHL
I find this article true that most Filipinos find reading a book less entertaining than watching a movie or any other type of entertainment. Simply because most of the Filipinos tend to go for the short run of almost every aspect in life instead of doing the long run facing the hardships and successfully attaining your goal.
We should put into consideration that education largely affects what the youth has to build up in his or her primary, secondary and higher education. Education is the only way to at least solve the compunction of the Filipino book lovers as myself and every other aspiring literary writers feel of this situation that we can elucidate and answer this through the Filipino individuals putting an effort to at least try to set aside the monotonous feeling of reading books and try to grasp the entertaining side of it.
Technophiles and other non-readers must have an early introduction to books or any literary pieces at an early age as possible. Interest develops at this stage and therefore growing up with these extensive technologies that we currently have and the technologies that will have to appear years from now would not replace the most valuable treasures that we can have, knowledge which we can obtain from reading essential books and maybe, we cannot tell; that Filipinos might end as the most bookish people in the whole world.
I have not mentioned or commented more of the problems of why most Filipinos are not book lovers but rather I would like to concentrate more on the things we can do to put a halt to this situation and I know that through years’ time, this article will no longer be the talk of the people and Filipinos will be on the on the right side of the bread.
Though reading books truly help a reader to explore things and grasp so much knowledge and ideas, I agree that most of the Filipinos are not really book lovers. Filipinos are much fund of doing extraordinary, comical and exciting things. I’m not saying that reading books is not an exciting one. It’s just that, it requires a lot of solitude and patience which some Filipinos do not like. Obviously, Filipinos want to finish task easily and with just a blink of an eye. We always find for “shortcuts”. Actually I am not fund of reading books. I find it just a requisite for my studies. In most of the times, I just read the first 3-4 chapters of a book and then, that’s it. However, there are also a lot of Filipino book lovers who really find books as their friend and dedicate a lot of time reading those series of books and I truly admired them, hoping that I’ll be like them…..
With what I have read from this article, I agree that most Filipinos aren't book lovers. I, myself can say that I am not a book lover. Though I have read a few ones.. I can't say that I am truly a book lover.
Filipinos are ningas-cugon and we have our own interests when it comes to the things we read. Some find books interestings, some doesn't. What bothered me was the ending of this article, about the leaders of our countries and if they actually read a book. Truly, it's non-sense. I can say that every filipino around the globe has read at least one book. Whether it's something educational or just for entertainment, so why question if these particular people have read a book? But other than that, I have nothing else to complain.
We Filipinos may not be book lovers, but we do READ.
I don't agree that Filipinos are not book lovers. Though we can say that there are SOME who rarely read books but to generalize is always wrong. It takes quite a bit of effort and time to dig into a really complicated book. Also, the modern day pace of living in industrialized countries is so fast that most people can't find enough time to read after working, taking care of the family, socializing, exercising, and relaxing. . But I still believe Filipinos love to read. It’s not that we hate solitude. I have met a lot of people who enjoyed solitude, ideas, and silence. Maybe it’s just not easy to find something that would really interest you, something that will delight you even if it might take a while before you get it done.
Reading is the foundation of wisdom. It could actually take you into a place, time and experience that you have never been through. In short, reading books would not only entertain us but would also teach us morals that are applicable in life. Unfortunately, I ought to agree to most of the ideas above. I am a book lover and reading is one of my hobbies BUT I confess that reading books would be the last on my list. Perhaps it’s true that a typical Filipino teenager would most probably prioritize something that one would find exciting and adventurous than reading books. If it’s a usual scenario to meet someone who find there guild more important than their studies and future then the reality that this article emphasize is not really surprising.
I totally agree to the writer when he mentioned that “Count the number of Filipinos you know who enjoy being alone, and being in a book. For them, it’s absolutely terrifying.” Frankly, I guess the primary reason is that when you’re someone like the above mentioned you could never escape tweets that would criticize your personality. You might as well be titled as an “anti-social”; “emo” or “unfriendly” just like what the article said “It goes against all cultural traits- the need to move in herds, in exuberance and gaiety.” Let’s face it. Those who chose the path of being witty, smart and knowing are the ones who were oftentimes marginalized while on the other hand, those who chose to be part of the stereotypical “party-party forget your mommy” are usually the ones who were famous and idolized.
Thanks for this article, you have rejuvenated the minds of your readers and reminded them what should matter most if we aim to improve our state.
Katreena Frances G. Monje
1ASN2
FILIPINOS ARE NOT BOOK LOVERS?
Gustave Flaubert once said, “Read in order to live". It is indeed a great maxim! But upon thinking that phrase I asked myself, "Am I reading a lot?” I smiled and answered NO. The truth is, I only read those novels that are in demand right now for instance, The Twilight Saga, Harry Potter Series and the like. But honestly I am NOT a book reader. I easily get bored while reading. How ironic my life is! Due to the fact that I am enrolled at UST major in Asian Studies, I really don’t read a lot. I pity myself. In our course there are a lot of assigned readings and honestly I am only forced to read. However, there’s this day that I realized something. Reading is learning. Eventually, I realized that reading is a part of our daily life. It is essential for us human beings.
Another thing is I am a proud Filipino. A part of Filipino culture is that we have a deep sense in literature which includes the READING and WRITING process. However, according to studies, 55 % of Filipino people are illiterate which means, they can’t read and write. So where’s the other 45 %? They are the educated ones but still NOT all are fascinated in reading.
My point is I do agree with the fact that FILIPINOS ARE NOT BOOK LOVERS but it doesn’t mean that we don’t READ. For me, WE JUST READ WHEN IT’S NECESSARY NOT BECAUSE WE WANT TO BUT BECAUSE WE NEED TO.
I also don't love to read much, but I sometimes read if I've got nothing to do. I read a book or something when I'm bored. It also depends to the genre of the book and the informations I can get on what I read. I read when the book or article is interesting.
I think the one who post this blog has a point that we, Filipinos are not book lovers. Today's generation would rather watch television, surf the net or go to the mall or parties, etc. than sit there quietly and read a book. I agree in the statement "Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows." One time I recommended a book to my friend because it was really nice. He said "I would rather wait for that book to have a movie than to read it." For some, reading may be boring and a waste of time. Also most of the students nowadays do not go to library to read books and to search for their homeworks. They just search through the internet because the information they want to find is just one click away. Technology also influenced us that's why most of the Filipinos doesn't love to read.
Filipinos may not be book lovers but it doesn't mean that we don't read or we are illiterate. I think, it's just that Filipinos have different taste in reading. Some would just read when they want to or when they find that the reading material interesting.
As foreigner, I don't know how many books filippinos read, but reading book is very important.
I think as information technology develops, people are getting engaged in surfing the net and texting messages instead of reading books. And they rely on it too much. That's the one of reason I think.Eventhough we can see a lot of students reading something in the library, they just read material related to exam or studying.Not only the problem filippino has, but also other countries such as Japan, korean, india, according to recent survey, their average hour of reading for a week is less than 10 hours. Reading is very important especially for grownig teen to lead a nation in the future. It must be their daily routin. They should know the future of a nation depends on their reading. Because eventually our wisdom, and critical thinking skill are results not only for the experience but also from volum of their reading books.
I somewhat agree to that idea but I, myself, like reading so much. There are times at school that teachers give book reports to their student and they would complain about it because it's so hard to do. Thus, resulting them to just search the summary over the net. I, personally go against it because I think they will never understand the values/lessons that they will learn from that book's story. Another reason is that most of them would rather watch the movie version than the book version probably because of the actors, effects, etc. that attracts their eyes. They are rather attracted to the moving pictures than the endless paragraphs and sentences in the book. Although, the result will always be the same — learning the whole story.
Reading is an important aspect that we must improve in our life because we learn through reading and through what we learn from reading books, we can share the knowledge to everyone.
As I read the article, I somehow agree to some points that were mentioned. One of it was the fact that Filipinos hate solitude. Maybe for some this might be an insult for us, but well let's admit it that we are having more fun hanging out with close friends than being alone reading a book. It doesn't mean I consider ALL because I know lots of people also who were really inlove reading books and they have different reasons why they love it. Just like me, at first im not into reading because I look at it in a negative way (boring and just a waste time) but then I was influenced by my friend and gained lots of things out of it . So I guess, it depends also on the character of the person whether he/she grew up with books or not etc. Let us not forget to consider also the possible factors why some people were not interested to it (lack of time, laziness, not on a good environment etc.).
Another point mentioned was the fact that reading a book requires time and patience. I agree and took it in a positive way because after all it's all worth it. The morals, new ideas & informations etc. that readers could gain from it. I believe that by reading it enhances the mind to think critically and effectively to fully improve themselves. So I hope by this kind of articles and blogs it would influence many people especially the next generations to come to be book lovers. To prove to them that it is not yet to late for Filipinos to patronize books and start reading. After all it helps the nation to produce effective and efficient people that could lead us well. 🙂
I find this article true. A lot of Filipinos find reading boring. But still, Filipinos do read. Filipinos read comics, editorials on newspapers, news, ghost stories, and anything about showbiz. It's just that some Filipinos don't have much interest on novels and other forms of reading material. And with the kind of technology we have right now, I think the number of readers will decrease. Some Filipinos would rather spend their time watching movies, going to the mall, on social networking sites. For some, there are more important things to do than just sit and read. :))
I'm 16 years old and I live and breath for books. I can probably compare every 12 year old's dream to see Justin Bieber to my dream of buying all of the books that I want to read and put under my bed when I sleep. (I even want to celebrate my eighteenth birthday inside my favorite bookstore. Just so you know… :] ) Kidding aside, It's actually frightening to be a part of a "tara, mag internet tayong lahat kasi boring mag basa" generation and what's worse is to be also a part of a "hindi kami book lovers kasi mas gusto namin mag bidyoke" country. It's kind of impossible to turn all Filipino non-readers to book lovers in just a snap of a finger, that will definitely take time and effort and a LOT of money. The thing with us Filipinos is that reading is not at the top of our to-do list. Usually, what most of us Filipinos prioritize is to put food in our stomachs(Hello…. We're a third world country). Pinoys would rather buy "bigas" than to buy a newspaper. I'm not from a well off family so what I often hear from my mother whenever I ask money from her because I'll take a trip to my favorite bookstore is this: "bumili ka nalang ng pagkain nak" or "basa ka ng basa kaya lumalabo mata mo e, matulog ka nalang". No one can blame Filipinos for not being book lovers because even if they want to read they cannot, just because they can't afford to read. I stopped reading my good old novels for awhile last semester because I had to focus on reading "School stuff", I just got a little "weirded" out when my literature professor last sem said that he can still read despite of his "pang super human" schedule and that we should sneak in reading novels together with the school stuff. I thought that's mighty crazy but it's probably worth the risk, I haven't tried it though 'cause I'm kinda scared. I'm also very busy because I'm a working student, I hope that one day I'll learn to juggle my studies, my work and reading which makes me melt in my own thoughts. I found myself in reading, it gave me a direction in life, it is the reason why I am an AB student and the reason why I want to make the most of my life, reading is my inspiration to reach for my dreams. All of the stories that I have read became a part of who I am. Filipinos are not book lovers. That is a fact for now. To the Filipinos who are robbed off of the opportunity to be engaged in such beautiful thing such as reading, I hope that one day you'll all have a story to share about how much you love reading and how it changed your life. Cheesy but definitely true 🙂
I also don’t love to read much, but I sometimes read if I’ve got nothing to do. I read a book or something when I’m bored. It also depends to the genre of the book and the informations I can get on what I read. I read when the book or article is interesting.
I think the one who post this blog has a point that we, Filipinos are not book lovers. Today’s generation would rather watch television, surf the net or go to the mall or parties, etc. than sit there quietly and read a book. I agree in the statement “Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows.” One time I recommended a book to my friend because it was really nice. He said “I would rather wait for that book to have a movie than to read it.” For some, reading may be boring and a waste of time. Also most of the students nowadays do not go to library to read books and to search for their homeworks. They just search through the internet because the information they want to find is just one click away. Technology also influenced us that’s why most of the Filipinos doesn’t love to read.
Filipinos may not be book lovers but it doesn’t mean that we don’t read or we are illiterate. I think, it’s just that Filipinos have different taste in reading. Some would just read when they want to or when they find that the reading material interesting.
I do agree that some Filipinos are not book lovers because I my self seldom read books. Well, I easily get sleepy reading but I am willing to learn how to be a good reader. There are so many reasons for this and i guess the number one in the list is the technology. Students would prefer surfing the net, playing computer games, and the like. But then that doesn't make any country better than our nation. I must say that Filipinos are even better in using the English language compared to Japan and other Asian countries. And who knows what kind of books are those Japanese buying. Anyway, I am not against Japan. Another thing, i don't like the title of this article. Generalizing is a big no no! There are many Filipinos out there who loves reading books and this might be an insult to them. The fact that most Filipinos are educated ones. And oh, why is it that the late president Aquino was mentioned in this? Please do respect our hero. Lastly, i still have high regards to the one who did this article. This could be a challenge to all of us.
Hello po. Haha. That article was made long ago. 1987? Wow.
First of all, I am a book lover. As a Filipino who loves to read books, I kind of feel offended. Or uneasy. Or I just want to disagree with conviction! Second, I disagree. Filipinos ARE book lovers. May it be pocketbooks, romance novels, newspapers (Chelsea, newspapers are not books :P), magazines, ebooks, and the like. Maybe some of us don't like to read books about Math (God, who wants to dwell on equations, problems and variables? Absolutely not me.) But some of us do. I like to read about History and some of you not (curse you. kidding.) I also like to read about Science; especially Psychology books and some of you may also not. I'm starting to like reading about Heidegger and the other existentialists.
I do agree about Filipinos being people of the crowd who wants to be active and be the social butterflies that they are. But social butterflies will eventually get tired of the party sometime and so, we read with the genre that we prefer. What kind of books are you (the writer of the article) pertaining to anyway? Educational or entertainment? We all have different tastes. Some of us don't like reading the textbooks we use in our school because it's not interesting enough for them. Some don't read romance novels because it's so repetitive and is just nonsense for them. So basically, we read books that perks our interests.
Haha. I don't really know what I'm trying to say. I just want you to know that not all Filipinos are the same. I love books and if you don't, I respect that. But we really do need Filipino writers with original Filipino ideas and will use the Filipino language. Maybe with that we can have more readers. Filipino is an educated language. In a way. Kasi mas maraming makakaunawa at mas maraming makakaintindi sa nais iparating ng mga manunulat. Para sa akin, mas makakatulong ito sa pagkakalat ng pagkahilig sa pagbabasa. At dahil nasa isang bansa tayong tahanan ng mga Filipino, dapat ang ating mga libro ay magsalita gamit ng ating linggwahe.
Haha! Out of topic. xD
So yeah I'm commenting on this article because of some homework but then again I may really have something to say about this article. For me I agree with the article that Filipinos aren't book lovers, due to the following reasons I think that apply.
First, Filipinos would really rather use their money on food, going out with friends and buying stuff for themselves. They would use their money for this because I think and with my personal experience after buying a 300peso book or more and after reading it I feel that I'm not interested in reading it again. Second due to the illiteracy factor, some people who are below the poverty level can't really read that well so they don't really read. like duh! Anyway I'm just gonna finish this comment of mine so last reason I can think of is that people don't have that much of a free time to read because we are all busy looking for jobs and shiz…. so anyway that's all for now!
Filipinos aren't book lovers but I know we do enjoy a book from time to time we aren't obsessed freaks!
I'm awesome! :))
First of all, I disagree on the fact that the writer generalized Filipinos as a society that loathes in reading. He deliberately suggests the idea of Filipinos as people who rarely spend time reading a book. He also generalized the supposedly "broad spectrum" of Filipino traits. I say this because as humans, we Filipinos still have our share of differences in this world and each of us may or may not follow the norms of the society. Thus, it is not proper to condense the Filipino attitude into one point and be a viable fact that would label us as "not book lovers". In my opinion, that idea would shatter the bitter essence of this article. A macroscale outlook on an idea like this will not be a valid evidence for this small commentary on the Filipino society. I am an avid reader of the works of Neil Gaiman and Edgar Allan Poe. I have been reading various papers and essays in my high school years and until now, I continue my reading habits as a college student. I am one of the few Filipinos who still read books with ease and disregard the loathesome traits of some Filipinos in reading.
On the other hand, I do understand his point on the discussion. We Filipinos do have such traits that justifies us being "not book lovers". But this only appears when we are being compared to other nations. This factor removes the bias that we may experience when we comment. It is also true that most countries that do appreciate reading more are often ahead of us. This is a hard and stable fact yet it is also true that it does not mean that they are always stay ahead of us.
In conclusion, I believe that the idea of Filipinos being not book lovers is very subjective and the fact that its subjectiveness will be inexorible until we are stripped of from our free will (which in truth will never happen). I also believe that it is an assumtion to label Filipinos as such because not all Filipinos can be categorized into book lovers or otherwise. The discussion remains open and if I ever offended anyone, please let me know and I will sincerely apologize for any moral damage that I have cause.
epic fail correction on are* (strip it) on the the last part of the 2nd paragraph…
caused* on last word 🙂 peace!
Reading had always been and will always be a part of every Filipino's life.
In my honest opinion, the author of this article mean no harm in "stereotyping" (in a way) us Filipinos as non book lovers, rather it serves as a wake up call, but i still disagree with his opinion. For me, being a book lover is not merely enclosed in the idea of sitting in a corner and holding a book but rather on the attitude that one gives on the "act" of reading and the appreciation one gives to something he read.
With our generation today, books are not limited to the ones printed and hard bound that looks so boring for an individual. Because of technology eBooks came to life which heightened the interest of readers from different ages. This gave way to open the sleeping hearts of every Filipino to once again read. Let's admit it, computers are much accessible to the public than books (due to the many computer shops that opens in every corner), because of this, we've been really hooked to the computer rather than sit in a corner and read a book; but because of computers, we've been re-introduced to the whole new look of books in the form of blogs, eBooks, audio books and the likes. So we cannot be totally labeled as "non book lovers." It's just on the way how Filipinos approach reading. 🙂
Books are the most sufficient source of knowledge to learn. It is a great hobby to love reading books and discover things through them. But somehow, the generation today started to change, I as a teenager is very aware of the powerful forces of technology especially the most anticipated, internet. Today, it also became a hobby to click and to surf the net. It is not bad to have technology in our lives but somehow it leads to the sad part of forgetting our old friends, books.
It is true that bookstores in Japan are always spotted on every town while in our city it is not an important feature. We could say that this is one of the factors of our country's poor education. Instead of turning the students to learn we make them turn into temptations because of the environment. The most popular and influencial place is computer shops, game stations, party places and the likes. These places are usually influenced by a student's friends, unfortunately sometimes it may lead to learn vices. I think this is also a reason why Filipinos hate solitude. Teenagers need friends to fit in and be recognized in public.
If we go on malls to watch on cinemas, we could observe that it is filled with Western movies even seats are occupied in a minute compared to our own movies. In UK, movies from other countries are always delayed in cinemas because they prioritize their own. It is in our fault too that we tend to forget the nationalism that we promise for our country. We are fond of appreciating more of foreign products just like in books. It is also in our government's commitment that lack support to our source of information mainly books and other media.
Filipinos are known to be dreamers, we always do our best to have a good life even to take adventures to other sides of the world, OFW's serve other countries even Charice Pempengco search for popularity in the States. As you can see they depend on the Western countries in order to have their dreams come true for their family, for their future. What are offered to them? Appreciation, support, hopes and change in their lives. Filipino writers are also dreamers, they wanted to be appreciated and be supported first of all by their own fellow Filipinos. Are we gonna let them seek hopes away from our countries too?
I believe that this article is very inspiring especially for us students, we as the generation who merely take the opportunity to read and appreciate books.
Was there ever a study to prove that Filipinos are not book lovers? I believe that the article is simply an opinion of the writer and it is not true that ALL Filipinos rarely read books. How do we explain the Harry Potter and Twilight book madness? How about the booming business of pocket books and trade-in books not just in bookstores, but even in sidewalks? Pocket books have been in existence for decades and Filipinos have enjoyed reading them. That is why aside from foreign writings, Filipinos have also patronized writings of Filipino authors. Proof of which are films based from Filipino novels such as "Dekada '70", "Bata Bata Paano Ka Ginawa?", and pocket book stories made into series of telenovelas currently viewed on television by millions of Filipinos.
While there may be Filipinos who do not enjoy reading books, there are also those who make sure to find time and/or save money just to buy a good read. There was also a study that says that most Filipinos are visual learners, so they tend to buy other reading materials which they find to be entertaining (i.e. comics, magazines, newspapers) compared to wordy novels.
Still, I find this article helpful because it makes us aware of the negative impression on Filipinos. It's not too late. We can still change this image. Why not start with ourselves? 🙂
Media has a big influence to people, I guess.
Continuing on my comment, lol. Personally, I'm no book-lover myself, but because of the "strong pull" of the media over teenagers today, they've become more drawn to the information from the internet and other gadgets. Another instance is, when a research homework is given, students automatically search Google for the required information and get answers in no less than 30seconds, copy and paste and it's done; than to venture to the library and look for a book. I'm not saying that people from this generation no longer read books, it's just that the technology that has developed rather rapidly (really rapid, actually – -;; ) had made doing tasks a lot easier and convenient.
Gawsh, I hope that made sense.
Honestly, I really don't love reading books because it makes me fall asleep. For me it's quite boring and I rather choose to surf the net, watch television etc. than to read books. I really wanted to be a book lover sometimes but I really can't force myself to do that. I have some friends that says they would rather wait a book to become a movie than to waste time reading a book. Reading requires patience and love for reading and you can't survive reading a book for hours if you don't have any of these qualities. I once tried to spend time reading books and there I felt that my mind is at peace. I hope someday I can find time to sit and relax while reading books.
I agree with this article that Filipinos are not book lovers but it doesn't mean that they don't read. Filipinos read newspapers, love stories, ghost stories, comic strips. Filipinos may not read a lot but it doesn't mean that they don't have interest in reading. And since we are in the era of social networking sites, Filipinos tend to pay more attention on these sites.
I really enjoy reading a book. It freshens up our minds and widens our imaginations. Its a fantastic experience reading a book, finish reading it, and telling your friends what a wonderful book you have read! A book contains a lot of knowledge that can help us in our daily lives, especially us Filipinos. I'm sad to know that the majority of the population doesn't know what joys a book can bring into their lives. Of course in order to enjoy a book you must first understand the book. We can't just say that Filipinos are not book lovers, we should find out first what book they want to read and understand! We love what we can understand, right?
I asked myself what kind of book can satisfy the Filipinos? Well for me, I love reading the books of Bob Ong. His novel "MacArthur" really depicts a Filipino way of life in the modern time, his "ABNKKBSNPLAKo" is a very funny autobiography of his Elementary, Highschool, and College life, and his "Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ang mga Pilipino?" tells about the Philippines in its developing stages to becoming a first world country and failures the government has done. But enough of what I like, lets move on to what the majority likes. The Filipino people always love to read what makes them laugh, as long as its funny, a Filipino will always read it and enjoy it. Filipinos also like to read about food and enjoy imagining themselves cooking and eating the food they read about .And of course who can't forget, Filipinos also like the Horror genre, reading about kapres, aswangs, tikbalangs, tiyanaks, and of course, the infamous white lady really sends chills down ones spine! Truly this books are always bought and sought after by Filipinos in bookstores.
Filipinos read books but not often because of the activities and duties a Filipino has to do. Nowadays people are always busy with their lives not even bothering to stop and read a book. Even if they do have time to stop they don't always opt to read a book. Because why bother read a book when you can just sleep and relax? I just remembered, our ancestors don't read books to relax, they just sleep or eat or do them both! But remember people, we were colonized by the Spaniards who taught us about religion and built universities for us to study in, and the Americans who taught us about a liberal society and helped us establish our nation. Because of them many reformers, revolutionalists, patriots, and writers came to be, so being colonized means we are civilized, but we should not give up being civilized without being able to read a damn book!
I do believe that Filipinos are book lovers they just don't want other people to know or show that they have hobby like that. Because your'e in solitude when you read right? Meaning that not many people can see you, that's why Filipinos don't read on the side of the street or in the mall or the park because they are easily distracted with their surroundings, they read in the safety and comfort of their on houses or just under a tree. And it doesn't mean that if a country doesn't have that many bookstores they're not book lovers. This article was written in 1987 there weren't many bookstore back then, but look at now we have bookstore everywhere! Every town must have at least 5 bookstores, we shouldn't worry about running out of books .We don't lack the books or the readers or the understanding, we just lack the time in reading.
I agree on the said article, since we're already in the post modern time we're or i should say most of us would prefer to gain knowledge, wisdom, and entertainment in an instant. To many, it does not really require that time to learn and have fun. The existence of technology that produces films and television shows could be a factor for this. People would prefer to have audiovisuals than reading materials.
But on the other side, Filipinos i believe are not incompetent. They read when there is a need to read, they also read when they are interested to read. I think a good number of Filipinos have read one of the Harry Potter series and of course the Davinci Code. It takes good advertisement to make Filipinos read.
Reading can come to many benefits it doesn't just give knowledge to inform but as well as wisdom especially those famous literary types, Filipinos not being book lovers, well I don't know if I agree or not. I personally adore books but I'm not that bookworm type it's just that I have more other interest than reading but as a student I don't enjoy reading textbooks and readings(handouts) I remember our guidance counselor asking me if I'm sure with my choice of course to take up (Asian Studies) because she warned me that it includes lot of reading and that held me back a bit a lot of reading didn't convince me to pursue but just because of the uniqueness of the said course.I believe that whether Filipino or Japanese anyone can love books and you don't have to refer to a certain group of people being not something just because someone is not like that.(get it?) anyone can be a book lover for their own reasons and purpose as long as it's healthy for them there's nothing wrong about that as long as there is an essence.. 🙂
Kudos to the blogger who posted this article! If not for you and for those future bloggers who are going to repost it, the rest of the Filipinos might be left unaware of what we should have improved as we still got the time to do so.
I admit the article's a bit degrading for the Filipinos, but I consider it being a big help to let each and every one of us be aware of what thoughts has been lurking around about us being “those” people who’s too shallow to be entertained by a mere television show than by reading a book.
Filipinos do read, indeed. But as far as I see it, half of the Filipinos prefer “reading” tabloids, comics, and such which some may consider a low level for “good reading.” From what I have known since when I started going to school, good reading is when you read good books, and these “good books” pertain to those reading materials that puts in information into us, whether it may be a broadsheet or a reader’s digest. It is something where we can learn and get to be able to enrich our knowledge not only about the society’s affairs but also on the language. We may say that we, being pertained to as not being a book lover can be happening because of the insufficient resources of some Filipinos, but it is not enough to say that we cannot choose the “good” books from the “bad ones”. We can save ourselves from being connoted as this – if we get to start loving good books, we’ll be able to see its significance and establish passion for it.
I believe we can still “evolve”. Read, read, read!
Even though the article is dated 1987, there is still some evident truth in it.
In general, Filipinos of today find it extremely boring and inconvenient to stroll around the bookstore, find a good read and then dwell on the contents of a book. Filipinos prefer a more fast-paced kind of lifestyle where everything is instant and served in a silver platter. Have you noticed that people, whether rich or poor, young and old revolve their attention in entertainment, movies, television shows? It's like some can't live without finding out what happened to a certain character in their favorite soap opera or what's the latest celebrity scandal. It is really disturbing that many of us exchange precious books to television shows.
With the era of the internet, social networking sites. gadgets and games, book reading is being devoured by the latest technology in the market. Majority of the young generation would trade a big ol' book for hours of staring at their social networking profiles or online games in a heartbeat.The idea of Filipinos avoiding this that require time, patience and endurance is really disappointing. But there is still hope. Common people enjoy reading pocketbooks and romance novels because they can somehow relate to the content. The question is preference. A great number of people loves anything related to love and romance, so even a humble romance pocketbook is a starting point for Filipinos to become book lovers not George Bernard Shaw's perception of "Filipinos will go from being primitives to becoming exhausted as a civilization, without ever having been civilized enough to read books."
I consider myself as a reader by preference, I am a fan of novels by Nicholas Sparks, Mitch Albom and the like. I enjoy reading every word and even find myself lost in the inspirational stories. And there are a lot of people like me that adore reading. The Harry Potter books, Twilight Saga,Nancy Drew, The Vampire Diaries, Eat Pray Love, Charles Dickens, Dan Brown phenomenon is clearly proof that reading transcends cultures and makes their way into Filipino hearts.
I agree with the author's view of Filipinos as not "book lovers" but I have to contradict the idea that it is hopeless to turn around the situation. Not all Filipinos fall into the stereotype, there are still people that enjoy immersing themselves into a book and jumping into the pages of a good book.
In my own point of view, the writer was just sharing his opinion about what he had observed based in his limited evidences. However, Technology plays a crucial part in line with his article for Filipinos are now dependent on an one-click research. In contrast, this can't be a valid basis that Filipinos are called to be such.
If you have observe in public places or in your respective houses, Newspapers are of high demand in the Philippines. How come Filipinos are fun of buying newspapers well in fact they could see similar news in different news casting shows? How come Filipinos are giving too much effort in obtaining a Twilight or even a Harry Potter book series well in fact there is an expected upcoming movie version for this?
In conclusion, most filipinos are preoccupied with so many things thus they tend to ignore reading as a habit. However, this can't be a valid basis for us, filipinos to be called as Non-Readers.
First and for most i'd like to speak in behalf of 1LM3, but i think do not have the right to riase my oponion because i'm not a book lover myself.
(But as a Human right i do, since the author pertains to us Filipinos).
Upon reading the article i find comparisons and assumptions dominant, so i have to disagree. We all know that the Philippines is not as progressive as the other countries the author have mentioned, a fair example is that limited places of bookstores are available in other cities of Philippines, others none, another is that a good number of Filipinos lack proper education, badly affecting Filipinos' global competitiveness. The point here is that comparison is the root of dicrimination.
I'm a person who very much rely on facts, as i have read, the article has strong points, but sadly it lacks evidence to support the statements. Every perspective differs, example, in the same event what you have seen, felt, heard, etc is different from everyone else, and with that I believe it's an assumption to call Filipinos "not book lovers". Maybe in your side you can hardly see Filipinos reading books just for fun, but what about others who are surrounded with book lovers.
To conclude, yes Filipinos are not fond of reading but that does not mean we are badly different from other countries who love to read, and yes books are good sources of knowlegde and ideas, i don't deny that fact, but we have to consider other sources of ideas We do have our own ways of learning. And please if i offended or insulted anyone please accept sincerest apologies.
It really saddens me because even if this article was written decades ago, the contents of this are true and, is still applies to the present time. True enough that we, Filipinos are afraid of solitude simply because, we are very much known to be jolly and to be very interactive.
But really, now that this civilization focuses mostly on technologies rather than skimming to the pages of a book, one must realize that of all the things in this world, books are the most powerful ones because it can take you anywhere you want to be and also, a nation without a literature speaks with less precision. One must bear in mind especially us, Filipinos that reading is the key.
Personally speaking, since my sophomore year way back in high school until now, even if my schedule is pretty piled up, I still, manage to allot time to finish a book because reading has always been so beneficial to me in every way.
I just hope that the coming generations will learn how to appreciate and give a profound importance in reading in the way that some of us (including myself) do because in due time, one will realize the purpose of it.
READING IS FUN!
I like books but I wouldn't call myself a book lover. Since I prefer going online or watching television these days rather than reading books. But when I do read a book, I enjoy reading it. I think that reading a book widens my knowledge and improves my vocabulary.
I think that reading depends on interest. I think that a person will definitely read a book if it interested him/her. So it all depends on how a book catches a person's eye.
This article had a point. I don't agree with it and I quite disagree with it but I admit that it had a point. But in my opinion, it still falls back to the subject of a person's interest because that is where a person will start to read. And when that person starts to read, hopefully he/she will like reading and become a book lover.
THIS IS A PERSONALIZED OBSERVATION OF A FILIPINO RIGHT? HE IS SAYING THAT FILIPINOS ARE NOT FOND OF IMPROVING THEMSELVES AND HE IS BASICALLY DISGUSTED ABOUT THE FILIPINOS, SAYING THEY ARE “NINGAS CUGON AND HERDS”. STILL, I AGREE WITH THE AUTHOR’S OBSERVATION, "MOST" OF THE FILIPINOS WOULD RATHER SPEND THEIR TIME SOCIALIZING THAN READING A BOOK AND REGARDING THE FILIPINO WRITERS YES, THEY ARE REALLY RARE BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAY THAT PERSON IS A "WRITER" HE WRITES TO EXPRESS NOT TO IMPRESS AND THAT'S WHAT MOST OF THEM ALWAYS FORGET. BUT I THINK INSTEAD OF COMPARING THE NEGATIVE TRAITS OF FILIPINOS TO JAPANESE POSITIVE TRAITS, COMPARING THE POSITIVE POINTS OF BOTH SIDES IS MORE AGREEABLE. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT IN DOING AN OBSERVATION BIASES MUST BE SUSPENDED TO KNOW THE SUBJECT MUCH BETTER. 🙂
I disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers. It's just that there are many other reasons or distractions that cause Filipinos not to read. Filipinos love to read, I can tell but when it comes to books, we just get very choosy. I think it depends on the type of person. If he or she is interested in reading or not.
For me, this article is really something. It's true that Filipinos prefer to do other stuffs than reading not because they don't like books but because some people just want to go out and have fun rather than sitting in a silent place and read.
Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. – These phrase really caught my attention; but I am not saying that this is very true for all. Maybe for some, but at least not for someone, like me. I am a book lover by nature. I tend to enjoy every single page of a book every time I found a place to sit in and do cuddle one. It is as if I am at the verge of the solidarity that binds me and the hidden senses of a certain book. And as a matter of fact, I could say that books had been my constant companions since then, I was a kid. It has given if not everything, but at least, some of the knowledge I indulge as of now. But again, through books there will be a continuous cycle of learning. Because learning is said to be endless, there is no such a human being existing in this world who would then claim that he knows about everything, because that is vaguely impossible. He might say that he had already read a lot of books, but still profoundly he is not 100% sure of the knowledge he has. It might be enough, but still, not perfectly enough to conquer and answer difficulties in life.
In general, this certain issue is a huge truth that we Filipinos must seriously face. But, unfortunately the major problem is we Filipinos hate solitude. We hate being alone and for more being isolated. This is very terrifying, due to the large cooperation and thorough development of the cyborg world, applied to our daily living; and in return we depend ourselves to them. I have to admit, I myself too also do spend hours in front of the computer, doing unproductive things instead of running some errands. Well, it is now a known reality that it like a virus, a deadly and contagious one. Spreading all over the world. This is no longer a big joke. It actually frightens each one of us, especially for the next generations to come. We are now suffering, how much more for them? Illiteracy and poverty are highly at hand. Some have suggested that technology can save us. Some have suggested that technology alone can save us. See how it mobilizes our human race.
Now, much is expected of us, change is within us. It is a big challenge for us to change these stigmas; whereas it is now planted and continuously digging, spreading and devastating all over our land. Creating more crates and holes to the downfall our our entity. This problem will solely remain a piece of jigsaw puzzle until the end of time. Not unless, we Filipinos learned our mistakes and discover ways to convey evil. It is never too late for us to be better and productive citizens of this world, it simply depends on which path we choose to cross. It is either the long and right one, or the short but redemptive one. Anyway, It is still your choice. Your choice to be good or your choice to be bad.
I totally agree that most Filipinos are not book lovers but that doesn't mean that we don't read. Actually, we love to read newspapers, magazines and novels. We find it boring to read books if it's too long and it has uninteresting story.
Honestly, when I read a book and found some words that I didn’t understand, I don’t like to look for it in the dictionary because it’s just a waste of time. Reading a book without pictures is boring for me. I’d say that I’m addicted in watching television and using social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter but I know that it will not help me in my studies.
To read more often will help us to increase our knowledge in vocabulary and to know the correct grammar and spelling of the words. It will help us to focus on our studies too.
Reading isn't always easy, but it doesn't have to be hard. We read books for many reasons, but you don't have to feel that it's an academic experience (if you don't want it to be). You can read the book to enjoy it. It may not seem like much to read for just a few minutes a day, but it doesn't take much to get into the habit of reading.
I disagree to what the statement says. I may not be a book lover, but here's one thing I want to share. Not all Filipinos are book lovers. But then again. there are some Filipinos who are addicted in reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight Saga, The Hardy Boys, and many more. The statement forgot what teenage book lovers want. Just like what I said a while ago. Some teenagers love books that have stories, novels, or whatever. And some teenagers love encyclopedias to learn more about our environment and all about this world. The statement just said that almost all popular, rich and powerful people don't read books. But ALMOST ALL TEENAGERS do read books. We Filipinos may not be book lovers, BUT, we still read. =)
I totally agree on this article. Reading good and useful books are out of the vocabulary of Filipinos. They are more interested and useless books like magazines, comic and pocketbooks. Why will i go to the library if the world wide web gives me every information that i needed in an instant. Students and professionals prefer using the internet in doing their research rather than doing it in the old way. Less time is needed in searching for information in using the internet. This Filipino trait started in the year 1994 when the world wide web was release to the public. Let us face the truth it's now 2010! We can't stop technology from it's dominance.
Literacy specialists are just beginning to investigate how reading on the Internet affects reading skills. A recent study of more than 700 low-income, mostly Hispanic and black sixth through 10th graders in Detroit found that those students read more on the Web than in any other medium, though they also read books. The only kind of reading that related to higher academic performance was frequent novel reading, which predicted better grades in English class and higher overall grade point averages.
I believe that strong readers on the Web may eventually surpass those who rely on books. Reading five Web sites, an op-ed article and a blog post or two, experts say, can be more enriching than reading one book.
It takes a long time to read a 400-page books.The Internet allows a reader to cover a lot more of the topic from different points of view.
I, myself don’t love to read books. But I do read some books. It just depends in what kind of reading material. Of course I will choose something to read that I can relate to and something that I could use as a source of knowledge. Reading and understanding what you read is one of the precious source of knowledge and life lessons. If Filipinos do not love to read, then why bookstores put up many branches worldwide? Why pocketbooks and comics are selling like hotcakes? These reading materials are common people could afford.
In reality, we’re not a first world country; we are a third world country. Meaning, we prioritize our necessities first than pleasure. Because being a book lover means you read for leisure and you enjoy it. But still some Filipinos try to borrow books because they can’t afford it. Technology is a big factor because it’s easy to access, unlike libraries. I myself am not aware of locations of public libraries. And internet is the most convenient and you can get information easily.
This article shows imbalanced descriptions. It’s a fact that many of the Filipinos nowadays and also on the year this article was published are not fund of reading books but there are still reasons behind those which can explain why this happens. In fact, we can always look at the bright side. Why read long stories if there’s something out of it short? Why get bored reading long, eye-swallowing novels if there are movies that can show it more interesting? These are only examples or maybe the reasons why shortcuts are useful. If there’s something short, why go tired for the longer isn't it? Time management is also involved here. Many of us are maybe giving more time to the things we love more and unfortunately, it’s not reading.
And here comes the book worms. Unlike me, they are the persons who are to fill this issue. They have passion on reading because of a simple reason. They love it. I’m sure, none of us won’t want to be pushed to do what we don’t want to. Right? And also, there are Filipinos who are not 100% book lovers that read books. It also depends on the mood. Let’s consider the different kinds of readers. If a reader is curious only about a book’s title or author, or the others, he or she will surely read the book because he or she loves to. There’s also this reader who reads a book if there are pictures to make it more exciting. And there are still a lot of examples remaining. Even book lovers can think of one.
And for the last, it’s not just only who reads knows all. Maybe, they know more but it doesn’t mean that those who don’t read that much like them even not in the Filipinos’ concern, can’t be a part of something. There’s still their part that can lead the land greater with their strengths not just with reading but also with the different aspects around us. Let’s think of this in general. All of us are dedicated into something.
I agree to the author of this article Filipinos are not book lovers. For example the National Bookstore we only see it jam packed when it's the month of June because we need to buy school supplies, but we don't see it with a lot of people because they are buying books or other reading materials. In UK, if JK Rowling announces that she would release another instalment of HP book people would line up in bookstores just to get a copy of it while in the Philippines we don't hear news that people would line up in bookstores just to get a copy of the book.
But Filipinos DO read. We read newspapers, magazines, comic books and etc. It may not be considered as books but we still READ.
As much as we would want to disagree with this article, we just have to face the fact that not all Filipinos are not book lovers. Yes, we read books from time to time, but in our generation today, as addressed by our History professor, we are now called the "clicking generation". Since the technology is so advanced, a lot of us would prefer surfing the internet, for easier and faster results of searching for an assignment, playing video games, and going to the different social networking sites such as twitter, facebook, myspace, etc. It's not that we do not appreciate the art of writing, but yeah, we prefer being entertained by the technologies around us rather than reading a book which we have to comprehend and understand better. On the other hand, though some Filipinos still are bookworms, the majority would still want to watch these books that become motion pictures even though that they don't have the exact, same plot, plus in the back of their minds, it would be boring and quiet if they read a book so. And I would count myself in! haha! So yeah, this is the truth, and is what's happening, because of the advancement of the technology, and what is more entertaining is what the people would choose to do.
I must agree with this article that most Filipinos are not book lovers but not all. Filipinos are not really known to be wide book readers because of our short attention span, fondness for entertainment and the fast emergence of technology.
Reading, as the article has said, really entails time and patience, and most of all, interest. Every book must serve the interest of every reader. Thus, it is up to the reader if he/she would choose to read a book or not.
Aside from the factors presented in the article, other major factors would include poverty and poor educational background. Lacking proper education, it would be very hard to understand a book written in English if you don't have a wide vocabulary and a good understanding of the English language. They cannot be blamed for this because it is really very hard for them to even think about books when they are experiencing very difficult times.
Some points in the article may be true and some may be not but it made me realize how different the society now looks on the purpose and importance of books. I still believe that there are alot of Filipinos who love books and we must understand that reading books is not the only measure of power and success. With proper education and greater appreciation for books, I hope Filipinos will also learn to love books in the same way that they love their high-tech gadgets.
The writer points out that Filipinos are not book lovers because it goes against the Filipinos’ cultural characteristics. Filipinos hate solitude, silence and complicated plots and ideas which are the requirements of reading a book. An important point made by the author here is the danger posed to our country if some of the nonreaders get into positions of power. How would you expect someone, who never had the patience and diligence to endure a book, rule a country? It is just plain tragic.
But then, not all Filipinos are like that. A number of people still find the time to read books. Kids reading comic books could be a start. At least they still try to read. There’s still a chance that someday most Filipinos would be saving money not to buy those new gadgets and magazines but to buy great books. If not, then George Bernard Shaw’s statement would be the fate of our lot for sure.
As mentioned in the blog, the problem with us Filipinos is that we like our entertainment fast and light that we tend to engage in leisure activities rather than in silent but productive or knowledgeable activities like reading. But this does not mean that we are not as cognizant as the others. Filipinos just find other ways from which they can learn and obviously, that is not from reading.
I consider myself quite a book lover because I am really fond of reading books. But, it still depends upon the book. There are many factors that inhibit us from liking a book like its genre, the composition of the text, the author's style of narrating events, hifaluting words, and so much more. In my case, I am into fiction novels. I find them interesting to read. But when it comes to non-fiction ones like essays and some academic readings, I am also struggling to be patient to read them. I am reading them because I am required to and not because I want to.
Honestly speaking, I prefer reading inside my dormitory room rather than watching television shows downstairs when I have a free time. This is because I think that reading is much worthwhile than watching. I believe that from reading, I would benefit a lot. It would not just enrich my vocabulary, it would also make me a critical reader. Before, I am having difficulty in comprehending the things I read but now, it is much easier.
I believe that most Filipinos are in the situation like mine. We enjoy reading but we select what we read. We like to read if we think what we are reading is interesting. We cannot push ourselves to read things that we do not prefer or we think is boring. Let us take Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer and Five Dialogues by Plato as an example. Obviously, more people would enjoy reading the first one and find the latter one boring. This is the case for most Filipinos.
To conclude, generally, Filipinos are not that book lovers because we want fun activites. But for me, it does not really matter if we are book lovers or not. As I have said earlier, we gain knowledge not only through reading (although a big part still comes from it). The thing is, we cannot coerce ourselves to do something that we do not enjoy. I do believe that Filipinos are naturally smart even without having to read lots of books. We may not be book lovers but we can prove that we excel in different fields. 🙂
Stephen here
—–
After reading this blog/article, I suddenly remembered about
the writer's observation, "in Japan, the bookshop seemed to be
the most popular feature of practically every street block.
While in the Philippines, instead of bookshop, it was the
beauty parlor vying closely with the sari-sari store." What
does this obeservation connotes to? Even if it is given in a
timeline in the 80's or the 90's, we still can't deny that this
fact even exist up to 2010.
Yes, there are those who reads comic, and magazines or anything
that involves social lives or it metaphorically speaking about
social statuses. But what is bad about reading them? In my own
perspective, it is good to read these kinds of materials once
in a while, but there is also a downside to this. Let us try
looking at the downsides of it. What are the downsides? Most of
this kinds of reading materials mostly gives nothing of wisdom
or knowledge. What it mostly gives is gossips, senseless
nothings and it also let the reader's mind be polluted that
outer beauty or social life is the most important thing in
existenece.
Now, let us go to another side of us Filipinos. The book
lovers, first what books do they read? Well, mostly any genre
of books. But likely many prefer Sci-Fi, Novels, poetry,
Fiction and Non-Ficition. What do they benefit from these
genres of books? These book lovers does not only gain enjoyment
from these books, but they also gain knowledge, wisdom and a
new form of enlightenment. Also, their imagination develops and
thus their level of artistic minds evolves.
Now, what is the downside of this? Well, for most book lovers,
they will either die of reading books or live reading books but
never having a social life… This is the most well known
downside of this. But, for me I cannot deny that reading a
book, let it be in a form of a book, a pdf. or just a quote of
a book, I always feel what the writer had said, "Reading a book
requires time and patience; endurance, if need be."
I am a Filipino and I know that most of us wants the shortcut,
but I remembered a quote, "You know you've read a good book
when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have
lost a friend. ~Paul Sweeney" Everytime I read such good book,
I feel that I want more of it. I want more of the story but I
know its the end of that story. Sometimes its not good to
always take shortcuts, cause if you do, you will never
understand what your life story means. Knowingly, our life is a
book. As we walk, we read our and other's lives. So in truth
there is no shortcut in life, just try reading and you will be
enlighten.
and also, let us accept these negativity on our side, because if we only say, 'Nah, I don't mind about his/her comment, I would rather do what I love most.' A person who is able to accept both + and – comments are the ones who is truly a human being. So, are you a human being perse?
CHRISTIAN MARK BAYLON
I-Philosophy
Reading is the foundation of academic success and lifelong learning. But the brutal fact remains that a majority of Filipino students do not possess the ability and motivation to read.
I do agree that a large number of Filipino Citizens are not book lovers or avid readers but NOT ALL.
A lot of reasons why this is so…
First, We, Filipinos, are known to be friendly and hospitable. We like surrounding ourselves with many people that’s why it’s hard for us to just stay in one place and read books by ourselves. Filipinos are just very much influenced by their environment that’s why they don’t read much.
Filipino people don't read because video games and television have killed not only their attention spans, but also their imagination. While these things shouldn't be heralded as the great evil of society, they should be dealt in moderation to children. Schools here in the Philippines should try to push reading back onto students which is a good thing. I believe they need to start younger so that it may have a better effect.
Most of Filipinos don’t read because of lack of education, lack of money, sort attention span and most of all lack of resources.
One of the main reason why Filipinos do not read books is they do not have the incentive to read. They are not influenced and encouraged to read. To read we must have a motivation and that is what people lack. A motivation to read. The people who are often caught watching television and playing video games the whole day, simply lack an influence to do something much more productive such as reading.
I consider myself as a book lover. I personally love reading; it is one of my biggest passions. I love reading because I find it as an active mental process which you would be forced to reason out many things which are unfamiliar to you. It gives me a glimpse into other cultures and places of the world. Builds self-esteem because the more you read, the more knowledgeable you become. With more knowledge comes more confidence. More confidence builds self-esteem. Yet what made me to start reading or more than anything said motivated me was the beauty of words.
It seems like this article pretty much says everything about it: solitude, ideas, and silence. As the author said, the average Filipino citizens obviously hate that. And to think that this article was written back in 1987, would anyone think that it was written way back in that time? It’s pretty much the same today.
Last words my fellow countrymen…
Reading yields great benefits; it's a fact which cannot be questioned by anyone. This is the reason one has to understand the importance of reading, and be well versed with this activity. In this world of competitiveness, it's always advantageous to amass vast knowledge, and there is no better way to do so, other than reading. So it's high time you find a cure for Bibliophobia – fear of books, especially thick books, and dive into the world of literature or whatever you like to read.
Also, I think about what the author is pointing out is don't read by force, read as if your trying to know a friend. A friend who will accompany you forever…
Mostly Filipinos read because they have to read for a certain subject. So we can say that Filipinos read only when they are in need of reading.
I disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers. Yes there are some who don't love to read yet they have to read books in order for them to learn more. Books are very important, helps us to build our spirit, give information, help to pass time, make us more deep an cultural, helps us to write and think better, help us to chose people, because with book you will able to chose the persons that like the same books that you like… Since millions of centuries menkind write it's the way to preserve history, facts that without them alll menkind was lost without identity. finaly, open our mind to the world and makes us better persons. So i think, many filipinos still love to read books.
I disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers. Yes there are some who don’t love to read yet they have to read books in order for them to learn more. Books are very important, helps us to build our spirit, give information, help to pass time, make us more deep an cultural, helps us to write and think better, help us to chose people, because with book you will able to chose the persons that like the same books that you like Since millions of centuries mankind write it’s the way to preserve history, facts that without them alll menkind was lost without identity. finaly, open our mind to the world and makes us better persons. So i think, many filipinos still love to read books.
It is a sad truth that most Filipinos are not really fond of reading books.there are very few bookstores in the cities and still fewer in the provinces.Rich persons in the country seldom have collection of books what we often see are collections of fancy cars , expensive toys and LV bags for women. It is very rare to find books given as presents unless both the giver and receiver are book lovers or even just one of them.Most filipino homes have television sets but only few had the idea of putting up even just a mini-library.
I understand that the author wrote the article because she wanted to persuade Filipinos into reading books. Why? She was one of the few Filipinos who had the flair in writing during the martial law and the fewer Filipinos who had the courage to use their writing abilities in the fight against the martial law.
"Even rarer than the Filipino Reader is the Filipino Writer. But that topic is too sad for words."
In order to be a writer one must first be a reader. The article was obviously a calling for more Filipino writers.
The reasons the author had stated why Filipinos hardly read books are very true at their time but not all the rerasons are true nowadays.
She stated that Filipinos hate solitude and are not fond of ideas and silence as the reasons why Filipinos hardly read. Is it proper to describe book lovers as unsocial, shy, quiet, ones whose thoughts are inward and ones who prefer solitude than a crowd———-Introverts? Does it necessarily mean that book lovers are introverts? Does it mean that at the peak of Virginia Woolf's career most people in London were introverts? I don't think so. Ambiverts can also be book lovers. They are the ones with equal introvert and extrovert tendencies and most people are ambiverts. I believe that there are many ambiverts who are fond of reading books.
"Filipinos hate solitude."
This may not be applicable anymore. although there are still many FIlipinos who are fond of going to Fiestas and cultural interactions most of the youth nowadays prefer to lock themselves alone in their rooms playing computer games or surfing the "in" social networking sites the whole day than going to Church or School.
I have to agree that most Filipinos find reading unappealing. Perhaps this is because we can get information effortlessly due to the technology we currently have. Nowadays, we have easy access and we usually choose to do it the easy way. I must admit, when I was in high school, I'd log in to Spark Notes for summaries than to read the book itself whenever I feel lazy. It's much easier & saves more time. But then, books are very important. We don't know if the information that is being served to us by the internet is reliable & legitimate.
Filipinos hate silence, true that. We would rather play video games, hang out with friends, chat & the like. Most teenagers would label reading as boring or, as some may say, reading is for nerds & it would make you less cool when you're caught with a book. Perhaps this is because they didn't give reading a try.
But there are a good number of Filipinos who love to read too. Some parents would teach their kids to read at a very early age but I wish they would continue teaching them until they grow in love with reading.
This article was written a couple of decades ago, but I have to say that it still applies up to now. Yes, I agree to the author that Filipinos do not love to read. I shouldn’t generalize the statement but in my opinion, a lot of Filipino teenagers would rather do other things than just sit and read. I, myself, is not a book lover. I hate to tell this but I really abhor reading books. Why? Because I find it boring and it’s just not like me. Ridiculous, isn’t it? But I know for a fact that it’s not right. Yes, I’d rather go partying every night, waste my time lurking on social networking sites, hang out with my best buds or talk over the phone for hours. I even spend my entire day in a salon, having my nails done. I find my happiness there, but if I look beyond it, I know that the ‘happiness’ I feel is not genuine. It’s more of fake and temporary. I know few teens that loves to read. Few of my friends love to read books and I find them weird. But really, I admire them. Ironic, yes, but I really admire people who loves to read books. I’m really hoping that one day, I’ll see myself sitting in one corner and being absorbed by the book I’m reading.
Books provide us knowledge. Book lovers are the ones who know lots of things. After having read the article, I somehow have the idea of how a big loser I am. I hated books so much. But now, I realized that I really shouldn’t. It will help me survive the game called life.
Reading is an activity that is taken for granted in our country today. I am hoping that one day, Filipinos would love to read books and become reading a habit. Well, enough for this long comment. I’d go out now but I’m not heading for the salon or shop again. I’m actually planning to hit a bookstore. Who knows? I might love reading after all.
This is an excellent article, indeed very helpful for us who doesn’t love to read.
First I just would like to correct the statement "Filipinos will never become book readers." Filipino people do really read books but not that much. Because as I can see, when we, Filipinos read books, there are only certain books that would appeal to our taste. We may not read books often but when we do read we adore reading that certain book and we read other information about that book. Like for example Harry Potter, Twilight and etc. Filipinos got addicted with those books, right? Maybe Filipinos are just choosy and picky when it comes to book. But it doesn’t mean that Filipinos will NEVER become book readers. In fact as I can see the library in our university is usually crowded. So guess this article should be edited HAHA. Filipinos really are book readers but I guess there are some factors that affect reading; one thing is money I guess. As we all know reading materials, books to be specific are expensive that the low class people couldn’t afford to buy.
But sad to say some of the Filipinos are lazy reading books.
i agree.. it is more interesting to read magazine, watch telenovelas or a movie. come to think of it, why do we still need to read a book if we can understand it in 2 hours by just watching it?
yet it is unfair for us, Filipinos, to be judged in that way. not all are book lovers but we still DO read books. we are one of the happiest people in the world and reading is (yes) kinda boring..
reading literary forms broadens our mind and widens the range of our moral consciousness. then being a third-world country is our fault because we don't have the brainpower to revamp the Philippines.
but..
do we need to show off that we are reading books to be called "book lovers"? isn't it better to read alone and understand more the context of the book/s we are reading?
in conclusion,
we must be disciplined and control ourselves from too much media, then try to replace those times with reading. you'll change a LOT.
Unfortunately, I would probably agree with the author of this article. It’s already a proven fact that Filipinos are more interested with the media rather than literary forms. We, Filipinos, are getting more entertained in watching than reading, for it allows us to view the actual happening than visualizing and encoding what are we reading. A lot of Filipinos do not have time to read or do not even have the slightest interest in reading a book. Nowadays, Filipino teenagers are more into clubbing, partying and malling, It makes them feel that they belong in the society. It really is true that Filipinos hate Solitude. Most of us hate the feeling of being alone. We would like to have friends around us at the most expense. It is also because of the latest technology advancements. Filipinos are more preoccupied with texting. After all, our country is considered as the texting capital of the whole world. Even those people who are experiencing poverty have the capacity to buy a cell phone rather than food that can last them a whole month. Furthermore, internet usage has been more popular. In times where almost everything seems to be just one click away, Filipinos who do not give attention to reading books resort to the internet for it gives us more convenience than utilizing an hour reading a book. I'm not pertaining to the whole country for there are still people who loves and still loves to read.
There was no strain on our thinking and studying routine cause the journey of reading had no end in our sights ,hence it was almost everywhere. You can breakthrough an immediate response by reading not only along streets, highways, and vandals along alleyways but by means of books and novels too, so I strongly disagree that Filipinos are not book lovers , this article “Filipinos are not book lovers” was already pertained to a wholly of Filipinos, might as well say FOR SOME. We citizenry can’t predict things and must not forebode things easily cause every events and things undergoes a sudden change and we must not forget that in every way there’s a hope.
The article was written way back 1987 and I guess bookstores wasn’t that popular yet although there are some or maybe there weren’t many bookstores yet. The year, 1987, I guess wasn’t that modernized yet, as though some are already popularized but not in the fields of reading or books but of technologies that was invented. But as time goes by, changes occur. As of now there were many bookstores everywhere that contain novels and there were also a lot of people who loves to read and they find it interesting for they come up with more information and ideas, it’s just that it takes time to finish a novel and patience, time and passion in reading are needed. We don’t read books if we don’t find it interesting and if we don’t understand it at all unless we are required to, but didn’t you notice that by reading novels and such you seem to interpret data and ideas on which you tend to criticize, well for me reading and understanding have benefits.
I myself, doesn’t like reading novels or even books that are grueling to understand before, why? Because I was faced with many activities and feverish schedules attacked me, this may not only be my concern but also of others, we are bound to many activities and advancement of many things increased. I just love reading poems that are colligated with me and I also love looking at pictures that are way different and was abstract but when I socialize myself with certain society, I was then indulged from reading novels and books but of course it still depends on the book and for that reason I associated myself to become a book lover. I do love reading novels, especially those that are written by Cecilia Ahern, Nicholas Sparks, Judith McNaught and Jodi Piccoult and their novels that got in touch with love and lessons really inspires me to read more.
I do agree that books must be met in certain solitude for us to empathize and feel what we are reading but I disagree that Filipinos hate solitude because there are many instances on which being alone are met. Yes, I find it hard to read on an environment full of rip-roaring and irritating sounds, so I tend to stop. Like for my situation, we read books because we find it interesting, remember that not all books are fun to read. It was mentioned in the blog that books deals with ideas but I quite disagree that idea plus silence and solitude are too much, because having ideas expand our thoughts. With ideas plus the silence and solitude, we tend to reflect and gain more knowledge but of course people have different way of reading, there are some who can understand what they are reading on a crowd full of noises.
Well, I conclude and do believe that some Filipinos are book lovers or we must not totally labeled everyone as non book lovers, well it’s just that some don’t have enough time to read for they are faced with many activities and techno are everywhere and if ever people find time to rest and relax, they can do reading but those are of short not unlike novels, but they prefer more of things that can make them laugh and can make them at ease like watching movies, going to mall or sleeping. Well, I really love books, and if you don’t, I highly respect that. Just always remember patience, time and passion in reading is needed.
As what Edward P. Morgan says, Book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face. It is one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy. So read read read and become a book lover 😀
Some would say that Filipinos hate reading books, but on my opinion even I'm not really a book lover because I only read books during my long vacation, NOT ALL FILIPINOS hate reading books and yes i agree that it requires patience and interest to be able to finish reading a book. Many people told me, especially my sister who's good and fluent in speaking in English, the only way for us to learn English language and to speak it fluently as what the Americans did is to read and read books. There will come a time that all those who hate reading books, if they already find a perfect book that will suit their moods, surely they will get addicted to it and crave for more books that will enhance their knowledge. 🙂 The only problem to us, Filipinos, is that we keep on finding an 'entertainment' that will satisfy our wants. Just for example in the mall, we prefer entering a dress shop, arcade zones, restaurants,etc than spending more time finding a book at National Bookstore. And also the price is included in our reasons wherein we would say that one book may cost 150Php-500Php which is in fact a expensive one but we never think that in the end we are the ones who'll benefit from it. :)) let's start spending much of our time reading a knowledgeable books.
I do believe that most of our fellow Filipinos are not book lovers and with that, I agree to the writer of this article but not totally. There are still Filipinos who read a book from cover to cover so I cannot say that the writer is 100% correct in every statement of this article. Though this article was written 23 years ago, some facts like Filipino writers cannot depend on literary writing alone for a living and Filipinos hate solitude are still true today.
A possible cause of Filipinos not being fond of reading may have been because of poverty. You need a book to read. You need money to buy a book. Without money, you won’t be able to read a book. If you won’t be able to read a book often enough during the early stages of your life, you will find it hard to read accurately and your vocabulary won’t develop as it should be. Given those two conditions, it would be predictable that you wouldn’t be fond of reading books from cover to cover. Many Filipinos may have experienced this sequence of events resulting to the writing of this article. But still, not all Filipinos are poor. There are still Filipinos who are able and willing to buy and read books.
A simple reading of a book for a day or so could not harm you or others. But other Filipinos have more important to do than to read.
yes, you are write. books in the Philippines rarely get sold. but for us Filipinos. not reading? i disagree. our country is evolving, in a state where books might be over populated or eve out number the Filipinos. even so it doesn't mean where lazy readers. each of us has time for silence a time where we need to unwind . relax, some of us might watch t.v or hang out at computer shops. even so we still read. news on the t.v, what you need to do i computer games. heck, even this article, we also read it….. there might be only few readers but that few will grow, and grow and gradually make its way back from computer shops, parlor, and fast food. to book store. once we admit defeat that is the time we are really defeated. legacies will live on in books. in reading. and just like nature, people will join to save it.
right* typo
🙂
I would like to agree that there's a huge number of Filipino citizens who do not find reading entertaining. They'd rather go turn on their television and watch afternoon shows. Some would choose to go out rather than to stay in and read. Some would prefer reading magazines and tabloids, ignoring amazing novels and books by amazing writers like Roald Dahl or maybe Nicholas Sparks.
There are many reasons why Filipinos don't read. Some Filipinos don't have enough money for education, therefore, they don't get to learn how to read. Some rely to much on technology. Like for example, the internet. One would rather stay infront of their laptops and surf the net. To be honest, I find it very entertaining. There's so much to do in the internet that a lot of people are forgetting about books and other important stuff.
I think we should start training the little ones. We should start teaching them how to read and discipline them. Books are slowly being forgotten. That shouldn't happen.
katcajucom 1asn2
The topic in this article states that most Filipinos nowadays do not prefer to read books, but rather choose to watch movies or whichever is easier to do. It is in our trait to be a "ningas cogon", or simply, procrastinator. Books are the most essential reference material to research on. During my senior year in high school, my group mates and I made a thesis about books versus the internet, of which is preferable to use. Unfortunately, most of the respondents prefer using the internet.
I think, the prior reason why only few Filipinos could really read books from cover to cover is that because of technologies. Technology helps us in our every day lives and makes our work faster. Therefore, people forgot to face their books because it takes time to finish it. But what is great about reading books is that, it could enrich our imagination. It could also enhance our vocabulary, and become familiar in other deeper words, and sharpen our thinking skills.
We do have lots of choice of books that would suit our interests. Go for what you would like and read. It is good to see people spending time in reading, and reading is not boring.
Stereotypically speaking, Filipinos are not book lovers. It's true that majority of us prefer visual entertainment such as the programs wee see on local television and the movies that we illicitly buy pirated DVDs for. These means of entertainment offer instant happiness to the masses. they watch, the laugh, have a good time, and that's it. All of it are pretty effortless activities.
But there are Filipinos who would gladly enjoy a good JD Salinger novel with a cappuccino cup in hand in a cozy coffee shop surrounded by solitude. There are Pinoys who would enjoy the game of giving life to the printed words with the use of their imagination. Some do stay in one corner just to read a story they are presently indulged to. But sad to say, these Filipinos belong to the minority.
Let's face the fact that books are not everyone's cup of tea. Yet i hope that there would be a positive evolution regarding that statement, since books promote enhancement of literacy, expansion of knowledge, liberty of imagination and exercise for our brains.
What’s the big deal if many Filipinos are not book lovers? So what? Books are not the only source of ideas or gateway to solitude. The author of the above article stated “Why is this shameful fate of our lot as a nation”? The fact that this author thinks it is shameful is what makes it shameful because I believe that there is nothing wrong if someone doesn't want to read, its a personal choice. “It seems certain now that Filipinos will NEVER become book readers.” If the author of this article is still alive, s/he will know that s/he made a suicidal prediction (see the note below) because right now, I can see that reading engagement among Filipinos has greatly improved and this is because of media participation, technology, education, and AVAILABILITY of different reading materials. Some would rather research in the internet than in the library. Rather than buying the book itself, some would prefer the PDF version or the audio one. “Don’t judge the book by its cover,” some people still don’t buy this aphorism because they would always choose to read books with nice covers. One thing I cannot fail to mention is the media participation, I think more people are encouraged to read after the book is already adapted in screens and after achieving so much media attention (da vinci code, hp, twilight). Many people now love to join the bandwagon and in my opinion, it has affected Filipinos’ reading habits.
I love reading books but I believe that just like any other interest or pursuit, it is not something that we should force anyone to take. For me, it is okay not to be a book lover as long as we can be a reader. By the word “reader,” what I mean is that whatever we choose or required for us to read, we must be willing to DISCERN. To be able to enjoy reading, just like how others see it, requires literacy (of course), sincerity, and reader-writer interaction. If we always feel FORCED to do so, then reading is not a step forward to whatever development we’re aiming for.
From the latest news about politics, violence, and showbiz up to the latest tweet or wall update, many are always informed. Not all Filipinos love books but what many of us love, is TO READ.
Note: suicidal prediction- is kind of prediction VALID at the time it was made but then becomes INVALID after disclosing it to the people because they change their behavior.
Filipinos are not book lovers because reading is really not our main choice of entertainment. I think it's because we were forbidden to read books during the Spanish Period because of Rizal's works. It goes from generation to generation. We are overwhelmed by the new technology arriving from other nations and it is very influential to us. Our culture does not show much reading, it is more of watching tv soaps and listening to music. The media has influenced us a lot. But it is not too late for us Filipinos to embrace reading.
I personally don't read much but I think reading would help Filipinos change.
I somehow agree that Filipinos do not really find reading books interesting. The fact that not everyone can afford buying books, become a factor of lacking capability of the Filipinos to read books. Practically speaking, a man who earns enough or less of what he need would prefer to buy things and food or his own survival rather than buying books for his own pleasure. But for others, it does not prevent them from reading books. We are now more accessible to anything by clicking for a second. And there is a lot of reading material that we could access conveniently and affordable or for free, like the eBook that is now widely used.
I admit that I am not a book lover but I read sometimes; it maybe because I need to, for school discussions or because I'm interested on it.
I think Filipinos shouldn't be compared on their habit on reading, we have our own interests. Not all Filipinos are not book lovers, we have different personalities and interests as an individual. It is their personal choice if they would want and love to read books and it doesn't mean that they aren't book lovers because they don't read a lot. A person reads a book if he/she is interested on its topic. A person may just also find another way to know a story instead of reading a book where it would be more interesting for him/her.
It's true that some would rather wait for a book to be acted out but there are still plenty who patiently reads the book because sometimes the story in the movie is not exactly the same as what is written in the book.
Technology also made people lazier to read a book because it would be easier for them to just click rather than going to a library or bookstore to look for a certain book.
We also have our own way how to learn. Yes, book is a big help for studies but it would be difficult to force yourself to understand without the help of others.
It would be hard to force a person to do something if h/she is not interested on it. Maybe for them it is the fastest way to earn but we also have our own way to earn money.
1BES1 , UST
As for me, nowadays Filipinos are very much fund of computers, gadgetry and there are fewer and the number get's thinner and thinner through the years. But of course there are still a lot of Filipinos that even prefer staying in the library than going out or playing video games or such. Media plays a big part of inclination of the attraction to teenagers to aged people. This tells how much we have evolved from years and years of having books as valuable as gadgetry. As for my friends they love reading books, as for me though i seldom read books, there are just a few books that i have read but that doesn't mean i don't love books. We could still accept that Filipinos are lovers of these literature as we know it so as for me after this i tell you that Filipino's are absolutely book lovers and that my friend is my stand.
When I ask some of my friends if they are reading books majority of them says "No! It's boring". And I were to answer this question I would thrown also the same answer. I am really curious about myself that why am I not trained by my parents to practice reading books. Thats why up to this time I have this difficulty to make reading as my hobby.
Let me share to you this quotation “To teach reading is to lead your children to a greater understanding and appreciation of what it means to be a decent human being in the context of a changing world.” This is really true. We should be trained as early as possible. In the Philippine context I think poverty is one reason that why we Filipinos are not booklovers. Another is the educational system of our country. One book is shared by 5 students. Thats really quite difficult.
Finally, "Filipinos are not booklovers" when the time has come it can be change to Filipinos are booklovers by working together with the help of our prayers and this can be TOO HAPPY FOR WORDS.
correction for the last paragraph.
Finally, “Filipinos are not booklovers” can be change to "Filipinos are booklovers" by working together with the help of our prayers and this topic could be TOO HAPPY FOR WORDS.
Well, if we are going to talk about the Filipinos in general, I would agree to this. I guess 80% of the Filipinos in the world would spend their spare time going out with friends, shopping, chatting and doing other things and reading would be their very last option to spend the time. If you will ask Filipinos of different ages if they have read one book, cover-to-cover from the point they started reading up to the moment, 90% percent will be answering no.
But, on the other side of this, there are also lots of Filipinos who loves reading. I, myself, loves reading and when I want to read this particular book or novel, I will really find a way to have it, whether I borrow it or I'll buy one myself. And I also have lots of friends who loves reading and we share different ideas about a particular book and we recommend good books to each other.
I guess being a book lover depends on the background of the person. And if he started out not loving a book, there would also be factors that will make him closer to loving a book. A good example would be me. Before, I'm not much of a book lover. But, my friends who are fond of reading influenced me. So I believe that there is still a chance that Filipinos will become book lovers.
Reading is based on what interests the readers. It depends on the genre of the book. Most of the Filipinos like love story and I think they will spend their reading time (if they have such) on this kind of story. Reading broadens our minds and helps us to have better imagination. Most of the time, it gives us the best ideas in life and it teaches us how to live our lives better. It teaches us what school can't. And it will make us feel freshened up after a long day of being stressed out.
There are lots of things in reading that Filipinos can not see. And I think that Filipinos are on their way to being a book lover. Let us give Filipinos a chance and enough time. I mean it is a step-by-step process, isn't it?
First of all, I have to agree that “Filipinos are not book lovers.”
It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. Some Filipinos would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, Filipinos have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options available, aside from books. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. It is advisable to indulge in at least half an hour of reading a day to keep abreast of the various styles of writing and new vocabulary.
But because of technology, many things have changed including the habit of some Filipinos in reading books. By the use of internet, you could easily see or rather know what would be the summary of a specific article. No need for us to spend hours or maybe days of reading the book. You just have to look for it using the internet. The technology also made some of the Filipinos become lazy that’s why instead of reading a book they just watch it on a DVD for them to understand it in a relaxed and easier way.
For my conclusion..
Another factor is that we, Filipinos hate being alone. We need a companion in everything that we do. We can’t survive without others. We are afraid of doing things alone. This also implies how some Filipinos would think about their fellow Filipinos when they see some of them in a corner reading a book. They may see them as a nerd that may result to became an outcast
I agree with this article!
It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. Some Filipinos would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, Filipinos have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options available, aside from books. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. It is advisable to indulge in at least half an hour of reading a day to keep abreast of the various styles of writing and new vocabulary.
But because of technology, many things have changed including the habit of some Filipinos in reading books. By the use of internet, you could easily see or rather know what would be the summary of a specific article. No need for us to spend hours or maybe days of reading the book. You just have to look for it using the internet. The technology also made some of the Filipinos become lazy that’s why instead of reading a book they just watch it on a DVD for them to understand it in a relaxed and easier way.
For my conclusion..
Another factor is that we, Filipinos hate being alone. We need a companion in everything that we do. We can’t survive without others. We are afraid of doing things alone. This also implies how some Filipinos would think about their fellow Filipinos when they see some of them in a corner reading a book. They may see them as a nerd that may result to became an outcast
Admit it or not, Reading for every Filipinos are not a duty to bear in mind and has consequently no business to be made disagreeable. But generally speaking, not all Filipinos and I disagree with this article.
Currently, Japan is considered a major economic power. Some of the facts about Japan that can be worth mentioning is that it is armed to have the second largest economy in terms of GDP. Apart from it, Japan also takes pride of its high living standards.
While in the Philippines, a country who export tomatoes and import tomato paste, does make a lot of difference. Imagine children living in shacks with no running water, electricity or even a proper medicine.
My main point is, reading books in japan is like past time for them anyway. They have all the money they want. And their advantage is the fact that they are educated enough. Unlike Filipinos, instead of putting up a public libraries–a beauty parlor, sari-sari store,barbecue and a scramble stand,selling a "balot/taho" or even a dirty ice cream in the streets are much way better.
Although Filipinos hate silence na, solitude pa, what is something to be proud of is that The Filipino perspective–the Filipino way of looking at things, of telling stories, of appreciating history, the Filipino creativity –these make us considered as the world's 3rd largest English-speaking nation, next to the USA and the UK.
BUT to give you very exact details, Filipinos are still buying and reading books despite of their tougher times. At present, the Philippines has 861 public libraries nationwide and 14 bookmobiles which according to the National Library of the Philippines (NLP). The Philippine book industry is considered a newborn compared with big players in the global arena.
One of the many reasons why people read is that many of us like to escape the hustle and bustle of real life and be captured by a story which involves something special, unreal or different – possibly magic. (which it give us a free ticket to visit a fantasy realm with JRR Tolkien. The magic of the irresistible crooked smile of Edward Cullen, or even the sweetest lines of Nicholas Sparks…) But book lovers or not, Filipinos are just being so practical and thrifty nowadays. And I can't see anything bad about it. At least, we Filipinos know how to stand in our own way when it is difficult to stand.
I very much agree with the elicited thoughts as to why Filipinos are not book lovers since the conditions that are required in reading are not encompassed within our environment and culture. However, that can be just one of the factors affecting the prevalence of this phenomena since we cannot deny the reality that Filipinos see reading as more of an obligation rather than as a hobby or an interest worth venturing into. We can observe this in most of the schools that do not religiously encourage students to engage themselves in leisure-reading as they usually mold and prompt students to embark more on academic reading.
Oh, and in my opinion, the fact that some Filipinos love to read novels like Twilight and other popular contemporary works made known or popularized through mainstream media and trends does not entail that Filipinos love to read books. The selectivity of materials worth reading cannot guarantee one’s “love" or "fondness" for reading 🙂
Well honestly, I haven't read any books from the time I was born. I don't know why.. I just find it boring, although I know that it's really beneficial, and I somewhat pity myself for that. I think I should've learned more.
Yes, I have to admit that most Filipinos are not book lovers. In our generation, we prefer the newest form of mass medium, that is the internet rather than the oldest yet the most influential, the book. We tend to forget the essence of reading. As the saying goes, "Reading is a basic tool in the living of a good life." But that doesn't mean that we Filipinos don't like reading at all. It simply strives to explain how enormous the influence of mass media in our society is. And on the 8th paragraph, it says that Filipinos hate solitude. From my perspective, Filipinos enjoy solitude but definitely hate loneliness.
I personally think that we can find a remedy for this disease (laziness) if only we will know the significance of reading and if we will be educated properly in the academe.
I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers even i don’t usually read books (not as worse as Imelda)
and i have a mini library in my house. Reading books is like a taboo for every Filipinos because of lacking in practice and habits and Filipinos prefer entertainment than learning. There are some cause why we are not book lovers. First, government is more focus in coping up in gadgets than education. second, children nowadays are early engaged in cellphones and PSP(usual habit for every Filipinos). I hope this problem can be solve. if we keep continuing this the lights of every Filipinos will get dimmer and dimmer.
When I was in high school and college, I used to read a lot of books on fiction. In this Article I understand and I agree that many Filipinos are not fond of reading books but as far as I know other Filipinos likes reading and writing. For Your Information there are many famous Filipino writer who have contributed many things to our country like our National Hero DR. Jose Rizal , Francisco Baltazar and many more.Some Filipinos don't know how to read because of their lack of knowledge and simply because they can't afford to study in a nice school, that is why some Filipinos don't like to read and cannot be considered as a book lover.
But if the government spend most of its money to Education and no to corruption, it might help many Filipinos to learn and to love reading books that can give as entertainment and knowledge that we can use through our day to day activities.
To the writer of this blog I would say that I agree but there will come a time when many Filipinos would love reading books just like I do, because there are many things that can come from reading many books not only entertainment and many more. And Filipinos are hard working and because of that someday we can be a rich and powerful country.
When I was in high school and college, I used to read a lot of books on fiction. In this Article I understand and I agree that many Filipinos are not fond of reading books but as far as I know other Filipinos likes reading and writing. For Your Information there are many famous Filipino writer who have contributed many things to our country like our National Hero DR. Jose Rizal , Francisco Baltazar and many more.Some Filipinos don't know how to read because of their lack of knowledge and simply because they can't afford to study in a nice school, that is why some Filipinos don't like to read and cannot be considered as a book lover.
But if the government spend most of its money to Education and no to corruption, it might help many Filipinos to learn and to love reading books that can give as entertainment and knowledge that we can use through our day to day activities.
Some Filipinos would read because it’s compulsive or it’s a requirement in school. They wouldn’t think that it’s an opportunity for them to broaden their vocabulary or even enhance their English. And I would say that many Filipinos even some of my friends find reading books boring while others say that it is a waste time. Most of the comments that is written in this blog is true and I agree that there are many Filipinos find reading boring because of the emerging gadgets that get more of the people’s attention.
To the writer of this blog I would say that I agree but there will come a time when many Filipinos would love reading books just like I do, because there are many things that can come from reading many books not only entertainment and many more. And Filipinos are hard working and because of that someday we can be a rich and powerful country.
Good day!
Hmmm,,, actually I love reading especially the topics that catches my interest. We, people are like that, we only read books that we are interested in.
First of, i would like to commend the author of this article for stating such solid facts about filipinos that aren't much of a book worm but still, they still gain power over it.
True enough, that the Filipino citizens aren't much of a book reader as to compared to other countries. In my opinion, we should invest more on the probability of encouraging people to read often because it is really helpful in our modern everyday life here in the country. And sadly, there are less Filipino writers than Filipino readers.
But still, this cannot be the basis of the judgements that we bestow upon our country's leaders. This is only a mere factor upon guaranteeing that they can be good enough to become a leader in this country. But i highly encourage that they should, in fact, read.
Again, props to the author. You are much appreciated.
"A great pity, of course, and dangerous, too, when non-readers like Imelda Marcos (who was never seen reading a book from cover to cover) get positions of power.
How much does Cory Aquino read, does anyone know?
Alas! Perhaps the only Filipino who read assiduously these days are the Marxists with their tones on agrarian reform, Nicaragua on its liberation theology, and the Latin American political novelists. No wonder they’re often ahead in the game."
-© The Manila Chronicle, 1987
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I have to disagree with opinions of the writer had and the expansion of my point of view will be explained later on but first and foremost, the reason why I disagree is because the writer was very much biased on all of his/her facts and that this article was very much targeted to his/her time. Aside from that, to make an essay that had no concrete basis (e.g. polls, surveys, etc.), I must say that this article is too personal, which shouldn't be. If ever a survey was made, the writer would have seen that Filipino people would love to read IF AND ONLY IF they had the chance. If books aren't too expensive, Filipinos buy the books they find amusing since reading is a much appreciated past time activity. It is the cheapest way to educate yourself, to travel all around the world with its stories, to expand your ideas by accepting others, and so much more. If ever you find someone who only reads pocketbooks without any sense, maybe that's the only kind of literature that persons grasps and there are reasons behind that. The reader should not have boxed in everyone to that kind of level because not all Filipinos are like that What one must do before making such a conclusion, one must make sure that all valid reasons point to it in such a way that it is acceptable.
Now, for my expanded opinion about this article, we must first consider what date this article was written so that we can understand why the writer had such an idea. Since the reference material was dated 1987, I have to say that I find it unfair and disagreeable for the writer to compare us to the world of Ms. Virgina Woolf, which was a thousand miles away from ours. The writer didn't take into consideration the economical and political position of our country as compared to London's during that year. Our country just suffered the Martial Law were still under the Post-Martial Law Era with the late Corazon Aquino as our president during the writer's time. The writer didn't want to blame poverty but it was due to poverty that people don't even give a damn to reading. Really now, if you have the money, which on one hand can feed yourself for the day and on the other buy yourself a very enlightening book about life written by F. Sionil Jose or Lualhati Bautista, what will you choose? Even if you have the philosophy, "Give man a fish, you feed him for a day. Teach man to fish, you fees him for a lifetime.", do you really think you will be thinking of long-term goals when you have an empty, rumbling stomach? During those times, people feared for their lives since any moment they can be killed due to the late President Marcos' policy. Will you really risk your life to go to the National Library to read and miss the designated curfew? After the Martial Law and under the late President Cory Aquino, people wanted immediate reform or all the losses and hardships they encountered. Will you actually consult the Penal Code of the Philippines found in the Department of Justice to inquire about the law?
Also, what I pity here is the lack of information that the writer had concerning the aforementioned ladies, First Lady Imelda Marcos and late President Cory Aquino, that the writer has to reason out that if you haven't seen them in public reading books from cover to cover, they are unfit for their positions. Must you really read the whole collection of Britannica Encyclopedia or the Philippine Constitution and Government just to be able to land a position in the government? Isn't their educational backgrounds enough? The First Lady Imelda Marcos studied in the University of Santo Tomas and surely when she became the First Lady, she was home-schooled to be able to handle national and international problems. Do you really think that she had accomplished nothing? The First Lady is not an idiot nobody to become the one who graces the National Arts Day in this country, she was not a nobody to be able to become the second hand of the under-appreciated late President Marcos. Also, concerning the late President Aquino, wasn't she warmly welcomed when she was inaugurated in the United States of America? Didn't the writer know that as a student, President Aquino was well learned? She not only studied in St. Scholastica but had summer classes abroad when she accompanied her father and also studied French in New England. Now, how can you say that they are unfit for their positions? What I see here is that the writer was very much biased with what these people accomplished in their respective positions. The writer was angry that someone like Imelda Marcos was able to hold a position, abuse its power, and get away with it. Also, the writer was disappointed with Cory Aquino because the late president wasn't able to solve all the problems made by her predecessor. Including these two people in this article is actually highly irrelevant.
Now, the writer told us that the only Filipino people who actually read are those who forward agrarian reform, those who used God as a shield to above sufferings and corruptions, and those who complain about the politics of this country yet doesn't do a thing to improve it. Can the writer actually prove that these people READ books that talked about their concerns or were these people moved by so much ANGER, FAITH, and DISCONTENT? The farmers were done injustice, I concede to that, but they were not really reasonable, were they? The Church used liberation theology and faith to teach that what the people aforementioned were doing were wrong in the eyes of God but must we actually involve God for material satisfaction? The ones who were discontent with the politics of the country saw and complained yet they didn't really do anything about it, did they? We didn't see them running for Congress and making our country a better place to live in.
The writer, as I have said before, was too limited to his biased opinions. If we are to include such people and such reasons, we have to make sure that they are relevant to the main idea and that they have enough reasons and substance to support such conclusions. It was wrong of him to generalized the Filipino people and to reduce us to such a level.
I agree that it is more interesting to watch movies than reading books. As mentioned in the blog, the problem with us is that we prefer more of entertainment than reading books because we find it boring. I, myself hate reading books but unfortunately, not all Filipinos are book haters. I have a lot of friends that really love reading books. I really doesn't like reading novels or books that are hard to understand. I rather watch movies, play computer games or just hang out with my friends than being alone with a book in front of me. Well, this doesn't mean that I agree that all Filipinos hate reading. Newspapers are of high demand in our country Philippines. Well it’s a proof that for other Filipinos reading newspapers is what they prefer more, especially elders, reading newspapers are of high regards for them than watching televisions. How come that most of us Filipinos are really trying to have a twilight book than watching it on cinema? Where as what is written in the book was more detailed than that of the movie.
I conclude that some Filipinos are book lovers and some are just fun of watching. Well maybe some of us really don’t have enough time to read because of too much work and activities to be done so we rather watch than reading and thus reading books really requires passion and time.
I agree that it is more interesting to watch movies than reading books. As mentioned in the blog, the problem with us is that we prefer more of entertainment than reading books because we find it boring. I, myself hate reading books but unfortunately, not all Filipinos are book haters. I have a lot of friends that really love reading books. I really doesn't like reading novels or books that are hard to understand. I rather watch movies, play computer games or just hang out with my friends than being alone with a book in front of me. Well, this doesn't mean that I agree that all Filipinos hate reading. Newspapers are of high demand in our country Philippines. Well it’s a proof that for other Filipinos reading newspapers is what they prefer more, especially elders, reading newspapers are of high regards for them than watching televisions. How come that most of us Filipinos are really trying to have a twilight book than watching it on cinema? Whereas what is written in the book was more detailed than that of the movie.
I conclude that some Filipinos are book lovers and some are just fun of watching. Well maybe some of us really don’t have enough time to read because of too much work and activities to be done so we rather watch than reading and thus reading books really requires passion and time.
When I was in high school and college, I used to read a lot of books on fiction. In this Article I understand and I agree that many Filipinos are not fond of reading books but as far as I know other Filipinos likes reading and writing. For Your Information there are many famous Filipino writer who have contributed many things to our country like our National Hero DR. Jose Rizal , Francisco Baltazar and many more.Some Filipinos don’t know how to read because of their lack of knowledge and simply because they can’t afford to study in a nice school, that is why some Filipinos don’t like to read and cannot be considered as a book lover.
But if the government spend most of its money to Education and no to corruption, it might help many Filipinos to learn and to love reading books that can give as entertainment and knowledge that we can use through our day to day activities.
Some Filipinos would read because it’s compulsive or it’s a requirement in school. They wouldn’t think that it’s an opportunity for them to broaden their vocabulary or even enhance their English. And I would say that many Filipinos even some of my friends find reading books boring while others say that it is a waste time. Most of the comments that is written in this blog is true and I agree that there are many Filipinos find reading boring because of the emerging gadgets that get more of the people’s attention.
To the writer of this blog I would say that I agree but there will come a time when many Filipinos would love reading books just like I do, because there are many things that can come from reading many books not only entertainment and many more. And Filipinos are hard working and because of that someday we can be a rich and powerful country.
Hi. Goodevening everyone 🙂 First of all, i would like to greet my one and only master Emuelson Erce who already commented in this post. I believe in him, i agree to what he said about this article. For me, in my mind i think that thank you and GODBLESS! 😀
I admit I'm not a typical book lover, but I still read a lot. I love to read books because it gives me additional vocabulary that I have not yet encounter. When I read I love to imagine the places that describe in the book. I don't like reading our school textbook or the assign reading in our school I'm just force to do it because it makes me feel sleepy. Sometimes I'm distracted with the long pages, it will automatically function to my mind that this will bore me.
I agree with the fact that most of the Filipinos don't have interest in reading books because they don't have time to read. In the morning they have to work and when they got home they are tired already and all they want to do is to get some rest. Some of them they rather want to save the money for their emergency needs rather than spend it in the books. Because most of the good books now are expensive and not all of us are afford to buy it.
Teenagers like us will want to hang out rather than spending the whole day reading. Probably reading books for teenagers are boring and waste of time. Nowadays, Filipino teenagers are more into party, that reading already becomes a nerd activity. And because of a lot of technological advancements, teenagers would rather spend their time watching television, texting or playing computer instead of staying at home and reading a book. For some reading a book would miss the fun of teenage life.
The people that spending their time reading, would mentally advance than those who are not reading at all. They have more knowledge about things that surrounds us. They know more vocabulary than those who do not read. So we must try to read at least 1 to 2 hours a day to be our routine in everyday’s life.
This article was published in one of the textbook I had when I was still in 4th year high school so this article is already familiar and clear to me. May be offensive and quite shamefull but I have to agree with the writer of this article. He stated solid and genuine facts that we could really rely on an facts that are really obviuos. You could really know what interests the people on a certain place by the stores or shops that are most established in that particular place.
I, as a bookworm and a reader myself, encourage all students especially college students to read all kinds of reading materials. You could get a lot of information about anything under the sun. You could never know when will you need those information in hand. Reading may also help you widen your imagination that may help artistic minds to be more creative. Another benefit of reading is that you may be abrupt with the latest news around you. This is the most important benefit for it involves reality and things that happens around you that may or may not affect you as a citizen of this country, student of your school, or as a child in your family.
May this artilcle be an eye opener for us; may we not only agree but we should do something and start with ourselves.
I totally agree with the author, most Filipinos hate reading books especially those thick once. I also hate reading books, I prefer to movies or go to sleep rather than reading books, its very boring. I think that is part of the Filipino culture. I only read books when I'm ask to read one. The author of this article was right, even reading this page was boring. But our professor in English asked us to react and comment on this article so that's why I read and commented.
I do agree that Filipinos are not book lovers but not all. I, myself, am a book lover but that doesn't mean that I love to read all kinds of books. It really is a sad fact that we, Filipino citizens, prefer a book that will augment our knowledge about things that we already know. Literary books (pocketbooks, novels/fictions, short stories, etc.) written by famous Western authors are the only books that interest us, not the books that'll improve our knowledge about certain things like for example our academic books.
Let's face it! Students of this generation rely on the internet than to rely with books because it is the easiest way that they could think of to gather information that they needed. Just Google it and voila, all the information needed are there. Teenagers, like us, love to learn/entertain ourselves in a fun way and we do have a short attention span so we get easily bored when it comes to reading a book specially our academic books. We rather entertain ourselves by watching shows from television, listening to music, surf the internet and go to malls or clubbing than to read a book all alone in our room.
Books affect the individuals. It is a fact that the quantity of book lovers in the Philippines is much lesser than when compared to other countries. Based on the article written, it says there that "reading a book requires time, patience and endurance" and those are the qualities that Filipino people are lacking. As for reading a book, culture is a one great aspect that affects the habits of reading. Few Filipino writers are given the proper opportunities to publish their own book because not much attention is given to them by the citizens of RP because of the fact that some Filipinos are not book lovers.
An improvement in the Philippines is much slower than the usual because we aren't reading the proper books in order to enhance our lifestyles.
A book must be met in certain solitude so that the sentences and chapters will seep through the readers consciousness of the reader.
The problem is Filipinos hate solitude. Count the number of Filipinos you know who enjoy being alone, and being in a book. For them, it’s absolutely terrifying.
Before i read the whole article, i already read some comments of some teenagers like me. And while i was browsing i saw the comment of Mr. Emuelson Erce. Mr. Erce is my one and only master, and i'm proud to say that i believe in HIM, and i agree to everything that he said about this article. The author of this article said that — "The problem is Filipinos hate solitude. Count the number of Filipinos you know who enjoy being alone, and being in a book. For them, it’s absolutely terrifying." As a filipino, it's very sad for me to see this statement from the author but what can i say the author has a good point when he said it. Yes,some filipinos prefer to watch movies rather than reading books alone in a solitude but not all, maybe some because we teenagers see more enjoyment in watching movies rather than reading books because it's our way to express ourselves that we really our teenagers and some of us are ashame to be called as a BOOKWORM, NERDS etc.To be honest i really don't like reading, and i'm not fun of reading books, pocketbooks or whatsoever but after reading this article i think i will have more interest in reading. Like what our prof. said, Sir Andrew, reading is not as easy as 1,2,3, reading requires PERSEVERANCE AND PATIENT. So if we find watching movies is fun, why not reading? after all WE really can't watch movies if we can't read. 🙂 Thank you and Godbless
Reading is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharing information and ideas. It is just part of learning and gaining knowledge. Sadly, I somehow agree with the statements above in the article that “Filipinos are not book lovers” it is because; some people may think of it some kinda boring. Sometimes, we also need to read books mostly in school, to get some information about what we don’t really understand.
Nowadays, there are new invented technologies that we can use in researching w/ our homework. Like computers, in just one type, one click, and presto! The things we want to know, we get it as easy as we understand in reading. Computer makes our work faster than to read books. Even if the writers of the books also use computers to easily produce books.
There are some people who love reading books, although we need deep understanding, patience to understand the story, reading books relaxes our mind in the times of our stressing days. And it doesn't mean that Filipinos will never be a book lover, even if some of them hate solitude. The more we compare Filipinos to other people in different countries. The more we got insulted because we have our own cultures based on the people that civilized us. Honestly, I’m not a book lover but I do read books if needed and I only read those book which I think is interesting. This article made me realize that I should love books especially in my course that needs a lot of effort of reading. I hope that other people would feel the same not only because of the need but to appreciate the importance and benefit. Let us read with method, and propose to ourselves an end to which our studies may point. The use of reading is to aid us in thinking.
I agreed with what the article had said but there were still some points I still disagreed on.
Today, Filipinos were exposed to new technologies especially the power of Internet, wherein people still read on something but not from books. We seldom saw people went to book stores except when we needed it during the start of school. Exposure to Internet was really a great hindrance why people seldom went to libraries and read books.
Reading a book really need some patience and silence in order to understand it. People will rather choose to go to the mall or some other place than in the library where silence rule.
This article was dated 1987, wherein technology wasn't that much unlike these days. So people still went to libraries in order to had some references on their paper works. Discos boomed in those days so people had new source of entertainment.
Books aren't the only things where we can get information. What's the use of newspapers and magazine? Those are also source of information, right? Well, Filipinos aren't that book lovers but they also love to read any reading materials as their source of information especially newspapers.
This article lacked information on how the author can proved that "Filipinos aren't book lovers." There should be some polls, surveys or etc. that maybe used as a reference regarding the said argument. So the author shouldn't judged Imelda Marcos or Cory Aquino about how they had those power over the nation, they also read books but may be not in public.
I do believe that Filipinos do read but not that much as how other people in other countries do. We usually may see Filipinos reading newspapers, magazines, pocketbooks (Precious Hearts Romances for example) or comics.
Well, to be honest, I agree to what the author says. We Filipinos are not much of a book lover The fact is that we only LIKE to read but we cannot even consider LOVING it. Why? Because we, nowadays, get more attached to the media rather than published books in which the fact about it is that we can even get more information through reading and scanning.
But as a mature person, we, as mature persons, could also improve our reading skills. We must learn how to read books even once in a while, but we should not force ourselves though. Learning is a must, something we can consider as a value. We must learn that through reading, we get to think. And when we think, we get to understand ideas and facts about different things. So why not try reading? Why not try finding fun in doing it? 🙂
It is appreciation that we must consider within ourselves. 🙂
I do not agree that Filipinos do not love reading a book.
It is more on either personality or personal habit.
And it does not matter whether people frequently read a book or not, there are some people who get information or lesson by reading an article while some people get those more effectively by listening or watching. Additionally you can find a people who do not love reading in other country not only Philippines, like me as an other citizenship.
So do not worry about Filipino teens there are many kinds of people who learn variously not just by reading.
Cheer up!!! ^^ God bless Philippines!.
Hello good evening.
To be honest I read books because it is necessary but, It depends on the book that I want to read.I may or may not agree on this article because it is in the person's personality whether he/she wants to read books because some Filipino don't read books in first maybe they find the story,novel etc. boring and not interesting.As I said in here It is in the Personality of the person whether he/she like to read books.
this only my opinion 🙂 . No Violent Reaction 😀
Good evening.
If we would generalize all the Filipinos, I'll agree with this article. Practically speaking, Filipinos need to think about something else besides reading and many are busy working for the betterment of their life. plus, we are too fascinated by technology. instead of reading newspaper many of us depends on television or the internet, instead of reading books, we just depend on telenovelas and movies. And let's face it, 15 million Filipinos are illiterate. but i know many people are trying to read and to understand. let's just hope that the 15 million illiterate will lessen and we Filipinos will be addressed as book lovers in the near future. 🙂
I agree so far to what has been stated here in this article.
First and foremost, Filipinos are not book lovers simply because most Filipinos are poor and they don’t have spare time to read because they are busy working for a living. For them, reading is not important. Moreover, most Filipinos are too preoccupied with various events. Reading has become a least important habit because of more important concerns like survival in this time of economic crisis. Hence, it means that Filipinos prefer to feed their mouths first by earning a living rather than feed their minds by reading.
Secondly, they say that the right time to inculcate good habits and values in a person is his childhood. With so many advantages to its credit, reading has to be inculcated in children at a young age. Parents should teach their children during their childhood years on how to read and love good books. The problem of most Filipino parents is that they prefer to go to malls rather than to read books together as their leisure time/bonding moments. Trends show that children who read are able to concentrate on their lessons more properly than those who don't.
Finally, we are on the 20th century. It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. People would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, people have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options available, aside from books.
These are from the rise of the internet, TV, radio, movies, DVDs and other forms of media that is why reading became obsolete among Filipinos. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. However, let us also consider that the statement “Filipinos are not book lovers” is absolutely wrong. It is a fallacy. Instead, “Not all Filipinos are book lovers”.
“For things to change, you've got to change. For things to get better, you've got to get better.”- Jeff Olson
On the other hand, this article might be an instrument for waking up the minds of those Filipinos who are not really into the habit of reading books. Perhaps, this article should be a challenge for them and honestly, including me to prove that someday all Filipinos will be book lovers.
By the way, thanks for waking me up! (Frankly, I felt guilty when I first saw the title of this article because I am not a book lover.) I finally realized on what I should prioritize in life, to make my life better.
.
I agree so far to what has been stated here in this article.
First and foremost, Filipinos are not book lovers simply because most Filipinos are poor and they don’t have spare time to read because they are busy working for a living. For them, reading is not important. Moreover, most Filipinos are too preoccupied with various events. Reading has become a least important habit because of more important concerns like survival in this time of economic crisis. Hence, it means that Filipinos prefer to feed their mouths first by earning a living rather than feed their minds by reading.
Secondly, they say that the right time to inculcate good habits and values in a person is his childhood. With so many advantages to its credit, reading has to be inculcated in children at a young age. Parents should teach their children during their childhood years on how to read and love good books. The problem of most Filipino parents is that they prefer to go to malls rather than to read books together as their leisure time/bonding moments. Trends show that children who read are able to concentrate on their lessons more properly than those who don't.
Finally, we are on the 20th century. It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. People would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, people have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options available, aside from books.
These are from the rise of the internet, TV, radio, movies, DVDs and other forms of media that is why reading became obsolete among Filipinos. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. However, let us also consider that the statement “Filipinos are not book lovers” is absolutely wrong. It is a fallacy. Instead, “Not all Filipinos are book lovers”.
“For things to change, you've got to change. For things to get better, you've got to get better.”- Jeff Olson
On the other hand, this article might be an instrument for waking up the minds of those Filipinos who are not really into the habit of reading books. Perhaps, this article should be a challenge for them and honestly, including me to prove that someday all Filipinos will be book lovers.
By the way, thanks for waking me up! (Frankly, I felt guilty when I first saw the title of this article because I am not a book lover.) I finally realized on what I should prioritize in life, to make my life better. 🙂
.
I agree and disagree… i agree because yes, its hard reading books. It's just words words and words. no pictures or whatsoever. Instead we set our focus more on telenovelas, magazines with beautiful and eye catching/loving that feeds our desires… another is the cost of a novel. a hard bound novel that is new that is written by a famous author or someone we do not heard, maybe an author here or overseas, can cost around 300-1000 pesos or if you will settle for paperleaf books can cost around 100-500 pesos. It's not that i am giving a complain to the amount but practicality wise right? although, they too have a living to do. Filipinos have a "choosy" attitude. if the story is boring at the first page, they will stop reading, if they like it then they will.
I disagree because not all filipinos are book lovers. I am one a book lover for three reasons. one, since i was in elementary my father trained me to read his books, thick and hard bound books. two, gives me a way to nurture my imagination and last, books will not waste your time. some of my books are foreign authors but little to some people that know me i read filipino authors. At the UP Press, there are many fiction books that are good, also at Ateneo Press. its just that when a filipino reads a book written by his fellowmen and somebody saw him reading that. The person may say that don't read that read foreign authors they are more fun and exciting. if you have a trouble buying some books, go to second hand book stores, there are good books there or if you befriend the store manager, he will recommend to you good books. Some filipinos judge a book by the first page, thing is the first page does not represent the entire book. if you really lack interest, find guide notes, do a background check about the story and use it as a guide note so that you will not be lost into it. but do not use it as a means to saying i have read that book. you only read it because you read the summary.
we have that saying "ang ayaw may dahilan, kung gusto madaming paraan" reading books, short stories or poems has many to offer. i encourage everyone to read a book, instead of going abroad why not read books written by our fellow countrymen. in that way we do not only support them and the industry but we can relate to the context of the literary piece.
Pardon me, but may I take your time and say,
It’s been a long time since this article’s been written and while some ideas presented may still be applicable to our time the majority of them are outdated. I mean sure some Filipinos don’t love books but so do other cultures, nations, peoples and “whatevers” out there. It’s just impossible to have a group of people liking something “absolutely.” There will always be that one person who doesn’t like it, that one person whose okay with it and that one person who absolutely loves it. Maybe it’s just that we notice those who don’t love reading books a lot more than those who do. And what is it about “loving” reading. I don’t love reading. I like it, isn’t that not enough? Rather than over glorifying books, and parading them in your hands or exhibiting them in every street, as if to say “How cultured we are,” isn’t it just enough to know that you yourself actually read something and understood it. This may just be my opinion but the article questioned “How much does Cory Aquino read, does anyone know? “ this to me sounds like Cory should’ve just taken some photo ops of herself reading a book instead of actually personifying and enacting the ideas of said book in the first place. The fact is, Filipinos do read and if you read a book, and I quote, “It must be met in certain solitude so that the sentences and chapters will seep through the reader’s consciousness.” So if this is so, then naturally you wouldn’t see a Filipino or anyone else reading because it is done in solitude. No one likes to read in the open.
I think another reason why it seems that Filipinos don’t love books is that because there aren’t many books out there that we can really relate with. Sure there are some books that have found popularity through the Filipino society by being immensely popular like Harry P. and that collection of books about those sparkly vampires but there are really only a hand few of books that have actually stuck onto us, that told us about our own lives, what we are doing and where we’re going. The reason we don’t see more books about Filipinos, as some might say, is that because no one wants to write about us anymore and the few that do, have to come up against really big competitors that they can’t handle. But I think it’s more than that. Maybe, it’s that we’ve all been through so much that it may be next to impossible to capture the totality of our unique and mind-boggling existence in the limited pages of a book.
One thing too, Virgina Woolf may have supported herself through her writing but a great Filipino named Jose Rizal died for his and the ideas it presented. Not to compare or anything, both are quite excellent.
This is my opinion and like the article it may be right or wrong depending on the person who reads it. So…yeah. Rock on
-one-CA-two-
I agree to this article in a way that Filipinos aren’t book lovers not because WE hate books, but because of our traits and many times, circumstances. Even by not reading this article, I already observed that Filipinos doesn’t like reading. They would rather hang-out with friends, go to the mall, and live happily ever after… that’s not what I meant literally, you got my point? I have also observed why SOME Filipinos don’t like reading for they thought that reading is a part of education, and as lazy people, they’d rather rest their eyes in more entertaining and soothing thing which includes Sleeping, Television, Internet Surfing, etc. Technology, social life, and time worth of gold are also factors of why Filipinos don’t like reading books.
In contrast to this article, I strongly disagree with this line: “It seems certain that Filipinos WILL never become book readers”. I myself, who despise books at first, was easily influenced during elementary days by my beloved members of our family by giving me an ordinary book which gave birth to my dream of having a library inside our house. I admit, I am a book reader, yet still I can’t call myself a book lover. And if my contradiction offended this articles’ blogger, I apologize. But Filipinos can be easily influenced by means of one’s own taste in reading books. One may start to like some parts of the books, which can lead to their own grandeur of loving it.
How you have felt, my dear Filipinos, at reading this article of our criticizers, I cannot tell. But I know that every word they told about us seemed to be true, yet some are still changeable. This article is not for our own humiliation but for a good start to improve ourselves not just in reading books, but also loving them. For the good of our name, all we need to do is a little effort of influencing, and the books shall do the rest…
I, for one, am guilty of the accusation that Filipinos are not book lovers. I read books too, but not that often. Filipinos like to be outside, socializing with other people and doing other active stuffs. I seldom see people who indulge themselves to the knowledge that a book offers. And I am somewhat envious of them because they acquire knowledge that is beyond reach to an ordinary man. Reading a book requires a lot of patience and dedication. And you should read a book that is of your interest so that you will have to finish it. When I read a book, I feel enlightened and my vocabulary and grammar improves drastically. It is one of the benefits of reading a book I guess.
i think not all Filipinos hate reading books. i know a lot of people who are bookworms, who love reading books everywhere. i myself is not fond of reading books i only got to finish reading one book for my project. they say that reading is very important, for us to gain more knowledge. but i think reading novels, fictions , non-fiction books and etc are for selected persons only. not all can enjoy reading those kind of books. we have too many differences. some gets tired and be bored while reading, and for those who read a lot i really admire you. we can gain knowledge not only by reading, Filipinos are very hardworking and creative, we can learn not just by reading but through experiences. reading one or more book is really an achievement that you can be proud of. Filipinos does not hate books they just have different interest and hobby to do.
I agree to this article in a way that Filipinos aren’t book lovers not because WE hate books, but because of our traits and many times, circumstances. Even by not reading this article, I already observed that Filipinos doesn’t like reading. They would rather hang-out with friends, go to the mall, and live happily ever after… that’s not what I meant literally, you got my point? I have also observed why SOME Filipinos don’t like reading for they thought that reading is a part of education, and as lazy people, they’d rather rest their eyes in more entertaining and soothing thing which includes Sleeping, Television, Internet Surfing, etc. Technology, social life, and time worth of gold are also factors of why Filipinos don’t like reading books.
In contrast to this article, I strongly disagree with this line: “It seems certain that Filipinos WILL never become book readers”. I myself, who despise books at first, was easily influenced during elementary days by my beloved members of our family by giving me an ordinary book which gave birth to my dream of having a library inside our house. I admit, I am a book reader, yet still I can’t call myself a book lover. And if my contradiction offended this articles’ blogger, I apologize. But Filipinos can be easily influenced by means of one’s own taste in reading books. One may start to like some parts of the books, which can lead to their own grandeur of loving it.
How you have felt, my dear Filipinos, at reading this article of our criticizers, I cannot tell. But I know that every word they told about us seemed to be true, yet some are still changeable. This article is not for our own humiliation but for a good start to improve ourselves not just in reading books, but also loving them. For the good of our name, all we need to do is a little effort of influencing, and the books shall do the rest…
Some lines from the paragraphs above have impacts on me. I am a book lover. A bookstore is my number destination whenever i go to malls and i can see that there are a lot of people there looking for a good book. One of the problems that I've observed is that most of the books that they hold is a book written by foreigners. Filipinos rarely patronize Filipino writers, but if they do they read it in silence. the impression has never changed. Filipinos who read books in public are seen to be as plastics or "nakiki-uso" or someone who's pretending an intellectual person. that is how the Filipinos think.
To which side should I stand? To the side of the book lovers, the readers, and alike, or to the side of those who do not like books and reading? Well, probably neither.
What is it with the statement “Filipinos are not book lovers” that makes it quite uneasy to hear or understand, and makes it quite a negative statement? What is it with books that people tend to make it a measurement of one’s literacy? What is it with reading that people tend to use it as a measurement of one’s knowledge?
For once, reading western literary works, classical literary works which were written by the masters are not really the prime basis for someone to be called a book lover. Each and every one of us is unique. Influence is one factor that builds our character.
To those who are not book lovers, why take them negatively? I read books, I’d like to have a great library in my house someday, I, however understand those who do not love books. In example, for some movies, some people tend to watch the movie instead of the book. Probably, for them, why read an aged smelling book for days, if you could entertain yourself for an average of an hour and a half, watching movies? Well, there’s more to books that what meets the eye. What do I mean? For some people they do not like to read books because it’s long, dull and boring. What probably, they do not understand is that, the content, without a doubt is greater than the movie.
There are two primary reasons why people read books: for knowledge and for entertainment. For book lovers, reading is perhaps their way of accomplishing this wants, to know and to be entertained. For those who are not book lovers, they have their own way. A book lover or not, people still read. We sometimes read even if we do not like it, we do it because we have to. And as for others, they do reading for leisure or as a past time.
As for this article, it may be very true by the time it was written. What about now? Has it gone worse or has it alleviated the fact of the statement before, that Filipinos are not book lovers? Well, all that I can answer is it depends on how one will define a “book lover”. If one defines a book lover as an individual who reads, collects and enjoys himself in Harry Potter books, Lord of the Rings, Twilight, Bob Ong books, literary works that talk about modern love and subject alike, well, Filipinos these days are sure book lovers. However, if one defines a book lover as an individual who enjoys himself in the works of classical men, mostly of western influence, works that talk about politics, ethics, morals, philosophy, and subjects alike, well perhaps it’s sad to say that the statement holds true today, as much as it ever did.
To conclude, I believe I did the same thing as the author, to express an opinion. You see things that way you see it. People do what they want. You cannot condemn people for not doing what you think is right, and what you think is good. We have our own ways, our own ways to be entertained and to gain knowledge. Books are just instruments to achieve these wants.
I agree so far to what has been stated here in this article.
First and foremost, Filipinos are not book lovers simply because most Filipinos are poor and they don’t have spare time to read because they are busy working for a living. For them, reading is not important. Moreover, most Filipinos are too preoccupied with various events. Reading has become a least important habit because of more important concerns like survival in this time of economic crisis. Hence, it means that Filipinos prefer to feed their mouths first by earning a living rather than feed their minds by reading.
Secondly, they say that the right time to inculcate good habits and values in a person is his childhood. With so many advantages to its credit, reading has to be inculcated in children at a young age. Parents should teach their children during their childhood years on how to read and love good books. The problem of most Filipino parents is that they prefer to go to malls rather than to read books together as their leisure time/bonding moments. Trends show that children who read are able to concentrate on their lessons more properly than those who don't.
Finally, we are on the 20th century. It is a well-known fact that when there were no televisions or computers, reading was a primary leisure activity. People would spend hours reading books and travel to lands far away-in their minds. The only tragedy is that, with time, people have lost their skill and passion to read. There are many other exciting and thrilling options available, aside from books.
These are from the rise of the internet, TV, radio, movies, DVDs and other forms of media that is why reading became obsolete among Filipinos. And that is a shame because reading offers a productive approach to improving vocabulary and word power. However, let us also consider that the statement “Filipinos are not book lovers” is absolutely wrong. It is a fallacy. Instead, “Not all Filipinos are book lovers”.
“For things to change, you've got to change. For things to get better, you've got to get better.”- Jeff Olson
On the other hand, this article might be an instrument for waking up the minds of those Filipinos who are not really into the habit of reading books. Perhaps, this article should be a challenge for them and honestly, including me to prove that someday all Filipinos will be book lovers.
By the way, thanks for waking me up! (Frankly, I felt guilty when I first saw the title of this article because I am not a book lover.) I finally realized on what I should prioritize in life, to make my life better.
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I agree. I myself hate reading books. We all know that only FEW Filipinos do LOVE as in LOVE reading books. (What i mean is that reading books is really what you love to do.) Its not like you have read two to four books and voilà youre a book lover. So for me, its okay to say that Filipinos are not book lovers.
The article really speaks about the reality.
"Solitude na, ideas pa, and then silence? It is too much for average Filipino."
– this is so true. Filipinos now a days, are more of extrovert type of people. Yes, its true that most Filipinos are not book lovers anymore, especially in our generation. but this is not the basis that Filipinos are not book lovers. Let us encourage more Filipinos and become book lovers.
Great Readers are Great Leaders. 🙂 and Filipinos are one of them.
As I can see, I agree that most Filipinos do not read a lot. I'm guilty of that because if I will rate myself as a Filipino reader, I will rate it 5. I'm not really fond of reading books and I hate reading books except if that book fits to my life or I can reflect in it. We all know the importance of reading, but I think it is just the attitude of many Filipinos that seems to be contagious which is "katamaran." I respect the article above but try to look and also observe other countries. Yes, other countries have rich culture in literature and have many writers, but there is also a big possibility that they are the same as us. I suggest that if we want a conclusion for it, have a formal research of it.
But for me, Filipinos can still improve their reading skills and there are still Filipinos who are fond of reading. Maybe one factor that affects us in our reading time is the advancement of technology that made people lazy. This is not just applicable to Filipinos but for all because the whole world is affected by the high-speed advancement of technology
Actually I already encountered this article way back in high school and fortunately, we discussed some points about it. Yes I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers. Filipinos can focus reading but after some minutes or hours they would be distracted of some things that better fits their interests. We cannot ignore the fact that through reading we gain a lot of opportunities but others are already satisfied that they can be able to read. I like the point that one of the reasons why Filipinos are not book lovers is because of solitude and yes that could be true for some because most of us like that we are surrounded by people which could raise our spirits high. I agree also that in reading we are talking about ideas that if there are disturbances you will not be able to comprehend what you are reading. What I don't agree is the point that those people that were mentioned in the last paragraph who read a lot were those who were ahead in the game because we all know that lots of successful people were not able to have a good education. It is simply a matter of skill.
This article simply want to guide us and inform us about the reasons why we are not book lovers but still we can do something about that if we like because being a book lover would not hurt us but instead benefit us. Comparing us to other countries could lessen everyone's dignity because we know that we all have different views but this could help us to persevere that what can other countries do can also be achieved by Filipinos. If we are not book lovers today then practice now.It's like what I get from one of my professors "reading should be the same like breathing". (:
I believe that Filipinos are book lovers. Many doesn't know how to read but wants to learn how and discover things. When I was in grade school, I never liked reading. I always watch TV or play but when I reach high school, I realized that I should have used those years reading instead of playing and watching TV because there's so many advantages when one is reading. The most important is that one will be able to enrich his/her vocabulary. I really thanked JK Rowling because Harry Potter was the very first book I can't get off my hands. I learned so many hifalutin words in this book.
I strongly believe that Filipinos are book lovers because there wouldn't be so many good lawyers, politicians, researchers, scientists and many more if they don't get themselves with books. Reading is one basic thing we need in order to live because in reading, we learn. We learn about life and how it goes. We learn from others mistake. At some point there are certain Filipinos who don't read. This is because of their educational background. Many Filipinos don't know how to read and write but as I have said there are also some who really wants to learn. There are also those who knows how to read but really hates books. Maybe they don't want reading books but I know there are times that they will necessarily read and by that time, they will always learn something from what they have read. That is one thing I like about reading, WE LEARN. I believe that listening to what you are reading is the beginning of understanding. 🙂
i am quite confused because many Filipinos are book lovers. The are fond of reading, but still i cannot ignore the fact that this article is somehow true. Although this article is written several years ago, but still this states one fact that indicates that we are not book lovers. We have a lot of reasons why we are not interested in reading, first we should have the resources and that is a very big issue, poverty, people would rather buy food to eat instead of a book to read. But thanks to the author of this article for this.
"Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows. And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span. "
I agree with this statement in the article because with the many things Filipinos are bothered with, they hardly have time for reading materials such as journals or novels. Maybe we can blame the media for this, or the lack of government spending for enhancing the masses to give attention to read. But I believe that the lack of fondness for reading is in our culture. Most of our population came from provinces that were not educated to read or to write. Our nation grew up in a farming and agricultural lifestyle, cultivating crops and fisheries were more of the interest of many Filipino families. Though, through the years I can say that reading and writing has been part of Filipinos' lives. We have so many Filipinos who have inspired our country to achieve so many things, i doubt that they have not read a book in their lives to achieve such greatness.
This article is actually a very good read, though it shows pity for us Filipinos, it also shakes us to be reminded of the importance of books in our lives not just the new technologies that bombard our lifestyle.
Honesty, I have to disagree on many of the points given in this essay. Filipinos do love to read, the problem is, there are factors affecting why most people think that Filipinos are not book lovers. One of the factors, I can say is the the fact that books are not really that easy to purchase especially for those who experience scarcity for the supply of their basic needs. The thing is, they would not choose to purchase these books over something more important. Filipinos do love to read, but we can hardly see them because of some circumstances they cannot even manage to control.
During the colonization era, we can see clearly that most Filipinos were deprived of the right to learn. Why? Simply because they are not of noble bloods. How can someone learn if he is deprived of the materials needed to do so? We are lucky enough to recognize someone like Apolinario Mabini who, inspite of his inability to walk and the discrimination of education to people like him, strived hard to make his way out of the darkness in which he is enslaved.
Truth to tell that these days, we can rarely see Filipinos in bookshops, but if we can dig into the reality here in our country, it's not really possible for us to see a lot of our fellow Filipinos in bookshops having the time of their life upon indulging in the books they love to read. The Philippines as of now, cannot afford to make her country like those in the West. These days, we should know, that many of the children in public schools do lack reading materials because the government can hardly support their needs and these things, I can consider them, barriers of our modern learning.
There is one thing I would have to disagree with the author of this essay. The fact that reading would lead us to a successful life. But when he pointed out that people who were not usually seen reading books lack the capability to rule, that I would have to disagree. Many of the most powerful individuals not only of our country do not know how to utilize the ideas they have earned from reading books. I honestly think that its much shameful to see these educated people having the time of their life while other people suffer to death.
As a conclusion, let's not make reading a basis of our status in life as Filipinos. It may be one of the reasons why we can't step ahead of those who are near the finish line, but it's not the ONLY reason why. I honestly believe that not everything we see is what we should believe in, because there reasons behind them. In my part, it's a bit unfair to judge Filipinos this way, because if we are to choose what to have in life, we wouldn't choose to be in such a situation were we know we would have to suffer, because frankly, i don't want people judging me for what I have become for reason that I don't really approve of.
For me, I somehow agree on the article. We can see Filipinos today that they find reading “boring”. They find more interest in clubbing, computer games, malling, TEXTING and etc. I admit that I’m lazy in reading books, but I do read them sometimes. “Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows.” But as we observe today, especially the youth, they want instant, instead of reading the entire book, they look on the summarized one because of laziness in reading. That’s why Filipino teenagers lack information. They don’t have patience in reading because for them IT KILLS time and it is so boring. For them, if you read books, you are “KJ”, you don’t belong. And in the world today, there are so many distractions around for us to have time to read a book.
One simple example I can give: like in the hospitals or when they have free time, in the other country, people there are reading while waiting for something but here, we Filipinos are doing nothing, we choose to sleep and sleep, or watch television while waiting instead of reading. We can’t deny the fact that some Filipinos are also book lovers, but that’s just a small percent compare to those who are not.
“Some years ago, a friend of mine observed that in Japan, the bookshop seemed to be the most popular feature of practically every street block. While in the Philippines, instead of bookshop, it was the beauty parlor vying closely with the sari-sari store.” I do agree in this, Filipinos prefer to go to parlors and sari-sari stores that in bookshops. We can notice that in malls, the book section has the least number of people than the others.
In conclusion, this article reminds us to improve ourselves especially in reading. Reading will help us to have more ideas for us to be successful in the future, or maybe will help our country to succeed.
The article brings out the truth that our love for literacy had fallen. Think about the time of our hero, Jose Rizal who expressed his thoughts through novels. Because of his novels, we gain knowledge from the past when you read between the lines. Filipinos tend to read directly and so, this makes the book hard to understand.
I realized that some people I know would rather watch the movie than read the book because they’re too lazy or they want a book with pictures. We lack imagination and perseverance when it comes to reading. Others believe that it is easy as one, two, and three but no, you have to go beyond that. I remember when the Twilight Saga became a craze that was the only time my friends read a book, and were very proud to have finished it.
I am a book lover and it is difficult to buy books here; either you buy from booksale or buy the expensive ones. Bookstores are also very scarce, you can only find them in malls and most bookstores have become a supply store. We are too practical that we only need those that will bring us fortune and money.
I do not think it is possible to say that all people that are Filipinos do not like to read books. It's a huge generalization to point out. But I some what agree and disagree with the article. Coming from the U.S and living here for about 5 months, one of the things I notice here in the Philippines is there are not that many public libraries for people to access. Where I come from there are at least 3 public libraries I could access in a time of 10-15 minutes. The only library I know here is the one In UST, which is 45min away (without traffic) from my house.
Even though it might not look like there are many Filipinos that read books there are still many Filipinos that I see buying and reading books despite of the harsh times. Though some might be buying just pocketbooks its still a book that Filipinos read. I mostly see Filipinos reading their books at coffee shops like star bucks.
I think the reason that most Filipinos are not “book lovers” comes in 3 factors. They are money, necessities, and technology. Lets face it, Philippines is a third world country in most parts, most people would rather spend their money on food first than a book and since we live in and age of technology everything now is fast paced and on the go.
In sad to say that the author may be right about most Filipinos, but it still falls back to the focus of a person’s interest because that is when person will stop and look for a book and will start to read. As for me I am just an average reader of books, I only read what I’m interested in, other than that I just use the Internet.
"The problem is Filipinos hate solitude. Count the number of Filipinos you know who enjoy being alone, and being in a book. For them, it’s absolutely terrifying."
"Another factor could be one reads a book in silence. Solitude na, ideas pa, and then silence? It is too much for average Filipino. It just goes against all cultural traits–the need to move in herds, in exuberance and gaiety, in love songs and dances."
-Statements with powerful yet unprofessional accusations. Aside from the fact that the article did not mention any source of information, the author's remarks were too personal. Therefore, I have no right to say that he is wrong, for what he gave his readers are opinions, and if he, an impolite writer, may air his opinions, so can I.
I think that the two quoted statements that I included here were 'inferences' based on one's unintelligent logic. Accusing the Filipinos to hate solitude, ideas, and silence would not only be unethical but also insulting, especially when there's no basis.
Another point that i'd like to remind, when reading a book, it is not a requirement of the universe that you must read it from cover to cover. Reading everything does not define a book, a book can only be a book to you once it has affected you in a certain way, it doesn't even matter if you just caught a glimpse in one word by chance.. What if that quick look changes your life and your whole understanding of it? I think questioning personalities because you've never seen them read a book from cover to cover is a weak and pathetic argument.
Majority of the Filipinos might not be book lovers, but this is yet to be proven statistically. For now, I'd like to appreciate the writer for opening an interesting topic.
Well first of all, I agree with this article. Nowadays, Filipinos in general were fond of watching than reading books. It maybe because watching movie is more fun to others than sitting in one corner with a book in his hand. And watching movies can help you see what's really happening than reading a book and imagine the scenario. I admit, I don't read that much like others do, but not because I don't like to read but because I spend most of my time with my friends and my family, doing stuffs that I like. Well I guess 70-80 % of Filipinos are spending their time with their friends and family too. Or just sitting in front of their computers, playing games or busy updating their social networking sites. And also, not all people can afford a book. Well let's face it, instead of buying a book we choose to buy foods or stuffs that we really need.
There are still Filipino who patiently read a thick book during their leisure time. It's because they are interested and that they are happy when they are reading a book.
If only we can teach other Filipino citizens to read and write, and if only we can afford to buy books for them. Maybe, just maybe, The percentage of Filipino who loves reading might increase.
This article helped me realize that I should somehow find time to at least read one book a month. A book that I will enjoy reading, and make that 7 a 10 in the end of the school year.
With all the complexities of the average Filipino life, most, or probably 80% of Filipinos find hard time doing the one simple task of reading a book. Some of the reasons of the 'Non-reading Filipino Abundance' is Poverty. "why should we read books when we are struggling to find food or ultimately, struggling to live"; The low attention span. "why should i read a book when i can do other stuff, better than reading."; And the ignorance to its effects. " reading books are JUST for school, i did not read often 'cause i did not know that reading improves vocabulary, gives you glimpses of other cultures and places of the world, Improves concentration and focus, Builds self-esteem, improves memory, discipline, and creativity" These are the reasons, in my opinion.
The mind is like a well-oiled machine,when you're still a kid. Impeccable, the ultimate goal. Always curious, always asking. Finding answers to every question. Leave it behind and stick it behind the 'idiot box' (TV) for most of your time and your machine will cease to work properly or impeccably as before. Reading is one of the activities that keeps the mind running, preventing it from ceasing to work.
So yeah. FILIPINOS ARE DEFINITELY NOT BOOK-LOVERS.:))
Reviews for newspapers and periodicals, novels and short stories of Virginia Woolf became the bestsellers during her time. But, even though, some countries are not book reader. One of them is the Filipinos.
Filipinos are not book readers. Filipinos hate being alone that’s why they don’t love to read books even the richest Filipino rarely read books. Only few Filipinos love to read a book. When you read a book you need silence. Instead of doing that, they go to somewhere or do some activities that will make them enjoy. Other countries read book a lot compare to Philippines. It will be a shame for our country because they might think the number one cause of poverty in the Philippines is being not a book reader since reading a book will gain you knowledge.
In reading a book you need to have privacy and silence in order for you to understand the idea that the book is trying to tell. A reader should fully read it through its words and chapters so that he or she can understand the book. A reader should give his or her time and patient in a book. One factor that affect the Filipinos to not read a book is that stories in books are mostly been made a movie or a television show that’s why Filipinos prefer to watch them instead of reading a book. Watching saves time than reading a book.
This article is biased and at the same time fallacious. Why does the writer generalize that the Filipinos does not like to read. How could the writer say that the Filipinos are not book lovers, did he spend time here to see if we really do not read books? Is he omnipresent that he could see each and everyone of the Filipinos not read at all? If so, he must be God!
For me, " Books are food for the brain."
I don't agree on the article because I love books. And surprisingly, I rather read interesting books than to party all night. I only read what entertains me and it's no surprise if my choice differs from others. Perhaps, the problem lies within the person. A person knows what can entertains him and you can't force someone to have the same choice with you.
"…the bookshop seemed to be the most popular feature of practically every street block. While in the Philippines, instead of bookshop, it was the beauty parlor vying closely with the sari-sari store."
It seems that you don't see the situation in this country. Food is more important than education. "Aanhin pa ang damo kung patay na ang kabayo." (substitute grass w/ books).
Maybe, on the later years, when the Philippines doesn't worry about food anymore, you will see bookshop instead of beauty parlors.
I kind of disagree with this article, because I, myself loves to read. Last sem break, I spent most of my time reading books. I think it’s very unfair for the Filipinos to be judged this way. Because NOT ALL Filipinos aren’t book lovers. When I’m going to the tutor area, I can see most yayas (waiting for their alagas) holding a pocket book. Most of them are reading the Precious Heart Romances. Well, I agree that libraries aren’t used by students wisely these days. In my old school, the library is used for pass time, some students are sleeping, some are just joking around, etc. But still, some people are indeed researching. It is obvious that more people prefer to watch the movie rather than to read the book. Because watching a movie would just run for less than 2 hours, while reading a book would take you days to finish. But I believe that the book would give you more complete information rather than the movie. For my opinion, if someone doesn't want to read, we shouldn't force them to. Because if we do so, they will just read to please us. But still, I'm sure that they didn't understood what they had read. It's very simple, it's just RESPECT. If they don't want to read, then let's respect that, how come they should be judged?
-Yeah i think we really should be interested in reading. I always have been hearing words from my dad, "Mag basa ka ng mag basa. Marami kang matututunan. Wag yang puro laro, wala kang mapapala diyan, walang kawawaan." I mean, personally i do not read so much, that is why i do regret having this no-interest in reading because, generally, reading DO makes you smart. That is, if you really enjoy reading.
"..A book must be met in certain solitude so that the sentences and chapters will seep through the readers consciousness.."
-I like this part, because i enjoy being in solitude, all i need is enjoying a book.
"..Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance,.."
-About this line, we really need time and patience. Because by the time we are used to it, probably we will enjoy doing it and eventually will not use patience and endurance anymore, but passion.
"..Ideas can be so dull.."
-Yes it can but only if it's not interesting, and the person who stimulated such ideas is some kind of a wierdo or something..
It is said that non-readers can be prone to danger, or simply, reading less is dangerous when put into power. It is said in the bible that a wise man looks for knowledge and wisdom, fools despise these things. If knowledge, can be found in books, and a person loves to read books because he wants to add something to his learning, he is wise. And it is also said in the bible, he who is wise inherit honor and inheriting honor is a good thing. He who is wise will be rewarded by his wisdom.
I checked this page at least four times before I actually read the article and twice more before posting my comment.
The article is true in its claim that Filipinos are not book lovers. In fact, I can count with my fingers those people I know that would take time to read a novel or even just an article. Most of the people I know who admit not being into books claim either they are not really interested or they do not have the time or that reading really is not a part of their system. We cannot blame them for their acts because in the first place reading is not very well to Filipino children in their formative years. They would have radios, television, internet, iPods, and many others but books or written materials. Another reason is that they are not acculturated to reading. when a person is seen reading, they are usually teased "Ui, genius, oh. Ang sipag naman. ‘di ka makakahanap ng asawa niyan” or will be immediately invited to do something else except reading (who does reading in groups?) and they are most commonly more interested in interacting with others. Another reason is that though books have no E-VAT on them, they are still expensive and teenagers would not allocate parts of their allowance for books.
People are busy. They need time to meet with others, do chores, playing, finishing duties, and much time in doing nothing. Reading is something that when most people think of how much time reading will consume, they will feel like they need the whole day so they ditch the idea and do something else instead. And I’m only talking about literary materials. Filipinos’ perspective on academic books is “too sad for words.”
Each time I check for books in a bookstore near our place, I always notice the low number of people in the books section. The magazines, supplies and humor sections are the only ones who have plenty people checking them out. A small branch of another bookstore near our place only has three rows for books, another for second-hand novels, and another for magazines and “songhits.” The rest is for supplies and other products that are usually not found in bookstores.
I am a frustrated book lover. I used to read books when I was younger and I read almost everything with letters on it. Now, though, I only get to plan reading even I wish to be like my father who has a new book every time even from the book sale and I really need to be able to bury myself in books because it is essential in college especially in my course. For all Filipinos who are booklovers, Hands-Down. And to those who are not, I understand. I feel the same way when thinking twice about watching DVDs or not.
First of all, I can consider myself as one of them, not a book lover! but I don't hate books. it's just i'm not that interested.i'm not fond of reading unless we need to do some certain reading:))books are important for us, they contain the basic facts that one must learn, also, we gain more knowledge through the use of it. we Filipinos are not book lovers?? not all of us, because if we don't know how, we won't be in this state of life we're having right now, we do reading but not that much. On my opinion, if the book isn't that appealing, we won't waste our time browsing it, we get tired especially when it's quite long,BORING!
this article is good enough to enlighten our minds, the moment I read this, I pity myself. The point of this article is somehow true, that we, Filipinos are not book lovers, because we're spending most of our times texting, watching, social networking, etc. If almost all of us started reading this, we might change..
I kinda agree with what the article is saying. MOST of the filipinos are not interested with books. Instead, they like something light, entertaining. I myself is not interested with too much reading. I admit, reading has a lot of advantage but let's face it! It's kinda boring? At the end of the day, too much of something is bad. Let's just have moderation in reading and our own call of entertainment as well. 🙂
Well . . . First of all, I do agree for what the article said. But at the same time, It's a bit confusing because I also think that Filipinos aren't some kind of bookworms or book lovers but don't you think it's a bit humiliating to think and to state that FILIPINOs ARE NOT BOOK LOVERS. In my own opinion, I think Filipinos have the rights to choose what they really want to do. Besides, that's our LIFE. . . What I am confused about the most is to what side am I in. Because I wanna create a world that has little hands but create big stuffs for the country and by not being a book lover doesn't states that we should be one for the country. Remember that Filipinos can do something better for the Philippines. Not just for loving BOOKS. Philippine's situation is not the BRAINs of the Filipinos but the MONEY. 🙂 That's my opinion. 🙂 I hope P-NOY could resolve our country's problem. 🙂
First and foremost, I can agree on SOME points, that is, even people who can afford buying quality books are not bookworms and that Filipino writers cannot solely depend upon their literary skills for living.
However, I still do believe for a fact that the socio-economic standing of a person plays a significant main role in this issue. As we all know, illiteracy stemmed out from lack of education due to poverty.
Suppose you are one of the millions of Filipino who are suffering in poverty, and suppose you’d be given a 500-peso bill. The question is, practically speaking, would you rather purchase a good book to feed your intellectual craving than buy yourself something to satisfy your hungry appetite? Even the uneducated, illiterate people have the common sense to prioritize their basic need. Because trading your food over some books is like trading your life for another mind, and that isn’t even clever at all. I mean, what for is thinking if you’d just die from immediate starving? If reading books is associated with wit and intelligence, then I think you should have been very smart to recognize and distinguish your want from your need. People don’t have the spare time to read because they need to earn a living as well.
Another point is, given that you are illiterate and you were handed, let’s say, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet or Plato’s The Republic, would you appreciate reading it? How would you have the patience to read the book if you don’t understand a thing it is saying at all? Your thinking is useless. Moreover, how could you grasp the concept of the book and form your own depth ideas if your knowledge is barely sufficient? Yes, it is in these books that you gain wonders of wisdom, but what are these for if you do not know the meaning of those ABC’s? You see, how could you build a good house with a poor foundation? In the end, for an illiterate, it will all just be a bunch of empty symbolic pages.
And I don’t think there is something wrong with literature as being an entertainment only. If that’s what the reader is only after, then I guess you cannot control it, though I also know there must be so much more than the surface. And, if you say ideas are dull, then why should you pursue on such uninteresting entertainment when you are not even “entertained”. That is why it’s called entertainment; you need to amused, have fun and just chill. Why would you burden yourself with such depth if it bothers you during your leisure time? That’s why it’s called leisure; you must be enjoying in that short span of given time and not adding stress to your already turbulent life.
Yes, reading requires solitude and silence. But it doesn’t mean you have to be alone all the time. That would be a case of stereotyping. Additionally, man is naturally a social being, that it can’t be helped that often he rather interacts with real people than fictitious one. But times have change and I know many people who appreciate solitude now, because people are beginning to realize the necessity to be alone sometimes when you need to reflect.
About Imelda Marcos and Cory Aquino, it’s not good to judge them that way. I believe they had schooling, and doesn’t that require reading, even those textbooks? And look, so what if ever they weren’t really booklovers? People don’t really care if they were booklovers or not. What people notice is what they did. This world is not a battle of knowledge; it’s about will. Not all you can and need to know are read on books. Often times, things mark well and hard if we experience them in our lives. People followed Cory because she had this sense for justice and passion. You don’t acquire these virtues in books; you just acquire stories about them. You either feel sympathy but remain unaffected or be totally moved by it. Sad to say, most of the time, it is the latter that always take place. Cory had this strong will for freedom, and that’s what made her attractive to people. People whose legacies and influence span over generations after generations are those experience the world as it is.
Honestly, this is actually a good article worth pondering on. There are just too many sides and factors to an issue, even to those that I have mentioned. I think, the writer must have concluded a survey if Filipinos are really not interested in reading at all… 🙂
Sad but true that the majority of Filipinos are not book lovers. Most of us prefer to watch movies or play computer games as a sheer pleasure. Here in the Philippines we rarely see a person reading a book in a park or at a coffee shop unlike in other countries. What we usually behold are group of people chitchatting or people who are keeping themselves busy with their psp or laptop. Unfortunately, reading a book is not in our nature. One concrete evidence of this is inside the four corners of a classroom, when a teacher or a professor gives an assignment to read a short story or an excerpt from a novel half of the class will not even bother to open their books and scan the given homework.
I’m hoping that one day our nation will be enlightened and will realize the importance of reading.
Filipinos per Se cannot be blamed for this unloving relationship with literature. It is the government who should be responsible for this dislike of books. There is just not enough visible funding for education in the system and there is a lack of competence in most of the teachers nowadays. I personally am a witness to this incompetence of instructors, coming from a province in the visayas.
I am a book-lover and it is because of my good education. Majority of Filipinos cannot be called "book-lovers" because they cannot fully read and comprehend literature in the first place. I say calling Filipinos "not book-lovers" as rather unorthodox because of the fact that these so called "not book-lovers" are of the less fortunate class.
Well . . . First of all, I do agree for what the article said. In my own opinion, I think Filipinos have the rights to choose what they really want to do. Besides, that’s their LIFE. . . What I am confused about the most is to what side am I in. Not all Filipinos does not like to read books. But they should that it can help them in the future. I understand that being a book lover can widen ones knowledge and besides books doesn't have the so called radiation, unlike the computers.All the things in this world have consequences. If you don't read books, then you lack knowledge. If you read books, then it can augment your knowledge. I admit sometimes I can be a lazy kiddo, But everybody should not degrade the Filipinos. Comparing to other nations can not solve the issue or problem.
Filipinos per Se cannot be blamed for this unloving relationship with literature. It is the government who should be responsible for this dislike of books. There is just not enough visible funding for education in the system and there is a lack of competence in most of the teachers nowadays. I personally am a witness to this incompetence of instructors, coming from a province in the visayas.
I am a book-lover and it is because of my good education. Majority of Filipinos cannot be called “book-lovers” because they cannot fully read and comprehend literature in the first place. I say calling Filipinos “not book-lovers” as rather unorthodox because of the fact that these so called “not book-lovers” are of the less fortunate class.
Let us not take it negatively, let us take it as a challenge for everyone. I think the purpose of the writer is to encourage the Filipino people to love books and love reading books. 'It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers', this statement will really hurt every Filipino reader but that is not what the writer wants us to react, the writer wants us to prove the article and the title itself wrong.
I myself was not a book lover. Only a few months later that i embraced reading and i realized how reading is very important but I'm still a mediocre in this field. There are circumstances that i want to read a book because i'm curious of the title, my friend told me that it is good and sometimes i just want anything to read. I can still remember when it was my first time to finish reading a book i was so proud that i even told my friends about it. There was also a time that my best friend finished reading a book in one sitting, i was so amazed and for me it was a WOW! because it took me almost a week or more to finish the book Five People You Will Meet in Heaven.
It is true that there are not only some but a number of Filipinos who are more interested in watching movies rather than reading books, searching for the latest gadgets rather looking for the new released books and surfing the net rather than visiting the library. Yet, there are still people who use their time and preferred to be alone with their book. I don't know if i should be be happy that i saw a group of 'Filipino Book-Lovers' Society' in Facebook or i should be upset because there are only 4,711 members compared to non educational and nonsense pages that has almost a million members. but let us look on its other side that in spite of the commentary of George Bernard Shaw there are still who administer and joined (hopefully a lot more will join) the said group. The description of the group mentioned that according to many the most important things that a person must achieve to do are 'plant a tree, build a family and write a book'. But no one can't write a book without even reading a book.
To end this, i will quote one of the members of the Filipino Book-Lovers' Society, 'Book records not just event that happened but the visions, imaginations, emotions, thoughts, experiences, rules, mores, traditions, customs, reflections, etc. of mankind and of the wisest minds in the world. Books are priceless treasures of the thinkers'.
Wilmalyn Hernandez
1PHL1
“Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be.” This statement is very true for all book readers. For if we enjoy reading, we don’t care about the time that has passed and we have patience to finish the book and to be able to understand what the book contains.
I beg to disagree to this article or blog, for not all Filipinos don’t want to read. Since it was written 2 decades ago, I believe that people change. I believe that some people want to read books, because in every bookstore, there is the Top 10 or 20 best sellers. I also had an experience, the days that the Twilight series were still famous, I went to bookstore to buy that book, but unfortunately, it was out of stock, so I went to several bookstores to look for the book, but they have the same reason. I love reading especially the topics that catches my interest. Therefore, I conclude that not all Filipinos hate reading books. I think some of them are reading books for their past time.
At my previous school, our principal knew that almost all the population in our school hates reading, the principal approved that we must have SSR or silent sustain reading, were we are required to bring books that we are going to read inside the classroom for 15 minutes. We can choose whatever books we want to read. By this, I started to read books although it is not our SSR time. Nevertheless, I hate reading books that are hard to understand.
On the other hand, some Filipinos are interested to watch movies than to read books, because of laziness, they would rather spend 150 pesos and above than to read 300 pesos and above, however, they will spend more time by reading than watching a half an hour. For people prefer more of entertainment than to read books because they find it boring. For me, watching and reading books are interesting, for I will know the differences between the book that I have read and the movie that I have watched.
Wilmalyn Hernandez
1PHL1
“Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be.” This statement is very true for all book readers. For if we enjoy reading, we don’t care about the time that has passed and we have patience to finish the book and to be able to understand what the book contains.
I beg to disagree to this article or blog, for not all Filipinos don’t want to read. Since it was written 2 decades ago, I believe that people change. I believe that some people want to read books, because in every bookstore, there is the Top 10 or 20 best sellers. I also had an experience, the days that the Twilight series were still famous, I went to bookstore to buy that book, but unfortunately, it was out of stock, so I went to several bookstores to look for the book, but they have the same reason. I love reading especially the topics that catches my interest. Therefore, I conclude that not all Filipinos hate reading books. I think some of them are reading books for their past time.
At my previous school, our principal knew that almost all the population in our school hates reading, the principal approved that we must have SSR or silent sustain reading, where we are required to bring books that we are going to read inside the classroom for 15 minutes. We can choose whatever books we want to read. By this, I started to read books although it is not our SSR time. Nevertheless, I hate reading books that are hard to understand.
On the other hand, some Filipinos are interested to watch movies than to read books, because of laziness, they would rather spend 150 pesos and above than to read 300 pesos and above, however, they will spend more time by reading than watching a half an hour. For people prefer more of entertainment than to read books because they find it boring. In addition to that, they can simply buy pirated DVDs or download the movie they want to watch. For me, watching and reading books are interesting, for I will know the differences between the book that I have read and the movie that I have watched.
gumgnun kna ah hahaha!
may angal ka? :)))
Its really hard to say that Filipinos are not booklovers or if they are booklovers. It is because there are different Filipino races with different interests, hobbies, and past times. We all have different ways to express our feelings. Some through writing a book, writing a song, painting etc. And in my view, I dont see that Filipinos are NOT booklovers. In their academic bookscan be. 🙂 There are so many teenage Filipinos who buy book series. Some even prefer to read the book rather than watching it.
I'm just hoping that all Filipinos be like our national Hero, Jose Rizal 🙂
The article is very subjective. Since it's based on a person's opinion about Filipinos not wanting to read, it doesn't mean that all of the Filipinos don't want to read. It's hard to generalize for this topic because it seems unfair for the Filipinos who are book lovers. The article should have considered both sides; Filipinos who loves reading books and Filipinos who don't appreciate the worth of reading. Although I understand that this is a wake-up call for the people in our country to expand our knowledge by simply reading like most of the successful personalities and people around the world who used reading as their tool to achieve what they have now, I still think it would be better if the writer gave credit to the Filipinos who love to read.
I agree with the facts stated by the author, majority of the Filipinos are not considered as bookworms, especially with our generation, with all the new technologies and interesting entertainment being introduced, we are often distracted. The youth would rather watch movie based on novels or read the summary found in the internet rather than reading the actual book. In addition, I agree with the statement mentioned by the author about the Filipinos’ short attention span, we prefer something thrilling and prompt rather than reading and comprehending a book that could take hours. In my opinion, we do not usually read books because it is not our main choice of entertainment, most of the present youth would rather use the internet for social networking and most adults would rather watch television instead of trying to complete a book. This article illustrates the problem of the declining amount of Filipino readers and writers. I could say that this article encourages us to improve our current status to better ourselves for the future.
I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers nowadays.One big cause is technology which offers easier access to information. A lot of things that was discussed in the article were true like poverty is not a main issue here.If one is eager to read then why not borrow from someone you know who will not think twice to lend the book. (Ofcourse,if there is any).
On the other hand,if one is lazy,thus, he might consider going out with either friends or family. We should face the reality that we are in a world that is fast changing so the only way is to encourage people or to let them realized the benefits of books.
For me if your interest to read is there then there is nothing to lose.For now you haven't like to read but anytime you may change your thoughts about it. Be with people who will influence you to read a book.!!!!!!And books are good investment. Before I was not so into reading but later on I realized that it became a habit. I have read Paulo Coelho's book "Veronica decides to die". .Francis J. Kong's book "The Early Bird Gets The Worm But The Secound Mouse Gets The Cheese",and Stephanie Meyer's story "Twilight" on a PDF. Internet can be of help if you want to read novels.:>
Furthermore, Why people did not like to read?There are things we must think of.For instance, I enjoyed watching Ibong Adarna and Florante at Laura at the AFP theater rather than just reading the context . One can use his/ her imagination through watching the scenes. Filipinos are fond of things like movie marathon, computer games, quality time with friends.We just don't sit there and read the whole day.In short, we tend to multitask and communicate with each other. Perhaps, reading was not the topmost priority back then but it may not be applicable to everyone today.Who knows?
I think this is a subjective observation because not all Filipinos are like as described in the essay. We should not discount the fact that there are also Filipino intellectuals and literati. While it’s true that there are a number of Filipinos who are not into reading, it must be noted as well that there are also in fact numbers of Europeans and Americans who are nonreaders as well. And so, such comparison is inaccurate and unjust.
However, I believe the underlying concern must be emphasized, that indeed reading must be widely encouraged and ways must be found to promote greater patronage of literary works. No need to single out the Filipinos.
The fact that Filipinos are not book lovers is something that I could not fully grasp. I suppose it's because I love reading. I've heard a lot of people saying that reading is "boring". I completely disagree with them. Reading, for me, means opening doors to a world of wonder. It transports me to different places and through it i can travel through time. I acquire knowledge and learn a lot of things. How can reading be boring? Sometimes I get so immersed in a book that I even end up reading it more than twice.
I think that there are reasons why Filipinos are not crazy over books nowadays. Technology is one. Many Filipinos find surfing the net, watching tv or listening to their ipods more exciting or spellbinding than reading books. Gone are the days when people would curl up in bed and read a good book during rainy days.
Books cost much. The fact that books are expensive is also a reason why we seldom see Filipinos reading books. I, for one, can't have all the books that I want to read because it would take a lot days for me to save up just to buy them.
Reading should be encouraged for it is a very powerful tool that students around the world must develop. Nevertheless, we must not forget that we also have different interests.
It's really difficult to see Filipinos being alone and reading books, it's because it’s in the blood of Filipinos to mingle and chat among other people, because we Filipinos are socially inclined. I believe that Filipinos are more of the writer type rather than the reader type. Well we learn from reading but we are very expressive, we tend to write rather than to read because we express ourselves more, take a look at the sidewalks, walls and even at an armchair, you see a lot of vandalism.
And yes we may not ALL be book lovers but when it comes to reading in general, I think we are good at that, reading doesn't only apply to books, it is used universally, we may not know it but we read most of time. “Filipinos will never become book lovers” this line if not only insults us Filipinos but this also sets back our morale. At the course of history, did they ever say that ethnic Filipinos would not be modernized? No they did not, because despite the fact that ethnic Filipinos refused modernization, the present Philippines is flooded with modernization. No one can judge the capabilities of a NATION. Please do not generalize, In Philosophy or reasoning, all cats are mammals but not all mammals are cats.
Now back to the article, I don't agree but I don't disagree either. We are not all book lovers. We tend to use our time in other things but reading never comes to our mind or is usually the last thing that we may think of doing. As said by Mr. Bernardo “we like to facebook but never face our book”. And yes we gain knowledge through reading but I think we learn more doing things than just reading about them. You may know the perfect recipe but you will never know if it’s perfect if you don’t try to cook it. Lack of interest, motivation and entertainment gets in the way of our reading. Students now prefer books that entertain rather than books that teach. In Paz Latorena’s “Educating the Literary Taste”, there are standards in selections, if any booklover do not find these standards then they will not appreciate the text or they may even stop reading it. But then again, as they say “Learn to Read and Read to Learn”.
I'll focus first on the title of the article, "Filipinos are not book lovers" When you say Filipinos? You mean ALL the people living in the Philippines. I don't think that FILIPINOS ARE NOT BOOK LOVERS. I believe that FILIPINOS DO LOVE READING BOOKS. Though sometimes we just read because of the popularity of the book and just to be "in" with their friends, Filipinos still read.
Filipinos are book lovers. Filipinos will a grab a book that will interest them if they want to, but you can't blame us if we don't really have a time to read. Books are very expensive nowadays that's why some book lovers just prefer to read in e-books rather than to buy books in bookstores. Another reason, high illiteracy rate.
I don't really believe that Filipinos are not book lovers. Actually, we find ways to make books affordable to everyone. There are bookstores like "booksale" that sells secondhand books in affordable prices. So that everyone will have an opportunity to read a book that they like. I love reading books and I always visit bookstores if I have the time.
"Hikayatin mo lahat ng kakilala mo na magkaroon ng kahit isa man lang paboritong libro sa buhay nila. Dahil wala nang mas kawawa pa sa mga taong literado pero hindi nagbabasa."
– Bob Ong.
If you think that Filipinos are not book lovers, I respect that opinion. Why not try writing articles that convince Filipinos or other people to read? It might help. 🙂
oh hey, good evening to all of you! i am proud to say that i enjoy reading books, of course i am not really that of a bookworm but then i read books which i am interested at. i agree and respect the opinions of all the others, we are all different!:) well, all i can say is that books are enjoying for me and i'd continue reading them, 🙂 go 1CA2!X) haha!
-ginoboy
oh hey, good evening to all of you! i am proud to say that i enjoy reading books, of course i am not really that of a bookworm but then i read books which i am interested at. i agree and respect the opinions of all the others, we are all different!:) well, all i can say is that books are enjoying for me and i'd continue reading them, 🙂 go 1CA2!X) haha! actually i have to submit again there was an error stating that i already submitted this comment!:) i do not know why but then again, we may not be all bookworms but i am pretty sure that there are at least two or more bookworms out there, 🙂
goodnight!:)
-ginoboy
I, myself agreeing somehow to the writer. Most Filipinos are truly unaware we so-called Diversion. Most of teens like my age are not into reading and they are too much fascinating with the technologies we have. Some are actually aware of this awful hobby that they would rather do what they want or anything besides from reading.
And some point, I disagree because it made me realize how important the books in our society. And I still believe that there are still Filipinos who likes to read book or so-called "Bookworms" 🙂
I hope after I read this article I would learn to love book and appreciated more literary works 😉
GOD BLESS!!
I disagree with this article, there are still Filipinos who love reading books but it is well known fact whether you like it or not majority of the Filipinos are not book lover and most of them are youths.
The opportunity is not equal to those who are poor, how can they learn how to read, how can they be a book lover if they do not have even enough cash to buy their food for the day. On the other side, the rich people on our country feels bored on reading and they used to do an entertaining thing rather than to read a book, which is why a lot of Filipinos on our country is not a book lover.
In my opinion, on our country, being not a book lover is all because of the different hindrances on ourselves and on our environment.
I disagree with this article, there are still Filipinos who love reading books but it is well known fact whether you like it or not majority of the Filipinos are not book lover and most of them are youths.
The opportunity is not equal to those who are poor, how can they learn how to read, how can they be a book lover if they do not have even enough cash to buy their food for the day. On the other side, the rich people on our country feels bored on reading and they used to do an entertaining thing rather than to read a book, which is why a lot of Filipinos on our country is not a book lover.
In my opinion, on our country, being not a book lover is all because of the different hindrances on ourselves and on our environment.
I'm sorry to say that i agree with the author's belief that we, Filipinos are not book lovers. I, myself does not really read books. I only read them when the professor requires the class to read a chapter or two. But to read as a hobby? Well, it can be reading mags but not books. People,especially teens and young children prefer to use the latest media (tv, internet, etc.) as their medium of learning. Maybe one reason is that they can fully understand the idea when they see it than putting up images in their imagination. It's just that a picture is worth a thousand words. In addition to this, latest technology like the use of cellphones has developed many informal and slang languages, sucg as Jejemons, Beckymons, and so on. Honestly, I think these slang words depreciate the quality of learning unlike reading books. When people use these kinds of languages, they possibly will have difficulty in spelling words formally. Unlike when we read books, we learn spelling and our vocabs widen. Filipinos, especially those who can't stand reading books, miss the opportunity to explore and expand their imagination. That's all. 🙂
Filipinos have different reasons why they read a book. Some of that reasons are that we were forced to read because it is necessary or sometimes it is really our hobby. I understand that Filipinos are different in all matter.
I can agree with this blog. As we all know, Technology is the easiest way to solve our problems, in terms of researching. But then again, Books is the most profound thing that can give us the knowledge that we should gain. That is one factor why Filipinos are too lazy to read.
Most of us prefer entertainment than reading a book in solitude. Because solitude is too boring for us, the author is definitely right that you can count the people who wants solitude (always). But then, Filipinos have different nature in reading, because there where some Filipinos who loves to read in solitude, and there were also some people who loves to read in not that peaceful place.
There are many Filipinos who were economically unprepared. And that is also one factor that Filipinos are not book lovers. But I really appreciated the economically unprepared people who is showing their love and passion with the books, and especially trying their best to show that they can do it, they prove themselves that they can do read, despite of their condition.
To summed up, Filipinos have different perspective in reading. We should read the book assiduously. Filipinos can be a book lover, as long as we read the book with our hearts.
last paragraph *to sum up* argh. hahaha. 😀
"The problem is Filipinos hate solitude.". For now, I agree with this statement since Filipinos are usually described as the happy-go-lucky ones. They are known as the one of the most cheerful people in the world because of the fact that they have close family ties.
To read is to be alone, and most Filipinos aren't used to being alone since they are usually out having fun and seem to love celebrating fiestas at the expense of the time for reading. Since the Philippines is a rich country when we speak of natural resources, it's actually quite easy to survive since almost anything you plant could be harvested. So Filipinos tend not to take life seriously. Unlike other countries that experience four seasons, Filipinos need not hoard and think much about the future since there is nothing to worry about what may happen to them when winter comes. Because of this "tradition" that was passed on through generations, majority of the Filipinos now would have the ningas-cogon tendencies. Either ways, Filipinos seem to be capable on surviving almost any crisis that would come their way.
"There are a few facile reasons that we could cite, we don't mean sheer poverty either, for even among the richest Filipinos, they hardly read books.". In other words, time changes, and as life gets to be harder, people would then realize that to improve oneself, one needs to read. At the same time, the same goes for when one's standard of living improves, attitude changes as well.
I have to agree with the article. It's true that many Filipinos loves reading books nevertheless there are more Filipinos who's having a hard time to appreciate books or perhaps doesn't enjoy them. I think about 70-80% of Filipinos don't have the time or does not appreciate literary works. Also most of the teens of this generation were not used with reading books, like our elders, because of new Technologies. They would rather spend their money and time hanging out with friends, going to malls, shopping, partying, playing games and all. Also, In my opinion, it's true that Filipinos hates to be in solitude especially the teenagers, because we want to be around our friends and to be surrounded by people. I, myself, is not a fan a books and novels. I find reading books boring and it takes too much of of my times nevertheless reading books is very helpful and important, it gives us knowledge, it helps us expand our vocabulary and improves our grammar and all. So I'm trying my hardest to appreciate and enjoy reading books.
Generally speaking, what the article tries to point out is partly true. I do agree that Filipinos are not book lovers, but I somehow disagree that Filipinos are not book readers. I know lots of people who take pleasure in reading books. I, myself, likes to read books, but only if I have a free time or whenever I find some interesting books. In my opinion, whatever it is that we read, be it a pocketbook or a comic book, as long as it involves words and comprehension, it still is reading.
Another thing- I do believe that poverty is a huge factor in Filipinos' not being book lovers. Why would you buy a book if there are more important things to buy like food? and why would you buy a book if you don't even know how to read? As to the middle class and the elites, I'm pretty sure that if they don't take pleasure in reading books, then they use books as a tool for business and stuff.
The first time I heard this from my professor, I was offended because I personally know a lot of people who like reading books. My opinion is that the writer made hasty and harsh generalizatons about the Filipinos a little too much.
I disagree with him for the following reasons:
1. There are a lot of types of books. Don't tell me that comic books are not books. These are still books but of a different kind.
2. It is not true that Filipinos dislike reading books or do not have an interest in it. As a kid, weren't we once a fan of disney stories? FYI they were all based on books.
3. It could be that it just so happened that the writer encountered more people who are not interested on reading books. It may just be a case to case thing. My experience, for example, is opposite of his because I am surrounded by people who love books. His experiecne therefore cannot hold true for everyone else's and it cannot be rnough to conclude that Filipinos don't like reading books.
But I could understand why the writer would assume that Filipinos are not booklovers.
1.In this age, people are moving too fast and other things such as television and internet would entertain them rather than reading a good book.
2.The person who is reading a book can be assumed to be a loner or shouldn't be disturbed.
3. The person would rather do something active rather than sitting and indulge themselves in a book.
I agree that we Filipinos aren't fund of reading books and spending our leisure time looking at its pages. For us, reading books is a burden. We prefer watching our favourite series and telenovelas rather than reading books. That is also the reason why we easily learn from audio-visual presentations rather than readers the chapters of famous novels. We even find it hard to understand the deeper meaning of the novels that's why they always put in on the big screen.
Back in 2007, the Twilight Saga invaded our country. A year after, people from Hollywood decided to have it filmed. Those who were able to watch the film were satisfied but those who have read the book and watched at the same time reacted. They said that they enjoyed the book rather than the movie itself. Sad to say, they were just a few. Few people spent their time reading every part of the story and understood the lines thrown by the characters.
If we are going to see the bigger picture, it's funny that a number of people engaged in politics don't read books. It has always been popularity and the charisma. But I learned in this article that if we learn something from watching tv, we will learn more when we read. Books can always give what we need, especially the learning we can acquire. 🙂
*fond
I agree that we Filipinos aren't fond of reading books and spending our leisure time looking at its pages. For us, reading books is a burden. We prefer watching our favourite series and telenovelas rather than reading books. That is also the reason why we easily learn from audio-visual presentations rather than readers the chapters of famous novels. We even find it hard to understand the deeper meaning of the novels that's why they always put in on the big screen.
Back in 2007, the Twilight Saga invaded our country. A year after, people from Hollywood decided to have it filmed. Those who were able to watch the film were satisfied but those who have read the book and watched at the same time reacted. They said that they enjoyed the book rather than the movie itself. Sad to say, they were just a few. Few people spent their time reading every part of the story and understood the lines thrown by the characters.
If we are going to see the bigger picture, it's funny that a number of people engaged in politics don't read books. It has always been popularity and the charisma. But I learned in this article that if we learn something from watching tv, we will learn more when we read. Books can always give what we need, especially the learning we can acquire.
I do agree with the said statements regarding about the topic “filipinos are not book lovers. First, the modernization impedes most of us Filipinos to read news articles, novels, poems, and short stories, since in just one click in the computer, we have at once our needed article or story. Second, is our action of pretending that we lack of time. We admit that we can’t read a chapter from a book in just an hour but we can do a lot of things in an hour. Third, is that we don’t want to be alone. We do not want to be alone and lonely with our book. We want to have happy and noisy moments with others such as having parties and chatting all along. Lastly, we are happier to see and watch films rather than reading and understanding series of thoughts.
This blog made me think that maybe I should start reading more and off course arrive to its ending. I should be able to appreciate the imperceptible benefits it gives. To sum it all up, personally, I would agree to this thought but it is something that needs action and change for the better.
As a Filipino, I agree and disagree 80% and 20% respectively in the article.
There are Filipinos who are not fond of reading basically because of using their time going out with friends, watching TV, playing computer games or going on internet and other new technologies that are very much "in" to us especially to teens nowadays. They use their time more with this because it gives them entertainment unlike reading and finishing books that they think it will kill their patience because of the silence. Well, actually it depends on what you're reading, whether it is your interest or you are just obliged to read it (ex: studying and reading books for exam). With this, they couldn't get a chance to see what books can give them and learn ideas from different people or authors. Having a low vocabulary can also be one of the effects because we are limited to experience new words. And with this, we may have a difficult time making essays, speeches, (or even making a comment like this) using academic writing because we are fond to words and grammars that we used in our elementary and high school years. We tend not to get the chance to improve our skills and knowledge. We are stuck on what we knew and we don't get to start knowing new things because we're not moving. Having a low vocabulary can also affect our ability to understand when we listen to speeches or discussions. We may be impatient in reading and finishing books before we learn something but it's worth it, because again, we learned something. And that is something good because it can make us become wiser and think more mature because when we read, we tend to also experience certain situations in life.
On the other hand, there are still some Filipinos who are book lovers and are fond of reading. I personally admire these people because they really insist to learn and never stop to know and know more. They enjoy how books bring them to other places when it makes them imagine. They travel, because they learn and experience different ideas from different people.
In my opinion, the writer should not generalized all Filipinos of not being book lovers. Yes, there are a lot of Filipino people who just prefer watching television shows and movie instead of reading books because they find it more interesting and easier but it does not mean that all Filipinos choose that kind of way. Some Filipinos do not read books not because they don't want to but because they can’t. A big percentage of the Filipino people are uneducated and the sad part is that they don’t know the importance of books in their lives.
I believe that there are also Filipinos who are book lovers. I have a lot of friends who are book lovers. I read books but not all the time. I am also fond of reading essays and autobiography. I also disagree in the part where the writer said that Filipinos hate solitude. I think that being in solitude should not be a daily routine. I know that there is always a time and a place for everything. I like reading books alone because I understand what I am reading immediately and I feel that I am in peace.
Reading books is very important because it educates people. I also consider books as a key to go to the places that you will never see in your life. Books let’s our imaginative side open because a person can also pretend to be in the same setting where the characters in a book are in. I am not a book lover but i have this point of view when it comes of reading books and i believe that book lovers has a more profound reason of why they are reading.
Stating your opinion is not bad but we should also consider the feelings of the people you are referring to. I am a Filipino and to read an article about someone who thinks that Filipinos are not book lovers is a little bit degrading especially in the part of those Filipino book lovers. And yes, if a person thinks that Filipinos are not book lovers, we should never assume that Filipinos will never be book lovers anymore because who knows what will happen in the future. Who knows if I will be a book lover someday.
*generalize
Jennifer Ann M. Rallonza 1CA2
I agree with the opinion of the writer of the Manila Chronicle, that Filipinos are not book lovers. But this does not mean that Filipinos do not want to read books. In fact, some Filipinos visits the bookstore for them to read the books for free! 🙂
In reading books one should have time, patience and interest. A lot of us Filipinos do not have time, patience and interest in reading books. We prefer to do other things rather than sitting in a corner for 2-3 hours reading books. Filipinos, almost have the same main objectives in life. To finish studying, to have a decent job and of course to help their own family have a fine living. Because of these objectives we do not want to impart 2-3 hours for reading a book. Filipinos allot more time for other people and for this reason we want to use our remaining time for leisure activities to de-stress ourselves.
Many Filipinos fail to grab the advantage in reading books. "Books could feed mind but could not feed an empty stomach". Most Filipinos will not spend buying books just to have it read. We will spend this money in more necessary things.
For me as of now, "Books are nice to have but not need to have".
It is true that most Filipinos prefer doing physical, more outgoing activities because it is a part of our cultural trait. However, we cannot really use these points to generalize the entire whole. I actually enjoy solitude compared to an average Filipino, and reading novels has been one of the things I enjoy most whenever I have spare time. I have also met a handful of people who actually read for entertainment, not just for necessity. I consider myself as one of them. As a person who loves to read and write, I have observed that reading a variety of books has helped me expand my vocabulary tenfold. Ever since then, I have enjoyed buying and reading novels. When the phenomena of the Twilight and Harry Potter started, I discovered that there are many who love reading books. Even my friends whom would not even dare to stand a meter close to a book, have started to enjoy reading. This lead me to believe that there is still hope for Filipinos to become book lovers. Books are indispensable and that is a fact. Even if the modern era is highly focused on technology and internet, books still serve their purpose and are still considered one of the most important mass medium.
This argument is like an alarm clock who wants us to wake up and realize that it is time to face the beginning of the day. It also wants us to encourage fellow Filipinos to read instead of abusing technology. This article made a good point and it is written very well. But there are still negative sides of my thought that contrast this article.
On the other side of my thoughts, the article is full of revelation and full of prejudgments about Filipino society. Yes, some Filipinos were not fond of reading books such as stories, novels, poems, etc. but there are only some and not all Filipinos. Some Filipinos cannot afford to buy books that cause lack of interest in reading instead they will spend money for other thing which they think more important. Other cause of why Filipino does not like to read is having lack of interest. Lastly, the common reason is the use of “hifalutin” words that cause of misunderstanding the main idea or thought of the story. There are a lot of reasons why some Filipinos are not becoming a book lover. We must consider some instances why Filipinos becoming a picture of “anti-reading”.
We must see both sides first before judging a human race or something to avoid offending somebody.
Jennifer Ann M. Rallonza 1CA2
I agree with the opinion of the writer of the Manila Chronicle, that Filipinos are not book lovers. But this does not mean that Filipinos do not want to read books. In fact, some Filipinos visits the bookstore for them to read the books for free!
In reading books one should have time, patience and interest. A lot of us Filipinos do not have time, patience and interest in reading books. We prefer to do other things rather than sitting in a corner for 2-3 hours reading books. Filipinos, almost have the same main objectives in life. To finish studying, to have a decent job and of course to help their own family have a fine living. Because of these objectives we do not want to impart 2-3 hours for reading a book. Filipinos allot more time for other people and for this reason we want to use our remaining time for leisure activities to de-stress ourselves.
Many Filipinos fail to grab the advantage in reading books. “Books could feed mind but could not feed an empty stomach”. Most Filipinos will not spend buying books just to have it read. We will spend this money in more necessary things.
For me as of now, “Books are nice to have but not need to have”.
I agree on the idea of the “Filipinos are not book lovers” but it does not imply that “Filipinos are not book readers.”
I read books whenever I find it interesting or whenever it is required. Yes, reading a book takes time to finish and understand it depending on your concentration and desire. Reading a book indeed needs solitude. I know a friend who reads a novel and enjoys the company of the book inside the toilet. [Chuckles]
Let me state my comment:
(1) Our country is a developing country which is less fortunate than Japan. And basically the answer on why instead of having bookstores on every block (or street), we have sari-sari stores. Also, our Education Department lacks funds in supporting the students with proper and correct books to educate the Filipino youth.
(2) Mostly Filipinos cannot afford to exchange an amount of money for a literary inspiration; instead we use the money to meet our basic needs first. An average student needs proper food and nutrition first before he can only fully understand and comprehend a book. You cannot concentrate reading and comprehending if you are hungry.
(3) I beg to disagree on the statement that “It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers,” (Paragraph 5, Sentence 1). The sentence is another matter to discuss because it states that Filipinos are not book readers. Let us recall the “Twilight Saga” a series of books about wolves and vampires. It’s a hit series in our country and a lot of Filipinos are fanatical even before it was pictured on the big screen; the same case in Harry Potter Series. Now, how is the author certain that Filipinos will never become book readers or Filipinos are not book readers?
First and foremost, I totally disagree. I'm not saying that I'm NOT a book lover because I do read books and pocketbooks, but I'm not also telling you that I am a book lover. It's just a thing that I don't mind getting busy when reading. When I read, I'll find a way to search for my "gusto", not because your reading, you'll just read, in order to understand it, you have to read between the lines that's why we need to have time and patience when reading. When i have read about the famous people that have been mentioned in this article, I was shocked, wondering where they could find such ideas that they have said in their early times. Let me give you an example, I can say that Imelda Marcos is such an intelligent person, how could she write a book by her own if not inspired by someone or something? Maybe what she have experienced it all.
I disagree to this article because I love books, and not because I love reading, hehe. Let's just say that we cannot learn without books, yes it's true. Books are the greatest companion you could ever have. A book is just a compilation of pages with thousand of words in it, pictures, etc, etc. I see some people being addicted in some books, but it was usually related to romance pocket books. I think this article is not just an article, it's a calling. 🙂
In my opinion, the proposition that “Filipinos are not booklovers” is not entirely accurate. It is for me an oversimplification of an otherwise complex concept, such as that of a people’s love for book reading. To try to fit an entire group of people into a box and not take each of the individual’s particular preference is not only unfair, but more so highly debatable, recklessly formulated without much regard for factual basis.
What are these bases? It’s the same set of circumstances, which the author chose to call “factors”, that affect the reading readiness of a people or nation. The author only considered one – cultural traits. But to my mind, it is not the only factor to be considered. There is still demography, government support, economics, and education. A writer who finds encouragement from his government would be driven to do more writings than one who does not. In the same manner, so does a reader. A nation, who from childhood is enlightened with the importance of reading through its educational institutions would find its significance in his later life.
I believe that the observation that Filipinos do not love books, or reading books for that matter, may be more a product of circumstance, rather than by conscious choice.
I agree on what the article says. Maybe because there are factors that affect the Filipinos from loving to read books.
I agree on what the article says that Filipinos are not book lovers maybe because there are some factors that affect Filipinos from loving of reading books.
Filipinos are not book lovers is one of the article that was written decades ago therefore some of the facts written in it may not be as accurate as of now. But the sad reality that we need to accept and i strongly agree with is that most of the us are not book lovers including me due to many factors.
Technology is a big factor why children now a days are not into books but into online games, television and many more. Another is our attitude which greatly affects our personality and it is said by many that we have this trait of being a ningas-cogon and as far as i have observed that most of the people I know are into it. But it is not only the attitude of being a ningas-cogon affect our love for books but the reality of lacking the resources to provide materials for us to read due to poverty.
I believe that there are many Filipino people who would engage in reading books if they will have the chance. Why can't we invest in these poor people's education for them to learn how to read and there would be a great chance for them to be a book lover if they are very willing to learn.
We Filipinos are full of potential and it is sad that most of us do not know. We only need to take a step to learn and try to have the passion for reading. And we just need to change the traits that are not helpful in these career.
I strongly have faith in Filipino people because we are very competent as we can see through our OFW wherein they can compete with other nations in the other country. They may have this trait of being a ningas cogon but they where able to change it and struggle to the top.
Filipino people are not that bad in terms of reading it is just that most of our population does not have the opportunity to read. And there would be a change if there would be someone who would lead and encourage people to read for it is not only a mere entertainment but it is full of knowledge wherein once you've learn what is in it no one can take it away from you. Book is a good investment for our future so we need to try to love it.
In general, Filipinos do not like reading books. Maybe not as a whole, but you cannot deny that Filipino book lovers are indeed rare. Have you ever seen a Filipino reading a book while walking down the street? Or maybe it is much more common to see people yelling at each other at the streets? The article might have been written in 1987, quite a long time ago, but not much has changed. I agree that Filipinos do not read books too much.
People feel indignant and hurt because the truth hurts and they don’t want to accept this fact. Those who oppose with this reality are the book lovers themselves. It might be true that there are Filipinos who read books but it is apparent that they are only few.
Filipinos might have increased their interest in books a lot than before but there is still the fact that more Filipinos patronize technology. In other words, technology hinders people from reading books. It might be true that technology helps in many ways, but it also has its downsides. You really do not have time to read educational and worth-to-know information on the net if there’s facebook, DOTA, and twitter to distract you.
Moreover, Filipinos does not like being left behind. They always want to be up to the latest technology. Maybe it is true that with just one click you can be happy with what you see on your computer screens and with a book you still have to flip the pages up to its last to truly appreciate it. However, books also have its advantages. A person who is well read and has a wide vocabulary tends to have an open mind and intellectual thinking and is well versed towards the certainty of life. They tend to have a brighter future than those who do not read books do.
Perhaps peer pressure also contributes to why Filipinos do not like reading books too much. Most teenagers nowadays picture bookworms as deep, profound, boring and weird. Teenagers as of now normally only read books when it is necessary or required, like for some report to be passed the next day.
It is not too late to change the fact that Filipinos are not avid readers, but it might take a long while. Especially since just the idea of reading already makes people think of the negative sides of reading (boring, nerdy) which isn’t really negative or real. Well-read people usually think before they act, so this might actually lead to a more progressive country.
I agree with some of the statements that were given in the article. I must admit though that while I was reading this article, I felt a bit insulted and guilty. Why? Being a Filipino myself, I must say that we aren't really fond of reading books. The reasons given above are true; we have short attention span, we don't like solitude, etc. We, Filipinos certainly don't like dull and boring moments. Those are all true. I'm guilty myself that if required to read a book, I might find it boring but after a while, I develop my interest in the book. What I find insulting is that people from different parts of the world pity the Filipinos for not being fond of reading. We may not be fond of reading but that doesn't make them any better or smarter than any of us. Filipinos may not be that much interested in reading but we sure do have our own forte in writing and music. 🙂
I agree with some of the statements given in the article but I must admit that whil I was reading the article, I felt a bit guilty and insulted. Why? Being a Filipino myself, I must admit that we find reading boring and that yes, we have short attention span. That's just how we are, we don't like dull moments and reading can honestly be boring at times. Although we are not fond or reading, that shouldn't give people from other countries the right to pity us. Just because we don't read as much as they do means that they're better and smarter than us. If their forte is reading, Filipinos are undeniably talented in writing and music. So, what's to pity? Filipinos can read, Filipinos are smart as well. Its just that we like focusing on other things more rather than reading. 🙂
i know how hard it is to squeeze in time to read a book because of the things that keep us preoccupied. Filipinos are just so busy doing stuff that they think are more important, some have jobs and the students are busy doing projects and never ending paperworks. we just don't have the time to sit back,relax and enjoy the thrills of reading a book.
as a student of the faculty of arts and letters i developed the fondness of good literature, i think that a book is an investment, a book is cheap when it is compared to the lessons and the knowledge gained just by reading a chapter or two a day but as always there are hindrances one to name is facebook. because of the fast modernization of the world, technology became more of a hindrance rather than a helping hand.
we must learn to budget our time and think about the value of reading a book. we should start investing our precious time in learning something a day rather than tweeting ourselves through the rest of our lives. we must remember the points and the lessons a book may offer us. let us start not tomorrow but today. 🙂
I agree, filipinos are not book lovers.
People are different. True, there might be some filipinos out there who like reading but it seems that there arent alot of them out there.
there maybe alot of factors that would contribute to filipinos not loving books. such as personal preferences or culture.
Filipinos are not lovers but they read books.some Filipinos find reading a boring thing to do. instead of reading they will find more interesting stuffs to do like playing computer games, basketball, shopping etc. but I can say that one of the most successful people are the Filipinos.
Teenagers today like reading novel books and even pocket books. Some people will go to the bookstores just to read books or buy the book they want. Filipinos will find reading interesting someday 🙂
I disagree to what the statement says. I may not be a book lover, but here’s one thing I want to share. Not all Filipinos are book lovers. But then again. there are some Filipinos who are addicted in reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight Saga, The Hardy Boys, and many more. The statement forgot what teenage book lovers want. Just like what I said a while ago. Some teenagers love books that have stories, novels, or whatever. And some teenagers love encyclopedias to learn more about our environment and all about this world. The statement just said that almost all popular, rich and powerful people don’t read books. But ALMOST ALL TEENAGERS do read books. We Filipinos may not be book lovers, BUT, we still read. =)
I disagree to what the statement says. I may not be a book lover, but here’s one thing I want to share. Not all Filipinos are book lovers. But then again. there are some Filipinos who are addicted in reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight Saga, The Hardy Boys, and many more. The statement forgot what teenage book lovers want. Just like what I said a while ago. Some teenagers love books that have stories, novels, or whatever. And some teenagers love encyclopedias to learn more about our environment and all about this world. The statement just said that almost all popular, rich and powerful people don’t read books. But ALMOST ALL TEENAGERS do read books. We Filipinos may not be book lovers, BUT, we still read. 🙂
Perhaps there are many filipinos who make book reading a hobby and a part of their daily routine, nevertheless there's just a vast population of Filipinos who does not even take a browse nor a glance on a book. I do agree with the thoughts and points raised by the writer of this article.
Filipinos are not book lovers in general. Perhaps there are a number of Filipinos who makes book reading a hobby and almost a habit, nevertheless, there's just a huge population of filipinos who do not even take a glance nor a browse on a certain book. I do agree and strongly believe on the thoughts and points raised by the author of this article. 🙂 Filipinos are indeed not book lovers due to some aspects such as economic status.
As for Filipinos, books are becoming primitive and boring. Yes, I agree with what the writer of the article had stated. Technology has emerged from time to time replacing literary works. Internet is the most used technology in the Philippines for information. As a student, I rarely go to the library or search books in my house for my research paper (unless it’s indeed a must) because I go straight to my laptop and start typing in the search engine. Another factor of Filipinos being not avid readers is the media. Media is very accessible everywhere, thus we tend to focus and be content on what we have and not ask or search for more.
Solitude. Indeed, Filipinos abhor it. We rather like to hang out with family and friends than stay in the room, get a book and read it. i know a lot of people who haven’t finished a book yet, because they start a book then get bored then get another book then bored again. See how Filipinos get weary easily? But still, not ALL Filipinos are like this. It really depends on a person’s discipline and patience. Silence doesn’t terrify me at all. In fact, I want serene places because it relaxes my mind from all the pollution in the world.
Some may love books, like reading, or neither at all. In my case, I like to read but I don’t love it. There’s a thin line between like and love. When I say like, I do it upon my leisure. On the other hand, when I say love, i find time to do it despite the stress i’m going through.
And so I say, there’s always a hope for us. We will never stop learning, hence books will never be out of date.
I would have to disagree with the statement that Filipinos are no book lovers. I have many friends, who aremy age, that enjoy spending their time by reading literary pieces may it be fictional or non-fictional. Today, it is true that we rarely see Filipinos inside bookstores but it doesn't follow that we are not book lovers. There are many possible reasons why they are found elsewhere. One reason could be that there are more things they need to prioritize like earning a living and paying for bills but who knows that by the end of the day, reading a book or any literary piece is what they do before going to bed.
Another reason why Filipinos are not often seen in bookstores is because we know that most of us are not financially capable of availing for one. Instead of buying books, we invest on other things which we think can help give us a better life. Instead of books, newspapers, magazines and tabloids are used as a source of information which we Filipinos make use of to update us regarding the current events and important occurrences that happen in our world today. Books may not be a Filipino favorite but reading is something Filipinos enjoy.
As for Filipinos, books are becoming primitive and boring. Yes, I agree with what the writer of the article had stated. Technology has emerged from time to time replacing literary works. Internet is the most used technology in the Philippines for information. As a student, I rarely go to the library or search books in my house for my research paper (unless it’s indeed a must) because I go straight to my laptop and start typing in the search engine. Another factor of Filipinos being not avid readers is the media. Media is very accessible everywhere, thus we tend to focus and be content on what we have and not ask or search for more.
Solitude. Indeed, Filipinos abhor it. We rather like to hang out with family and friends than stay in the room, get a book and read it. i know a lot of people who haven’t finished a book yet, because they start a book then get bored then get another book then bored again. See how Filipinos get weary easily? But still, not ALL Filipinos are like this. It really depends on a person’s discipline and patience. Silence doesn’t terrify me at all. In fact, I want serene places because it relaxes my mind from all the pollution in the world.
Some may love books, like reading, or neither at all. In my case, I like to read but I don’t love it. There’s a thin line between like and love. When I say like, I do it upon my leisure. On the other hand, when I say love, i find time to do it despite the stress i’m going through.
And so I say, there’s always a hope for us. We will never stop learning; hence we will never forget reading books.
Katya E. Manalastas 1PHL
I don’t believe that Filipinos are not book lovers. Actually many Filipinos are fun of reading newspapers and magazines and share their insights to their families and friends. Students who are very fun of reading Japanese stories buy Manga even though it is very expensive. Some Filipinos read textbooks instead of pocketbooks, especially the students. And I think reading textbooks help the students/children to know more about their surroundings, the beginning of things, and most of all about religion. I believe that most of the young children now have their knowledge of the things because of reading textbooks. In school, teacher usually gives an assignment, a home reading activity wherein the students are obliged to read certain pocketbook at home and summarize the story. The students then are being practice to read more and engage in reading activity and I know that this contributes for being a book lover of a person. Some of my classmates, who don’t have books, search the story they want to read in the Internet. It only means that Filipinos put effort on finding things to read. There are also comic books written by Filipino authors that are available in the bookstore. And most people love reading it because it is funny and you can get a good lesson from there. My brother enjoys the company of books and most of the books in our house are owned by his friends. I do believe that inside the schools students are being persuaded to read Philippine literary works. When I was in high school I’ve read many novel and some of those are, “Titser” and” Canal De la Reina” both written by Liwayway Arceo. It is also the habit of Filipinos to read while listening to music. Some Filipino students even read books while they are riding in a jeepney. Some Filipino students read novels while the class is going on. Parents read the books for their children and explain it to them. Even the maid in the house reads books about love after doing their jobs.
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I believe that Filipinos are not book lovers. Actually some Filipinos don’t know the history of their own country because they don’t read books. Some people burn the books (textbooks) that are not being use anymore instead of giving it to the poor children who do not have money to buy books. Yes, there are bookshops but most people buy the books written not by Filipinos. Yes, it is not bad to buy those but we should also try to buy the books written by Filipino writers so that we can appreciate more their creativity and be inspired so that we can be like them. We have so many novels, poem and short stories written by ancient Filipinos but sometimes Filipinos (as I have observed, especially the students) find it hard to understand because of the heavy terms use in the poem and novels. I wonder why. Yes, reading a book requires time and patience. But Filipinos usually count the numbers of pages the book has before reading it and they end up doing other things because they always jump into conclusion that they will be unable to finish it. Some Filipinos also think that reading is just a waste of time. Some parents also encourage their children to help in the house hold chores than to read books.
Filipinos, especially students, tend to read only because it is required and does not go beyond what is required. Most of us this mind set that reading is dull, boring, and a waste of time, without even trying it how can you prove it?
Yes, most Filipinos are not book lovers but it does not mean that we do not read books; in my opinion the author is generalizing the Filipinos too much. I for one love books and I find it interesting and exciting. Maybe, for some of us we find it hard to read because we Filipinos are unique, in a way. We love socializing and communicating with others rather than being alone in our room reading. We would rather watch the movies than reading the book itself because we tend to talk with our friends while it is playing, unlike reading a book you need concentration and silence to understand it. We tend to go out and go to places rather than spending our time in our house reading. In general, we Filipinos are out going and fun loving, but that does not mean that we should stop reading books.
Today, whenever I go to the bookstore I find people who enjoy reading not only foreign novels but also the local ones, times are now changing. We must strive and influence people to read more not only because we need to change but also it is a good source of knowledge and wisdom. It gives us an insight to what kind of world we have, we must step out of our comfort zone and explore what is needed to be explored, and I tell you won’t regret it. Reading is not boring its fun; it is like having a T.V. inside your head as read. Let us open our minds and embrace imagination and ideas. Ignorance is boring, read and explore the world beyond what you see and feel.
Now, as stated in the article Filipinos prefer to do other things rather than sit down and read a book. There are cultural and basic reasons for this. An example would be Filipinos are very friendly they like to socialize with each other, they don’t like being all alone. Second thing could be that they have other priorities such as food clothing and shelter and mostly likely people who have these problems can’t read or write very well.
When you enter a bookstore you see hundreds of books displayed before your very eyes. Being tantalized by seeing so many books at one place you wonder through the endless aliases Filled with endless genres like: fiction, horror, romance, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, and mystery. Then sadly you’ve reached the every rear of the bookstore. Snapped back into reality you notice a small shelf to your right and on top of it is the word Filipiniana or Filipino books. They don’t even classify it into the different genres of fiction, horror, romance, science fiction, fantasy, thriller, and mystery. They just sort of pile them up together. This is the biggest problem of all, language. Maybe if we have more Filipino books then maybe the majority of the Filipino people would pick up a book and start reading.
Filipinos tend to hang out with their friends rather than reading a book because they find it more fun. It's not that they hate solitude but sometimes they found it weird to have this blissful silence especially if the were surrounded by noise. I personally admit that I love to chat with my friends. It is one way to keep our communication with each other. Filipinos tend to chat to catch up with the latest news and such. The Philippines is a third world country. Filipinos use most of their time to work so that they can earn money. Another factor that affects the reading habits of a person is the technology and gadgets around him. If he grow up surrounded by gadgets, he will start to get dependent on the technology. For example, when teachers asked their students to do a research the students will go directly to the internet and search it. Another thing, the Filipinos tend to watch movie version rather than reading the novel because a movie will run probably two hours or less while reading the novel will take about one day or so.
As I've observed, Filipino readers are increasing. I personally think that someday we can prove the writer wrong. Not only can we widen our knowledge but we can help in the development of the Philippines. I think that if the Filipinos could find enough time, they would read a book.
I love reading books. I find it very addicting especially when the genre interests me. I personally think that as an individual we must do something to improve ourselves as a student and citizen. Reading helps us to reach beyond our limits and open our horizons to a new level. Books will never stop sharing knowledge and wisdom to its readers. We must always remember that some facts can't be found in the internet. Reading prevents ignorance. So grab a book and start reading.
Filipinos tend to hang out with their friends rather than reading a book because they find it more fun. It’s not that they hate solitude but sometimes they found it weird to have this blissful silence especially if the were surrounded by noise. I personally admit that I love to chat with my friends. It is one way to keep our communication with each other. Filipinos tend to chat to catch up with the latest news and such. The Philippines is a third world country. Filipinos use most of their time to work so that they can earn money. Another factor that affects the reading habits of a person is the technology and gadgets around him. If he grow up surrounded by gadgets, he will start to get dependent on the technology. For example, when teachers asked their students to do a research the students will go directly to the internet and search it. Another thing, the Filipinos tend to watch movie version rather than reading the novel because a movie will run probably two hours or less while reading the novel will take about one day or so.
As I’ve observed, Filipino readers are increasing. I personally think that someday we can prove the writer wrong. Not only can we widen our knowledge but we can help in the development of the Philippines. I think that if the Filipinos could find enough time, they would read a book.
I love reading books. I find it very addicting especially when the genre interests me. I personally think that as an individual we must do something to improve ourselves as a student and citizen. Reading helps us to reach beyond our limits and open our horizons to a new level. Books will never stop sharing knowledge and wisdom to its readers. We must always remember that some facts can’t be found in the internet. Reading prevents ignorance. So grab a book and start reading.
I would disagree that Filipinos do not love to read books. The article doesn't reflect the mere reality. To philosophize the main idea imposed in the article, the author has not enough bases or evidence or shall I say valid and rational reason to prove his claim. Practically speaking, the author simply states his personal point of view. He can never prove the stereotype he's given to Filipinos as not book lovers since stereotype is just a generalization of a whole. More often than not, a stereotype does not apply to all. And how would he know how much the richest people he mentioned read?
It's not that Filipinos are not book lovers or we don't like reading books. We have our reasons why we can't (not we don't want to) devote ourselves into books. We, Filipinos most likely prioritize our basic necessities in life. We don't value leisure much in our daily lives but we of course take time for it.. It's the tasks we mind most of the time.
Even to average Filipinos, reading is essential. They entertain common reading materials such as tabloid, comics strip, pocket books which caters to everybody since they generally are easy to comprehend and cheaper than novel books and the like.
I would disagree that Filipinos do not love to read books. The article doesn't reflect the mere reality. To philosophize the main idea imposed in the article, the author has not enough bases or evidence or shall I say valid and rational reason to prove his claim. Practically speaking, the author simply states his personal point of view. He can never prove the stereotype he's given to Filipinos as not book lovers since stereotype is just a generalization of a whole. More often than not, a stereotype does not apply to all. And how would he know how much the richest people he mentioned read?
It's not that Filipinos are not book lovers or we don't like reading books. We have our reasons why we can't (not we don't want to) devote ourselves into books. We, Filipinos most likely prioritize to attend to our basic necessities in life. We don’t value leisure much in our daily lives but of course we take time for it as we should.
Even to the average Filipinos, reading is essential. They entertain common reading materials such as tabloid, comics strip, pocket books, etc which caters to the masses for they are easy to comprehend and cheaper than novel books and the like. Basically, one reads a material based on what he/she can comprehend and enjoy as well. In addition, most probably, affluent and sufficiently educated people are the ones likely to read more sensible books since reading books requires a couple of time (for someone to be able to free his/her mind and explore) and ability to comprehend.
I would rather accept the idea that reading books is not a common habit for most of the Filipinos than the idea of the reckless statement that Filipinos are not book lovers.
I do agree with this entry in accountability for the reasons which implies that Filipinos are indeed allergic to solitude. Majority of the population enjoys watching wowowee rather than read a nice novel written by one of their favorite authors in silence. I admit that I'm also a walking illustration of this behavior since I've loved doing things the easy way rather than doing it the hard way. I believe this habit also reflects with how Filipinos approach reality. Most of them settle for success that is within reach and achieved by less effort. Especially today when the advancement of technology is swiftly progressing. As the story of "Juan Tamad" goes, we want the fruit without the arduous labor. And sadly this is one of our attributes.
one unappealing quality that a Filipino also has is our immobile optimism. Honestly whenever I see people attending church sometimes I can't ignore but think that these indeed consist of people genuine faith but also have short attention spans when it comes to practice. The stubborn-ness or admiting That is why people often misunderstand the word, because they have a miniscule point of view of the totality of the scripture.
These maybe are the reasons our nation does not progress, compared to other countries, Filipinos are less intricate, and are easily distracted by success that they have not achieved yet. But if we tried to mastering being technical and fun, I think if we became holistic, we'll come of as badass as ever.. 🙂 just saying.
consist of*
typos' -__- gahh
I do agree with this entry in accountability for the reasons which implies that Filipinos are indeed allergic to solitude. Majority of the population enjoys watching wowowee rather than read a nice novel written by one of their favorite authors in silence. I admit that I’m also a walking illustration of this behavior since I’ve loved doing things the easy way rather than doing it the hard way. I believe this habit also reflects with how Filipinos approach reality. Most of them settle for success that is within reach and achieved by less effort. Especially today when the advancement of technology is swiftly progressing. As the story of “Juan Tamad” goes, we want the fruit without the arduous labor. And sadly this is one of our attributes.
one unappealing quality that a Filipino also has is our immobile optimism. Honestly whenever I see people attending church sometimes I can’t ignore but think that these indeed consist of people with genuine faith but also have short attention spans when it comes to practice. The stubborn-ness of admitting errors has landed out status to it's oblivion. That is why people often misunderstand the word, because they have a miniscule point of view of the totality of the scripture.
These maybe are the reasons our nation does not progress, compared to other countries, Filipinos are less intricate, and are easily distracted by success that they have not achieved yet. But if we try to mastering being technical and fun, if we became holistic, we’ll come of as badass as ever.. 🙂 just saying.
This article, despite being written decades ago, is even more applicable to our contemporary time. Filipinos are now more proactive and dynamic, thus we prefer more engaging activities rather than reading a book in solitude. Reading has now been often neglected since these require intellectual analysis that can only be understood by meeting certain isolation, which we greatly dislike. Many of us believe that there are more activities that will be worth our time which would be much engaging than being alone and reading a book. It can also be noted that Filipinos are now more preoccupied with too many activities, like work and school, therefore reducing the possibility of being able to finish reading a book wherein all symbolism and hidden connotations would be brought to light, somehow reducing the interest of Filipinos. Living in a fast-paced life, most of us would then opt to do activities which would not require too much time to accomplish since they have very limited time, and reading a book would require great patience and adequate time which not all have. I believe that the economic situation also affects the lessened inclination to reading. Since most Filipinos are not affluent, it hinders us from acquiring books since we would focus more on their basic needs which we immediately need to respond to. Most books are quite expensive which is why only a few can afford these books. People often read books to acquire knowledge or to entertain themselves. But with the constant advancement of technology, everything that we need is being presented to us immediately without any difficulty, prompting the shift in the resources being used by the people. Since technology is easily accessible and the main facts we need are easily presented with lesser need for analysis, many people opt to use this especially since we don’t have the luxury of time. With the presentation of different modes of media, most would then resort to these media rather than allot too much time on reading a book whose story they can also be familiar with through other media forms.
There is still hope for our nation to become a nation which is inclined to reading. This can only be possible if each one of us start now. Each one should put our indolence aside and lead our country to prosperity and development through the knowledge we will gain.
* Basil Jacob Reyno 1BES1
I disagree in this article, I believe that we Filipinos love to read. not all Filipinos, but most of us.
When we find some time, we get to read some books or tabloids in the magazines. It is just that we don't find our interest in some of the books. but still, Filipinos would find some books that will suite their interest.
And in my own opinion, I understand those people who do not read because of their life situation, and we all know that this is Philippines and the main problem of this country is poverty. And this problem, poverty hinders people to read. but to think that even Filipinos are at work, they still find time to read. and for those who totally do not read books, maybe they just depend on the internet and we can't blame them, because temptations are all there, it is just the responsibility of the parents to limit the use of technologies and encourage their children to read.
I disagree from this article.
Filipinos do really love to read books. even me.
this is what we do during our freetime.
ONLY SOME of Filipinos are not book lovers because they focus more on the net.
maybe the writer should say that only some of filipinos.
yes maybe it is true that Filipinos are not book lovers BUT ONLY SOME OF US.
Filipinos do loves t read books especially when they don't have something to do.
Maybe some of the Filipinos have no really interest in reading because of the technologies and etc.
and maybe some of them don't have enough time to read books because of heavy works and responsibilities.
I personally disagree with this article because I myself loves reading books,magazines and alike. I grew up having the people surrounding me especially my parents who has reading as one of their hobby they have also explained to us the importance of it in our lives. They always told us that through reading we can achieve what we want and be successful in our lives someday.I can also say that the Filipinos nowadays before being able to watch the movies Twilight and Harry Potter have read it and a lot from those who have read repeatedly says that 'iba talaga habang binabasa mo kaysa pag pinapanood mo'. This is also true to me because indeed it is different as to how this stories can tickle our imagination and let them work as to how the events occur as we read it.
I also do not believe that Filipinos are afraid of solitude it may only be because we have that jolly personality that we are often seen in groups having fun and hanging around yet they do not see the Filipinos in their most private times a lot of people I know loves to read before going to sleep or simply just a hobby they don't mind being quiet and being able to connect with the story that they read because the simply enjoy the moment being relax just letting their eyes and imagination work hand in hand.
READING CAN TRANSPORT US ANYWHERE WE ASPIRE TO BE. READ,READ AND READ 🙂
Partly, I agree that some Filipinos are not book lovers because of technological developments present in our society, especially the internet that we are using. Though, informative blogs are present like this one, on-line games are present too. These online games becomes a substitute (by means of pleasure in a TRENDING sense, i.e. Warcraft, Rann Online, Facebook games, etc.) for some teenagers (nowadays) does not want to be left alone or to be address as a major "LOSER, GEEK or NERD." But, this only applies to those who are not orientally reading books during their younger age or their parents did not encourage them to read books for their self-empowerment as a student and a citizen of our developing country. The other half of my proposition is that "not all" Filipinos are not book lovers because I love reading a lot! It gives me power to practice critical thinking, though I'am not a proficient reader-analyzer. From my experience, advance reading of books gives me the key to have a better understanding of the coming lessons. So, why address that "we" are not book lovers the fact that there are several professionals that wrote efficient books for efficient learning in two languages: English and Filipino.
To end this, let's put it this way, probably the reason behind this (why "some" Filipinos are not book lovers) is that novels before are now being produced into a movie by the application of technology. For instance, the Harry Potter novel which known as one of the best seller as stated in New York times. The book itself does not have graphical representation per scene because it requires the use of imagination. So, I think the issue is that it is because of advance technology (and maybe wealth) why other Filipinos do not like reading books.
I totally disagree! There are a lot of Filipinos that love reading. It is true that there are a lot of us who doesn't like reading because it is a mentally in Filipinos that finishing something is HARD to do.
The Philippines is becoming a modernize country, which means that new things are introduced to the country each day. Books are no longer popular since the Dawn of Technology, children would rather play computer than reading . Teenager would rather hang out with friends or Surf the net. Nowadays, articles from books are easier to find in the internet since it takes less time.
It is not reasonable to say that Filipinos are not book Lovers just because book stores are not seen in the streets. Perhaps there are farther explanations why Filipinos would rather build Parlors than Book Stores. The Philippines is a Poor country, London and Japan are prosperous countries which means that almost everyone are educated. Here in the Philippines, there are a lot of people that is incapable of reading.
I guess that other people would think that this is true because we filipinos are not seen reading most of the time. Reading is an art which unfortunately is hard to master, it takes patience to fully understand what it contains. 🙂
I first encountered this article last year (4th year HS) as it was our first lesson in English class. I remember shouting in class while everybody was reading (or pretending to read). From the title per se, I told my seat mate then that I disagree with this. My high school clique is actually composed of so-called "bookworms" and we've influenced some of our batch mates to be avid readers as well.
But as I browse through the article today, I can say that there are some strong points here. First, it is true that Filipinos love to socialize. That's one of the main reasons why social networking sites and text messaging are popular here in our country. If you ask a Filipino how many friends he or she has, he or she would say there are a lot. We Filipinos consider our acquaintances as friends.
Second, yes, we do hate solitude. Well, hate is such a strong word, so let's replace it with dislike. We hate going out alone or even eating out alone. We long for companions. Even when we experience a personal problem, we don't hide it. Instead, we go to our peers because we think that they could comfort us.
In connection to solitude, we don't like the silence that much. We'd rather go and talk on the phone than sit in a corner with a book.
As for me, this things do apply in my life but I love to read. In fact, I enjoy solitude especially after traveling around the city. In solitude, I find silence, peace and my imagination is at work. While reading, you go places you may not be able to reach in this life. While reading, you can be who want to be. The imagination has no limit except itself.
If Filipinos were not Book Lovers, Bob Ong, Paulo Coelho, Mitch Albom or even J.K. Rowling will not be famous in the Philippines. If we're not book lovers, we won't have Maria Ressa or Patricia Evangelista with us. Some Filipinos may not love books, but it doesn't mean that Filipinos are not book lovers.
Actually, I'm not fond of readiing but it depends on the title of the book. If that certain book got my attention then that is the start of my blissful reading.
READING might be boring for some people, but for me, reading makes my imagination works hard. And it helps my brain cells to function well.
Simply, reading fascinating books have a big impact on me. Well in fact, reading helps me to solve my certain problems because if YOU READ ALOT, YOU'LL LEARN ALOT. That's it. Realizing that reading is one way of relaxing your body and soul.
So, it is possible to for Filipinos to be a book worms or book lovers. It is just a matter of APPRECIATION and TIME.
READING IS ESSENTIAL TO LIFE. :)))
I'm from 1SCL1. 🙂
Actually, I'm not fond of reading but it depends on the title of the book. If a certain book got my attention then that is the start of my blissful readiing.
Readng might be boring for some people but for me, reading makes my imagination works hard. And it really helps my brain cells to function well. :))
Simply, reading fascinating books have a big impact on me. Well in fact, reading helps me to solve my certain problems because I believe that, IF YOU READ A LOT, YOU'LL LEARN A LOT. Moreover, realizing that reading is one way of relaxing your body and soul.
So, it is possible for Filipinos to be a book worms or book lovers. It is just a matter of APPRECIATION and TIME.
READING IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR LIVES. :))))))
Generally speaking, I agree with this article that Filipinos are not book lovers, although there are few exemptions. In my case, I frankly admit that I am not fond of reading books but if a book caught my attention I will take pains to read it.
There are factors affecting the interest of Filipinos especially the youth toward book reading, one is the continuous development of technology. The use of social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and the like attract the Filipinos away from the books. As Mr. Bernardo said “You Facebook a lot but rarely faces your book.” The attention of most of the Filipinos is focused not that much or almost nil on reading. And living in this modern time, Filipino people are too busy to read even a book and those who read, read just for a hobby. This is not right; nothing can replace book reading in cultivating one’s mind. Personally I want to cultivate my mind and therefore must develop an interest and appreciation on reading.
Reading gives a lot of benefits. Reading makes our imagination wide and it teaches a lot of lesson. Reading does not only entertain it also gives and provides a lot of information.
It is not too late for us Filipinos to develop our love and appreciation for books.
I agree with this article. We often see Filipino women on the streets of Manila buying and selling these thin little romance novels. Yet the books that Filipinos read are often not as enlightening as academic books. Moreover, most of those romance novels they read are in Filipino, thus resulting in ineptitude in the English language.
Luckily, I am one of the few Filipinos who do love reading either novels or academic books. I have also discovered that I very much prefer being secluded from other people while reading as it can help me concentrate easier on the material I am reading.
We Filipinos often go with the flow of things. We rarely struggle against the course of life. When we see other people either buying an expensive pen or a brand-new phone, we frequently seek after it. This can also be said about books. We hardly ever see citizens of the Philippines reading an academic book. So, very little people get influenced into reading a book. It might be because of poverty that they cannot afford to buy books. But that is no excuse. Everywhere around us, we see libraries that we can borrow from.
I believe that Filipinos’ reluctance in reading books can be attributed to laziness. Because of that the state of our country is undeniably declining with little hope of thriving.
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I believe the article has provided some good points with regards to the relationship between Filipinos and reading.
One may observe that reading is not the usual habit for some Filipinos. It's ironic, considering that Filipinos value learning, yet at the same time take for granted the essence of reading.
Filipinos are not book lovers in a sense that Filipinos choose what they only want to read. Some Filipinos would stick to only one genre or two, unconsciously limiting their literary taste. Everyone read books that fit their interest, and if we'll use this as our basis to figure out the relationship of Filipinos to reading, we would see that Filipinos are only fond of reading fictions , adventures, fantasies and the like, from which we could see a mere reflection of their level of interest.
But having the interest to read still doesn't guarantee that one will read. There are also some factors that's driving the Filipinos away from reading. Some Filipinos are pretty much occupied by their work, while some have a lot of options aside from reading, like exercising theirs skills in other fields like sports, music and so on.
On the other end, to claim that Filipinos don't love reading would not be appropriate. I believe that the passion for reading of Filipinos is just being cloaked behind by changes in the society and technology. There are ways on how we can enhance the idea that Filipinos love reading, and revive it back to reality. The Filipinos used to have sensible interests when it comes to literature, and they still do, we only have to find ways to promote reading and other pieces of literature.
I agree with the blog that most Filipino people hate reading. Filipinos do other things to kill time rather spend their free time by reading. I admit that sometimes I don't feel reading especially if I do not want what I read. But, I do save my allowance for me to purchase pocket books that I prefer.
I love to read novels, magazines, blogs, and articles because it gives me information and entertainment as well.
In my opinion, Filipinos are readers, we find reading as an entertainment or a tool to grasp new information. Maybe it is just that Filipinos do not have ample time, or there are others things that Filipinos find more entertaining than to read books that is why we were titled as not book lovers.
I disagree with what the article is addressing to us. Filipinos are book lovers, I know for sure. Because I grew up in a family where books are important because it is the source of learning.
I myself love reading books and I love to read in solitude. It is much better to stay in a quiet place and absorb the nutrients of the book than to read in a noisy place and not understand what a certain paragraph means.
I admit that I do not have a number of books I love to fill my bookshelf, but I find ways on how to read the novels I like: I borrow. Like what I did with the book that I'm currently reading: The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger. Thanks to Jasmin Lao, my classmate.
Another thing, I have lots of friends who are book lovers too. Most of them tell me what to read and what not to. They were the ones who introduced me to Stephenie Meyer.
But I partly agree in the part where the article tells that it is not because of the poverty that we are facing, it's just that others are not really fond of reading.
If we, Filipinos are not book lovers then why are there bestsellers that can be found in our book stores? And all of them our mostly out of stock in just a week or two.
Filipinos are not book lovers…Think again.
First of all, I am a Filipino and I really suffer from reading books, in my case there are qualities and interests that I need to find in a book. Books which will struck me by just merely looking on its front page. Somehow, the article pertains to most Filipinos. When we look in the society in a deeper sense, the Philippines is a poor country, people suffers from poverty and they cannot eat three times a day, another factor is most of the Filipinos cannot go to school because of financial support. Therefore, by that social problem Filipinos would rather spend their money for their food to full their hungry stomachs rather than buying books which will make their minds nourished with knowledge. On the other perspective by agreeing that Filipinos are not book lovers, I can say that we find something interesting about the totality of a book, we have qualities that we include as a basis and stories which are in trend so in that explanations we tend to find a hard time reading a good book and by that most Filipinos have this disease.
FROM 1SCL1
Most Filipino are not interested in books. Filipinos are very socialize that's why they preferred to use different social networks to spend their time rather than reading a book. In this generation kids are more exposed on computers. They use the computers to research and study their lesson, Because it's easier to find things in the computer. Not like at past, kids have nothing to do other than reading books.
Reading will boost your imagination and you'll learn a lot from it . And when you use you imagination you can do anything (spongebob)
"It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers." Among the facts that you have written within your article, this was the only line i have to disagree. Yes, most of the us Filipinos are not book lovers but then you must not state that we will never become book lovers. This could be a despair for us. But i understand your opinion and I will respect it.
This is a good article especially for us students who are involve and used to different technology that we prefer most because it helps us to learn easier compared to reading books. This is to call our attention that things that we know are very limited and it is not helpful to depend only in the technology Books are better because of the broader terms it stating and it leads us to a broader our vocabulary. For me, a good vocabulary and deeper understanding of events could help me for my future, this will lead to great and lots opportunities. Do we need to blame the government for having less bookstore than useless boutiques here in the Philippines? I think they should be the first one to encourage the Filipinos. They should be the model. Instead of the unending brands made here in the Philippines, bookstores could be an option. But as the Philippine economy, we could not blame the owners because they think of stuffs that people would want to buy. This would survive their business. Maybe the best way to encourage people to read well is, to teach and encourage children often to read books so that they will keep on mind the importance of books.
About the ambiance or better reading of books, yes it is very helpful to read them while you are in a relaxed place but nowadays there are studies that some prefer to read books while listening to music. We have our own unique way of learning and understanding of things.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts about Filipinos in terms of reading books.
1scl1 – UST
I disagree with the article because I believe that Filipinos are book lovers. I grew up in a family wherein books are everywhere and I mean it. Because for me and my family, books are important and a source of learning.
I partly agree in the part of the article where it says that it is not mainly because of poverty. Of course, there are also elites who have lots of wealth to buy books and those who aren't that rich but can afford. Personally speaking, I don't have lots of riches in the world and I do not have enough books to fill in my bookshelf, but I find ways on how to read the novels I love: I borrow. Like what I did with the book I'm currently reading, The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger. Thanks to my classmate, Jasmin Lao.
Another thing, I have friends who are book lovers and are bookworms at the same time. They also tell me what to read and what not to. They were even the ones who introduced me to Stephenie Meyer.
If we, Filipinos are not book lovers then why do the bestsellers get out of stock in bookstores?
I agree with this article because Filipinos just read book if the certain book is a best seller.
When I'm in my elementary days and High school day If the instructor ask me to read something I don't read from it I just ask my classmates to summarize it for me.
Books doesn't caught my attention I rather watch TV and sleep than to read book, but I don't think it is applicable to every Filipino. So even I agree I cannot claim that the article is true. because it is not applicable in all Filipinos.
I think other people see that the Filipinos are not interested to read different books because more Filipino are not interested in reading books, but it is not applicable to all Filipino. In where the society involve that more Filipino are not a book lover more Filipino will not get used to reading books..
I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers because of the following reasons. First, a typical Filipino
student will never visit the library if not instructed by the teacher. second, most of Filipinos prefer watching movies than reading! third, we read books like twilight, harry potter and etc because it is "IN". fourth, most of Filipinos seldom read books that will guide them to success, books that will make them a better man.
1SCL1
by analyzing this article, it is really true that we, Filipinos are not book lovers because as I can see around me, Tabloids and pocket books are more popular than an other books. another evidence that Filipinos are not book lovers is the 'death' of Philippine Comics. for me this is a big thing because it shows how lazy Filipinos are when it comes to reading. even though comics are just short ones (like short stories), we still don't read it. another one is that Filipinos wait for the MOVIE VERSION of the book but we don't get the real essence of reading there because what the book offers is not like what the movie has. i know that this article hurts us Filipinos because it shows that Filipinos are lazy when it comes into reading but we must think that this is reality, and what we need to do is that to change this style and prove to ourselves that we can read 10 books in 1 week! 🙂
I could say that I can, and cannot disagree. Though the differences between being a smart/wise student and being a bookworm, I would say… I'd have to agree. If being in a position where your reading books for the education doesn't say your are a bookworm. Though I myself hate reading whatever's not really important, I also hate the feeling of finding a good book then getting the feeling where lazyness comes in to take over.
On the other hand, I'd disagree as well. I might not be as smart as every other student, but as a student, reading is a responsibility. To read whats needed such as assignments, notes, or even to review. It's a need to not just to me but I'm sure to ever other student (who want to pass). But as a normal/ordinary person, i read mostly books that I'm interested, or something I can at least relate and understand too, which builds up my enthusiasm and focus to keep reading.
So am I a book lover? No. I'm not. But knowing "that the only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little further down our particular path than we have gone ourselves" (E.M. Forster)., has got me somewhere around the last, very few pages of the book, just waiting for me to finish it.
Reading is one of the important things that an individual must learn. Without reading, one cannot understand what is happening around him and cannot appreciate the knowledge that he/she will discover.
Filipinos DO love to read books. Just think about the people who always buy books in the bookstore and the students who always read in the library. Don’t they have the passion for reading books? For all, reading is a stepping stone in education and an essential tool in achieving goals in life.
I personally love to read. My parents are both booklovers and inspired me to read as well. They always tell me that with reading, I can go to anywhere I want to be. Indeed, it’s true. With reading and using creative imagination, I can see the beauty of the world through the books I read. Reading also helped me in enhancing my vocabulary as well as nurturing my passion for it.
Sadly, many Filipinos do not know how to read. Poverty is the main problem in our Philippine society due to the corruption of the previous administration. The marginalized poor cannot afford to have the quality education that they want for their children because of the high tuition fees of schools. Filipinos love to read however, they are not given the opportunity to study it. But I believe that the new government will address to this problem and make the Philippines a “READING CAPITAL COUNTRY of the WORLD.” If there is a will, there is a way.
Technology is also one problem why students do not read their books. Internet is easier to use when doing a research paper than researching in the library with a pile of books by your side. The internet is less-time consuming and accessible everywhere. But we should limit ourselves in using the internet too much because we instill in ourselves the bad value of LAZINESS. We must bear in my mind that books are still the best source of knowledge because it’s originality, validity and truthfulness.
READING IS POWER. J
Honestly, I do not know if I am going to agree or disagree with the article. Up to a certain extent the
article has a point regarding the factors why Filipinos doesn't often read books. But I think those factors are not enough to explain the lack of interest of Filipinos in reading. I think the very reason why Filipinos are not book lovers is widespread poverty. For most Filipinos, there are other more important things to do than reading like those which have to do with their day to day survival. Filipinos who often read are those that were given educational opportunities which were mostly from the small middle class to the upper class. Well, there were other Filipinos from the lower class who are also book lovers, but they are exceptions to the rule.
🙂
I disagree that most of the Filipinos hate reading. Media can be a good reason that many Filipinos are inspired to read books nowadays, like Twilight Saga, Harry Potter and many more. I’m fond of reading these books and so as other people.
In my opinion not all Filipinos hate to read, maybe they just got easily bored when they see lots of letters and some highfalutin words, so the tendency is they lose their interest in reading.
Sometimes, it is on the influence of others why most of us love or hate reading, like in my case I used to hate reading before, but my father and my big sister influenced me to read books and other reading materials, also in my previews school we have an SSR (sustain silent reading) so I think this factors are the reasons why I enjoyed reading now. It is up to the person whether he/she will have some interest in reading.
I guess this article serves as an observation of the few to the many Filipinos. Apparently, I think that we Filipinos hate being alone and we always go for groups and hang out with our peers so we do not find time with our books and reading materials. But there are some who just read for them to do something or they read because it is really their hobby to create imaginations or to read about an author's dreams on fictions. So I think the interest of the Filipinos would read if a certain topic can affect their lives. Let's just say that the topic is about a man who becomes an activist because of certain misunderstandings on the government or into any area; Or they will read if it is funny or full of humor or they are just doing parodies on something. That makes the Filipinos gain their "tickles" and create interests on reading. I do not know about disagreeing or agreeing, I am going to take it as parts. People do not really know the behavior of the Filipinos because it is always changing.
I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers because of the new technologies. Most of the students only read their books if it's necessary. Because for them it's just a waste of time. But for me, I think that we still need to read books for us to really understand what we are reading and also for us to enhance our reading techniques and meet new words.
I agree with the fact that a writer in the philippines who depends solely on "literary writing" doesn't get much attention therefore doesn't get much the riches compared to the western writers. The reason behind this is that there are few filipinos that engage to reading literary works. And only a few from this filipino readers are reading philippine literary pieces.
It's also true that books are rather entertained when it is played out by a personality (movies for example). This can limit ones imagination because it sticks out to a single plot wherein whether you like it or not, you should deal with it. For elaboration, for example, a certain kind of story is filled out of symbols and those symbols are reformulated to ones mind for another meaning. It is not right to form a general meaning for that certain symbol because other people perceive it differently. This might be the reason why it is said in the article that filipinos lack ideas.
I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers (well, it applies to some only) because almost all Filipinos like do not like to spend time reading because they find it boring. Filipinos are loud and happy people, they do not like to be alone. In a result, they tend to watch a story instead of reading it. Some Filipinos are entertain watching a story rather than reading it. I myself do not like reading because reading did not became my habit, yes, I red few books but I still do not appreciate reading as a entertainment.
Sorry!
I agree that yes most Filipinos are not book lovers but not all of them. Throughout our history most Filipinos preferred to do things actively rather than passively, from the rice fields to the 1986 EDSA Revolution, most Filipinos would rather listen and be inspired and then later on take action. However I believe that majority of Filipinos who read books are those who can afford them, a different view from the author who thinks that poverty plays only a supporting role in our countrymen's dislike of books. In this country poverty is everywhere and for those families who struggle to feed the seven mouths, buying a book for them is simply out of the question much more having the time to read it thus I believe that poverty is plays not a supporting role but that of a villain who refuses to die in a movie called MOST Filipinos are not book lovers. And if all Filipinos don't like reading, there wouldn't be hundreds of comments here from Filipinos.
struggle to feed seven mouths lang! :)) walang THE lol
The writer is somehow correct that Filipinos are not book lovers. As I was raised here I just noticed that mostly Filipinos likes to go for the easiest and fastest information (ex. Internet Book).
Filipinos are too comfortable with the things around the gadgets around them. It was also proven fact that Filipinos are more interested with the media rather than literary forms for them to view on what the book or article is talking about instead of visualizing on what the people is reading. Mostly Filipino teenagers are more into, partying than being alone, It makes feel on what 20th century’s society is all about. It is true that Filipinos hate Solitude. Most of them hate the feeling of being alone because people individuality is really important for them. Filipinos also tend to forget or to set aside reading because, they are “BUSY”. Busy on using Facebook or other stuffs that mostly Filipinos do that is why reading skills are being affected as well as our learning.
There are some instances that we, Filipinos do not read books. But it doesn't really mean that we are not book lovers. As for me, I don't really like reading books that I'm not interested with or if I'm not really required to. It just depends on a person whether he/she likes reading.
I agree with some of the reasons why Filipinos are not book lovers. Especially in this generation that almost all things are more convenient and easier for us. 🙂
As for me, I don't agree that Filipinos are not book lovers. Well specifically, there are some but not really all. We do read books but not often.
i agree that Filipinos are not book lovers because most of Filipino citizens like watching rather than reading. The hobby of other Filipino are not meant for reading.
I know that Filipino can read but without their proper attention, it may lead to non-sense thing. We are used to the word "bahala na", and this area some of the characteristics that could affect their way of reading
I'm a book lover myself and you can say that I'm [book] shopaholic. I've always loved reading (though, I don't read those pocketbooks) and I couldn't imagine myself not reading even a single story a day. I'm really passionate about reading. But I'm afraid that other people doesn't share the same passion as I do.
After reading a novel, I would find someone to talk to (you know, to discuss about the book, the characters, etc). But sadly, it's as if I'm the only one who has read the book.
People my age would rather go out at night and party while I just love to spend some quality time with my books.
This isn't the case to all the Filipinos, but we can say that the number of Filipinos who doesn't love reading books exceeds the number of Filipinos who reads books. Sad, isn't it?
I am very thankful to this topic because it really gives great information -.-
Illiterate and uncultured, with no appreciation for the high arts. That's what we are.
hello to everyone have a nice day um… please allow me to comment here if i have a poor English grammar I'm sorry…. but let me
I'm a Filipino my comment about this topic "Filipinos are not book lover" well for me, it's depend on the person if he/she have a interest in reading the books but i find many young teens like me don't have interest in books they find their research projects on internet and always have a excuse of internet is more intelligent than books and i find stupid and disappointing because their excuse is the internet have many information but in my mind is they cannot think the people is the one who put information in internet and internet just post it how about if they don't have computers only the books are their hope to find their projects and very often I ask them why you do not find your homework using a books their excuse is so very hard to find and may have many information that it is not according to their research but for me, if you reading books even though it is not according to your research it may give you many ideas and knowledge it is very disappointing you can may use books and scan if there is your research and if you find it search in computer if not enough for you scanning the books are giving us knowledge and ideas internet are use only for communicate, find other important information that cannot find in books and for socializing but even though their are many fellow Filipinos that are not book lover and even i' am a book lover i was very offend if some other racist come from other country comment they are stupid or low IQ sorry about that I know there are hope that my fellow Filipino wake upon of their ignorance and I'm always waiting but even though my country is poor and my country fellow men is like that i still love them and I'm always to be honest to my country fellow men……
thanks for leaving a comment here 🙂 nice day again………..
Enlightenment is man's emergence from his self-imposed immaturity. Immaturity is the inability to use one's understanding without guidance from another. This immaturity is self-imposed when its cause lies not in lack of understanding, but in lack of resolve and courage to use it without guidance from another. Sapere Aude! [dare to know] "Have courage to use your own understanding!"–that is the motto of enlightenment.
Laziness and cowardice are the reasons why so great a proportion of men, long after nature has released them from alien guidance (natura-liter maiorennes), nonetheless gladly remain in lifelong immaturity, and why it is so easy for others to establish themselves as their guardians. It is so easy to be immature. If I have a book to serve as my understanding, a pastor to serve as my conscience, a physician to determine my diet for me, and so on, I need not exert myself at all. I need not think, if only I can pay: others will readily undertake the irksome work for me. The guardians who have so benevolently taken over the supervision of men have carefully seen to it that the far greatest part of them (including the entire fair sex) regard taking the step to maturity as very dangerous, not to mention difficult. Having first made their domestic livestock dumb, and having carefully made sure that these docile creatures will not take a single step without the go-cart to which they are harnessed, these guardians then show them the danger that threatens them, should they attempt to walk alone. Now this danger is not actually so great, for after falling a few times they would in the end certainly learn to walk; but an example of this kind makes men timid and usually frightens them out of all further attempts.
Thus, it is difficult for any individual man to work himself out of the immaturity that has all but become his nature. He has even become fond of this state and for the time being is actually incapable of using his own understanding, for no one has ever allowed him to attempt it. Rules and formulas, those mechanical aids to the rational use, or rather misuse, of his natural gifts, are the shackles of a permanent immaturity. Whoever threw them off would still make only an uncertain leap over the smallest ditch, since he is unaccustomed to this kind of free movement. Consequently, only a few have succeeded, by cultivating their own minds, in freeing themselves from immaturity and pursuing a secure course.
But that the public should enlighten itself is more likely; indeed, if it is only allowed freedom, enlightenment is almost inevitable. For even among the entrenched guardians of the great masses a few will always think for themselves, a few who, after having themselves thrown off the yoke of immaturity, will spread the spirit of a rational appreciation for both their own worth and for each person's calling to think for himself. But it should be particularly noted that if a public that was first placed in this yoke by the guardians is suitably aroused by some of those who are altogether incapable of enlightenment, it may force the guardians themselves to remain under the yoke–so pernicious is it to instill prejudices, for they finally take revenge upon their originators, or on their descendants. Thus a public can only attain enlightenment slowly. Perhaps a revolution can overthrow autocratic despotism and profiteering or power-grabbing oppression, but it can never truly reform a manner of thinking; instead, new prejudices, just like the old ones they replace, will serve as a leash for the great unthinking mass.
Nothing is required for this enlightenment, however, except freedom; and the freedom in question is the least harmful of all, namely, the freedom to use reason publicly in all matters. But on all sides I hear: "Do not argue!" The officer says, "Do not argue, drill!" The tax man says, "Do not argue, pay!" The pastor says, "Do not argue, believe!" (Only one ruler in the World says, "Argue as much as you want and about what you want, but obey!") In this we have examples of pervasive restrictions on freedom. But which restriction hinders enlightenment and which does not, but instead actually advances it? I reply: The public use of one's reason must always be free, and it alone can bring about enlightenment among mankind; the private use of reason may, however, often be very narrowly restricted, without otherwise hindering the progress of enlightenment. By the public use of one's own reason I understand the use that anyone as a scholar makes of reason before the entire literate world. I call the private use of reason that which a person may make in a civic post or office that has been entrusted to him. Now in many affairs conducted in the interests of a community, a certain mechanism is required by means of which some of its members must conduct themselves in an entirely passive manner so that through an artificial unanimity the government may guide them toward public ends, or at least prevent them from destroying such ends. Here one certainly must not argue, instead one must obey. However, insofar as this part of the machine also regards himself as a member of the community as a whole, or even of the world community, and as a consequence addresses the public in the role of a scholar, in the proper sense of that term, he can most certainly argue, without thereby harming the affairs for which as a passive member he is partly responsible. Thus it would be disastrous if an officer on duty who was given a command by his superior were to question the appropriateness or utility of the order. He must obey. But as a scholar he cannot be justly constrained from making comments about errors in military service, or from placing them before the public for its judgment. The citizen cannot refuse to pay the taxes imposed on him; indeed, impertinent criticism of such levies, when they should be paid by him, can be punished as a scandal (since it can lead to widespread insubordination). But the same person does not act contrary to civic duty when, as a scholar, he publicly expresses his thoughts regarding the impropriety or even injustice of such taxes. Likewise a pastor is bound to instruct his catecumens and congregation in accordance with the symbol of the church he serves, for he was appointed on that condition. But as a scholar he has complete freedom, indeed even the calling, to impart to the public all of his carefully considered and well-intentioned thoughts concerning mistaken aspects of that symbol, as well as his suggestions for the better arrangement of religious and church matters. Nothing in this can weigh on his conscience. What he teaches in consequence of his office as a servant of the church he sets out as something with regard to which he has no discretion to teach in accord with his own lights; rather, he offers it under the direction and in the name of another. He will say, "Our church teaches this or that and these are the demonstrations it uses." He thereby extracts for his congregation all practical uses from precepts to which he would not himself subscribe with complete conviction, but whose presentation he can nonetheless undertake, since it is not entirely impossible that truth lies hidden in them, and, in any case, nothing contrary to the very nature of religion is to be found in them. If he believed he could find anything of the latter sort in them, he could not in good conscience serve in his position; he would have to resign. Thus an appointed teacher's use of his reason for the sake of his congregation is merely private, because, however large the congregation is, this use is always only domestic; in this regard, as a priest, he is not free and cannot be such because he is acting under instructions from someone else. By contrast, the cleric–as a scholar who speaks through his writings to the public as such, i.e., the world–enjoys in this public use of reason an unrestricted freedom to use his own rational capacities and to speak his own mind. For that the (spiritual) guardians of a people should themselves be immature is an absurdity that would insure the perpetuation of absurdities.
But would a society of pastors, perhaps a church assembly or venerable presbytery (as those among the Dutch call themselves), not be justified in binding itself by oath to a certain unalterable symbol in order to secure a constant guardianship over each of its members and through them over the people, and this for all time: I say that this is wholly impossible. Such a contract, whose intention is to preclude forever all further enlightenment of the human race, is absolutely null and void, even if it should be ratified by the supreme power, by parliaments, and by the most solemn peace treaties. One age cannot bind itself, and thus conspire, to place a succeeding one in a condition whereby it would be impossible for the later age to expand its knowledge (particularly where it is so very important), to rid itself of errors,and generally to increase its enlightenment. That would be a crime against human nature, whose essential destiny lies precisely in such progress; subsequent generations are thus completely justified in dismissing such agreements as unauthorized and criminal. The criterion of everything that can be agreed upon as a law by a people lies in this question: Can a people impose such a law on itself? Now it might be possible, in anticipation of a better state of affairs, to introduce a provisional order for a specific, short time, all the while giving all citizens, especially clergy, in their role as scholars, the freedom to comment publicly, i.e., in writing, on the present institution's shortcomings. The provisional order might last until insight into the nature of these matters had become so widespread and obvious that the combined (if not unanimous) voices of the populace could propose to the crown that it take under its protection those congregations that, in accord with their newly gained insight, had organized themselves under altered religious institutions, but without interfering with those wishing to allow matters to remain as before. However, it is absolutely forbidden that they unite into a religious organization that nobody may for the duration of a man's lifetime publicly question, for so do-ing would deny, render fruitless, and make detrimental to succeeding generations an era in man's progress toward improvement. A man may put off enlightenment with regard to what he ought to know, though only for a short time and for his own person; but to renounce it for himself, or, even more, for subsequent generations, is to violate and trample man's divine rights underfoot. And what a people may not decree for itself may still less be imposed on it by a monarch, for his lawgiving authority rests on his unification of the people's collective will in his own. If he only sees to it that all genuine or purported improvement is consonant with civil order, he can allow his subjects to do what they find necessary to their spiritual well-being, which is not his affair. However, he must prevent anyone from forcibly interfering with another's working as best he can to determine and promote his well-being. It detracts from his own majesty when he interferes in these matters, since the writings in which his subjects attempt to clarify their insights lend value to his conception of governance. This holds whether he acts from his own highest insight–whereby he calls upon himself the reproach, "Caesar non eat supra grammaticos."'–as well as, indeed even more, when he despoils his highest authority by supporting the spiritual despotism of some tyrants in his state over his other subjects.
If it is now asked, "Do we presently live in an enlightened age?" the answer is, "No, but we do live in an age of enlightenment." As matters now stand, a great deal is still lacking in order for men as a whole to be, or even to put themselves into a position to be able without external guidance to apply understanding confidently to religious issues. But we do have clear indications that the way is now being opened for men to proceed freely in this direction and that the obstacles to general enlightenment–to their release from their self-imposed immaturity–are gradually diminishing. In this regard, this age is the age of enlightenment, the century of Frederick.
A prince who does not find it beneath him to say that he takes it to be his duty to prescribe nothing, but rather to allow men complete freedom in religious matters–who thereby renounces the arrogant title of tolerance–is himself enlightened and deserves to be praised by a grateful present and by posterity as the first, at least where the government is concerned, to release the human race from immaturity and to leave everyone free to use his own reason in all matters of conscience. Under his rule, venerable pastors, in their role as scholars and without prejudice to their official duties, may freely and openly set out for the world's scrutiny their judgments and views, even where these occasionally differ from the accepted symbol. Still greater freedom is afforded to those who are not restricted by an official post. This spirit of freedom is expanding even where it must struggle against the external obstacles of governments that misunderstand their own function. Such governments are illuminated by the example that the existence of freedom need not give cause for the least concern regarding public order and harmony in the commonwealth. If only they refrain from inventing artifices to keep themselves in it, men will gradually raise themselves from barbarism.
I have focused on religious matters in setting out my main point concerning enlightenment, i.e., man's emergence from self-imposed immaturity, first because our rulers have no interest in assuming the role of their subjects' guardians with respect to the arts and sciences, and secondly because that form of immaturity is both the most pernicious and disgraceful of all. But the manner of thinking of a head of state who favors religious enlightenment goes even further, for he realizes that there is no danger to his legislation in allowing his subjects to use reason publicly and to set before the world their thoughts concerning better formulations of his laws, even if this involves frank criticism of legislation currently in effect. We have before us a shining example, with respect to which no monarch surpasses the one whom we honor.
But only a ruler who is himself enlightened and has no dread of shadows, yet who likewise has a well-disciplined, numerous army to guarantee public peace, can say what no republic may dare, namely: "Argue as much as you want and about what you want, but obey!" Here as elsewhere, when things are considered in broad perspective, a strange, unexpected pattern in human affairs reveals itself, one in which almost everything is paradoxical. A greater degree of civil freedom seems advantageous to a people's spiritual freedom; yet the former established impassable boundaries for the latter; conversely, a lesser degree of civil freedom provides enough room for all fully to expand their abilities. Thus, once nature has removed the hard shell from this kernel for which she has most fondly cared, namely, the inclination to and vocation for free thinking, the kernel gradually reacts on a people's mentality (whereby they become increasingly able to act freely), and it finally even influences the principles of government, which finds that it can profit by treating men, who are now more than machines, in accord with their dignity.
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how can i erase what i wrote in here? i wrote it when im very young 🙂
Well for me, I agree that filipinos are not really book lover. Even as myself, i’m having a hard time to finish a book. Because we filipinos look for more enjoying things than reading. Reading needs comprehension where we filipinos is not that good in comprehending. Most of us didn’t have enough patience reading especially when its too long.
Now in our generation, there are other lots of things to do than reading especially our technology. We use different gadgets in knowing something instead of reading it with comprehension.
Filipinos are not that really a book lover.
Sadly but true, the essay shows the trend of most Filipinos these days when it comes to books. The reason is like what in the essay said is in our culture that we do not like solitude for extended periods of time because we are social people and reading nowadays needs a lot of time that most of us do not have the luxury of.
Students nowadays tend to read books and articles only because it is required. To tell you the truth, I agree with this article, I admit that I do not spend so much time in reading books but if a book caught my attention I will spend my time reading it. But, NOT ALL Filipinos are not book lovers. There are some who loves to read and spend their free time in reading and there are some who are not.
i agree with some parts of the article, because nowadays especially the youth are quite enjoying reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and other fiction books and they can finish reading it from cover to cover but the only thing is they are ll fiction books(or maybe a novel also).
but i do not agree with the statement that filipinos are not book lovers
i agree with some parts of the article, because nowadays especially the youth are quite enjoying reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and other fiction books and they can finish reading it from cover to cover but the only thing is they are ll fiction books(or maybe a novel also).
i agree with some parts of the article, because nowadays especially the youth are quite enjoying reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and other fiction books and they can finish reading it from cover to cover but the only thing is they are ll fiction books(or maybe a novel also). but some filipinos are still book lovers
I am aware that some Filipinos have difficulties in reading books. And I agree that some of us would want to see things visually in order to fully understand a situation. They would rather watch book based movies rather than experience reading the book itself. But the problem is, half of the Philippines’ population suffers from poverty. How would you expect a factory worker who have mouths to feed in their barong barong to read an academic book or a novel? Bookstores could only be sited in malls wherein there would be people that have money to enjoy these things. In case of us students, I agree that some of us are too lazy to read. Technology has been handy and easy to reach, it is instant. I bet there would be more teenagers surfing the internet rather than reading in libraries. I hope this article will be an enlightenment to us Filipinos that we should widen our view of learning. Not just based on experience or from our teachers, but also read to learn.
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I agree with this article. Fortunately though, more and more Filipinos are becoming book lovers. I'm definitely a book lover, and so are many of my friends. For me, reading a book is better than watching a movie or playing computer games. I try my best to influence people of my age and those younger than me to read more books. I'm happy that I have influenced quite a number of people, and I hope they would influence more people to read books, too.
From what I see in the article, it is implied that all Filipinos are not book lovers, which is not really true. I know a lot of people who loves to read books, myself included, even if it just a small population compared to the millions of Filipinos existing. And I believe that the lack of some of the Filipinos' interest in reading books is because of the lack of proper education given in the country, that can pretty much affect a learner's perspective towards anything. I am very much aware that out of the millions of Filipinos, many are uneducated, and it is bound that there are some of them who are very much willing and interested to read, but can't.
On the other hand, I also think that the reason that many Filipinos don't really read is because of the power of suggestion, especially with the technology today that coaxes a lot of people, not only Filipinos, to focus on gadgets instead of books, especially since novels, stories and other printable materials are now downloadable and can be read in computers and other gadgets.
I'm guilty having ningas cogon mentality when it comes to reading because it really sucks when you are left doing nothing during summer vacation, then plans are getting on your way and suddenly you will just forget reading the book you've started. I read books that are required by my teachers and sometimes I read books to get along with my friends, but there are certain books that interest me and I would really love to read. It's really a matter of choice and the attitude of a person. I can see Filipinos have changed a lot regarding their reading habits. Filipinos love to be "in" the trend and I can say reading books now is somehow a trend in our age.
I agree to what has been said. Most Filipinos have short span of patience in reading books. Most of us prefer to watch the movies based from novels rather than reading them. But for me I prefer to read than to watch it on the big screen for I could really appreciate the real essence of the story and feel the emotions that the author is trying to convey. Reading helps us widen our imagination and fill our minds with lots of ideas that we could really use or apply in our everyday lives. The reason maybe why some of us don't want to read is that we really want an instant entertainment. We don't like to waste our time thinking and unfolding the meaning of the story or any literary account by ourselves so we depend on others to put in a visual way just like in movies.
i agree with some parts of the article, because nowadays especially the youth are quite enjoying reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and other fiction books and they can finish reading it from cover to cover but the only thing is they are ll fiction books(or maybe a novel also). but not all of filipinos are not book lovers
i agree with some parts of the article, because nowadays especially the youth are quite enjoying reading books like Harry Potter, Twilight, and other fiction books and they can finish reading it from cover to cover but the only thing is they are ll fiction books(or maybe a novel also). but not all of filipinos are not book lovers
I agree with this article because most of the Filipinos I know, do not read books. Most of them say that they are too busy or they do not have money to buy books. But, we have book sales in shopping malls where you can buy a book for less than 100pesos. Also, Filipinos just use the internet or watch TV when they have free time. But it is good to know that nowadays, Filipinos use the internet to read some stories or download stories. Most of the Filipinos I know just read books/articles/stories because it is required for their subjects in schools. It is sad to know that they just read books because it is mandatory. Also, Filipinos don't want to read articles/books/stories/poems which are very hard to understand. It's like a torture for some of them to read these literary works. Some authors go here just to promote books so it is very good to hear that the media supports reading. Because of the promotion of these authors, Filipinos who do not read novels before are now book lovers.
I agree with this article. I admit that I was one of those people that were not into reading. Reading sounds like a pretty boring thing to do and the silence that it takes to read and understand a good book was unbearable for Filipinos, I can attest to this myself. But things changed and I finally loved the thought of curling up to a new book, it's like being in a whole new world. It's just sad to think that it is not the literary writings of Filipino authors that are being patronized by the Filipino readers like myself, but the works of Western writers. I think that if only some of us read the works Filipino authors and spread the word on how good it is, the works of our writers would not only be patronized by Filipino readers but the author themselves would be recognized and would earn more than what they are earning now.
I agree that not most of the Filipinos are book lovers. Even though we knew that books are rich in information, we have the tendency to ignore them. Some would not mind buying books because they cannot afford them but others would say that they have no time in reading and they have more important things to do. These certain factors hinder us to fully understand the significance of reading books. But we cannot deny the fact that reading books plays an important role in improving our vocabulary, enhancing our imagination and could be a great help for us to be a keen observant.
I can say that I am not a book lover too. I would rather watch movies/TV programs than read books. Sometimes, I got sleepy while reading books and wasn’t able to understand them at all but when certain stories, articles and etc. in books really catch my attention or interest, I would love to spend time reading and understanding them. I think reading a book doesn’t just stop at the end of a story because it continues to be part of a reader’s life through the lessons that were learned while reading it.
I agree with the author of this article. Filipino nowadays chooses to go to the mall and be with their friends if they have spare time than to read a book. I think Filipino is much happy to mingle with different people than to be alone. We love to be surrounded by our friends. We love the feeling of having a company. And another factor that leads for having no time in reading is the technologies that are invented from time to time. Instead of reading books we focus and spare our time in texting, playing games on our psp, chatting with our friends and relatives in social networking sites, and many other more. Maybe because Filipinos are a lively people and they finds reading as a boring hobby. And I think one of the reasons is that we are already in the new world where you can get knowledge in everything not only on the books that we read. For example, instead of reading the newspapers and tabloids we prefer to listen to the radio that announces different incidents that are happening from time to time. There is also different television network that remake our favorite love stories in pocketbooks so that's why we prefer to watch it on tv than to spare our time reading the book that may spent large amount of time before we can finished it.Maybe because we are also too lazy and we prefer the things that requires less effort. But i also believe that not all Filipinos are not a book lover. Because me, myseelf love to read books but only the books that interested me. Also, I believe that reading books help us to enchance our minds because when we read we use our imagination and for me that was fun. Maybe the people that calls reading as boring is the one who don’t know how to appreciate the knowledge that can be given to us just by reading.
I somehow agree with the author. Reading is indeed against our culture. Most Filipinos do not find it agreeable for them to spend hours of silence and understanding and that we hate being alone.
For me, the main reason why Filipinos hate reading has something to do with the educational system here in our country. Teachers assign students to read books which are very hard to understand. As an effect, Filipino students get disinterested in reading. Another reason is that Filipinos nowadays are too busy working. When they have a free time they’d rather spend hours in malls and watch movies.On the other hand, I think we Filipinos still have the chance to change. Who knows, maybe someday we Filipinos will find reading very enjoyable.
I love reading in solitude, the quietness of a place helps make me more concentrated. I love how books make my imagination run wild. It gives me freedom to think and feel whichever I want whenever I read a book. For me, it is an escape from all the stress and troubles I get everyday. A smell of a new or even better, an old book enchants my senses. I'm proud to say that I am a book worm. 🙂
I agree that Filipinos are not fond of reading books and it is because of poverty, media and technology. An average Filipino earns 200-400 pesos only, probably they would just spend it for food or other necessity. Nowadays, books are more expensive than before, so how would Filipinos indulge themselves in reading? For the case of the middle class or wealthy Filipinos, technology is the main culprit. The computer and internet revolution has paved the way for quick information gathering. Sitting down with a good book has been replaced by social media networks, and popular internet sites where movies and almost everything can be downloaded. The new generation has replaced their books with the mouse – "I already saw the film why should I still read the book" is a common justification. This is also the reason why most Filipinos have limited English vocabulary and having a hard time expressing themselves in the language. I really hope that Filipinos would discover the true beauty of reading— the knowledge and information it can offer. They could borrow books from other people or from public libraries if they don't have money for buying books.
This article emphasizes a sad and depressing reality. In bookstores here in the Philippines, only few people are inside and by just basing in this fact, you could really tell that Filipinos are not book lovers.
One reason that is stated in the article is that Filipinos hate solidarity. They would choose to be with their friends and loved ones than to be alone and read a book. Another reason is that (whether we admit it or not) Filipinos are too lazy to read a book. Reading a book takes a lot of time and patience. Take the famous Harry Potter books for example, only a few people have read it and those who are too lazy to read would think "Why should I bother to read this book when I can just watch it in the cinema?"
In my opinion, Filipinos should realize that there are great benefits from reading books: It can enhance your imagination, it can widen your vocabulary, and it can develop your critical thinking.
All we need are patience and perseverance and we will definitely see that books can go a long way.
It is sad to read an article way back twenty years ago to sound like it has been voicing out concerns of the Filipinos nowadays. Now with seemingly new technologies to add to the distraction on book reading, i really don't know what our generation will do. Hopefully with books today turned into movies, MAYBE the Filipino youth will even jump onto the bandwagon and start reading on those novels because nothing beats book reading as it is a mainstay towards learning. 🙂
I'm sure this article made us realize that it's best if we love reading. Even though this was written two decades ago or so, I believe it still applies to most, or not, some of us today. Through reading, we see different perspectives on a certain issue, we get to understand one's point of view, we communicate, we get to encounter new vocabulary terms and surprisingly, we could travel as far as we could imagine. I'm sure there will be no poverty of thought if we engage ourselves in this activity.
I agree to this article. Not much of the Filipinos enjoy reading books nowadays especially that it is already the modern era, where pretty much everyone uses technology (for example, the computer). We tend to ignore books because we are either busy or lazy to read and would rather work, do other things or socialize with people than being alone, reading a book. I don’t know but I think that we already have a mindset that every best-selling book (or not even the best-selling ones) will come out in a movie one way or another. Also, the books are a bit pricey. You would rather buy other stuff that is useful than buying a book that after reading, will only be stuck on the shelf and be covered on mountains of dust in the passing years.
I’m a bit of a book lover. If I have the money, I would buy books that suite my tastes. Reading books make my mind think and it makes my imagination improve for the better. I just hope for the best that more Filipinos would enjoy reading books and know how exciting it is to flip pages on how the story will uncover through the using of colorful words by the author.
Even though this article was published a long time ago, I think this is still true. Most of the Filipinos only read books for the sake of requirement or for studying purposes. I am guilty of this issue, I don't read a lot of books and manuals, until I reached High School. I grabbed this book written by Paulo Coelho, and then I started reading books and manuals. Being a bookworm is not a negative outlook for a person, it is an advantage 🙂
I agree with this article. Most Filipinos that I know don't like reading books, they only read books if it is needed. Filipinos find books boring because they are jolly person, they usually likes to be with many people than to be alone reading books in their spare time. Most of the Filipinos now are working even at their very young age there is no age limit now when it comes to work because in the state of living today we have to work in order to survive so when they got home they just want to have a good rest than to waste time reading.
I believe this is true. Reading takes time. A reader must be really patient to finish an entire selection.
In a broader perspective of the Filipinos' attitude and way of living (that is, always in a rush and always like to socialize), I do agree with the writer. However, I exclude myself from "these Filipinos". On the contrary, I don't think Filipinos are that much lazy, to the point that transforming the words they read on a book to an image in their mind is just too hard to do.
I’m sure this article made us realize that reading is something that must be given importance and priority in our lives. After reading the article, there was somewhat sadness that came into me. As a teenager, I know what we prioritize. We choose engaging ourselves in various social networking sites, talking with our friends about not that intellectual matters, and playing computer games than reading the newspaper, a book, or a novel. Out of maybe 10 teenagers, only 2 read a lot and could be considered as a bookworm.
I can say that I really am not a one. I don't really like to read. Before, I find it very boring, useless and time-consuming. I have a short attention span that's why I couldn't afford to spend hours reading. I could even remember my dad, who happens to be a bookworm, telling us to read everyday at least thirty minutes. Yes, I did that but not everyday.
Just this college I realized the true essence of reading. Reading makes us think, see different perspectives on a certain matter, come across various vocabulary terms, and surprisingly, reading makes us travel as far we could ever imagine.
Amazingly, reading assures us that there is no poverty of thought.
I just hope that this article would be of great help in realizing that reading is not just a boring activity, but is beneficial to us.
i agree with the article, filipinos in general are not book lovers. if we will study our history, we will find that we are deprived of educational materials since we are colonized by Spain and they preferred to make us illiterate. with such scenario, Filipinos were used of learning through experience and not on what is written in books. another proof is that Filipinos are superstitious. one thing that it may imply is that we are not so equipped with theories, discoveries, experimentation and the likes that are usually found in books.
I think that Filipinos love and enjoy reading books. Though it is true that we love to be in the company of others, we easily get hooked to different telenovelas, and we also spend a lot of time online, I think we, Filipinos, still find time to sit comfortably and appreciate a good book. We can take for example the number of people who see best-sellers turn into a blockbuster hit. Among those on the list are the Harry Potter Series and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Reading may not be on top of the “to do list” of the average Filipino but the amount of interest that we have for it shows that we are not a hopeless case when it comes to this activity.
I think that Filipinos in general are not book lovers. If we will study our history, the Spaniards, our colonizers, deprived us from educational materials because they preferred to make us illiterate to keep their domination in our country. With such scenario Filipinos learned through their experiences and rely on it so much even when books were available to them. It will be hard for them because it is already part of their culture. Another proof is that Filipinos were believed to be superstitious people. It may imply that we are not so much equipped with theories, discoveries, experimentation and explanation of things that most of the time can only be found on books.
Hi daphne, this has been one of the most straight forward comments I've ever read. I mean so without discriminating the thoughts of the others – but yours is head on with what I thought has made us "not love books".
This article is evident in our present generation. i, myself, is not fund of reading. it makes me feel sleepy and bored.. i can apply to myself the points given by the writer why we Filipinos doesn't like reading that much.. The writer's burden about the slow fading of Filipino readers was really alarming. He was right when he compared American writers and the good harvest of their labor from the Filipino writers who wouldn't survive through plain literature writing. This article gives way for us Filipinos to be awaken by the dying art that we once had. Reading and writing is a productive thing. Most of us thought that reading or writing is a waste of time, but that is NOT right. Reading and writing helps us to practice our creativity and brain cells as we think for creative ways in expressing ourselves. Reading is a good thing because it develops critical thinking. 🙂
In a broader perspective of the Filipinos' attitude and way of living (that is, always in a rush and always like to socialize), I do agree with the writer. However, I exclude myself from "these Filipinos". On the contrary, I don't think Filipinos are that much lazy, to the point that transforming the words they read on a book to an image in their mind is just too hard to do.
In general, I dislike reading articles addressing a whole nation, race, or ethnicity, especially of my own. I prize individualism and am usually appalled by epitomized expositions which I usually consider as nothing more than long-winded rants. I have read too many an article posing as astute discourses but end up disappointing me for being ultimately superfluous. This article is an example of such incessant chafe.
I believe this article is now outdated and for the most parts, obsolete. It simply cannot be said that in this modern era of high enlightenment, books in the contemporary Filipino paradigm has lost prevalence. The ubiquitous presence of books in the long history of the Filipino culture has always made an impact in the life of my fellow countrymen. Bookstores nowadays are buzzing as a leading business sector. As a “suki” of many bookstores myself, I can attest that a lot of Filipinos still maintain an interest on reading books, may they be of foreign work, Filipiniana, or self-help motivational books. While I can in no way corroborate that the lot of them has read each book cover to cover, it is undeniable that Filipinos DO and OFTEN read. As for the parts stating communal behaviorism on antagonizing book reading, I scorn the writer for such a childish generalization. Different individuals have different perspectives on a lot of things in their environment. Being of a certain cultural background does not guarantee a straightforward line of thinking for a certain cultural group. There is no “average” cultural trait for any country. Thoughts of otherwise can only come from a shallow mind.
The article however has raised a small point which I agree in and would like to emphasize. Filipinos have never led any polls on having high reading literacy. We are much too far behind countries when it comes to partiality to book reading. This trait, as the writer implied, can have great effect on a country’s political stability. In order for our country to aspire to have any form of development, we must first work on developing a general fondness for reading.
As I have read this article. I feel disappointed for some Filipinos who do not read. To get a job, you need to know how to write and especially read to relate to others. In some jobs, they accept anyone who can read and write because they can make progress. I was not fond of reading before but then again I realize, our future lies in reading. When we can read, we know what is happening in our environment, we can state our opinion to help build a better community.
As I drop by to the bookstore to check for books to read during my free time, as I look around, I try to see what others do. A few stays in the bookstore to browse for books to read but then again I also can see a little number of people look for books, most of them just look books which have pictures that are quite pleasing or yet attracting to the eyes but they don’t try to check for the real content of it. I ask myself, what really is happening to us? Instead of aiming for the top we stay at the middle and some are satisfied being in the bottom. Why do some don’t how to strive to learn? Everyone knows that every chance you have, you must try to acquire because you might not know, that may lead you to a better future.
Basically, what I am trying to say is that Filipinos should know the perks of reading. It can enhance everything you know and can help you to be on the top. Every one of us just needs to put in mind and in heart everything that we read for us to be enlightened.
Even before reading this article, I have been aware of this issue and it seems to me that this is an issue that should not be taken lightly. Reading books does not only enhance our reading skills but also enriches us with wisdom. A book can take us to different worlds and time, touch our hearts, and even make us laugh or cry. Indeed, books are wonderful.
The article Filipinos Are Not Book Lovers was written a long time ago by a Filipino author. Maybe at that time Filipinos were not book lovers. However, even though I am not that fond of reading books, I have to disagree with the statement “Filipinos are not book lovers”. Even if culturally Filipinos are not used to reading books, that does not mean we cannot change from our old ways and try a new trend. From what I have observed nowadays, many people can manage to sit down, relax, and simply read a book. For a girl who isn’t a bookworm, I still have a great admiration for books, especially if it is very striking. Books, as a form of literature, express the ideas and feelings of the author. Reading a book is like having a story-telling with the author. Compared to movies and television shows, books tickle the imagination of the readers. It is like the plot is running in the minds of the readers with their own interpretation of the personalities in the story. It is as if the characters are alive in the reader’s imagination.
If Filipinos were not book lovers, then probably many bookstores would have shut down already. But from what I have observed, many bookstores are a hit in the Philippines. Some examples are Fully booked and Powerbooks bookstores. Whenever I visit these bookstores with my friends, oftentimes the book we want to buy and read is out of stock. Perhaps this is because many people would also want to read books as I do. Therefore, Filipinos are book lovers.
Reading has not been a part of our lifestyle as Filipinos. It's obvious. If you'd ask Filipinos, most of them would probably spend their time hanging out with their friends and family, play games, watch movies, spend their time on facebook, twitter, or some random websites.
We prioritize our wants first. Sadly, reading isn't a part of those "wants". Filipinos would claim that if they read books/novels, they will have a hard time understanding it — without even trying. Aside from that, many would probably tell that reading is a luxury for the educated people only. This is one of our misconceptions about reading. Printed materials were not produced just for the sake of the educated people. Everyone is encouraged to read. The only problem is: many people are wasting the opportunities given for them to read.
Moreover, We, Filipinos, think that whenever we're reading, we are wasting our self-proclaimed "precious time". We don't like wasting our time sitting on a soft chair or a bench reading hundreds of pages. Many would tell that they'd rather do nothing than to struggle reading books which are uninteresting.
Technology is also a factor affecting our habit of reading. Filipinos prefer to watch movie or series version of books rather than reading the book itself. We tend to be more amused and be more entertained visually than verbally. Words are very dull for us. We don't feel the emotions unlike in the movies or the series where we can see, hear, and feel the actors and the actresses' emotions.
The viral use of the internet has also affected the way we think and respond about reading. Internet has made our lives more convenient. We can download e-books anytime and view them on our gadgets instead of reading those bulky books. It's also free or for some – a bit cheaper than real books that's why many people are opting to read e-Books.
Our attitude towards reading is what keeps us from reading. We only read for entertainment purposes. We do not think whether we'll learn or not, we just want to be entertained. That's it.
This article is reminding us that reading is very essential. It's not just a hobby. It's not just for luxury. It's not for entertainment purposes only. Reading is a kind of a gift. A gift to learn things, a gift that connects us through time and space, a gift that unites our minds and hearts as one.
Reading has not been a part of our lifestyle as Filipinos. It's obvious. If you'd ask Filipinos, most of them would probably spend their time hanging out with their friends and family, play games, watch movies, spend their time on facebook, twitter, or some random websites.
We prioritize our wants first. Sadly, reading isn't a part of those "wants". Filipinos would claim that if they read books/novels, they will have a hard time understanding it — without even trying. Aside from that, many would probably tell that reading is a luxury for the educated people only. This is one of our misconceptions about reading. Printed materials were not produced just for the sake of the educated people. Everyone is encouraged to read. The only problem is: many people are wasting the opportunities given for them to read.
Moreover, We, Filipinos, think that whenever we're reading, we are wasting our self-proclaimed "precious time". We don't like wasting our time sitting on a soft chair or a bench reading hundreds of pages. Many would tell that they'd rather do nothing than to struggle reading books which are uninteresting.
Technology is also a factor affecting our habit of reading. Filipinos prefer to watch movie or series version of books rather than reading the book itself. We tend to be more amused and be more entertained visually than verbally. Words are very dull for us. We don't feel the emotions unlike in the movies or the series where we can see, hear, and feel the actors and the actresses' emotions.
The viral use of the internet has also affected the way we think and respond about reading. Internet has made our lives more convenient. We can download e-books anytime and view them on our gadgets instead of reading those bulky books. It's also free or for some – a bit cheaper than real books that's why many people are opting to read e-Books.
Our attitude towards reading is what keeps us from reading. We only read for entertainment purposes. We do not think whether we'll learn or not, we just want to be entertained. That's it.
This article is reminding us that reading is very essential. It's not just a hobby. It's not just for luxury. It's not for entertainment purposes only. Reading is a kind of a gift. A gift to learn things, a gift that connects us through time and space, a gift that unites our minds and hearts as one.
Saddening but true, Filipinos are quite negligent about the feel of books. Some, even though exposed to an availability of books, lacks the endeavor to even turn a page. Many of the Filipino youth today likes to do other things, commonly with a group, like texting, going to malls, watching movies, etc..
After reading the article, I realized that the author has a point and I definitely agree with it. Filipinos nowadays are not heavily involved in reading books. I don't usually see people reading books in places I go and not a lot of people actually enjoy it because they think that it is boring. Filipinos are known to be who also smile and who are always happy despite of the struggles we encounter everyday and Filipinos dislike being in solitude instead Filipinos prefer interacting with each other. So thats why it is hard for all Filipinos to love books because of our culture and lifestyle.
I admit that I am not a book lover because I can't finish a book quickly and sometimes I get bored by just reading. But I do wish that I'll be able to love books as much as other people are. And there are a number of Filipinos who are also like me who don't take the time to read and finish a book. I do hope that it will not continually increase because it will be hard for us to cope up with the other cultures from different countries who are into reading and we might feel overpowered by them because reading is an important aspect in learning. You must read in order for you to excel in your field and through reading, a person can learn gradually and excel.
The article Filipinos Are Not Book Lovers was written a long time ago by a Filipino author. Maybe at that time Filipinos were not book lovers. However, even though I am not that fond of reading books, I have to disagree with the statement “Filipinos are not book lovers”. Even if culturally Filipinos are not used to reading books, that does not mean we cannot change from our old ways and try a new trend. From what I have observed nowadays, many people can manage to sit down, relax, and simply read a book. For a girl who isn’t a bookworm, I still have a great admiration for books, especially if it is very striking. Books, as a form of literature, express the ideas and feelings of the author. Reading a book is like having a story-telling with the author. Compared to movies and television shows, books tickle the imagination of the readers. It is like the plot is running in the minds of the readers with their own interpretation of the personalities in the story. It is as if the characters are alive in the reader’s imagination.
If Filipinos were not book lovers, then probably many bookstores would have shut down already. But from what I have observed, many bookstores are a hit in the Philippines. Some examples are Fully booked and Powerbooks bookstores. Whenever I visit these bookstores with my friends, oftentimes the book we want to buy and read is out of stock. Perhaps this is because many people would also want to read books as I do. Therefore, Filipinos are book lovers.
Truth be told, everything written here is factual. It's just disappointing and at the same time embarrassing that despite the undeniable fact that we Filipinos are smart and wise, only few of us seem to notice the fact that it is through reading wherein we would be able to become wiser and better people. After reading several essays from Mario Vargas Llosa, and Thomas de Quincey, it just further strengthened my thoughts and beliefs about this idea. Although I still do have a small flickering hope that we would not end up becoming primitive people because of this. It's just that we lack the encouragement to do this since we enjoy more socializing with people.
I agree with the author of this article.
Reading is not very popular in our country and most Filipinos today would rather watch TV, listen to music or play computer games(i.e. ME). I think one of the reasons why Filipinos don't read much is because most Filipinos dislike silence and being alone. But, I know one day there may come a time that Filipinos will enjoy reading more.
This was written years ago. It may be true at the time but it still shouldn't generalize all Filipino people. Nowadays, a lot of Filipinos love to read. In fact, the younger generation today are more active readers than the older. I myself are part of those of people. Also the article itself reasoned out why most bookstores in the country aren't filled with customers. Poverty. Books are way too expensive nowadays. The Filipino people would rather turn into the cheaper alternative which is to read the book through the internet. Just because Filipinos are not book lovers, doesn't mean that they aren't wide readers. Maybe when the biggest issue of the country, poverty, is resolved, this will finally be proven untrue.
My opinion is Filipinos do read, but not really a so called "book lover" because if you say book lover, for me you’re either a book addict who reads and collect books or find reading entertaining all the time. Filipinos read but in a different kind of manner, examples like the magazines, tabloids, comics etc. Some of Filipinos find it entertaining, especially if it is about showbiz, but don’t usually go for books that has difficult contents and hard to understand kind, because not many of us can afford education and spend money to buy books. I myself am not into reading but I often enjoy reading books authors like Bob Ong, Stephanie Mayer and Shakespeare, because my parents do encourage me to read but I do find these books really entertaining. Most of us especially teenagers are too lazy to read a book because sometimes people find it boring and dull. Watching films/ televisions can be more entertaining because it requires a vision of the story and can be more understanding, and maybe because of the technology advances that we rarely catch attention to books because we find it easier and time consuming if we go to the internet and read small articles or just watch it.
This article may have been written way back to 1987 but it’s content still holds true for today’s generation of Filipinos. Most of us do prefer to be busy with other things like watching TV or being on social networking sites rather than read a book. For most people, reading a book is a waste of time and money and can only contribute to eye damage and instant sleepiness. But not for me. I love reading books and I know several teenagers like me who are also bookworms. I think this shows that no matter how much technology has evolved, books will always be our constant companions and that not all Filipinos are not book lovers. 🙂
I believe this is true. Reading books compared to watching takes time and it really takes patience to finish a selection. Most of us read but not really books. I can see people commonly read tabloids. I think one of the reasons why Filipinos don't read is that they just can't stand reading long selections. I am guilty of that one too. Reading makes you think deep and compared to watching, sometimes the ideas, are already spoon-fed and really conspicuous. Besides, books are expensive. You can't expect everyone to afford to buy those. Think of it I would rather spend my money on my basic needs (food, clothing, etc.) than have the luxury to own books. I think our communities should at least have an updated library to aid those who are willing to learn but cannot really afford.
In my perspective, majority of Filipinos are not into reading books.
Reading books would help Filipinos land good jobs. But the problem is, many of our countrymen are not into reading books simply because this activity entails one to be in solitude, something that most Filipinos hate.
I believe we should change the foundation of our educational system by teaching students how to appreciate books and to enhance their reading skills because a well informed person is always ready to face the challenges of a constantly changing world that we live in.
Even before reading this article, I have been aware of this issue and it seems to me that this is an issue that should not be taken lightly. Reading books does not only enhance our reading skills but also enriches us with wisdom. A book can take us to different worlds and time, touch our hearts, and even make us laugh or cry. Indeed, books are wonderful.
However, in this Age where holograms, ipads, iphones, tablets, 3D movies, and maid robots rule, books are forgotten. Seeing a book covered with spider webs is not new anymore to us Filipinos. I am not a bookworm myself. I am a very picky reader and I do not think that it is my fault for not being convinced that all books should be given the chance to be read. Books nowadays are very much alike. The plot is the same, the characters are different or the characters are the same, but the setting is in a different world. It gives me the idea that not all published books are indeed books. The touch of magic that books should have is missing.
As for the Filipinos’ lack of interest in reading books, I do not think that it has anything to do with not having enough time or not wanting to be alone. Some books are short and wouldn’t take much time finishing and reading can be done with friends, it can actually be a form of bonding time. Poverty or purchasing power is not a problem either; there are tons of books in public libraries which can be borrowed for free. Lack of education and reading literacy is the problem. For Filipinos, education is more of a privilege than a right nowadays. Not everyone can read and those who can have issues understanding what they have read.
In the end, no matter how billions and billions of books exist, no matter how long our spare time is, no matter how capable we are of buying even the most expensive books, if we cannot read…what else do we do?
It seems to me that this article is stereotyping Filipinos. Kudos to the author, though, for actually bothering to include that first sentence of the last paragraph (no matter how sarcastic it seems to me).
i totally agree with the one who made this. Because it is really hard for me to read books cause it bores me. i prefer watching movies than reading books because I enjoy seeing actual images than just reading words. also, I enjoy watching movies that are based on actual books cause I find it more interesting. im not the type of person that sits in one corner and read. i have a short attention span. i only read books if our professors require us. the only thing i enjoy reading is magazines especially about cars like top gear and other magazines like mens health. that's why im amaze by teenagers like me who enjoys reading books because we really cant deny that even a novel can teach us something that can somehow help us in our life. and that's what i think filipino needs now, inspirations which we can mostly get in good books written by people like gandhi and the likes.
We are very much aware that majority of the Filipinos are not fond of reading books because they think practical. They think more important things than pleasure. Important things like buying their needs for their survival. Maybe if they have extra money they buy books but sad to say they spend those pennies buying useless things. This article shows typical Filino attitude that we all agree. I'm so puzzled out because til' now Filipino people still doesn't realize what are the good outcome of reading like they will improve their vocabulary, the way they write & think. I think Filipinos should change that attitude because who knows maybe that will answer all our problems about illiteracy and language proficiency and be more competent.
I agree that most Filipinos prefer doing other things like shopping, playing computer games and using social networking sites instead of reading books. They always want to spend their time within their circle of friends. Most especially to students, reading only comes to mind when it is required.
Reading helps us appreciate many things around us even those we cannot see if we just take time to do it. We are able to establish relationships as we experience variety of emotions like happiness, sorrow, anger, fear, confusion, etc through the characters in the book. It only needs us and our book. Even though there are many Filipinos who are not fond of reading, still there are some booklovers who very much appreciate it because of the pleasure they get. It becomes an accomplishment when they are able to finish a certain book of their choice.
We need to remember that reading provides everything. The fun and excitement it gives are just tiny benefits since it plays a bigger part in our life in achieving our needs and wants. It is not just a leisure activity because at the same time we also learn from it.
I admit that most of us Filipinos are not book lovers. "Time consuming and absolutely boring", are the reasons I often heard from people. I agree that an average Filipino would think about that . They prefer watching movies, television shows, drama series, etc. as long as it has sound effects, attractive characters, colors and backgrounds instead of sheets of paper with written ink on it. But I don't agree that Filipinos will never become book readers. Youth today are enjoying reading books even with lots of series as long as it suits their tastes. I believe that the youth can make a change regarding this topic. Patience, and endurance in reading a book is not that difficult to improve. Allotting time for reading can be a part in our daily routine. As time goes by, Filipinos will soon get fond of reading as long as their determined and willing to help themselves in getting rid of having a "ningas cogon" attitude. Who knows? It's possible 😉
This article serves as an eye opener for us Filipinos and we should be aware about this and make a choice out of it. A wise one 🙂
I certainly agree to the fact that majority of Filipinos are not book lovers.
It is also true that you seldom see Filipinos reading, and if ever they are, I doubt that it is a pocket book.
I think that there are some factors concerning Filipinos not being able to love reading books. First and foremost is because of the rapid development of technology. Not to mention in almost every month of the year, different varieties of gadgets are being sold world wide in the purpose of making life more convenient for everyone, but at the same time making us lazy and more dependent to it. Second, is for the crisis the Filipinos are going through today specifically poverty. So not having sufficient money for their every day lives, do you think they'd still buy books more expensive than their primary needs? However, the sad reality is, based on my observations, not only does the Philippines have a lot of beauty salons but also internet shops where in kids and teens spend their money and almost half a day in it playing some sort of game, and surfing a few nonsensical sites that does not even sharpen neither their reading, writing, nor listening skills. And the last is that they hate solitude. Psychologically, they think that reading books is a bore some, and wasteful thing to do. Hence it is most likely that they will engage themselves into watching shows in the television or in a movie house, into computer games or surfing the net, or in socializing more with people rather than isolating themselves with a book.
And that gives lesser votes to the books! Sadly, technology wins.
It seems to me that this article is stereotyping Filipinos. Kudos to the author, though, for actually bothering to include that first sentence of the last paragraph (no matter how sarcastic it seems to me).
Sad to say, most Filipinos will spend their time going to the mall, park and the like because they believe that reading is just a waste of time, and I can say that Filipinos is not very fond of reading books, the 1st factor is because of poverty they can't afford to buy book to read, and the second factor is some says that they don't have enough money to buy things that is not very useful nowadays, but the ironic part is that they always allot money to the latest gadget so they can be in the trend. but this people don't even know the importance and benefits of reading books, in reading you can always be educated and expand your vocabulary.
Yes, I do believe that, in general, Filipinos are not fond of books or reading. I need not look far for in my own home, my parents hardly ever read books unless it is an absolute necessity. It seems as if I’m the only person in the household who reads for leisure. And though my mother understands and supports my fondness of books, she often asks me, “Dear, why not save that money to buy new clothes or shoes?”
I believe that the main reason why majority of the Filipinos are not fond of reading is that it is part of our culture. Before the Spaniards came and colonized our country, the natives used a more direct, hands-on approach to things. Their common occupation during that time and even up to present is fishing and farming, both of which are tiring, manual tasks. Thus, after a full day of work at the field, the people would much rather sleep or spend time with their family more than anything else. Even during the Spanish colonization, the scenario was still the same. True, the Spaniards brought to the Philippines various literature and new knowledge but only a privileged few were able to make use of these. The “indios”, as the Spaniards called the Filipinos then, were still seen on the fields or town working for their families. So, really, I believe that it all boils down to the roots of our culture.
Still, I dream that one day more Filipinos would realize the importance of books and the ideas which they introduce. We cannot blame the older generation for being that way, but what we can do is build the interest of the younger generation on reading. Introducing them at a young age to books and encouraging them by not labeling reading as “boring”. Letting the younger generation grow up with a fascination for books and new ideas would ensure a brighter, more open-minded future for our country.
I agree with this article, Most of the Filipinos don`t find reading a book interesting instead Filipinos love to spend time hanging out with their friends, watching television, listening to music which show how we Filipinos love to enjoy our free time to spend with other people instead of just reading a book. Filipinos are fond of other things than being in solitude. Like me I`m not that interested in a reading a book, I just love to read a book if it`s about romance. When I start reading a book I`m feeling so sleepy and the tendency is to stop reading it. I hope someday we Filipinos we`ll be able to find reading a book more fun and interesting.
I admit that most of us Filipinos are not book lovers. "Time consuming and absolutely boring", are the reasons I often heard from people. I agree that an average Filipino would think about that . They prefer watching movies, television shows, drama series, etc. as long as it has sound effects, attractive characters, colors and backgrounds instead of sheets of paper with written ink on it. But I don't agree that Filipinos will never become book readers. Youth today are enjoying reading books even with lots of series as long as it suits their tastes. I believe that the youth can make a change regarding this topic. Patience, and endurance in reading a book is not that difficult to improve. Allotting time for reading can be a part in our daily routine. As time goes by, Filipinos will soon get fond of reading as long as their determined and willing to help themselves in getting rid of having a "ningas cogon" attitude. Who knows? It's possible 😉
Yes, I do believe that, in general, Filipinos are not fond of books or reading. I need not look far for in my own home, my parents hardly ever read books unless it is an absolute necessity. It seems as if I’m the only person in the household who reads for leisure. And though my mother understands and supports my fondness of books, she often asks me, “Dear, why not save that money to buy new clothes or shoes?”
I believe that the main reason why majority of the Filipinos are not fond of reading is that it is part of our culture. Before the Spaniards came and colonized our country, the natives used a more direct, hands-on approach to things. Their common occupation during that time and even up to present is fishing and farming, both of which are tiring, manual tasks. Thus, after a full day of work at the field, the people would much rather sleep or spend time with their family more than anything else. Even during the Spanish colonization, the scenario was still the same. True, the Spaniards brought to the Philippines various literature and new knowledge but only a privileged few were able to make use of these. The “indios”, as the Spaniards called the Filipinos then, were still seen on the fields or town working for their families. So, really, I believe that it all boils down to the roots of our culture.
Still, I dream that one day more Filipinos would realize the importance of books and the ideas which they introduce. We cannot blame the older generation for being that way, but what we can do is build the interest of the younger generation on reading. Introducing them at a young age to books and encouraging them by not labeling reading as “boring”. Letting the younger generation grow up with a fascination for books and new ideas would ensure a brighter, more open-minded future for our country.
boss pls post my comment i need it badly for my subject the one that is long ty! 🙂
To say that Filipinos would NEVER become book lovers would be an overstatement, in my opinion. Given the chance (and enough time), Filipinos will learn to appreciate the value of books.
Not all Filipinos hate books, though the generalization can't be helped since majority don't have the opportunity and resources. I still see quite a number of people when I visit bookstores, especially in the romance section.
Seeing as we are now in the digital phase, most Filipinos, especially teenagers, would prefer to sit and stare at a screen for entertainment rather than stare at a page full of words. Even books have become digital. We fancy novelty. Paperback books have become old medium, thus the decline of Filipino book readers.
As for those rich Filipinos that don't read books, I think they take for granted the opportunity.
I agree with this article. It’s true that Filipinos have short attention span, that they start reading books, but won’t finish it because they find it boring, and some people, like the “bookworms”, will finish it. And because they find it boring, they find other ways to feel entertained, like in our time now, there are other and new medias where they feel entertained, like the internet, so they find reading books are not that interesting. But in the internet, it takes some time to read though.
To be honest, I’m not a book lover. I rather use the internet or watch the television, because when I started to read a book, after an hour, I will get too sleepy, that I will choose not to read it or finish it.
Filipinos are not really fond of reading. But we can't blame our own race for being deprived from knowledge by our colonizers. Our forefathers were forced to serve them instead of feeding their minds with the truths. Slavery and ignorance didn't really stop. Filipinos oppress their own brothers, making the poor even poorer. You can't demand the meager to choose a book, so that he can swallow intelligence, over food, which he needs to satisfy his hunger. For those who have the the resource to indulge his self with a reading and chose not to, I guess the media and technology devoured their being.
I strongly agree with the author of this article. This article may be written long ago but it still depicts the kind of society where Filipinos now are in. Let's face it, lots of Filipinos have short attention span (including me) and that I think, is one of the reason why Filipinos are not considered as book lovers. Our society has lots of issues to face due to poverty and other elements that hinder us from growing or developing like, lack of education that was why maybe Filipinos think that they should prioritize this things first rather than reading books. I would like to quote a line from this article "Another facter could be one reads a book in silence. Solitude na, ideas pa, and then silence? It is too much for average Filipino" We are bombarded with lots of bad new everyday, the moment we step out of the door of houses, we already see bad stuff in our society. It is very hard for some to find a peace in their mind. For me, reading a book can be a great help in relaxing our mind and in giving inner serenity within ourselves but since most of us, Filipinos, lack education and bombarded by the bad elements of this it will be hard for us to ponder on deep ideas and even stay in silence. Mahirap ng hanapin ang katahimikan ngayon. On the lighter note, I think Filipinos can still be a "book lover". A time will come that this country will be mostly literate and Filipinos will have time and knowledge to read and drown themselves to educating, enlightening and helpful ideas. 🙂
I agree of the reasons of why the Filipinos don’t read. Yes, for most of them are lazy, no patient and low concentration. They make excuses, like they are too busy for they have no time to read, or they have no money to buy a book. They choose to hang out rather to stay alone and read book. And if they find a hard time in understanding, they will give up instantly and threw it behind (without even a try). Another reason, people are often go with the flow to socialize with other people and because of the influence of the surrounding people, reading makes them tend to think that it is an activity for nerd.
But there are also a lot of Filipinos who like to read. They read of what they interested in; spend many hours, days in reading; save money to buy book; read book while waiting for bus or LRT and even form a group for all the book lovers.
Let us make reading as our habit, because reading can widen our vocabulary and imagination. It let us to get on to a time machine and travel to different time and place as we really live there. Even though the writer lives in different time and country, we don’t know each others; reading will link us together into a one mind and heart.
Filipinos are not really fond of reading. But we can't blame our own race for being deprived from knowledge by our colonizers. Our forefathers were forced to serve them instead of feeding their minds with the truths. Slavery and ignorance didn't really stop. Filipinos oppress their own brothers, making the poor even poorer. You can't demand the meager to choose a book, so that he can swallow intelligence, over food, which he needs to satisfy his hunger. For those who have the the resource to indulge his self with a reading and chose not to, I guess the media and technology devoured their being.
Post 1/3:
From my perspective, reading isn’t really a “thing” for most of us, Filipinos. We barely make time for reading books. Though books provide a lot of information, something entertaining and/or concepts that will generate discussions, for Filipinos, reading isn’t a priority, or worse, not even an option. For others, it seems impossible to incorporate reading into their lifestyle. Yes, there are many factors that affect this mentality of Filipinos. One of which is we lack the endurance to read or outlast a book, as stated in the article. If we only had the drive to read factual and worthwhile books like what we exhibit when we head to socializing or any activity we take a great effort in, then it could mean a lot not only to our individual interests and gains, but also to the welfare and educational growth of our country, as well.
It is true that majority of Filipinos are not fond of reading books; it is reflected in the society. In my family for instance, only 2 of us are fond of reading. When I ask my other cousins “why don’t you read books?” they will answer me, “I’d rather do other things which are ‘more important’” or “It’s a waste of money.” or “I feel lazy.” There is no harm in reading. In fact, it provides you positive things, such as wider vocabulary, additional information and etc. But there are just some circumstances which hinders these Filipinos to read books. In my opinion, I believe Filipinos are not used to reading. As I observe people, I rarely see anyone reading and what I mostly see are people playing, doing household chores, working, using the computers, sleeping, going somewhere else and the like – and with these activities, they cannot give time even for an hour a day to take a glance in the books’ pages. Another factor is poverty. Most people would consider to buy more important things (eg. Basic needs) rather than buying a book. Children, teenagers and young adults nowadays are also more hooked up in using the Internet especially social networking sites that it eats up almost their whole day, so where can you put the books there? There are also schools in the Philippines which does not give quality education, resulting to a great number of Filipinos having English deficiencies. We cannot afford to have this knowing that most books sold and used here are written in English, especially the textbooks. Because of these, many Filipinos cannot understand nor speak in English, so reading a book will be their last resort. I hope there will come a time that more Filipinos will appreciate books, because for me, the mere interaction of the book and the reader, seeing its beautiful cover, flipping its pages and absorbing its contents is a wonderful experience.
Though what is stated in this article may have been true during the time it was written, much has changed with Filipinos and their reading habits. A bookworm myself, I can say that many Filipinos now are actually fond of reading and are willing to spend money on books. Although the mentioned factors still do exist in today's society, the continuos lifespan of bookstores and the success of many book signing events of foreign authors (e.g. the recent Nicholas Sparks event) ought to prove a point.
As with the statement on Imelda Marcos and Cory Aquino not reading (much) books, I think that it has no factual basis to it, especially since the author mentioned that reading requires solitude (hence more often than not reading is done alone with no one there to see you doing it).
The article was published decades ago-the sad part is, nothing has changed after all these years. Worse, things didn’t get any better FOR SOME PEOPLE.
I guess, the world have forgotten the risk of getting ‘beyond’- forgetting of what is the called ‘before’. We have been so technologically advanced (perhaps) that we forget simple but incredible things like books.
Generally, poor people don’t read books for they have no money to buy one (and even can’t read for some in the first place). The rich ones don’t read books for they don’t have time. It only makes sense. Reading a book does not only requires time, patience and endurance but also attention and of course, the book itself. Filipinos always wanted to be practical.
Moreover, I don’t think Filipinos hating solitude is the real problem. It’s just that we are more at peace when we are with the company of others. Let us admit, we “face book” less than we do facebook today.The irony there is we spend more time reading nonsense memes and status without devoting even a single minute reading academic texts. Take the case of telenovelas and music, they also are forms of literature which entertains us unlike the books. That’s culture, we love feast for our senses but not burden of simplicity and boredom. We took AUDIObooks, Ebooks, Comics, typography, and texts as our resort just to keep the spirit of READING alive. That’s how resourceful Filipinos are and that simply replaces the word ‘reading’ with ‘having fun’. Yes, we read in school but we don’t take reading as a habit. We read showbiz chikas on the web and mags. We know what are our favorite celebrities doing every minute of their life because we read their tweets but we don’t know who Don Quixote or Theseus or Piper is.
At this point, if you read this comment, that’s good. You made me wrong with my assumption in my first paragraph. But if not and just passed and closed the internet browser because you don’t like to read this long text, you have just proven that Filipinos didn’t grow up since the release of this 1984 article.
Post 2/3:
Another factor is (and what I specifically consider as the most relatable and true factor as to why we don’t read much) the presence of excess technology. I am not saying technology is a real hindrance, but the occurrence and the continuous developing of some gadgets deter and consume our time. Thus, more time online or greater time in hi-tech leisure rather than experiencing the wonders brought by books.
This is a depressing truth about us. If I were to assess it, I’d say 27% of Filipinos read diligently. The other 73% belittles the benefits that a book holds. I, personally, make it a point to read a book, whether it be fiction, factual, a collection of poems, etc. and it isn’t that hard giving some slack to reading.
Though what is stated in this article may have been true during the time it was written, much has changed with Filipinos and their reading habits. A bookworm myself, I can say that many Filipinos now are actually fond of reading and are willing to spend money on books. Although the mentioned factors still do exist in today's society, the continuos lifespan of bookstores and the success of many book signing events of foreign authors (e.g. the recent Nicholas Sparks event) ought to prove a point.
As with the statement on Imelda Marcos and Cory Aquino not reading (much) books, I think that it has no factual basis to it, especially since the author mentioned that reading requires solitude (hence more often than not reading is done alone with no one there to see you doing it).
Post 3/3:
Still, I believe it isn’t too late to have a book in one’s hands. We just need to be more driven and encouraged to read. We need to be enlightened that reading is more than an activity, or more than a hobby. It’s a gift, a privilege and an essential component to get by in everyday.
If I may also add, reading books from Filipino authors may be of help. The creative minds of these authors will surely take you on new horizons and will ignite your passion to read. More than that, by this act, you can also promote the greatness of Filipino writers.
The article was published decades ago-the sad part is, nothing has changed after all these years. Worse, things didn’t get any better FOR SOME PEOPLE.
I guess, the world have forgotten the risk of getting ‘beyond’- forgetting of what is the called ‘before’. We have been so technologically advanced (perhaps) that we forget simple but incredible things like books.
Generally, poor people don’t read books for they have no money to buy one (and even can’t read for some in the first place). The rich ones don’t read books for they don’t have time. It only makes sense. Reading a book does not only requires time, patience and endurance but also attention and of course, the book itself. Filipinos always wanted to be practical.
Moreover, I don’t think Filipinos hating solitude is the real problem. It’s just that we are more at peace when we are with the company of others. Let us admit, we “face book” less than we do facebook today.The irony there is we spend more time reading nonsense memes and status without devoting even a single minute reading academic texts. Take the case of telenovelas and music, they also are forms of literature which entertains us unlike the books. That’s culture, we love feast for our senses but not burden of simplicity and boredom. We took AUDIObooks, Ebooks, Comics, typography, and texts as our resort just to keep the spirit of READING alive. That’s how resourceful Filipinos are and that simply replaces the word ‘reading’ with ‘having fun’. Yes, we read in school but we don’t take reading as a habit. We read showbiz chikas on the web and mags. We know what are our favorite celebrities doing evey minute of their life because we read their tweets but we don’t know who Don Quixote or Theseus or Piper is.
At this point, if you read this comment, that’s good. You made me wrong with my assumption in my first paragraph. But if not and just passed and closed the internet browser because you don’t like to read this long text, you have just proven that Filipinos didn’t grow up since the release of this 1984 article.
The idea given in this article that "Filipinos do no read as much" is without a doubt, true. Another idea given in this article is also true, which supports the main idea. We Filipinos hate to be in the midst of silence. (And I say "we", because I really agree with it. Not only that, I see myself in this predicament where most Filipinos are in.) This is horrifyingly unhealthy for us.
Watching movies or soap operas are more entertaining than reading books which do not have pictures in it. Filipinos want to visualize the ideas shown in a literary text. But the problem is, there are scarcely any pictures in them. Some books even have no pictures. So that may be one of the reasons on why Filipinos don't bother to read. This also explains why some Filipinos like to read comics instead of pocketbooks, because comic strips or comic books have lots of pictures in them.
Sad to say, the contemporary Filipino culture has not learned to adapt or accept reading books as a hobby or a source of entertainment. Reading only becomes an obligation because their teacher or instructor required them to. Or maybe, their parents want them to.
This tradition is hindering the skills of the Filipinos (especially the young ones) of the skills of reading comprehension. Just because they were told to read a selection, it does not mean that they would automatically like it. They would have to bother reading it slowly without comprehending. The interest of the reader depends on the theme of the selection, rather than the idea of learning.
Maybe this is why other countries are getting ahead of us. I mean, yes, we can say that we do have a high literacy rate. A lot of Filipinos can read, despite the incompetent educational system here in our country. But that is not enough. Sad to say (again), maybe because of this, what can the next generations expect from us. We can't always rely on film as a medium of instruction in literature. But we must depend on our own ability to read and comprehend. I do not believe that our incompetent educational system must be blamed for this. I believe every person has the capacity to understand oral and written ideas the first or second time around. As said in the article, it takes time. Face it, we are the only creatures here on earth that were blessed with a brain that can logically argue, and with a heart that can helpfully understand. Things are supposed to work that way. And in our case, we're blessed enough that we have books to read despite the shortage. How about other countries who really have no books. I hope we Filipinos can ponder on this situation. So we can prove to ourselves and to the world, that we really have something to show besides beauty queens, youtube sensations, boxers, and other unnecessary show-offs.
Some parts of the article were true like beauty parlors connected with sari-sari store seemed to be the most popular here in the Philippines considering the fact that when I look outside my house you’ll be able to see three beauty salons just meters away each other and two sari-sari stores with the same stuffs to sell competing. We all know that most of Filipinos will tend to watch television than read a book. But we can still see young children pushing themselves to say the right “a-ba-ka-da” or even illiterate middle-age men or women reading simple children’s book. There were still young men and women from poor families who work in the day and go to school at night to learn. Of course the masses will prefer watching noon time shows and prime time telenovelas as what says in the article, “However most of us, we prefer conflicts played out among personalities rather than in ideas…” Still, there were many Filipinos who like to read. If not then Powerbooks and Fully Booked, which were stores really built for books unlike National Bookstore, would be pulled out of malls. I even got pissed off several times for finding out that the book series I’ve been waiting for was out of stock. I always experience writing my name in a notebook for book reservations and guess what, I was on the fourth page of the list of that certain book. My room was filled with books. My friends started to read books because I always tell them that this book is good or that book is awesome so they will also start to read. I also knew many people who likes to read and doesn’t. I think Filipinos were being generalized as not book lovers considering that the poor, who consider watching novelty shows, were way too many than the middle-class to upper class who likes to read.
Truthfully, I would have to admit that this article is rather true. We Filipinos are so caught up with the whole “unity” thing that most often than not we take for granted all the wonderful things solitude can give us. It is like, we just can’t find ourselves alone or isolated from the world. Another sad fact about “being alone” is that, many people stereotyped this preference to appear as if it’s such a bad idea; whenever you’re alone, you’re a weirdo, because nobody would want to be with you. It’s a very frightening, that our culture made this predicament. Of course! Who would want to be labeled as such right? Now that I’ve said my piece, about, solitude and isolation, I would like to talk about its relevance with reading. I strongly disagree that Filipinos hate reading. As a matter of fact, I would say that Filipinos are natural readers. The only problem is that, Filipinos weren’t introduced to better literary pieces.
Filipinos love reading gossip magazines. We love the whole “I-know-what-happened-to-who…” thing. It gives us that sense of belonging, perhaps? Either way, Filipinos are readers too, the only thing we have to change is the literary preference that our culture has. It won’t be an easy task nor would it be quick, but it is attainable. Over all, Filipinos are READERS, we just don’t know how to appreciate the beauty of REAL literature, but with time and proper education, we can mold the next generation of Filipino youth to become readers with better literary tastes.
From my perspective, reading isn’t really a “thing” for most of us, Filipinos. We barely make time for reading books. Though books provide a lot of information, something entertaining and/or concepts that will generate discussions, for Filipinos, reading isn’t a priority, or worse, not even an option. For others, it seems impossible to incorporate reading into their lifestyle. Yes, there are many factors that affect this mentality of Filipinos. One of which is we lack the endurance to read or outlast a book, as stated in the article. If we only had the drive to read factual and worthwhile books like what we exhibit when we head to socializing or any activity we take a great effort in, then it could mean a lot not only to our individual interests and gains, but also to the welfare and educational growth of our country, as well.
Another factor is (and what I specifically consider as the most relatable and true factor as to why we don’t read much) the presence of excess technology. I am not saying technology is a real hindrance, but the occurrence and the continuous developing of some gadgets deter and consume our time. Thus, more time online or greater time in hi-tech leisure rather than experiencing the wonders brought by books.
This is a depressing truth about us. If I were to assess it, I’d say 27% of Filipinos read diligently. The other 73% belittles the benefits that a book holds. I, personally, make it a point to read a book, whether it be fiction, factual, a collection of poems, etc. and it isn’t that hard giving some slack to reading.
Still, I believe it isn’t too late to have a book in one’s hands. We just need to be more driven and encouraged to read. We need to be enlightened that reading is more than an activity, or more than a hobby. It’s a gift, a privilege and an essential component to get by in everyday.
If I may also add, reading books from Filipino authors may be of help. The creative minds of these authors will surely take you on new horizons and will ignite your passion to read. More than that, by this act, you can also promote the greatness of Filipino writers.
I'm not that much interested in book reading and this selection tells me why I feel that. And it's true. I don't enjoy reading long novels and I find it boring so I stick with reading maybe books of jokes or quotes but seldom reading novels or stories. Because, not just It's a waste of time reading books but it's hard to understand due to lack of interest. 🙂
In my own opinion, I agree with this article. Most Filipinos are certainly not book lovers. Even with the family I belong in, not even one of us would think of a good book as a Christmas gift or even a birthday present. Though I also have friends who love immersing themselves with a book, i can tell you that they are very few.
Maybe the Filipinos who are not much avid fans of books have their own reasons. In this case, I am going to state my own. I really get sleepy reading a book, especially one that contains unfamiliar words to me. Also, I have hard time concentrating on reading. I close a book immediately after I get bored, or I'm dragged to do another thing. Still, I'm hoping that a day will come and I'll also enjoy the same delight as booklovers do.
This article was written during the post-martial law "era". This fact may have affected the attitude of the filipinos towards literacy and reading books. Reading may not have been as popular because they might still be haunted by the martial law that had happened and this affected their view in some ways. Then again, what do I know? I wasn't in this world back then.
I'd also like to point out that this article is more than 2 decades old (if I'm not mistaken.) This is almost unreliable and not accurate. Like time, people change. Society change. Opinions change, and it IS still changing. My opinion may be biased since I, myself, am a bookworm, but I think otherwise towards this article. I will admit that there has been a problem with regard to enticing teens to read but when I look around, I do see a good amount of teens finding their corner and reading their favorite novel. What I do hope to happen in the near future though, is for the number of teens that read books to grow even more.
I agree with most of what has been said in this article since I am not a bookworm either and I can say that from my point of view, the majority of the Filipino youth are not book lovers at all. If there is one thing that I can truly blame for the declination of the youth's interest in reading, I can only think of technology being the antagonist in the picture and not merely just our culture and values.
Technology has advanced so rapidly during the last 200 years and it has introduced to humankind a newer, more practical way of living that year by year, older forms get wiped out and left behind. The same thing is currently happening to books and other literary forms, not only in this country but also in others. The only difference is that it is already so significant here because it has already affected the performance of our nation as a whole.
I guess the only hope that our nation can hold on to is for the education system to be stricter and to impose more readings in the curriculum. This way, students will be more engaged in reading which is crucial in developing their intellectual capacity and at the same time, using their creativity and imagination as they are consumed within an alternate reality that only a book can truly offer.
I agree with this article. The author has a point that Filipinos in general aren't fond of reading books because they prefer movies and tv shows which are easier to understand. Yes, that's true. But it doesn't help you in expanding your imagination and your creative minds work. I think this issue should be taken seriously. I admit that I am not a book lover back then. I hated books, especially those with no pictures that totally bored me. But then I started having interest in fictional books when I got to read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Series. I realized that after I've read them, my English skills were better than before. Reading books actually practiced my vocabulary and grammar. By then, I knew that books are the most important resources in learning. Filipino people, especially the younger generations, should be aware that books are a lot more helpful than any other forms of media there is (like the internet), because when you read a book, not only that you gain knowledge, but it helps your mind to work as well.
Though the author makes some interesting points, I must stick him for focusing on only the Filipinos' easygoing attitude, which is quite true but hardly the only and most important reason for our lack of interest in books—a clear show of the author's narrow-minded point of view.
We Filipinos love learning, and thus love any sort of media that would bring us some new bits of information or ideas. Blessed country that we are, however, a majority of our population would rather focus their time, energy and resources on their survival, to nurse their daily needs than to nourish their hungry minds. They, as well as people from many parts of the world, consider 'reading' a luxury, which, in itself, is a very sad thought.
Another is that, this age has better, easier access to information. Times have changed; we have the technology to find whatever we want to see or read via the internet, and even if you don't have your own computer at home, renting one outside comes cheap enough that everyone can access it. It's a rather base argument, but it works. I, myself, am a Filipina bookworm, and I've read most of the books I learned to love through the internet. Sadly, this bright side casts a shadow as well. We have the technology, easier access and all, but we use it for something else, most of the time for meaningless pleasure.
And the Filipino love for light and laughter pops up again. Yes, we are an easygoing people but so much that we would trade the beauty of written works for light-hearted and, oftentimes, pointless materials? No, I don't think so. Alright, maybe. But I believe the major cause of this is the training of a child, his education and his too-early exposure to mass media that is, frankly, full of gossip and shallow talks. This doesn't, however, apply to everyone—I'm looking at you, O dear writer of this article I frown upon.
Filipinos are passionate readers with a vast imagination. Maybe not all, but many, at least. If only we could steer the lost ones back to the path of light, of appreciating the beauty of human's creativity. . .
I would agree to a few portions of the article such as instead of having bookshops, we Filipinos prefer salons, sari-sari stores and alike and that in this generation reading books is not that popular but I would also disagree with the imposition that the author is telling in the article, that Filipinos would never learn to love books. I think it is not the matter of silence or concentration, it is just that Filipinos prefer books or written works that are closely related to their lives and culture. Just like what they watch on television, they do not just watch a segment or a show just because they feel like it but rather it is something that they can relate to. Most Filipinos are trying to find the right kind of reading material that is simple yet captures their emotions because they could relate it. Also the mere fact of having less bookshops in the country is not a major indicator that Filipinos are not book lovers. They may not read the book itself for not having the leisure of buying a 100 peso worth of book but rather they choose to read through e-books in the internet which would only cause them 15 pesos per hour in the computer shop or maybe even free if the location is wi-fi. Nobody could really tell if Filipinos would be or would not be book lovers, we are all different and have our own preferences so I believe that just by some mere factors, it is not the end of the line for Filipinos to enhance and learn to love even more the books and written materials for them.
I would agree to a few portions of the article such as instead of having bookshops, we Filipinos prefer salons, sari-sari stores and alike and that in this generation reading books is not that popular but I would also disagree with the imposition that the author is telling in the article, that Filipinos would never learn to love books. I think it is not the matter of silence or concentration, it is just that Filipinos prefer books or written works that are closely related to their lives and culture. Just like what they watch on television, they do not just watch a segment or a show just because they feel like it but rather it is something that they can relate to. Most Filipinos are trying to find the right kind of reading material that is simple yet captures their emotions because they could relate it. Also the mere fact of having less bookshops in the country is not a major indicator that Filipinos are not book lovers. They may not read the book itself for not having the leisure of buying a 100 peso worth of book but rather they choose to read through e-books in the internet which would only cause them 15 pesos per hour in the computer shop or maybe even free if the location is wi-fi. Nobody could really tell if Filipinos would be or would not be book lovers, we are all different and have our own preferences so I believe that just by some mere factors, it is not the end of the line for Filipinos to enhance and learn to love even more the books and written materials for them.
I honestly agree with the article, though I know a number of people who are really book lovers. Reading can never come across in Filipino’s minds maybe because in the first place, they weren’t given a chance to appreciate it. For some, the only book they have encountered is an academic book or the books we use in school. And for all we know, it wasn’t that appealing to the eyes – all the small texts and the long paragraphs. From that history, maybe since then, Filipino’s didn’t had a chance to establish an interest in reading. Also the ningas-cugon we have inherited from our roots adds a factor for Filipinos to not appreciate the value of books. Filipinos can’t wait to get to the middle part of the book and actually get the real story of it. Why waste an effort to read when you can sit dully in front of a television and get the story in minutes? I think, in time, when one book appeals to a Filipino and actually appreciates or enjoys its story, a reading interest may grow in him and establish a reading attention.
I somehow agree with the article, though I know a number of people who are really book lovers. Reading can never come across in Filipino’s minds maybe because in the first place, they weren’t given a chance to appreciate it. For some, the only book they have encountered is an academic book or the books we use in school. And for all we know, it wasn’t that appealing to the eyes – all the small texts and the long paragraphs. From that history, maybe since then, Filipino’s didn’t had a chance to establish an interest in reading. Also the ningas-cugon we have inherited from our roots adds a factor for Filipinos to not appreciate the value of books. Filipinos can’t wait to get to the middle part of the book and actually get the real story of it. Why waste an effort to read when you can sit dully in front of a television and get the story in minutes? I think, in time, when one book appeals to a Filipino and actually appreciates or enjoys its story, a reading interest may grow in him and establish a reading attention.
Even though the article was written several years ago, some statements are still factual in our present situation. Many Filipinos are vocal that they do not usually spend their time reading books; however, it does not mean that Filipinos are not book lovers. We can say that a lot of Filipinos are book lovers but some really have the tendencies of getting bored even without finishing a single page. I have known a lot of people who enjoy reading books because it provides them knowledge and entertainment, but many Filipinos who are book lovers alter their leisure pursuit for some books are quite expensive and also because of time constraint.
Some Filipinos may not be a book lover, but I can certainly attest that other medium cannot simply obliterate the knowledge that books provide the Filipinos and other individuals. It's never too late for us to appreciate the good things our cultivated books impart us.
People have concluded that filipino people have a habit of being too lazy to read books. But I believe much of this has to do with the other forms of entertainment available. Television, movies, the internet all do the "imagining" for you, . But, with a book, you have to imagine the setting, characters, etc. Other forms of media don't require that of us they don't require us to think or imagine or be creative in any way. Instead they could create negative effects that would lead us to become to lazy to really think or imagine for ourselves. The answer then and there in order to solve this problem is to go back to one of the basic sources of information like books. Reading books is very important because words that we find too difficult to understand can add up to our vocabulary, It also helps keep us filipinos oriented and engaged. Science, history, biography, self-help-our picture of our world and the world around us is "filled in" a little more with each book we read. Also, we could gain ideas and opinions on certain things from reading, we broaden our knowledge on several things and learn to think out of the box and push ourselves to the limit. The key to learning is better reading habit. From this “life-long learning” skill, one can develop the ability to learn so much more These are important elements for building individual competence and achievement.
I agree, that Filipinos today especially teenagers mostly felt bored when reading and I admit that love I don’t love reading books but I rather read newspapers and few other printed media. This was a depressing fact about Filipinos; accepting that I’m one of those Filipinos.
I agree, that Filipinos today especially teenagers mostly felt bored when reading and I admit that I don’t love reading books but I rather read newspapers and few other printed media. This was a depressing fact about Filipinos; accepting that I’m one of those Filipinos.
I agree though I'm a Filipino and I like to read a lot. There were times that I feel ashamed to read in public because some people find it peculiar and their stares made me feel intimidated and uncomfortable. I remember the time when I brought with me my hard bound black-covered book and one of my classmate asked me if I'm reading a bible. I don't know why some Filipinos joked about that. It is normal to read a book buy they always take it as if it is a big deal.
I think that one major reason why Filipinos never find reading a book amusing beacuse they are so busy working and earning money. We are in a third world country and not all Filipinos afford to buy a single book and some can't even afford to supply their basic needs everyday.
Another is the time, Filipinos dont have much time to relax and read books. Other will say that it's too boring to read a book and they will instead spent their time doing things that will benefit them.I think that our culture influence our attitude in reading.
It shows that Filipinos are not meant to read books. Our traits excel for other activities and not for reading books. I honestly dont read books and hate reading books. I dont know why, maybe because reading books seems to be boring for me. I wish that one day, Filipinos will love reading books and other literary works. I only read my lessons. ahahaha thats all, no other literary works. Maybe someday ill start reading books and encourage everyone to read some books.
I, myself, am not a booklover. I do read books but it is not my all-time favorite hobby. I’d rather watch television than read an 873-paged book. It is very seldom for me to dedicate my time in reading because I feel sleepy and I always get lazy to pull a dictionary and expand my vocabulary.
In my opinion, an additional cause to why most Filipinos are not booklovers is the technology we have right now. There are computer shops everywhere. I even saw 4 consecutive computer shops in just one street and they are full of teenagers playing games, going online on Facebook, or watching videos on Youtube. “..we don’t mean sheer poverty either, for even among the richest Filipinos, they hardly read books.” Filipinos also use gadgets such as iPod, cellphone, laptop, PSP, Xbox, Wii, etc. to entertain themselves. These new sources of enjoyment are digital. People are amazed by their features and their functions therefore they dedicate more time to use them. “Solitude na, ideas pa, and then silence? It is too much for average Filipino….. And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span.” The fact that people can get information and leisure from these gadgets without difficulty gives them the motive to not try other sources of data such as books, newspapers, etc. which require more time and understanding.
I also agree to the statement “we prefer our conflicts played out among personalities rather than in ideas – it’s much easier that way and more exciting.” Everyday there are shows, cartoons, news, music videos, telenovelas, etc. aired on TV. People watch these shows because they can connect their situation to the show or just to entertain themselves. Willie Revillame is one of the most influential people in television. No matter what time his show is and becomes, Filipinos (mostly the lower and middle classes of our society) still watch him, love him and adore him because of his kindness. They wouldn’t miss an episode of his show. They always say how much they idolize him and how much they are thankful to have someone like him who helps a lot of people.
The basic source and enhancer of knowledge is starting to be ignored. I just hope it won’t totally be replaced by gadgets one day.
I do agree with the author, because I, myself, am not fond of reading books. For me, reading is not that entertaining. I tend to get bored easily when reading books especially if its very long. I lose my patience easily, and sometimes I also find it hard to understand some of the words which make me really bored of reading it. I feel lazy to find the words I don’t understand in the dictionary. I’d rather watch TV or movies because it’s more fun to do. I think Filipinos are not that so-called “booklovers”, because for me if you say booklover, it means that a person who loves to collect and read books as a hobby or every time he/she has free time. There are other means of printed media like newspaper and magazines which some Filipinos love to read. It’s just that books aren’t their choice, maybe because of some reasons. But I do think that I should start reading books to help me expand my vocabulary.
I disagree with the statement that Filipinos are not book lovers. By saying the statement that the Filipinos are not book lovers, it refer to the whole Filipino society. That’s why I disagree. Not all Filipinos find reading books boring or not entertaining. True, there are Filipinos that prefer watching films rather than reading the book. But, there are also Filipinos that read the book, then watch the film and still find the book more detailed and entertaining. It is also true, that most Filipinos spend their time partying and surfing the net. Sure, they try reading, but then they are easily distracted by the new technology and other forms of media to keep them entertained, thus leading the book to be covered in dust in the corner, but not all Filipinos are like that. There are still Filipinos who prefer solitude and peace and their company is just a book. One more thing, how can you say that all the Filipinos are not book lovers considering that fact that there are Filipinos who wants to read yet they couldn’t afford to because they are suffering from poverty. They can’t afford to supply their meals 3 times a day, much less buy a book, even if it’s only second hand. Given the chance that they could afford to buy books, they would because they want to read and they eager to learn. Not all Filipinos have the chance to buy and read books. I’m not disagreeing entirely, because I know that there are Filipinos who are not book lovers and would prefer other forms of media that can entertain them as well.
For me this article is a fact. If you will take a survey of every filipinos, obviously more filipinos would prefer watching movies and TV than reading books. Maybe because books are expensive in the Philippines than the other countries. Filipinos used to bond with their family and friends when watching movies and TV and because of the books made into movies. Why would you waste a day or more when you can do it in a quicker way where you can also do multitasking?
On my part, reading is not just knowing what is the story about. I want to work with my imagination and creativity, I cannot do that by just watching, that is why sometimes I get disappointed if the movie did not reached my expectations of the book I have read.
I honestly conclude that I am not a book lover but I do appreaciate that reading helps a lot. As what my 4th year teacher has told me. Reading helps a lot in many ways that we never count in, it develops the mind which make one understand and helps one grow in ability that make one a good listener. This really speaks the truth and am i say it is proven true! I think Filipino read not that real often in our present days. They were too busy to gain money, to enjoy life and some find it boring.. but some really have the courage, discipline and patience to be a book lover which requires as being as such. And because technology impedes Filipino readers are now diminishing in fact many social factors affects a lot. They allot their time surfing the net but people have their own ways to get informed. It is quite alarming that reality shows that most of us wants to have instant way of life.
I agree with the article that Filipinos are not book lovers. In our time today, people are more exposed to gadgets, technologies and media. Instead of reading informational books, teenagers are always in front of a computer playing games. Nowadays, students tend to search their answers in the internet and not in books. Everyday, there are newly developed gadgets and technologies arises that captures people's interest that's why books are being ignored. I can say that even myself is not into books and spend most of my time in front of a computer. I read books, yes, but not educational ones. I read books which caught my interest like Twilight and Harry Potter. This article made me realize what I was missing every time I waste my time doing nonsense.
the article is great! it only speaks for the truth. i like reading books most of them are about love, murders, mystery, horror, about God the positive and the negative one, and some of the educational books. i know that some of us Filipinos don't like books because some says that books are thick and sometimes they prefer watching the movie that reading the book where it was first known. we also want to be IN with the gadgets that distracts us from recognizing books. the truth hurts, everybody knows that but maybe the truth can serve as a wake up call for us or better it will change our point of view.
Reading books is the most productive activity as it improves our vocabulary and our word power. It is a kind of activity that includes higher concentration and improves the conversation or communication skills. But sad to say that Filipinos are not book lovers. Filipinos prefer to read media other than print, such as the Net. Perhaps other turn to other types of entertainment, such as TV. And some books are not that affordable. And Filipinos have to spend their money on their basic needs first. The interests of the Filipinos are also different. Most of them likes going out with their friends, going to the mall, and spending time with their family. Filipinos don't like to be alone. This are only some of the factors why Filipinos are not book lovers. Another factor is that libraries are not really that popular in our country. Unlike in the other countries every community has their own library where everyone can go and visit.
Reading is really important because it enables the mind to discover new things and information. It exposes you to more information and it improves reasoning skills and develop our capabilities.
For me, not all filipinos hate to read books. why? because i'm a filipino but i love to read books because i know that it helps our brain to think critically
and i don't think that this issue only applies to filipino people because in the other country this is also an issue.
This issue is one of our topic on world literature last semester that why people don't have enough time to visit a bookstore and read a book specially for men. So i know that not only filipino people show less effort in reading books.
I believe there are reasons why some filipinos or some people all over the world show less interest in reading books.
Let's face the fact that Philippines is a developing country so less fortunate people would tend to buy food instead of a book and we can't blame them for that. They need to prioritize their basic needs. Also, teenagers would rather surf the net and visit networking sites or will use their free time to use their gadgets. Gadgets is another factor why some people(not only filipinos) would rather search what they need in the internet because it take less effort rather than search on a book. Let's face the fact that our time today is more modernize and we can do things in its easier way.
While Adults specially for men don't have enough time to read because they would rather work and do something to make money than to read a book and see their family suffer.
Yes I agree that reading is one of the reasons why Philippines is still lag behind other countries because not all citizens are aware of problems in our country or all over the world. but, not all books could help our country for developing. We still need to chose a right book to read.
It is a sad thing that people doesn't have enough time to read because reading is important in learning and as I've said it helps our mind to think critically.
I know there's still a time for change and for betterment and we could start it on ourselves and read so people around us would realize what they are missing. but, we need to understand that everyone has a free will if to read or not to read.
But, this article could help young people like me to see the importance of reading not only for ourselves but for our country's development.
honestly, i disagree and agree with what this article has to say. DISAGREE because as a filipino, i think people change as time pass by. maybe the ones who doesn't love to read books before realized that reading has a lot of impact to them and reading is such an intellectual challenge to all of us. it enables us to think critically in any sense. AGREE because as a teenager, i personally believe that majority of the young people in this generation are so much fond of gadgets, social networking sites, mall-ing, partying and such, rather than staying at some place quiet and reading.
It's true that almost all Filipinos are not fond of reading literary pieces. I think that this is because they do not have enough patience to read books. They easily get bored just by staring at a book containing perhaps, 100-300 pages (or more) with nothing but texts. I've had a lot of friends who do not enjoy reading books, unless these books have illustrations drawn in every pages.
Also, I totally agree with what was mentioned in the article, that Filipinos hate solitude. I think they would enjoy it more if they discuss the story with their friends or family, rather than spend a great amount of time reading a book. Filipinos are way too "social" to actually spend time alone with a book.
But despite all that, I have to point out the fact that there are some Filipinos who are really book-lovers. I, myself am actually fond of reading. Although I've not tried reading some of the famous books (Like for example, Twilight or Harry Potter), I have read quite a great number of books that fits my interests ^^
To be honest, I do not see myself as a bookworm. I'm not that fond in imagining things just like what those books out there require us to do, yet, I consider myself as an average book reader because my interest still depends on what is being told to the readers. What I prefer the most are those books which could offer life advices, ways to improve places, especially my very own country, etc.. I find this blog very true for most of us Filipinos, YES, we should read a lot, or else, we will be forever left behind by other countries. Let us free ourselves from being "ningas- cogon". Maybe someday, I will more adore reading novels and other forms of literature and encourage other people to do the same. I believe that there shouldn't be any place for illiteracy.
I totally agree with all of the contents that had been written. Although it was written a decade ago, but there's still have the point that Filipinos should be aware, and it's still happening right now. Almost of the youth here in our country are not reading books, and instead of it, they're depending on the technology we have today. I actually admit that I may not be a book-lover but I really have a BIG interest in reading any kind of books, whether it's a fictional or non-fictional, or let's say, it's an imaginative or factual situations. I understand why most of our lower-class fellowmen are not reading books, and it's because the poverty that affected them, but in the future, we should promote reading books for the youth to help them not just building their vocabulary, but also to have a creative ideas in solving one's situation stated in book, and also to have knowledge in the world of imagination.
One thing that I saw the sad example of reality, and that's Filipinos hating solitude. They don't want themselves to be alone in many things. They want to enjoy themselves with their friends, or peers like watching book-based movies or TV dramas, and that's what I annoyed for. Why should they rely on those movies that based from books like Harry Potter, Twilight, etc.? There are all of those books, standing on the bookshelf, but is not used. Oh, what a truth really hurts!
I agree though I'm a Filipino and I like to read a lot. There were times that I feel ashamed to read in public because some people find it peculiar and their stares made me feel intimidated and uncomfortable. I remember the time when I brought with me my hard bound black-covered book and one of my classmate asked me if I'm reading a bible. I don't know why some Filipinos joked about that. It is normal to read a book but they always take it as if it is a big deal.
I also want to agree with Filipinos hating solitude. It is true that Filipinos would rather smile and act as if nothing is wrong with them. It is one of the characteristics as Filipinos though it is not always good to always smile whenever we have problems.
I think that one major reason why Filipinos never find reading a book amusing because they are so busy working and earning money. We are in a third world country and not all Filipinos can afford to buy a single book and some can't even afford to supply their basic needs everyday. Instead of buying a piece of book, most Filipinos would rather save the money or use the money for basic expenses.
Another is the time, Filipinos don't have much time to relax and read books. Other will say that it's too boring to read a book and they will instead spent their time doing things that will benefit them. I sometimes asked one of my friend why she can't finish a hundred pages novel, she told me that she can't get anything from reading books. It is so sad to think that most Filipinos belittle reading. They will not experience the fun and knowledge that they can get in reading novels, poems and other reading materials. I think that Filipinos will find it hard to appreciate reading because it is the culture influence our attitude in reading.
I hope that in the near future a lot of Filipinos will appreciate the beauty of reading because those Filipinos who don't love to read missed one of the most important experience in their life. There is so much more in reading. 🙂
Honestly, I seldom read books aside from my school books of course. I read a book if only i am interested in the genre, like for example, The Twilight Saga and Harry Potter Series, I finished reading those books.Tho i read pocketbooks, the PHR ones..hahahahaha! I dunno why Filipinos hate reading books. Maybe most of them feel like it will consume a lot of their precious time, so instead of reading they just spend their time earning money. And also i think some Filipinos think that reading is BORING. But in fact, once you start reading a very interesting book of some sort, you will not feel bored because you will find yourself enjoying the book. hahahaha! that's all, wishing that someday, most if not all filipinos will love to read books 🙂
I agree that most of the Filipinos spend their time elsewhere than in the quiet while reading a book. The sight of these thick volumes and tiny letters seem to make most Filipinos dizzy. Filipinos would initially react whenever given a long reading assignment in school, probably because they were never used to reading small materials when they were little and so when they grew, they never formed the habit of reading books. As the author said, reading a book requires patience and endurance. Much more, it requires concentration and must be read in silence. Most Filipinos hate silence, we love to talk and to laugh most of the time. Filipinos are known to be naturally joyful. While reading a book is joyful for those who know it, since it is done in silence, it doesn't get the impression of being a joyful thing to do. And so, most of the Filipinos try to avoid it since being silent for a long time for us is not far from being lonely or "emo".
Still there are some Filipinos who read despite the hassle of it. But often times, they read those ones with catchy titles and usually don’t finish reading everything. Filipinos have short attention span. After reading a few paragraphs of a book they were interested a few minutes ago, they would think that they’d rather do their normal routine than spend their precious time doing something out of the ordinary. Yes, reading for Filipinos is out of the ordinary, everyday routine except for those who love books of course. There are a few number who still read not for the sake of reading but because they love to read. They are the ones who know the true joy of reading. Much is learned from books, a single book can even change people’s lives. But because of our wrong connotation of reading, only a few have realized the magic of it.
I totally agree with the author because I too, is not a book lover especially when it comes to thick books with no pictures. :l But I do read some (super rare) books that is somewhat related to my life and when a book tickles my mind and when I am obliged to read. Well, i also think that it is in our culture that we don't love to read books and when your parents did not practice you to read books. I also think that most Filipino are easily distracted, especially the youth, with the things around and became addicted to some entertaining things which is not necessary to life.
If we will look at a bigger picture it is a disadvantage for us not to read important literary writings that most of the Filipino call as "boring" materials. These materials are so real that we need to take time understanding it and making time to do something. We should also see the connection between the written materials and us the reader because I believe that we are all connected. I think I need to practice and soon love reading for I know I can get something like it will improve my vocabulary skills and i'm knowledgeable about the things around me and I can analyze little by little difficult readings. 🙂 Thank you author for making us realize that reading is important in our lives and we should not neglect it. 🙂
I think I agree with the author. But, I guess, the Filipinos now have already learned to read books. When I was in high school, we used to have Home Reading Reports or Book Reports and I think, it helped us a lot. It made us like to read books and LOVE to read books. On the other hand, those people with no enough money to buy, or those who are unfortunate to go to school are the ones who I think should be taught to read and read and read. They are the unlucky ones because they were not given the chance to love reading different kinds of books or other reading materials. So I guess, poverty is what made the Filipinos not to be book lovers. 🙂
Even for a 24-year old article, the text retains a timeless truth in it. The over-all implication is that Filipinos appear to disentangle themselves to the "one of the most demanding forms of intellectual engagement."
The reasons Filipinos do not read, according to the article, are their distaste to solitude and silence, impatience that leads to our "ningas-cogon" attitude, and to our ignorance to ideas.
I agree with all those reasons but thought it was rather shallow. To stereotype Filipinos as people who are incapable of finishing a book is somewhat offensive although it is true at some point.
To blame Filipinos' distance from being book lovers to solitude is childish. The 21st century man can stay in his room for long hours just listening to his Ipod or watching a movie in HBO wherein he is completely alone. The problem is that some Filipinos ('some' because I know many people who read) were not brought up to like reading or even books. At most, these non-book readers only read newspapers, a fast and easy access to information; Filipinos does not have much luxury of time to read thick books and so they resort to the easier way. They would rather spend time working to earn
money or sleeping in order to rest their tired body. Filipinos are not interested to read because they are not used to it.
Since they are not inclined, they do not appreciate the full extent of reading; they close the book as soon as they open it. Because of this lack of interest, they also lack the enough equipment and capability to understand the "horrid symbolism" and deeper meaning in between the sentences. I agree with the author's when he pointed out about impatience of Filipino readers.
I had to google who Virginia Woolf was to get the gist of what she has done and understood that she was used as a bar of comparison to Filipinos who would not achieve much in just venturing into petty literary writing. True enough, we have to have substance in what we write and look for more in what we read. The author cited Virginia Woolf as a force to be reckoned with at the turn of the (19th) century; he has not foreseen that in another "turn of the century", the world saw a new wave of literary form.
Twenty four years ago, Filipinos were ignorant of the magic of books. At present, they may have improved a little. I say "a little" because we saw how Bob Ong's books were received by Filipinos although it is not patterned from traditional Filipino literature. On the other hand, bookstores are now growing in number. Not to mention the amount of people who frequent second-hand book stalls; some of them even exchanging opinions of a book they recently finished reading.
In the latter part of the article, it is agreeable that even the famous personalities do not engage much into reading and it may pose as a threat to the development of the nation. A 'book-evasive' leader means an equally book-repulsive country folk. In the end, it can also boil down to the lack of charismatic writers in the country wherein the reasons stated above can also be highly applicable to the predicament of the lesser number Filipino writers.
It is up for Filipinos if they want to stay slumped into the almost stagnant literary scene in the country or strive hard to make a moving spirit that touches the nation into better persons with better perspectives because of a book they have successfully comprehended.
And also it’s not that it is too much for an average Filipinos (like me) to handle ideas however it has become part of our behavior as a Filipino to be sentimental and emotional that’s why we prefer reading things that are closely related to us or something that we can relate to.
On the other hand, it is also a part of being Filipino to be “MAPAMARAAN” the reason why we often see students going one place to another to photocopy books. Well what I’m really trying to say is that Filipinos will do all the possible things they could do to fulfill their desire to read, Though it’s hard for some to buy and collect books. Filipinos still LOVE to read and I guess it all that matters.
And also it’s not that it is too much for an average Filipinos (like me) to handle ideas however it has become part of our behavior as a Filipino to be sentimental and emotional that’s why we prefer reading things that are closely related to us or something that we can relate to. On the other hand, it is also a part of being Filipino to be “MAPAMARAAN” the reason why we often see students going one place to another to photocopy books. Well what I’m really trying to say is that Filipinos will do all the possible things they could do to fulfill their desire to read, Though it’s hard for some to buy and collect books. Filipinos still LOVE to read and I guess it all that matters.
Books are expensive and not all the school libraries in our country are capable of providing such materials. And Filipinos tend to be more practical nowadays by saving their money to meet their basic needs rather than spending it for books.
Though it’s a sensible topic to discussed but aren’t you being too judgmental about Filipinos? It feels like what you really trying to convey is that Filipinos are too lazy to read books or any reading materials. Like Imelda Marcos, it’s not right to call her a non-reader just because we don’t see her read a book from cover to cover.How can we tell? We’re not with her 24/7 to watch every action she made.
I think Filipinos do love to read but due to some factors (way of living, educational background, work, etc.) their desire to read is greatly affected. Even if Filipinos want to spend their time reading and collecting books they can’t.
Books are expensive and not all the school libraries in our country are capable of providing such materials. And Filipinos tend to be more practical nowadays by saving their money to meet their basic needs rather than spending it for books.
And also it’s not that it is too much for an average Filipinos (like me) to handle ideas however it has become part of our behavior as a Filipino to be sentimental and emotional that’s why we prefer reading things that are closely related to us or something that we can relate to. On the other hand, it is also a part of being Filipino to be “MAPAMARAAN” the reason why we often see students going one place to another to photocopy books. Well what I’m really trying to say is that Filipinos will do all the possible things they could do to fulfill their desire to read, Though it’s hard for some to buy and collect books. Filipinos still LOVE to read and I guess it all that matters.
by.. Dominique
I agree with author's opinion. I don't see much friends who loves reading.
And frankly, I admit that I don't like reading.
Somehow, It's obvious that filipino prefer to talk with their friends than reading a book alone.
Because they are very much friendly. It is also good to spend time with friends.
But i think they must use time wisely and recognize the importance of reading.
If they spend more time on reading, they can be a better person.
I believe that lots of reading can even change the destiny of a person.
If you read my comment to the end, may be you can notice that i use "they" instead of "we".
Because I am a korean. but I don't want you to misunderstand that I am just criticizing filipinos.
I just made a comment about the selection "Filipinos are not book lovers, is true?"..
But I think it is not only the problem of the filipino but also the problem of every people of the world who doesn't read a lot…like me^^;;
I agree with author's opinion. I don't see much friends who loves reading.
And frankly, I admit that I don't like reading.
Somehow, It's obvious that filipinos prefer to talk with their friends than reading a book alone.
Because they are very much friendly. It is also good to spend time with friends.
But i think they must use time wisely and recognize the importance of reading.
If they spend more time on reading, they can be a better person.
I believe that lots of reading can even change the destiny of a person.
If you read my comment to the end, may be you can notice that i use "they" instead of "we".
Because I am a korean. but I don't want you to misunderstand that I am just criticizing filipinos.
I just made a comment about the selection "Filipinos are not book lovers, is true?"..
But I think it is not only the problem of the filipino but also the problem of every people of the world who doesn't read a lot…like me^^;;
Though it’s a sensible topic to discussed but aren’t you being too judgmental about Filipinos? It feels like what you really trying to convey is that Filipinos are too lazy to read books or any reading materials. Like Imelda Marcos, it’s not right to call her a non-reader just because we don’t see her read a book from cover to cover.How can we tell? We’re not with her 24/7 to watch every action she made.
I think Filipinos do love to read but due to some factors (way of living, educational background, work, etc.) their desire to read is greatly affected. Even if Filipinos want to spend their time reading and collecting books they can’t.
Books are expensive and not all the school libraries in our country are capable of providing such materials. And Filipinos tend to be more practical nowadays by saving their money to meet their basic needs rather than spending it for books.
And also it’s not that it is too much for an average Filipinos (like me) to handle ideas however it has become part of our behavior as a Filipino to be sentimental and emotional that’s why we prefer reading things that are closely related to us or something that we can relate to. On the other hand, it is also a part of being Filipino to be “MAPAMARAAN” the reason why we often see students going one place to another to photocopy books. Well what I’m really trying to say is that Filipinos will do all the possible things they could do to fulfill their desire to read, Though it’s hard for some to buy and collect books. Filipinos still LOVE to read and I guess it all that matters.
Though it's hard to admit, it is true that most of the Filipino population don't engage themselves in reading. What's worse is that the children nowadays no longer find joy in reading books and instead waste their time and money playing in computer shops. I count myself as a "bookworm" and it makes me sad every time I encounter people who doesn't share the same interest as mine because, I think, reading books is one way on how we can develop new relationships with others. It helps us gain more knowledge and even help some with their vocabulary. But, Filipinos don't understand this and, instead, complain that reading books is a very boring activity.
I somehow agree with the author. Reading is indeed against our culture. Most Filipinos do not find it agreeable for them to spend hours of silence and understanding and that we hate being alone.
For me, the main reason why Filipinos hate reading has something to do with the educational system here in our country. Teachers assign students to read books which are very hard to understand. As an effect, Filipino students get disinterested in reading. Another reason is that Filipinos nowadays are too busy working. When they have a free time they’d rather spend hours in malls and watch movies.
On the other hand, I think we Filipinos still have the chance to change. Who knows, maybe someday we Filipinos will find reading very enjoyable.
I disagree with this most of the statements in this article. Though not everything about it is wrong, one can’t generalize that Filipinos are not book lovers.
There may be poverty, embarrassment and don’t-have-time-for-that issues, but those are just excuses. Filipinos love entertainment. There may be other forms of entertainment, but each person is different. Filipinos like to play around with ideas, giving an extra fun feeling figuring out those characters, plots and symbolisms. All Filipinos have the drive for this. The attitude needs a little waking up. They are still struggling, like diamonds in the rough. They are not afraid of solitude. Filipinos are hard-working, and when they relax, take a break or go on a vacation they bring books with them. Its just them and their book and that alone makes them enjoy the time relaxing. They enjoy that time, the time for entertainment, leisure time. There may even be statistics that some people would not confess that they read because they are afraid of what society will think of them. The good part there is they do read.
I found reading totally boring before. My books would just stay in my room untouched. At the present, my perspective on reading is gradually changing. I read not because I need to for school, I read because it’s fun and interesting. This may also be the case for other Filipinos, their view on reading maybe changing. If Filipinos are not really into books then why would there be a Filipino readers conference that started over 32 years ago? Why would there be a lot of bookstores in each mall? Big stores like Fully Booked, Powerbooks, National Bookstore and others? Why would there be a lot of them in the Philippines if Filipinos paid no attention to books.
I do know a lot people who are not a fan of reading books but I do know also several people who just love them. I’m being positive that the outcome of this article would raise people’s consciousness and get Filipinos to prove the author wrong.
I think that all the things written in this article is true. I guess most of us, Filipinos care more for our physical looks than what the brain has. I also think that being Family-oriented is also one of the reasons why we, Filipinos do not want to be isolated and be alone. We have this connotation that being alone is being lonely and miserable. That may be a reason why we are scared to try to be alone or have sometime alone. Most of us also do not like to read long printed materials. Seeing a thick book makes us already lazy to even start opening the book. For most of the Filipinos, reading is boring. Filipinos are also fun of socializing and having parties which most of us prefer than reading and writing. I think this article can open the eyes of many readers like me that reading makes a great difference in each one’s life and even the nation’s progress. This article is teaching us that reading makes smart readers and not just readers but smart people and citizen as to Japan and their people. This is also teaching us to pick the right leader for our country, the one that possess all the characteristics and requirements in being a great leader not only for this country but in every institution. May be after we learn how to READ, we can also learn how to WRITE, as this article is hoping us to do.
To each his own as time has changed. I disagree with the author, not every Filipino is incapable of liking reading. It is a matter of choice.
This article had been written a long time ago, I'm sure the author didn't put into consideration the possibility that people may change. Maybe in the past our sources were limited, but now they're not. With the fast paced development of technology, people have easier ways of gaining access on "books". Take E-books as an example, I have a lot of friends including me who would just prefer to download "E-books" rather than go and buy an actual 800+ pages' book. Does that mean we don't enjoy a book every now and then? Most people I know who show interest in reading are mostly busy with other things, they don't have the luxury of reading any time they want. Does that mean they don't value their passion for reading? As I've said at the beginning, it is a matter of choice. We choose not to read because we have limited time, limited access, limited knowledge, limited money, but that doesn't mean that we don't want to read. The same goes for someone who would rather watch the news than read an article from a newspaper, they probably didn't have that much time and had better things to do. Could you blame them?
I am a definite book-lover but with my busy schedule and limited access to books can you blame me for not reading as much as I would love to?
I agree that Filipinos nowadays are not book lovers. The article may be written ten years ago but the ideas on that still exist today. I think one of the many reasons why Filipinos dont read books a lot is because they are depending on our high technology today. Many Filipinos prefer to watch the movie version than reading books. Reading books require a lot of patience and wide understanding and many Filipinos are lack in this. some are easily gets bored, others when they saw that the book is very thick and they saw that it has a very long story, they will never read that but they will choose a book that has a short story or they will just find the summary on internet. I think this is the reason why there are a lot of Filipino stories that are written in short paragraph.
I agree with the author but not entirely. I believe that its a fact that filipino teenagers indulge in other stuff rather than reading. Its a problem that has a very unclear solution since teenagers would want things with "more action" or something to do with technology and fun. Readers know that reading is fun because of the content, but what bothers the teenagers is the actual reading part. Some wouldn't want to spend hours on reading if they can just listen to an audio book. I am a reader, and I love reading but sometimes technology can affect how we think. I think that the filipinos are just enjoying all other types of luxury rather than reading and I know that for some teenagers reading is something that is only done in school. I would just like to wish that someday people would want to read a good book and discover life through the power of Reading. 🙂
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I agree, Many Filipinos are not fond of reading. Being alone in solitude is not the Filipino way of life. We are a Family based nation meaning that we use our hearts more than our brains. Being alone reading a book doesn't give that satisfaction. That's why instead of reading books we love to watch the media where we can see heart warming events that feeds us with happiness. It is a fact that reading a book helps develop ones endurance, perseverance and patience 3 qualities that many Filipinos lack, Ningas-cogon, manyana habit, and the bahala na habit are proofs that we do lack these traits. It is in our culture, our way of life. Maybe someday enlightenment will come.
i am not a book lover pero nung nabasa ko to i find more interesting about this.
I somewhat disagree with the article. I don’t think all Filipinos are not book worms. Yes, Filipinos love entertainment and hates solitude but we should not categorize all of them as one. I think it’s very judgmental that we classify all Filipinos doesn’t like to read books and I think that the article’s implying indirectly that we are stubborn and too lazy to pick a book and read. Another thing, we should not compare the culture of Japan to our country. It is way different in Japan.
Filipinos in a way loves reading but due to some factors, Filipinos cannot perform or read books. First is education, not all Filipinos are educated. There is still the high population of poor people and also the out-of-school youth. Even though they strive to read a book, they cannot perform it either because of financial and educational problems. High percentage of illeteracy rates affects Filipinos in such a way that they are not able to read unless they go to school. Books are very expensive and not all Filipinos cannot afford to buy and also, not all libraries can provide the needs of every student. For their books are also limited. Filipinos are becoming more practical now, they first spend their money on basic needs instead of buying books. Work is also a factors because Filipinos nowadays are spending too much time at work that their time constraints them in reading books.
But in some point, I agree. Nowadays, even the fortunate Filipinos who can afford their needs and wants, they cannot engage themselves in reading. Maybe it is the force of habit that they don’t read books because all else are not reading. And maybe, because of the technology, Filipinos prefer movies than reading books. I admit, watching movies are more interesting than reading books. But because of this innovation, Filipinos tend to be more techie and that they want everything to be convenient and I think that watching movies more convenient rather than reading a book that takes days to finish. Also, most Filipinos wants interaction than being alone in a room with a book to read. I think that for them, it is more important that they interact with each other rather than analyzing a book. But we never know, maybe Filipinos someday might find reading enjoyable and fun.
I don't really know the state of the Filipinos 24 years ago when this article was made. I don't know how Filipinos lived, how their environment was, and what were their main priorities. But despite what this journalist said, I think reading has been a hobby of such a little percent of Filipinos then, or now, because of these factors;
Firstly, because of lack of education. It's all about quality education. But because of the mindset of the poor about the rich, they intend to just slack off saying "Nahhh. That bull's just for the rich people." "Only rich people read!" When handed a book, "What do you think of me, thinking of you?" Lol, just kidding. But yeah, that's my point. They have a certain mindset that only rich people can read. At least that's what I see NOW. As the time went by though, Filipinos became fonder of reading with the help of the internet. They get ideas that “this book was awesome!” “this movie was made from this book!” from people from all over the world, and so they continue reading, and they’d eventually love it.
Come to think of it, not all ‘Americans, Koreans, Japanese, or Russians, etc etc’ really like reading. And it comes to my second factor; it all depends on the person. Think of it like playing DOTA. Do all of us like playing that? Of course not! Especially the girls, only like, 10% of the girls (I think) does play it. I even saw this book in National Bookstore once (yup, I’m a bookworm btw) and the title said, “Guys Write because Guys Read”. I eventually learned that the book was made to prove that boys DO read. The author said that boys are not really known for being very fond of reading any kind of literary work, (except for comics maybe, if that may be a literary work) and so, he made the book to prove otherwise.
Another factor is poverty. I think this factor contributes to my first one, but it’s another subject altogether. Philippines is known as a “third world country”, meaning we’re not actually the richest country in the world. There are rich people here though, but there are more poor ones. So what do you think the poor people would prioritize to buy for their selves and their family? Would they buy books in place of food saying, “Oh children, come, read a book for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’ll surely be full of ideas and knowledge at the end of the day! ” And that’s not mentioning how much a book actually costs here in the Philippines. Especially one with quality!
So what I’m really trying to say is, the journalist who made the article did have a point. But the fact that “most” Filipinos don’t like reading very much is not rightfully to be blamed solely to our culture. Our culture is rich. WE ARE RICH. Some of us just haven’t realized it yet. And I hope it would be real soon now.
PS: Contradicting to the above article though, not ALL Filipinos don’t like to read. The only wrong thing he did in that article was to generalize our race. He should’ve said, “Most Filipinos” or something, because my Mom, who was probably in her twenties 24 years ago, LOVED reading. She’d tell me that ‘this’ was her favorite author, ‘that’ was her favorite book, yada yada yada. She even showed me the collection of books she had in the cabinet I didn’t know about. And it’s still there actually. So yeah, our culture does have something to do with why most Filipinos are not very fond of reading, but give it time, gradually, Filipinos will know what they need. They survived this long, right?
Though it's sad to admit, it is indeed true that most of the Filipino population don't engage themselves in reading. What's worse is that the younger generation nowadays no longer find joy in reading books and, instead, waste their time and money playing in computer shops. I count myself as a "bookworm" and it makes me sad every time I encounter people who don't share the same interest as mine because, I think, reading books is one way on how we can develop new relationships with others. It helps us gain more knowledge and even help some with their vocabulary. But, Filipinos don't understand this and, instead, complain that reading is a very boring activity.
–ABELLA, Janel Alyanna Q.
Well, it's not that Filipinos don't really need to be "book lovers". As to quote, 'to each his own', right? It's been stereotyped in our country that basically, reading takes too much time, there's not enough pictures, so and so forth. But look at the hype that took the literary world in a spin–the "Twilight" saga, "Harry Potter", "The Hunger Games", "Vampire Academy", and "Steampunk", to name a few.
True, majority of the Filipinos would mostly pick watching the telly over a book. And admittedly, Filipinos have a really short attention span. But generally, Filipinos are one to join or get into whatever trend there is in the present time, right? So if you want to raise the awareness and as well as the percentage of literacy in our country, why not turn reading into a hype? Not just a short-lived one, but one that would keep coming back time and time again.
I don't really know the state of the Filipinos 24 years ago when this article was made. I don't know how Filipinos lived, how their environment was, and what were their main priorities. But despite what this journalist said, I think reading has been a hobby of such a little percent of Filipinos then, or now, because of these factors;
Firstly, because of lack of education. It's all about quality education. But because of the mindset of the poor about the rich, they intend to just slack off saying "Nahhh. That bull's just for the rich people." "Only rich people read!" When handed a book, "What do you think of me, thinking of you?" Lol, just kidding. But yeah, that's my point. They have a certain mindset that only rich people can read. At least that's what I see NOW. As the time went by though, Filipinos became fonder of reading with the help of the internet. They get ideas that “this book was awesome!” “this movie was made from this book!” from people from all over the world, and so they continue reading, and they’d eventually love it.
Come to think of it, not all ‘Americans, Koreans, Japanese, or Russians, etc etc’ really like reading. And it comes to my second factor; it all depends on the person. Think of it like playing DOTA. Do all of us like playing that? Of course not! Especially the girls, only like, 10% of the girls (I think) does play it. I even saw this book in National Bookstore once (yup, I’m a bookworm btw) and the title said, “Guys Write because Guys Read”. I eventually learned that the book was made to prove that boys DO read. The author said that boys are not really known for being very fond of reading any kind of literary work, (except for comics maybe, if that may be a literary work) and so, he made the book to prove otherwise.
Another factor is poverty. I think this factor contributes to my first one, but it’s another subject altogether. Philippines is known as a “third world country”, meaning we’re not actually the richest country in the world. There are rich people here though, but there are more poor ones. So what do you think the poor people would prioritize to buy for their selves and their family? Would they buy books in place of food saying, “Oh children, come, read a book for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You’ll surely be full of ideas and knowledge at the end of the day! :)” And that’s not mentioning how much a book actually costs here in the Philippines. Especially one with quality!
So what I’m really trying to say is, the journalist who made the article did have a point. But the fact that “most” Filipinos don’t like reading very much is not rightfully to be blamed solely to our culture. Our culture is rich. WE ARE RICH. Some of us just haven’t realized it yet. And I hope it would be real soon now.
PS: Contradicting to the above article though, not ALL Filipinos don’t like to read. The only wrong thing he did in that article was to generalize our race. He should’ve said, “Most Filipinos” or something, because my Mom, who was probably in her twenties 24 years ago, LOVED reading. She’d tell me that ‘this’ was her favorite author, ‘that’ was her favorite book, yada yada yada. She even showed me the collection of books she had in the cabinet I didn’t know about. And it’s still there actually. So yeah, our culture does have something to do with why most Filipinos are not very fond of reading, but give it time, gradually, Filipinos will know what they need. They survived this long, right?
I couldn't agree more with this article. It’s sad but true. I often ask the same question myself. Why don’t Filipinos read especially people my age or younger than I am? Is it because of the technology that we are enjoying at this very modern time that being a bookworm is nothing but being a dork and a geek wherein if you’re a techie person it will make you cool. I also thought that maybe its also because old people don’t read so obviously the young ones wont. What I realized is there are a lot of factors why most of us find horror in just seeing a little book. We fear the idea of holding it, worse reading it word per word and page by page.
Reading is being in a different world. A world where there are a lot of endless possibilities its such a shame if only few of us gets to experience that magical place.
I'm not really sure if it is a fact that Filipinos are not book lovers. For instance, I have numerous Filipino friends who love reading books and who save their money in looking forward to their favorite writers. Nonetheless, I believe that some Filipinos hate or don't even bother to immerse themselves in great literary collections. I agree that many people find reading as dull and patience is really required if we want to finish and understand the stories, essays, and many other articles that we are preoccupied with at present. On the other hand, a lot of people are not patient enough to preoccupy themselves at one task in a few hours or one day. They think that there are still many other things that they can do like shopping, watching movies, and eating with their friends and family which they find more interesting and enjoyable. I feel that training and discipline work hand in hand for the community to realize the effect of not reading books and the benefit that they will get when they engross themselves into this learning engagement. I suppose that if it is true that thousands of Filipino people avoid to read, they have a problem in working in things that require a great deal of discipline and training. They surely lack these values that hinder them in this important activity. A man who has great discipline knows that sitting for long hours in class can be exhausting, but because he is a man of character, he chooses to sit still and listens to the lecture. Ergo, the man is able to get the benefits of his values and he would be able to realize that sitting still for long hours is enjoyable and not tiring especially if he is learning a lot of things. Moreover, training is also substantial if we want more Filipinos to read. Human beings love adventure and creativity. Therefore, it is not hard to realize the reason behind why men and women find other things more meaningful than reading books. Perhaps, it is also connected to those people who are more visual in nature. Indeed, many people find watching movies more attractive because of the visual effects in it which is unlike the books, we will not find them that absorbing if we don't open the book and care to read it. Thus, advance training is also needed to certain extent for some people to realize that books are entertaining more than they know it.
Throughout the article, I really agree with it. And honestly, I, myself is not a book lover. I have short patience in reading books especially the ones with a topic that I don't like. But I don't say that I hate reading books, It's just that I read books with topics that I know I'll enjoy. I also read books which I know that can help me in my life. I love books and I am very thankful because I know I am very blessed because not everyone can read books and has the money to afford books they like to read. I also do pity the Philippines for being not a book lover but I really do believe in change, all people can change and become a book lover. I guess it's not yet too late. Even I will take time to read books and encourage others to also do the same. I really think reading is great and it widens our knowledge so I really think we should realize everything that was said in this article and start to LOVE READING BOOKS. ^_^
At some point, I agree with the writer that in the Philippines we seldom see Bookshops, but I don't think that it is a sign that Filipinos are not book lovers. I honestly say that I am not a book lover, but I only read selections, novels or stories that I find interesting. when I was still in elementary and high school, I never liked reading books that were assigned to us for the whole school year, except for some books that I found interesting. I think not all of the Filipinos are not book lovers, there are some that really loves reading, while there are some that finds some reading materials interesting that's why they read it. When I read something that I found interesting, I cannot stop, because I end up loving the novel.
I agree that Filipinos nowadays are not book lovers. The article may be written ten years ago but the ideas on that still exist today. I think one of the many reasons why Filipinos don’t read books a lot is because they are depending on our high technology today. Many Filipinos prefer to watch the movie version than reading books. Reading books require a lot of patience and wide understanding and many Filipinos are lack in this. some are easily gets bored, others when they saw that the book is very thick and they saw that it has a very long story, they will never read that but they will choose a book that has a short story or they will just find the summary on internet. I think this is the reason why there are a lot of Filipino stories that are written in short paragraph.
We all know that even though Filipinos are not book lovers, still we are reading everyday like when we are using computer, traveling, reading instructions, ordering foods, etc. but that's not the end of it. We should encourage our fellowmen to read and read more books and other reading materials that can help us to enhance our mind and broaden our knowledge on what happening on our environment. Some people loves reading but they only read what pleases them like love stories, horror stories, jokes, love quotes and everything that are just nonsense or just for fun.
I agree with the article. Most Filipinos does not like to read, before I was one of those people. Reading sounds like a boring and the silence the one needs to understand a good book was unbearable for some, I myself can attest to this. Now, the idea of curling up to a new book is appealing to me, it's like being in a whole new world. Like me, most readers are into the works of Western writers. If only we read and share to others how good the works of Filipino authors are, the industry of the Filipino literacy works will emerge not only here in the Philippines but it may also emerge worldwide.
I disagree with the opinion of the writer, ONLY disagree. Personally, I am not a book lover and I am basing my disagreement with my recent experiences of watching my classmates bring books, most of them novels, and read it on their free time in class. Sometimes they smile suddenly or just slap me lightly just to let their feelings out. Of course, it affected me and made me curious. One book that I can relate in to because of its movie adaptations is the Harry Potter series. Out of curiosity I happen to read the first book and after I reading it, IT WAS THE MOST FULFILLING MOMENT IN MY MISERABLE LIFE! Haha! Now I am starting to love reading and I am glad that H.P. is the book that triggered it. Now I expect books to give the same or much more fulfilling moment.
To all Filipinos who doesn't love reading..TRY WATCHING ALL THE HP MOVIES THEN START READING THE BOOKS! :>
Its a pity to all filipinos, i think, from my personal observations filipinos love to watch movies, shopping around and chatting in the internet than reading a simple novel. Let's have time to read for a more meaningful and wide wide wide world of thought a day. . .
I agree in this essay. I believe that Filipinos are just adventurous in nature. We love the outdoors. We want to experience personally the reality of a book’s content.
Perhaps, everyone would agree that it is a fact that most Filipinos are not really into reading books. I for myself have often observed that majority of the books in our libraries are obviously not read, with dusts on its cover and pages that start to change its color. Our libraries have been places where students go to just to ease the hot weather.
I had the privilege to be able to visit the national library of Singapore, and its amazing to actually see Singaporeans of any age spending their time there, every floor had a number of people staying in to read books and guess what the national library of Singapore has around 14 floors. So going around Singapore, i was also able to visit the Esplanade Library, and still quite a great number of people were there. In contrast here in the Philippines, even bookshops seldom have customers who look for books or even buy books, what more could be in our libraries.
The reasons stated are quite valid, mass media has indeed influenced us so much that we fail to go back the basics, go back to the root of things. And maybe yes, us Filipinos tend to be more sociable and reading books seems to be unsociable. But as for me, it still depends on the person on how one uses his/her time, if one really wants to learn then they'd spend some time on reading also. For me, that is the case, mainly because I usually read current issues or historical books rather than fiction or pocket books. But both categories are to enhance ones mind.
I guess we could still change this, starting from kids. Us in the family, we often give our nephews books as gifts. We should start with the younger ones for us to change this for the better.
I believe that Filipinos are just lazy. We love having fun and also because it does not suit our interests. We just love to talk and socialize than to stay at home reading. Many books use metaphors that are not easily understood unless you’re educated. We must read them by heart. Honestly, I’m not a book lover. I only read books when we have book reports. Instead of reading books I prefer watching Korean dramas. Our modern technology also deprived us from reading. Instead of reading, you can just surf the summary of that book in the internet which is now practiced by lots of students. It makes life easier. Unfortunately, many of us don’t realize that the point of reading a book is to gain a lesson that you can apply in our daily lives. It also increases our knowledge. I think even if we are not fond of reading, we must direct our interest into it for our own good.
I am a book lover. I think what the essay or the article is trying to say is that we Filipinos doesn't have the patience to read a book. Sometimes, I usually prefer to be alone reading a book than to mingle with friends. The sad part is, if someone saw you reading a book and alone, they will usually think that you're a loner or a friendless creature lurking in this country. Sure, Filipinos read some books, but they pretty much prefer to watch its movie adaptation than read it. I think that's the sad part of it.
I will base my answer to the present. Yes, most Filipinos are not book lovers. Thinking that most of the Filipinos are poor and many are uneducated. Now how will you will you read, learn, further and expand your vocabulary if you can't go to a school specially now that the prices of the needs of the people are increasing. Of course they will prioritize food, water, and shelter to survive their everyday lives.
I agree in this article most filipinos are not book lovers I think because most filipinos has a very hard time understanding the book whether what story is it and most of us filipinos has a very poor imagination. I agree in the statement that in Japan almost every corner of the street has a bookstore here in philippines we often see that usually bookstores are located in malls rather in streets which is more easily to find. Its very hard to accept the reality that those who are educated they are the book lovers and those filipinos that does not have a education background does not like reading its sad because reading books can actually help those filipinos whose struggling in getting education by simply buying books that can motivate them to study and last books can help us be a better person it can build up our personality.
I agree with the article, though there is still a considerable number of Filipino who loves reading books, I believe that the number of Filipino's that are not book lovers is far more bigger. Today, the fact that Philippines is regarded as one of the Texting and Social Networking capital in the world shows how Filipino spend more time in texting and surfing the net rather than reading a book. As children, Filipino's were not really taught to have passion and love for reading because storytelling is not that popular here. That's why up until they're old, they do not acquire the characteristic of being a book lover.
I somewhat agree with this article. I think it has to do with poverty and the education system of the Philippines. I find that there are no public libraries in the Philippines which are opened to everyone and
I find books just way too exensive to buy from a book store for just one time reading. I've only been in the Philippines for only two years so i don't know a whole lot, but I find that rarely any teachers assign book readings, book reports, or presentations to their students. While students of foreign countries are "always" loaded with book readings and are assigned to do thesis writings and analysis based on their readings starting in middle school years, I don't think any teachers or maybe a few assign those in the Philippines. But I don't think it's right to say "Filipinos" are not book lovers, there are Filipinos who just love to read.
I agree in this article most filipinos are not book lovers I think because most filipinos has a very hard time understanding the book whether what story is it and most of us filipinos has a very poor imagination. I agree in the statement that in Japan almost every corner of the street has a bookstore here in philippines we often see that usually bookstores are located in malls rather in streets which is more easily to find. Its very hard to accept the reality that those who are educated they are the book lovers and those filipinos that does not have a educational background does not like reading its sad because reading books can actually help those filipinos whose struggling in getting education by simply buying books that can motivate them to study and last books can help us be a better person it can build up our personality.
I do agree with this article. In general, Filipinos would prefer to socialize with other people than to be alone reading. I think it’s because they don’t find it entertaining especially that there are so many other entertainment options nowadays and because of the modern age, people learn with the use of technology that’s why I guess they’re not into books that much. Or maybe some just find it hard to read because it actually takes work to understand, and envision everything that may be happening.
I agree that the average Filipino, no, the average man was and never will be book lovers. They lack the tolerance of understanding something that has the possibility to give them an advantage given that they’ve finished reading any selection for the shallow reason that that the advantage are to be given after a long time.
People prefers the satisfaction to be attained as soon as possible, making them ignorant of the great possibilities that can be claimed after much patience of doing something, like reading a book.
Reading books can really give the best advantage to a person. To turn an illiterate into a genius, a fool turned to a sage.
Even in the past, without those modern things like gadgets and technology, average people prefers to get what they want when they want it because they feel safe and satisfied and are afraid of change for it can take those things away. But the truth is, change is inevitable so these average people are quite losing much more that what they think. Only those wise enough to gain knowledge are those truly safe and happy even during times of strife.
I can’t deny the fact that this article really tells the truth about the majority of Filipinos are not fond of reading books. Honestly speaking, we Filipinos are too dependent in the modern technology and internet to find the information that we need because it is easier and faster than to rot in the library finding books.
In my opinion, laziness is one major factor why we Filipinos do not read books and we are brought up by too much technology in hand that literary works are being neglected by MANY. Furthermore, there are numerous novels that are turned into movies like one of my favorite “The Notebook”. Maybe Filipinos are thinking that instead of reading books they will just watch the movie. Yes, you can watch it on screen but come to think of it if you read the book, it is very detailed and some of the scene that are not included in the movie, you can read it in the book plus the advantages of reading the book are you can broaden your vocabulary and increase the level of your imagination.
I also agree on what you said about “Filipinos hate solitude” because in this generation youths prefer to go to party rather than to read books and be alone. They also tend to forget about it due to the social networking sites that most teenagers are engage into that is why reading skills are being degraded.
We Filipinos should welcome the thought of loving books because it can make a very big difference on us, we could also benefit from it, the information and the knowledge that we are gaining whenever we read books. Please wake up my dear compatriot. It is not too late
It is sad to read an article that has been published years ago to still sound appropriate for the filipino generation today. With the new technology to distract a Filipino teen might add to the difficulty to even pick up a book and read. How i wish every book would be read as voraciously as the novel turned movies like the series of Harry Potter and Twilight. I just hope that Filipino readers someday might have the same interest towards all kinds of books because books are still and will be an essential on learning. It is sad to read an article that has been published years ago to still sound appropriate for the filipino generation today. With the new technology to distract a Filipino teen might add to the difficulty to even pick up a book and read. How i wish every book would be read as voraciously as the novel turned movies like the series of Harry Potter and Twilight. I just hope that Filipino readers someday might have the same interest towards all kinds of books because books are still and will be an essential on learning. Though i do not agree partially because it seems to generalize the Filipinos as not as book lovers because I myself is a bookworm. I even squeeze in book reading to my busy schedule. Even though Technology is considered a distraction to good old book reading, technology paved way for eBook reading. It is really a wonder that reading in all forms is still considered valid even with the means of a laptop or even a handheld reader.
I believe that the everything about the article is true, Filipinos are not book lovers though some may find themselves enjoying the pleasure of reading a book. In my opinion, Filipinos love socializing or having fun and with this characteristic of ours, we hate being alone and silent in a corner. Some read books because of book reports, book research and many more. Filipinos that we are, we tend to be lazy at times. We all know the advantages of reading a book: , learning new words, knowing the author's style of writing, getting to know more about the author, and many more.
When we see thick books, we become exhausted just by looking at them and we tend to become lazy even if we know how much they will be a benefit to us. We like to gain knowledge in an easier way. We are confined to our laziness, so we can't do many things that require effort. Filipinos that we are, we like to spread gossips and not the latest facts. We're good at reading the latest magazines, but we hate to bother reading an all-time bestseller or an atlas with a lot of information in it. If we just try to detach ourselves from laziness, maybe we'll be excellent readers and who knows, maybe one of us might even be a best-selling author?
i am not a booklover but when i read it i use to love it also. and find more interesting
"According to this essay by Arlene Babst-vokey, Filipinos are not book lovers because we hate to read books, hate solitude and are just impatient. Do you agree?" — on this first question, I don't believe that Filipinos HATE to read books, it's just that, we don't give that much time to read since, as it is mentioned here, it takes more than one hour to read books.
The article actually stated the reality that there are a great number of Filipinos who are not book lovers. When I was a child, I was taught to give importance to a book for they are "a friend" as my past teachers told me. Let me quote this by Charles W. Eliot "Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers." But i do admit that I came to a point where it's not that I don't love them, but it's just that, I only read books because "I need it" not that "I want it" I need it for it is one of the basic requirements in our school. Well, I agree that in our situation nowadays, due to poverty, Filipinos won't include books in their daily budget. Average and below average Filipinos would rather choose to buy the ONLY basic necessities in life. But it is sad to note that whenever they get the opportunity to have "extra money" for the things that they "want", they won't still include books on the things they will spend on. Due to global modernization, like the invention of technology, gadgets, etc. books are hardly noticed. Our elders would often tell us that during their time, they don't have internet for their paper works (eg. research papers). They really find and read books to compose these papers. On the other hand, it is sad to note that it's true that rich people, as mentioned in the article, hardly read books. I feel sad also for our very own Filipino writers being compared to European writers and Asian writers who would starve to death if they rely on their literary works for a living. I believe its true. I would also like to add that even painters can't earn that much. It is because, for my opinion, since illiteracy rate is very rampant in our country, they couldn't appreciate the art that writers and painters are trying to express. In my opinion, poverty is one of the factors why this article has been true even decades ago. Now, I'm very thankful to my teachers who taught me to appreciate books, especially novel books, and eventually love them.
I firmly believe that we should not make judgement on why Filipinos don;t read books too often, because each one of us have different tastes, different hobbies, and different interests. So, we don't have the right to face others to love books though we shouldn't be discouraged to tell the world how books are very much a helpful tool for our learning than internet since it isn't reliable at all times. All in all, I strongly hope that this article may be proven wrong in the future. I'm not losing my hope that future generations will uplift loving books.
I agree with what the article is stating though unfortunately it is disappointing to know that we, Filipinos are like that. We really have to do something about it. Though we don't take it as a big deal, the outcome of it could lead us into somehow a bigger problem. In just reading books we are all getting lazy and bored what more if it's a more important thing to do but a big understanding to it is must. Majority of us are lazy people and the outcome of it shows by simply looking and having a broad perspective about what's happening in our country. Our country is very poor. It has a connection to it, right? I'm hoping that someday before it's too late, at least majority of Filipino citizens will change their attitude for the better. 🙂
While it cannot be denied that this article still retains some truth, stating that Filipinos are not book lovers is a generalizing statement that needs to be thoroughly assessed. Yes, not all Filipinos go out of their way to go read a book however there it is NOT necessarily because they don't enjoy solitude or don't have enough patience and interest, but because of many other factors that hinder them from reading such as having constrained time, no money, or being unable to read etc. There is also the fact that there is actually a growing number of book lovers in our current generation here in the Philippines who crowd malls in order to get their book signed by a famous author, who look forward to the next installment of their favorite books, read in class when there aren't any teachers or professors around, and surprisingly enough read literary classics like Pride and Prejudice, The Divine Comedy, as well as some modern books like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, etc. I believe its all a matter of opinion and choice whether one would read a book or not, but saying that Filipinos in general are not book lovers isn't something I'd like to agree with.
I totally agree with this because as we can see, filipinos don't read that much anymore. We only read books when we are told to like for research or literary reading like this. How often do you see a person reading a book? During free time in school, Girls reading books like twilight(Eww.=)) ), or a person being alone in the corner just to read a book. As we all know, Filipinos are TAMAD that's why we have a less population of people active and patient enough in reading books. Eventhough we don't read books that much, I believe that we Filipinos are educated enough to cope up with different people or studies. But still It is very important for us to have the courage and patience to read book in order to expand our knowledge about things and to appreciate the hardworks of the authors of the books.
Sadly to say but it is true that mostly Filipinos doesn't want to become a book reader. I think maybe because of poverty too.. Instead of buying books they buy their food because they can't eat three time a day. Only the rich and average people who have time and money to buy a book. And also instead of reading books they work in order for them to survive. We can still change it. Education is the key to success.
Barbaric. Uneducated. Uncultured. These three exact words, "till now, never fail to stuck in my head. A teacher of mine, back from my secondary level, vividly explained each of these words, why sometimes Filipinos are called as one. Even if I reach the Zen of self-denial, it seems like what she said is quite true. Even a person who studies in school does not guarantee that he is free from any ignorance. Even poverty is not a valid reason to the poor, which enables them to think foolishly at times. Even wealthy people does not mean that their minds are as also bright as what we think it is. Why does these things seem happen?
Due to our ever-changing world, sometimes we forget that we need to slow down a bit. These new profound technologies gives every one of us a chance to earn money and to enjoy more fun activities but as a consequence, we tend to busy ourselves with the things that are going on around us. We forget that these technologies will never exist if its inventors doesn't have these unique ideas to make these things. Obviously, these inventors rely more on books which give them enough information and new ideas that enables them to enter to a new magical world and create and innovate things for the better. Books, for me, are the source of ideas but sad to say, we Filipinos always forget the root of these "techy stuff" that each one of us desires to have.
It can't be denied that most Filipinos does not spend time reading,mainly, because they find it too boring and nerdy. Moreover, some of us Filipinos think that reading a book is makes someone an old-fashioned kid. This mentality have to do with the kind of surrounding that we have at present. Instead of staying at home and do our homework and read several chapters of a book, we find it more enjoyable to go out and party and have fun. We're afraid to read, too, because people think that it's a "gay" act. People who read books sit on a corner and entertains no one but the book he's holding. As a book lover, I believe that reading books gives me time for myself and let my imagination begin. I totally disagree to what most Filipinos say that by reading, it isolates yourself from everyone and will naturally be the primary reason for the destruction of one's social life. This foolish belief is absolutely false! How can they say such things if they, for one, haven't even had an experience to read a book and enjoy the experience of your imagination going wild?On the other side, how will Filipinos, who haven't read even a single book, enjoy the luxuries that a book gives if the leaders around us does not encourage nor show us what pleasure we get by reading? Sharper mind, increased vocabulary, peace of on'e self, and improved memory are only few things you get from reading books.
As Filipinos, it had been are attitude to show enthusiastic interest on a thing but also lose interest of it as fast as the snap of our two fingers. For example, we heard from the news that one of the country's icon was murdered. hearing this, we act like detectives and search every possible suspect of the crime but when a greater news arrive, all of a sudden we forgot about the previous murder and focus on the new one, leaving the previous case as a mystery, as a case unsolved. We Filipinos tend to quickly forget important happenings because, whether we admit it or not, we are simply too busy attending the issues of our individual lives. Regardless of this fact, it can't be denied that our attitude, ningas-cogon, will forever be a negative behaviour of ours.
Indeed, I totally agree that we, Filipinos, lack interest in reading books but considering the facts that I've stated, our conscience should start knocking us down and let us realize and ask ourselves on what kind of future we're going to have if we are able to produce leaders who haven't even touched a single dust in a book. We better think twice, thrice, and think again and again because we, having a reversed thinking at times, only start to regret only when time comes that unfortunate things happen. Nevertheless, the choice is still up to us Filipinos, whether we continue to walk towards the darker path or turn around and discover what the brighter path offers us.
I totally agree with this because as we can see, filipinos don't read that much anymore. We only read books when we are told to like for research or literary reading like this. How often do you see a person reading a book? During free time in school, Girls reading books like twilight(Eww.=)) ), or a person being alone in the corner just to read a book. As we all know, Filipinos are TAMAD that's why we have a less population of people active and patient enough in reading books. Eventhough we don't read books that much, I believe that we Filipinos are educated enough to cope up with different people or studies. But still It is very important for us to have the courage and patience to read books in order to expand our knowledge about things and to appreciate the hardwork of the authors of the books.
I agree that filipinos nowadays are not book lovers ,i'ts because of the technology.We are more prefer to watch it than to read it because we think that it is boring to read unlike in watching,we understand the flow because on what we see than what we imagine through reading. I myself is not also fun of reading books because i dont have a wide understanding .So we need to encourage others to read books or any reading materials for us to broaden our knowledge.
It is true that Filipinos today don't read much books but Filipinos in the past read books because back then there are no computers and internet. When the time that computers and internet have been popular, Filipinos now are bothered to use them instead of books and newspapers to research on. Especially for the teenagers, we teenagers wants everything to be fast and technological so we don't bother searching for good books instead we use the internet. Filipinos are also busy and have no time to read books because of poverty. Filipinos tend to work hard instead of just sitting around and read books. So I understand why only few Filipinos read books.
This article is very interesting but, I do not agree much about the article that I have just read. Not all Filipinos hate or do not want to read or are not book lovers. Nowadays even though there are many technologies around us, still many people finds time to sit in a corner or somewhere quiet to read and appreciate a literary piece or something. I based my opinion because I can see a lot of my friends having a book at hand and read it when they have time, even me. It’s not important if they are book lovers or not, as long as they enjoy and appreciate what they are doing.
Yes, more of the Filipinos today prefer movies, computers and other technologies rather than books. Maybe it’s true that they lack patience especially if the topic of it is not really interesting. But it doesn’t mean that all of us lack interest in reading. Maybe those people just need something that can change their perspective about books.
Try reading something that you really like. Maybe you’ll be surprised that you’re getting hooked to it and you just don’t want to stop until you finish… 😀
Granting all the premises and/or factors mentioned in this article were somewhat proven true and in which I certainly agreed, still we should not label Filipinos generally as not book lovers or worse, will never be. Because definitely, not the entire Filipino population hates reading. However, I must say that MAJORITY of Filipinos take reading informative books or literary pieces for granted, especially now that we’re in the contemporary era and series of developments continues. This majority of Filipinos prefer watching soap operas, movies or shows in tv screens as stated here, than reading the actual written thing which honestly, I find a little bit peculiar considering the fact that most of these kind of tv shows or movies actually came or grabbed from literary works and novels. But we should not also forget the minority of Filipinos who still bother themselves on hopping from one bookstore to another just to hunt for some good and captivating finds to educate or simply to entertain and feed their curious minds by reading.
And it might not be 99% possible that this minority will increase in number now, but sooner or later, who knows, some Filipinos who don’t usually love reading might lend ample time, take a chance in reading and appreciate books. After all, there’s still 1% and apparently, it does matters. 🙂
I do read books but not as often as I open my facebook account 😀 but still I can't say that I'm not a book lover.. I prefer reading a book, because it widens my imagination, not like in movies you just need to watch and listen (most of the time), books helps you analyze further and lets you think critically. Im not saying movies does not let you think.. but the thrill you get when you turn for the next page is still the best. :DD
part II – I disagree because in high school I saw a lot of my fellow schoolmates that are very fund of books.. be it a requirement or hobby, the point is they still read books. Naaalala ko nga noon nung 4th year nagkakaagawan pa sa libro mapa encyclopedia man or pocketbooks.. maski ung dictionary nga halos ma punit na sa dami ng gumagamit :)) well all I'm saying is Filipinos are natural book lovers.. its just there are too many distraction nowadays. 😀
In my own opinion, I think that the article itself made me agree and disagree at the same time. I disagree with the fact that Filipinos "will never become book readers." Honestly, it is a fallacy. Just because one is a Filipino, doesn't mean we won't become bookworms at all. Well, it is true that some of us don't read books a lot, simply because we are not that interested with the synopsis or the flow or the story or maybe we are busy. I admit, even if I'm a Filipino, I can consider myself as a bookworm because I read books, A LOT. In fact, I can read a 100-page novel in just an hour. But then again, it still depends if I still have time. I rarely read books that I haven't heard before or doesn't suit my taste. Like for example, "Every Girls Guide to Heartache", "Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief" "Twilight" are some of them. I like stories that are romantic, mesmerizing andsupercalifragilisticexpialidocious. :)) Or in other words, fantastic! I think therefore that the author must have not put "Filipinos" there because not all Filipinos are not interested in reading books.
There are a lot of reasons why we don't read books. There's a reason behind all of it. Honestly speaking, I disagree also when the author compared Ms. Woolf to the Filipinos. You must not compare anyone with another person or thing. They are not the same, but different in a good way. Who knows, people just don't patronize books in the past because they weren't able to afford it. Or maybe there's a reason behind all those things. Everything has a reason. Remember when people were arrested by the Spaniards just because of reading a book by Jose Rizal? I can relate it to this because it states a fact and it proves to us that Filipinos read. And their interests depend on the person 🙂
"The problem is Filipinos hate solitude. Count the number of Filipinos you know who enjoy being alone, and being in a book. For them, it’s absolutely terrifying.
Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be. It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows. And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span."
The following states a fact. Well, I can't deny the fact that I myself rather spend time with friends than to spend the whole day reading something. It's just that we Filipino people want to choose what's more interesting. But inevitably, we will end up reading books all over again. 🙂 We are not scared of reading. We just predict whether we can read the whole thing or not. If we can, then that's great. If not, so be it. 🙂
What can I say about this article? It's awesome. It made use of the things that I've learned in History and Philosophy. So yeah, I guess you yourself must try to read a book at least once a month. Just like what my teacher in high school told me, "There is no Frigate like a book. Why? Because it can take you anywhere as long as you read it."
To be honest with you. I'm not like them i'm really part of this essay.
its true that many filipinos doesn't read books more often why? because of the mentality that we have.
Most especially the teens. They think that if they read books people will look at them as nerds. They are afraid of getting bullied by someone or be teased by someone. But we really don't know in reading is that we learn we get ideas and experiences. If there's a novel that came out and it's a series most of the filipinos will not buy the book. They will tell their friends and families that " bakit kapa bibili kung lalabas naman sa sine" but what they do not know is that in the movies it's not the same as what is written in the book. I hope this message of fine will make filipinos realize the importance of reading
I started reading literary novels when I was in grade 5. I'm glad that I started that early because my mind became more advanced than the other kids during that time. Reading books gives me wonderful feelings and it excites me a lot. I remember the faces of those people as i spray spit on their faces with my endless blabbering about Harry Potter. Some find it weird and annoying, but some were curious. I was able to persuade some of them to read books so that I have someone to talk to about it and most of them turned out to be smarter than me now. HAHAHA
I disagree that Filipinos aren't book lovers. I'm from the province of Bulacan and during my high school days, people do read, exchanges opinions and battles with each other about it weather the books they were reading were written in or out of the country. Some just need a lot of encouragement though.
I will base my answer to the present. Yes, most Filipinos are not book lovers. Thinking that most of the Filipinos are poor and many are uneducated. Now how will you will you read, learn, further and expand your vocabulary if you can't go to a school specially now that the prices of the needs of the people are increasing. Of course they will prioritize food, water, and shelter to survive their everyday lives. Now, I can see in my surroundings are people who uses computer a lot. It is their way of expressing themselves, having fun and spend their time with. I know only a few people that reading is where they spend their time. I think most of the Filipinos are bored in reading books though they know that it is a very good hobby or a very good thing to do to spend time to expand your knowledge than playing computer games. I guess Filipinos are not born to be book lovers.
Personally, I was born and raised in an environment surrounded by a lot of booklovers and for that I do not agree with the Author’s generalization regarding Filipinos being connoted as such. However, I do believe that in this generation, some rely on the newest technology available. That is the reason they became uninterested in reading books because of the thought that all information they need can be accessed with just a single click through the Internet.
In my opinion, modern writers find ways to make their compositions interesting and fascinating, thus encouraging the public. Some but not all became enthusiastic with regards to books. But few people prefer the influence of the mass media through movies, T.V shows, and the like.
In my opinion I'm not agreeing with what the author have wrote in her article, I may not be a book lover but in this generation, we the youth of today is seeing the other side of reading books. We all know that the Filipinos are fund of following what's in or what's hot and in other country reading novels or book series is a big hit just like in Europe and in America because of this the Filipino teens are following the said trend and they are starting to read different kind of books.
I think that most of Filipino teens in our generation are more fond of reading. I will admit, many Filipinos are really inclined to movies but it does not mean that they are not into books. Are you with Mrs. Imelda Marcos 24/7 to say that she's a non-reader?
Many Filipinos are not a fan of books because of poverty. In the poor state of the economy of the Philippines, it is only practical to fulfill the basic needs of your family first than buying and spending time with books. But still, many Filipinos are able to buy and read books. Why? It is because we have our ways (saving money, buying secondhand books, borrowing books, etc.). You are right, Filipinos hate being alone. I hate being alone but still, I am able to apprehend with the ideas contained in the book. The pleasure I felt after reading a book is truly different from the happiness I experienced watching a movie.
I somewhat agree that some Filipinos nowadays don't read books that much because of technologies. But I really disagree with this:"It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers". Well, if some Filipinos won't be a book lover, it doesn't really mean that all of the Filipinos will never become book readers. It depends on that certain person if he/she is interested in the story of the book or not. Of course, each of us has our own interests. Why will we waste time reading a book that isn't interesting at all?
Like for example, I myself once hate reading books because for me reading is such a boring thing, but that was before. Now, reading is kinda fun and very useful for me. I mean, by reading, we can get the chance to enhance our vocabulary because if we encounter a word that isn't familiar to us, of course we will be eager to search the meaning of that certain word so that we could understand the story better.
Try reading a book that goes with your interests and I'm pretty sure that will be the way for you to become a book lover 🙂
To whoever wrote this article, thank you.
I noticed that this article was from 1987 yet when I read through it, I couldn't help but feel that the article meant TODAY, the present.
Reading is literally my life. And I actually prefer being in solitude and read a book rather than go partying and getting wasted. *shudder* Also, when you compare books to movies, which is generally better? It's a no-brainer to know it's books (I mean duh). Movies are visual, thus it technically means people cannot serve their imagination's purpose. Unfortunately, it's not only Filipinos that are affected by this "follow-trend" problem of society, it's also the rest of the world. But society is a different issue.
I would agree to this article, if it was still 1987. What I mean is, a decade has passed and I believe that much has changed since then. Most Filipinos today love reading books, books written by famous authors like Nicholas Sparks, Dan brown, Rick Riordan, and even one of our very own authors, Bob Ong. But on the other hand, if I base this article on what's happening in our country nowadays, I would say that most Filipinos today also are not book lovers. There are three reasons why this is so: First, books are expensive, may it be paperback of hardbound, only people on or above the middle class can afford books. Second, most Filipinos today focus more on making money than spending their time reading a book. And lastly, in my experience in teaching English in public schools, I would say that most students today are having a hard time understanding English words and even our own language.
i agree, because now a days everything can be found in the internet! most Filipinos don't even bother to go to a library or bookstores to read. because most of us are lazy. and now, the children are fond of playing video games instead of reading books.
In my opinion, I agree with the author of this article that Filipinos are not book lovers. You can see it around, where books are taken for granted. Libraries are not used, encyclopedias that are not touched for years, dusty books at our homes. There are so many reasons why Filipinos doesn't appreciate the value of books today. The main culprit for this is technology. Everything we need to know are one 'Google' away, no need to stay in libraries for hours. Novels or stories are also published in the internet which is free. Most of the novels in the books are being made into a film. That's why most Filipinos prefer to watch a 2 hr movie than to read a 1000 paged book for weeks. Most students prefer to surf the net for hours or to play the computer the whole day than to read a book or even a simple article. Filipinos criticize books by its cover, we want fancy covers that can catch are attention. Another reason why Filipinos does not love books because most of them can't afford to buy books. Most Filipinos are in the poverty line that's why they prefer to spend their limited money in their basic needs like food, water, education and the likes. In conclusion, I believe most Filipinos are not books lovers. It solely depends on the age group that are being talked about. Most of the teenagers doesn't appreciate the values of books but I believe when everything seems to fail, we will come back to books because when can really rely on them.
The Filipino people are very impatient in nature. I really agree on what the author said about the Filipino being this impatient and being left alone, with books, because for us it is the most terrible thing happens with our life. We rather spend our time watching senseless drama than reading books on how to handle and face the crisis we are experiencing right now.
Well honestly, I really pity the Filipino for not seeing the beauty and the pleasure of reading books. Yes we do read books actually (I guess), but not to feed our empty minds but to satisfy our urges of entertainment and feeding our emotions, especially in falling in love over and over again for the same story. I don't see something bad about reading books like those but if it is the ONLY kind of books we read, how will we ever learn? Why not try new kind of books? Why not switch your taste of story from Stephenie Meyer to Paulo Coelho, from Bob Ong to Benjamin Pascual? Please don't get me wrong and I have no intention of destroying their images but what i just want to say is that it is better for us to understand life if we look at the different perspectives than imprisoning ourselves with the same ideas.
Have you ever notice how horrifying the decisions made by the people right now? We just intend to make a life changing decisions for an hour with having a good and reliable basis of it. Experiences in life are not enough. It takes proper knowledge and understanding in order for us to deal and avoid these conflicts. And books are one of the best solutions to know our problems. It is a great aid to open our hearts and minds of what to do and how to do it. One magnificent thing about books it that it will not give you the direct solution but it will give you the ideas and realization of what ought to do. It will make you THINK, and THINKING is one way of proving that you are EXISTING.
Be one of those few chosen people to realize how good and important books are. And don’t we ever neglect the beauty of these books.
It is far beyond bad that someone had pointed out something that is too hard for many aspiring Filipino writers to swallow. That is, there is dull statistics of readers in the country, which happens for reasons this article may have rubbed in further. In my point of view, the disaster of low reading demography is equivalent to a blushing statistics of people who are enjoying the company of other people. It might not be as exact as Filipinos hate to be alone, though partly true, but Filipinos just want to always be with someone they love the company of or they simply become too engulfed in the idea of social interaction, they forget that a successful society must begin with a successful individual, which is someone that is not deprived of knowledge we extract from literary texts offer. These knowledge are not limited to scientific ones, but ideological ones, those which can build and destroy society, or bring up new innovations on what we have right now.
Until majority of Filipinos had taken grip on masterfully created books (which excludes stories of vampires falling in love with humans, ah), and until the mainstream media (Newspapers, Television, Radio) had broken the cynical perspective on things, and until these media go beyond their task of bringing information, but moreover, instilling these informations for the creation of a better society, the country will still be deprived of large leap development.
The recommendation in the latter is that the involvement of youth to literature should not be limited to romance novels, pocket books, and comic strips (though the three may still be a variable of development, who knows), but they should be (or we should be) exposed, little by little, by masterpieces of literary geniuses (which means more than just one) so that the youth will have a broader view on things. How can it be done, then? The institutions: family, schools, government, and churches, should hold programs regarding literature, in such a way youth will still be highly interested to participate.
This blog was not that of a surprise to me. I have read a lot of blogs discussing certain matters that Filipinos deal with. Well, honestly, I found this essay quite truthful. Based on my observations, the Filipinos in general, do not actually use books for research, nor scan some just to know some thing. What is at peak in this generation is just one click and your connected to all informations you are eager to know. How is that? The INTERNET. This Blog made me realize how much I was missing. The real essence of books, literature. The world shouldn't be run through modern technology ALONE. I believe that literature would help a lot in molding our values. What's usual among the teens in this generation is their laziness to research informations manually. Most of us do things automatically without exewrting any effort. But, having read this essay or blog, i had my eyes opened on the reality that we may have gone too far with technology, but there's always practical ways for us to nourish our minds with informations. This blog may be true, but it won't always be. I believe there are still chances for our nation to go back and develop book reading. :)–CARMELA TUNAY,1ca4-USTay2011-12-ENG2.
Some are book lovers, some aren't. Well Filipinos today, aren't that interested in books. They prefer to watch movies, maybe because they find it more entertaining. It's graphic, while as books are blocks of text leaving you and your imagination to do all the work. Books aren't just 20 pages each, some people don't have the attention span to actually sit down, and read. They get distracted, what with all the new gadgets laying around, smartphones, cellphones, laptops, TVs, and etc. They prefer texting, watching, or playing games rather than reading. And also, poverty maybe one of the reasons Filipinos are not fond of books. They can't afford them, or maybe they're too busy trying to survive, so they don't have time to read books. However there are Filipinos who are fond of reading books. And books are meant to be read, not stocked on a shelf to rot.
What Mr. Writer said was true, but I still believe that one day, we Filipinos will be book lovers. We should not lose hope about this. This is a trait that we, Filipinos have, never losing hope. We should not lose hope about having the best education that we have and we should not lose hope on having the time to read books. Me, myself, read some but not a lot like book lovers do.
naks pinsan :))
I would like to make my interpretation short and simple. I for one dislike the fact that the essay seems degrading but I would have to agree that few Filipinos appreciate the value of a book. However it doesn't necessarily mean that Filipinos are ignorant it's just that with innovations already existing, human nature tells us to choose the better option, for Filipinos, as stated in the essay "fast and light" entertainment, which of course are not books.
I totally agree with this. I, myself is not a fan of reading books/novels. I often read books, and when I do start reading a pocketbook, it's gonna take a month or two just reading one book, or worse, I'll start the first two or three pages of that book and leave it unfinished. But not all Filipinos hated reading books, it's just that most of us are not fans of reading.
I agree with this article. Filipinos are absolutely not book lovers. But, in my opinion, this liability was not acquired by choice but by chance. The Filipino race is a young race not in terms of age but in terms of freedom, and with every young thing comes mediocrity and ignorance and the lack of maturity to understand whats good for it. I think, Filipinos are just not that in to books because its been only roughly a century since our will and minds have been permitted to roam free and think. We still need to grow and formulate our own ideas in order to have interest in these things like reading. Also, we still need to grow and form our own identity to not let external forces spoon-feed us on what to be interested in. Another thing is that a roughly high percentage of our population are not that privileged enough to set their hands on a book or reading material that suits their particular interest.
Not that I am crowing, but I once, when I was in my Elementary days, was a book lover. I was regularly on the top borrowers list every quarter. But as I became older, I slowly drifted away from frequently reading books. I don’t remember why I lost interest but maybe it was because of a transition in a new environment.
I can say that I’m not a book lover, but I love reading books. It is fun and interesting when you’re reading. You can feel the story when you read it and have a thrill in the end of each chapters. In reading, you can feel the suspense. Especially, when you’re reading long stories. But, it’s hard to visualize when you’re reading. That’s why I always choose to watch movies rather than reading it. But, I agree that books are more précised than movies.
Books that are using in schools or universities help the students and also the professors to add more knowledge and widen their own ideas in some things. But, not all the time you can based it from the book, because authors are also humans, they are not perfect and they might have their mistakes when they’re writing about it. Also, you need to have your own decisions and techniques to live your life properly. And that decisions were not written from the books you’ve read.
In my opinion, I totally not agree with the some parts of this article. First, I don't think Philippine streets should be compared to Japan's. I think it's senseless. I don't think displaying a bookshop in every corner of a street makes the people around it educated or somewhat civilized. Second, one's love for reading is immeasurable. It is said that "Filipinos hate solitude… who enjoy being alone, and being in a book" but does it really have to be like that? Like a nerd sitting on the most exile bench, flipping the pages of his favorite book. Does it really have to be alone while reading a book? To me, it is what the author trying to tell us. Third, Filipinos love silence. It's just that we like to keep our thoughts unspoken. Fourth, I think you don't need to read a lot of books to get or to have a power. I mean, you can learn many things outside that hardbound or softbound thing on your hands like experiences or you can get into power by chances, you never know. Maybe, reading a lot of books can influence or help you to get into power but it's not the only way to get into it. On the other hand, I agree to the some views of the author like books need to be reread over and over again, Filipinos are ningas-cogon, we like to portrait conflicts among personalities rather than ideas.
I took time to research on the author's profile and I realized that the author is trying to persuade us, Filipinos, to read and understand books deeply especially this was written in the Martial Law period. I think she is telling us that we can make a difference when we discernibly appreciate books like we can fight corruptions, poverty, injustices in our country.
I do not quite agree with the whole essay. I think the writer just generalized the whole Filipino population right of the bat. Surely, there are some Filipinos who are not so much into reading but I believe in a way or another Filipinos are book lovers too. Indeed the cultural traits of Filipinos being cited in this essay are true. Yes Filipinos, or at least most Filipinos do not like being alone, analyzing ideas, and silence but that does not mean that Filipinos are not book lovers. What do you call the large percentage of HP book readers then? Aside from them there are also those people who read other literary works, some even read non-literary works. What do you call them then? Are they not book lovers? Just recently Nicholas Sparks, a world renowned author, came to the Philippines for a book launch or book signing and there is no doubt that so many people came to see him, people who read his books, people who love his books. I admit, I myself too most of the time would prefer watching over reading like most Filipinos, but I am proud to say that I have read five books. All cover to cover. It was hard to finish all five but because I loved the content of the books I was motivated to read. It does not matter how many novels you finished reading as long as you took the time and took the effort to read a book and you enjoyed it, even if it is just a single book, in my opinion you can already be considered as a book lover. But that’s just my opinion.
This article accurately describes how much we Filipinos aren’t that fond of reading books. It’s in our nature to choose a particular task which would be exhilarating and more physical, which is exactly the opposite of sitting in a quiet corner, holding a book and concentrating on understanding what the novel/book is all about. As it says above, it requires patience which we, the new generation, actually lacks of. Nevertheless, this article was way back then, If I were in that time then I would’ve agreed, but nowadays, Filipinos are starting to get involved in the literary world,and we are now aware of the benefits and advantages we could gain from it.
Honestly, I'm not a book lover or a book worm, but in my opinion I disagree on the statement that "Filipinos are not book lovers", I tend to disagree because we cannot conclude that all of the Filipinos are not interested on the books or not a book lover because everyone is different. Some Filipinos love the books and enjoy reading it but some find it boring and a waste of time. We cannot say and conclude that a person who wants to watch movies and use some of the technologies right now rather than having a book is not a fan of reading books because we are not there with them 24/7 to state if they really fan of reading books or not.
I would read only books that interest me. If the book doesn't catch my attention, why would i waste time reading it?
but, it depends if it is required. hehe. 😛 but I agree with some of the reasons why Filipinos are not book lovers. Especially nowadays that almost all things are more convenient because of new technologies.
I love reading. I love books. Also, curling up on the sofa, or even lying on the floor with a book in my hands, paperback or hardbound, while the electric fan whirs silently, is one of the best ways to spend a free afternoon with one’s self.
Reading, to me, is not only an escape to another world or a better world, or one that I would much prefer, but it is also, more importantly, a tool against ignorance. Books and texts are emotions, feelings and ideas that are written down, making them almost-tangible. It preserves thoughts and fleeting ideas, not unlike how a camera captures moments.
I don’t know whether I agree with the author or not, but I would not say that the author is wrong. Books are still very much costly, that I have to alot a budget limit on the money I spend buying books. My mother would complain of how fast I run myself through books, how I “devour” them. And, admittedly I do.
Sometimes, I pity my peers(those who do not share the same love for the art of reading) for not feeling the same joy and satisfaction I get from reading a book. But everythime I see somebody holding and reading a copy of Harry Potter, Great Expectations, Jane Eyre and -heavenforbid- even Twilight, my hope for literary life is re-kindled. I would sometimes watch them get lost in their minds, creating worlds exclusive only to them, and thinking and imagining, as I have when I pick up a book and read it.
It is in this that I begin to think that, little by little, people are beginning to appreciate books, and everything it has to offer. And it is a hope of mine that people can see beyond the world that they have created for themselves and make it a part of reality, where everyone exists, and to make reality itself better.
I am a book lover, but I am also Filipino. So now what?
In some aspects of your argument, I agree… and of course, in some, I disagree.
I am a book maniac. Period. Every Sunday is my regular "agenda" to visit Powerbooks; Every month to visit Booksale and of course, every student's all-timer, the National Bookstore.
~Gradeschool to HS: Having studied in a school where students were roughly a thousand heads to count, I had this kind of thinking (before) that "bookworms" were rare finds because students from our school who read books were kind of few that they can be counted by hand, and since I considered myself one of the pack, I always liked to think I was rare. Of course I was.
~Life in the University: I have been meeting a lot of people who share the same sentiment as mine– reading. I am very pleased to know that almost everyone I know are bookworms. I also feel happy…shocked…surprised… every time a person that I know, friend, and well, a TEAMMATE of mine reveals to me that they have such adamant desire for reading.
~And as I end my speech: I am bringing to a close that you cannot generalize Filipinos as non-booklovers. Your argument is empirical. Maybe you're just exposed to this kind of people, and you're missing out the rest– like me.
I read books. I love the feeling and the atmosphere when I read, but I'm not a bookworm perhaps a booklover.
The author saying that Filipinos are not booklovers is from a general observation. I can agree with this observation not with the conclusion that Filipino are not booklovers. Apparently, most Filipinos prefer fast and light entertainment which can be through the movie adaptation of the books— a turn over. I believe that there should be an equal interest for both the book and the movie since the
movie originated from the book and the book's been put into action through the movie. But since Filipinos tend to enjoy and appreciate movies because of its entertaining but effortless necessity to understand it, it greatly influence the choice of a person. We hardly risk ourselves
reading books we just want to immediately be satisfied without even finishing, we actually don't know that it might lead us far beyond our expectations. We obviously miss some point.
The matter of being alone which comes solitude and then hatred of the Filipinos towards solitude, for me it is natural for a reader to be alone but it does not follow that you are already in solitude when you read. It is very common for people to read alone even finding a place suited for their mood or the kind of book. Being emotional sure comes with reading but it really depends on how you react with the emotion conveyed in the book. Furthermore, I don't think Filipinos hate solitude but instead the truth that we have to experience solitude and pain that comes along.
Regarding the saying that Filipinos are not booklovers,I knew some people especially in my class in highschool and college who really lovesto read.You just instantly feel like reading a book and you don't have that much reason to read. It is natural.
We only lack this motivation to risk and be inspired by reading books. We were not used to read and thus restraining ourselves from doing what we are not used to. Much more, we are doubtful and too much distracted. Let's challenge ourselves as Filipinos. Read.
I read books. I love the feeling and the atmosphere when I read, but I'm not a bookworm perhaps a booklover.
The author saying that Filipinos are not booklovers is from a general observation. I can agree with this observation not with the conclusion that Filipino are not booklovers. Apparently, most Filipinos prefer fast and light entertainment which can be through the movie adaptation of the books— a turn over. I believe that there should be an equal interest for both the book and the movie since the
movie originated from the book and the book's been put into action through the movie. But since Filipinos tend to enjoy and appreciate movies because of its entertaining but effortless necessity to understand it, it greatly influence the choice of a person. We hardly risk ourselves reading books we just want to immediately be satisfied without even finishing, we actually don't know that it might lead us far beyond our expectations.
The matter of being alone which comes solitude and then hatred of the Filipinos towards solitude, for me it is natural for a reader to be alone but it does not follow that you are already in solitude when you read. It is very common for people to read alone even finding a place suited for their mood or the kind of book. Being emotional sure comes with reading but it really depends on how you react with the emotion conveyed in the book. Furthermore, I don't think Filipinos hate solitude but instead the truth that we have to experience solitude and pain that comes along.
Regarding the saying that Filipinos are not booklovers,I knew some people especially in my class in highschool and college who really loves to read.You just instantly felt like reading a book and you don't have that much reason to read. It is natural.
We only lack this motivation to risk and be inspired by reading books. We were not used to read and thus restraining ourselves from doing what we are not used to. Much more, we are doubtful and too much distracted. Let's challenge ourselves as Filipinos. Read.
From a person, a Filipina, to be exact, who reads a fair share of books, disagreeing OR even agreeing to this somewhat prejudiced article for me is not necessarily the matter. I am frankly appalled by certain statements given in the piece. “A book, whether a novel, a compilation of poetry, or a collection of essays or short stories, is one of the most demanding forms of intellectual engagement available,” “Reading a book requires time and patience; endurance, if need be”, “And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span”, “Furthermore, books deal with ideas, worked out mainly through characters and plots. There is always some horrid symbolism lurking somewhere, and the conflict of one system of thought against another”, and the most gut-wrenching sentence for me “It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers,” thus said. What I’m getting in all of these testimonials are: 1) books, or reading books, is ONLY for or perhaps REQUIRE ‘intellectual’ people. 2) ALL Filipinos are lazy and impatient and have short attention span 3) Filipinos won’t understand the ideas, plots or basically everything in the book 4) Filipinos are hopeless. The essay is obviously implying that Filipinos are not ‘intellectual’ enough to ‘handle’ a book. For me, it is a huge slap in the face, being one of those ‘FILIPINOS’, it’s like saying that I’m stupid and not good enough for something. I refuse to be labeled as such. Apparently, the author is also entailing that Filipinos are not capable of having patience or even comprehending ANY reading material that may or may not be directly expressed. That’s just preposterous. If we, (yes, I will continue to include myself in this for the mere fact that I am indeed one of the Filipinos) are ALL really incapable of what is implied, then perhaps ALL of US wouldn’t be educated or would still be living within the forests or mountains; extremely uncivilized. Again, I exceptionally refuse to be identified as an incorrigible person.
While I do value varied perceptions whether Filipinos love or hate to read, I do however do not support the insensitive pigeon-holing in this article about Filipinos. The article is classifying ALL the Filipinos into one category. ALL Filipinos are diverse therefore WE should not be put into ONE manner saying that ALL of us “will never become book readers” when in fact, THERE ARE FILIPINOS WHO ARE, AND ALWAYS WILL BE. And to answer the question whether I disagree or not, I BEG TO DISAGREE. But I do respect that some Filipinos are not fond of books but NOT all of them. Because I, a 100% born and raised Filipino, am a book lover. So, now, tell me how ALL Filipinos are not book lovers. I don’t think so. But hey, this is just me.
-Sadly, this makes sense. I go to USte really early to read in the library (because I myself am a self professed book worm) and I don't see a lot of students there reading, the few that do come are only there for the free internet or to cram for a quiz. The only time they fill the library is during exam week.
I agree with the writer.
Kudos to you man whoever you are. 😀
Why such negativity towards the reading behavior of the Filipino society? It’s just ridiculous that he did not bear in mind that we are hardworking Filipinos who strive for the freedom of his country. And yes, we used books as a medium for it.
“It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers.” I strongly disagree with this blasphemous statement. This actually infuriates me. What about the next generation? Did he not consider that the technology in the future may improve and could make books available anywhere? It may perhaps be free, thus be the cause of people reading out of curiosity.
If compared to other countries, Philippines indeed has fewer readers. But we should not prison ourselves with this fact. I know that the folks today may change this anytime now.
I agree with the author completely. Although the article is very stereotypical, the point it tries to make is true and it is very harsh. Most filipinos do consider reading as a tedious task and not as a source of entertainment. We prefer listening and watching, rather than reading. We prefer watching the news than reading the newspaper, we prefer the prof. talking than writing something on the board. We have a short attention span on books that's why we prefer "pocket" books. This seems true for future generations because of all these new technologies and sources of entertainment that will keep them off a bundle of paper with words. I admit, I thought I was the only one who felt this way towards books, but to have an article written about it shows how big of a problem it is. With pride aside, all is true, it's just we are new to the method of learning the awful truth it seems we prefer to hear our mistakes positively or we become anguish.
I don't exactly agree with the article. I find it too generalized, and I think it sounded like the writer was referring to all of us, Filipinos, when he/she stated that we don't like reading, solitude, ideas, and silence.
I totally disagree, because not all Filipinos dislike these things.
While it is true for most of us most of the time to prefer physical and social activities over ones that require minimum movement, and films over paper, it isn't exactly true every time for everyone. I, for one, like solitude, intellectual ideas, BOOKS, and READING. Last time I checked, I was a Filipino, and I'm pretty sure I still am a Filipino now. Although admittedly, sometimes I do prefer surfing the net over reading books, it doesn't exactly prove the article right.
As a matter of fact, I happen to see a lot of teenagers holding books nowadays (particularly the popular ones like the Twilight [<- I'm not exactly a fan], Percy Jackson, Harry Potter and The Hunger Games Series). This clearly shows that the article is obsolete, because Filipinos carrying books doesn't exactly portray the notion that Filipinos are not book lovers.
In my opinion, there is no reason for Filipinos to NEVER become book readers. Nowadays, more and more Filipinos, especially the youth, are getting more and more fond of reading books, whether it be novels, short stories or poetry.
Having a culture like ours, where we love to socialize and get busy, and the technology that we have nowadays, does not stop us from becoming fond of reading books. There may not be as much readers in our country as there are in others, but I think that in this period of time, there has been a big improvement in terms of the number of Filipinos who do read.
All of us have different likes and dislikes. Maybe majority of Filipinos did not found fun in reading books, but not all of us did. Some found reading as an outlet of emotions, and some found it as a boring thing to do. Surely, there are still Filipinos who love to read, exclusive of myself.
The topic cannot be distorted away from reality. Though I would like to ratify on the point the topic it's trying to make, that without book readers, the nation is in a threat of loss of civilization, standards, etc. I totally disagree on that one, because as a reader who does not read books, I still consider myself savant. I do not read books. because of the fact that I prefer articles, facts, and summaries compared to a book.
I'm not a book lover like any other Filipinos as well, but definitely I read some book which interests me. I agree at some point that majority of Filipinos are not book lovers, but it doesn't make us any lesser compare to any other people around the world. According to the writer, there are certain attitudes needed towards reading which we Filipinos lack because of our cultural traits. I believe each have their own strengths and weaknesses, each have their own ways in improving themselves, and reading is just one of them. For me reading is really important, but if it's not your interest, then there's no sense of doing it and you'll just probably waste time. Better think of other ways as long as it is intended for your self improvement.
Can we really blame ourselves about these "cultural traits"which hinders us to be book lovers? I don't think so, it will always be in the will of the person to change for the better.
In a world filled with fast-paced living & leisure, where everything has the word instant written all over, it comes as no surprise why most people would rather not read a book. More so for us Pinoys, whose culture includes watching high-octane variety shows & late-night soppy teleseryes (which admittedly, I myself enjoy).We are obsessed with ideas that are ready-made and spoonfed, those that need little or no time digesting at all. It's an utter bore for us to just sit in one piece, silence amidst, eyes interlocked with a play of words printed on a page till the wee hours of the morning. Given the choice, we'd rather have that daily dose of boisterous chatter and drama on our television sets. We'd rather have our laptop screens glowing brightly in front of us the whole day, pouring our hearts out or giving a blow by blow of our daily routines-down to its tiniest detail (and this I ask, do people really even give a damn?). This is the 21st century. Being busy is an excuse everyone uses to avoid books. But come on, in what context of "busy" are we talking about? In this present day and age, busy can mean updating our Facebook statuses as if our life depended on it. Funny but true.
You know what saddens me the most? It's not the fact that Filipinos are not up there on the book-lovers bandwagon, it's more of how much they're missing out on. Reading is the ultimate experience that can never, I repeat, NEVER be passed off by today's media. It's no primitive exercise nor is it highly stylized that it becomes too complex for the average human. And it is this that I hope more people would come to realize: the pleasure of words. It's amazing how they can take you anywhere, how you can be someone else-perhaps a dark, egotistic side of you that no one ever knew, how you can escape reality and life's monotony even for just a short while, how you just become unbounded by boundaries and become free. The mere fact, even, that most books represent a piece of life unbeknownst to most thus representing that other side of the social circle. The deafs and mutes of society finally have their say, the opressed, the battered, the broken, the insane-they finally get their voices heard. In other words, books enhance the human experience. Books are not just pieces of paper bound together with words blotted out in blank ink. It is the story of us, the story of man, in different angles and different perspectives.
The statement parades itself on busy streets, loud and clear: FILIPINOS ARE NOT BOOK LOVERS. It is indeed, a sad truth. But it's never too late. Change is on its way.
I would have to say that it is somehow true that Filipinos are not book lovers. But then, not entirely. While there are people who doesn't take reading as one of their hobbies or interest, there are also these people who likes to read. It is undeniably true that we can get a lot of things from reading. From the facts that can add up to our knowledge, its effect to our minds causing our imagination to widen, to the entertainment that it gives us. Yet, people have their reasons for not being a book lover. But considering myself as a person who likes to read, I could definitely say that reading had helped me in many ways. It is way more helpful than what most of us think. I just hope that people would realize that there are plenty of things that we should nourish, appreciate and spend our time to rather than the things that would not really give benefits to us. And also, I hope that soon enough people would take more time to read especially the young ones. Cause from that, I believe that it could make a huge difference. 🙂
When the author said that reading a book requires time, patient and endurance, she’s right. I also agree on the ningas-cugon thing. 🙂
Maybe the author is just implying that it would be great if Filipinos will engage on book-reading to have a better nation. 🙂
In my opinion Philippines focus more on commercials that’s why you rarely see a good library.
It saddens me to read this article, knowing that it was written during 1987 and I can’t believe that Filipinos isn’t already a book lover/reader.
The author could have put “Why Filipinos are not book lovers” instead of Filipinos are not book lovers or other title that doesn’t give the conclusion of all Filipinos not being a book lover. As I read the article, the term book lover becomes a book reader. Not just because you don’t “like or love” reading a book doesn’t mean that you don’t read books anymore.
This part in the article that says: “It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers”
I kind of don’t agree. Human itself is a book reader, FOR ME. The term “book” have many definitions. It could be a collection/division of literary works it could be just set of things bound together. And I know that the author is focusing on the literary thing. I think that line right now in our generation is 50:50. Technology sort of replaced the books in our generation now but still thank you for the movies who base their story on books, people become interested on it. Since the movie is a big hit on people now a days, the movie is like saying two things to the people. Either “Hey, don’t read the book since we sort of summarize it already” or “Hey, you need to read the book cause its better compare to us, like for instance we can’t fit in all those good moments in just a one and a half hour film.”
The author is also right when he/she said that: “we don’t mean sheer poverty either, for even among the richest Filipinos, they hardly read books.” 🙂
The article really is neither yes nor no for me. Well, everything have a good side and a bad side anyway. 😀
Some content of the article make sense because it is stating the fact that most of Filipinos are not fond of reading books nowadays. But I don't totally agree that Filipinos are not book lovers. Despite of being dependent to technology, there are still people care to read a literary piece of work that can feed their minds with thoughts and ideas. This article is like a big degrade for Filipino writers because there are so many aspirant Filipino writers that are truly intelligent and hardworking in such field of literary. Granting all the factors that was written in this article that are all proven true, we cannot say that Filipinos are not book lovers. However, we can say that most of them, are not really into reading books. Some literary pieces just don't get the interests of some Filipinos. People have different interests and point of views. We cannot say that if someone doesn't want to read a certain piece of literary, he/she is not fond of reading books anymore. People have diverse interests and we cannot come up with just one idea or thought. For me, we can still be fond of reading books if we just sort and comply to our field of interests
I agree with the article's content. You can really count few Filipinos who loves reading books(i think i'm one of them). But in my perspective, i think maybe Filipinos now a days are just being practical. Reading books really requires a lot of time and money. Sometimes, instead of buying books, Filipinos would think more carefully about spending, of course they would end up buying things that is a priority than a book.
We can’t deny why Filipino’s are not book lovers, because there are technologies everywhere and its influence made people dependent. And honestly, I must admit that I'm not a book lover so I totally agree with this. Because why do we need to give such time and effort to read a hundred or even a thousand-page book? If we could actually search for a shorter version of it on the internet or better look for a video/movie version of it by that we could understand the story more, right? Less time and effort, if this is the only solution to finish a story without getting bored or sleepy, then go! No one can blame you for that, because it’s what you’ve used to.
Saying that "Filipinos are not book lovers" is absolutely preposterous. But then again, this article was written decades ago, so who am I to argue or interfere with the writer's thoughts and opinions. Although, I admit there are still maybe some or perhaps many Filipinos at this time and age who do not find reading as a good enough hobby or leisure for them despite of probably having a lot of time for them to do so. I believe that the most common reasons why some Filipinos do not read are because of technology, work, and laziness.
First of all is technology. Almost everything about the world can be found with just one click. It's as easy as that. Indeed, there is no problem on just searching online for information but then the main problem is on how the Filipinos make use of the internet. They would probably just spend most of their time visiting online social networks most popularly Facebook or simply play online games which are both quite distracting. They tend to use the internet as an instrument of fun but not of research and learning.
Second is work. Filipinos tend to forget the essence of reading due to their busy work schedule most especially those who are employees and sometimes the students. This is why they tend to miss out the joy and fun of reading because they actually lack time.
Lastly, is laziness. Yes, books need a lot of patience to finish so Filipinos would rather watch movies instead of finding the essence in reading of reading it.
Of course, not all Filipinos are necessarily this way. I appreciate reading as I am also a bookworm myself. I really admire those people who manage to insert reading whenever they have the spare time and those who think that reading books is valuable or essential in their everyday life.
its not enough to say tht filipinos dont like to read. its just that for one to read a book the book has to pique interest to the reader. one reason why there are less filipinos tht read is tht foreign writters have a diff view in things and what may be interesting to them might not be interesting for us.
here we see a how a culture can diverse with another. there instances where foreign writers shared interests with the typical filipino. an example would be twilight. here we find a love story of a different nature. it was greatly welcomed by the filipino readers because filipinos have had an attraction to this kind of genre. we see plots like this in pocketbooks tht our maids are fond of. even in television there where stories that involve love and the strange or mystical.
another point that would maake this essay quite agreeable is the educational environment tht the majority have. educational environment not only pertains to what is in school but it starts with our homes. only a handful of parents would encourage their children to read. from my point of view, early encouragement to read is a must to start a fascination for people to read. as we know, we would rather watch than read. so without this encouragement, how would one start reading. although we are asked to read in school, it is very rare where one would be interested in school readings. i myself didnt even read this selection in its entirety. this is because of the culture where we have a negative attitude towards school.
all in all, i find this essay agreeable but it is not what the reality is. it is some what exaggerated and clings to a pessimistic point of view.
I do not agree in some parts of the essay. First of all, we do have our great leaders in our country. A person will never reach that kind of position without having enough and a broad knowledge. And by having these kind of gifted talents and brilliant minds, books are needed. Next, so what if Imelda Marcos was never seen reading a book from cover to cover? Does being a book lover needs to finish reading a book from cover to cover right away? Does everyone watches her as she sleeps or before she closes her eyes at night? No right? We can never tell that maybe she's reading books before having a rest. And so what if she's powerful? Like, hello?! It's just because of her husband. And for my straight to the point opinion, is she the basis of our society and civilization? Perhaps, she may not be a book lover, but i believe there are a lot out there, who are willing to read a lot as they can if they were just given the chance to have some books.
I do not agree in some parts of the essay. First of all, we do have our great leaders in our country. A person will never reach that kind of position without having enough and a broad knowledge. And by having these kind of gifted talents and brilliant minds, books are needed. Next, so what if Imelda Marcos was never seen reading a book from cover to cover? Does being a book lover needs to finish reading a book from cover to cover right away? Does everyone watches her as she sleeps or before she closes her eyes at night? No right? We can never tell that maybe she's reading books before having a rest. And so what if she's powerful? Like, hello?! It's just because of her husband. And for my straight to the point opinion, is she the basis of our society and civilization? Perhaps, she may not be a book lover, but i believe there are a lot out there, who are willing to read a lot as they can if they were just given the chance to have some books. Nowadays, teenagers are forced to do their school works by using computers and gadgets because it's easier than reading books. And how come these high technologies were invented? It's all because of BOOKS. Science taught us to develop and make new things that would make our life easier and faster. We all know that everyday, there are a lot of changes. For me, being a book lover must not only be through our eyes, but it must also be applied. You can't just read without understanding and learning from it. The fact that we are being a better person means that we have the power to listen. Lastly, being a book lover doesn't require all your time. It's the effort that counts. As a student, or rather should i say, as a busy person like the rest of us, we have different hobbies and interests but at least, we find time to read books sometimes.
After reading the article, I might say that there are still some people I know who are FILIPINOS that are bookworms. They enjoy reading a lot of pocketbooks and Japanese Anime Comics and would bother to buy expensive booklets just to read them. In contrast to what the article had stated that Filipinos are not book lover, it must not refer to all Filipino citizens though most of us Filipinos are not that bookworms just like the other races because I myself would honestly say that I love to read but I am not a bookworm and it may take up to months just to finish reading my thick pocketbook but my mood is still the boss I would love to read when I feel like reading something and if my interest goes the other way like the usual Filipinos do (unwinding and not being alone) I would really not read even a word.
But still this article surprises me because it is very alarming that most of us would not bother to take a book and seat with it. I would admit that reading is very helpful and books are cost-effective. In addition, the article motivated me to continue reading books that would help me understand life in a more mature way. I hope others would be inspired and will start reading too.
Test. trying to add a comment to this post which has almost 1K comments.
I love to read books and there are times when I prefer to read than to mingle and go out with my friends. There are also some instances where people think that you are a loner or a nerd when they see you in a corner and reading a book. Filipinos, in my opinion, are not book lovers because it requires money and time. Sometime, we tend to think that reading is just a waste of our time but it is not. It even helps us widen our understanding on how we see things in life and it even helps us to be a better person. The sad part is that we just prefer to watch the book’s movie adaptation than to read the book itself. This article encouraged me to read more books even though it require a bit of your time because it enables us to give a different perspective on how we view life.
well…it's not possible to say that all people that Filipinos don't like to read. But it's a huge generalization. I do have a friend however, who hates reading. xD
READING is indeed something optional, which requires our beautiful minds to work to be able to comprehend (that in which it involves not only understanding but as well as appreciation) a particular topic. I’d say that there is a real need for us to comprehend because a topic turns from being plain to being opulent when the reader both understands and at the same time appreciates it. Why do I say so? A very perfect example would be READING THIS ARTICLE ALONE. Technically speaking, a person reads a certain topic if it is within his scope of interest, if it directly affects him/her or to be exact if that person feels like involved given that he/she can relate unto it. However, it is not surprising as to know this fact because it is human nature.
Personally, when we were given the task to read and comprehend this article, I didn’t feel like I was going to face the guillotine for my execution. Why? It is because I am interested in it. And why would that be? Because simply, I am a Filipino which means that I am directly involved to it. I have read the article for a couple of times. I did that with fervent hope that I will be able to grasp the writer’s point of view so as to avoid being bias when I would put my so-called punto de vista also in here which I am doing right now. The very first reaction that you’ll ever get after reading this, especially if you are a Filipino like myself, is indignation. You will feel like you are being misjudged for something which you believe is really not your doing, from here on, you will start to think for reasons on why you tend to do this thing instead of that one and you’ll feel that it should be left at that because it is a valid excuse or at least that is what you think. This action is what we are all familiar with yet we tend to disregard it and that is DENIAL.
I must admit that it would rather be difficult for someone like me(given that I am a Filipino, a very involved person on this) to just freely express my thoughts or more likely my feelings towards this article without being prejudice. Thus after hitting on Google so as to clarify some of the few things that have to do on the said article, I was able to come up with this:
You might all be wondering on why I kept on blabbering about topics, articles and the like when in fact the issue here is about being a booklover, that which encompasses BOOKS. Well folks, you need not to worry because I believe that I am still on the right track. See, it is not just the book as it is which is the issue on this, it is actually READING itself which is the very core on this matter. Besides, what do we basically do with a book is that we actually read it and what do we read in it is its content which focuses on a specific topic. Therefore it all boils down unto one thing: its topic.
Now, with regard to Filipinos being an anti-solitude people which makes us less interested to reading books, I must say that it is true. That would be because being in a state of solitude is so not Filipinos. In fact, it is a common knowledge that we are known worldwide for being hospitable. This is due to the fact that we love to interact or should I say, we long to socialize. But that is purely cultural. Even the author herself points it out on culture and it is as they say that Culture defines us for who we are. So, basically I must agree to that. Maybe, it is one of the reasons at all.
The next point would be that which has to do with ideas. Well, we love ideas actually, at least I do know some people who does including myself. Isn’t it through ideas that we were enlightened during the Spanish Colonial era to claim on what we believe is ours by right? Relating this to modernity, a great proof that we still give ideas with high regard is the fact that during supper time which we consider also as important, members of the family gather to not only eat together but to also share and exchange ideas over an exact issue, may it be something that has happened on that day. We love ideas but maybe it is just that we are not aware of it, that we are actually giving them with a great deal of importance.
The author has also made mention on poverty being not a hindrance to reading books. Now, having been able to find out that this article was written two decades ago, in the year 1987 to be exact, I must say that it is indeed a hindrance because it is by this time which our country faced its major crisis in terms of economics. It is during this time that there is a must for Filipinos to really work hard to support their families with the basic necessities in life. Basically, is it a wise thing to do to spend a lot of your time reading when you know that your family is on the verge of ending up with hunger?
Lastly, I would also like to point it out that this issue about being a booklover is not only an issue that Filipinos alone are responsible to. It is quite rampant to some regions in the world.
But, really, does being not a booklover make someone less civilized? I guess that’s all for us to find out but if it is so, then good thing, I AM A CERTIFIED BOOKLOVER.
well…it's not possible to say that all people that Filipinos don't like to read. But it's a huge generalization. I do have a friend however, who hates reading.. xD
well…it's not possible to say that all people that Filipinos don't like to read. But it's a huge generalization. I do have a friend however,who hates reading….xD
well…it's not possible to say that all people that are Filipinos don't like to read. But it's a huge generalization. I do have a friend however,who hates reading….xD
I couldn’t help but agree with some points that the article pointed out. For starters the part of the article that said that reading requires time and effort, and that fact about Filipinos having short attention span. However, I would not agree with that statement in which the writer said that Filipinos will never become book readers because there has been increasing number of teenagers who are turning their interest in reading books, be it graphic novels, ‘chick lit’ books, or some other genres of it.
I disagree to the article stated above that Filipinos are not bookworms. Filipinos are intelligent race that can cope up with every situation they encounter. Poverty seems to have an effect on the everyday life of every Filipinos but it does not affect their interest to read books. They may seem to avoid buying expensive and latest book but they compensate themselves in buying other books that are cheaper but with similar informations.
If Filipinos are not fond of reading books all the bookstores in the country should have been closed due to lack of buyers but they still persist to proliferate because they are widely patyrinize by Filipinos and it is a positive indication that Filipinos love to mread books.
Take a look at our OFWs who are considered the best workforce in the world, they gained their knowledge by reading books in order to improve and maintain their intellectual capability. We should also consider that no household in the Philippines that does not have books in it. Filipinos also hate to throw away books and as much as posible they continue to preserve their books for reference. These are indications that Filipinos remain as book lovers contrary to the articles stated above.
I don't think that Filipinos does not read books. They do read books, but because of the technology nowadays, they prefer watching movies or the internet than reading books because Filipinos, as what in the essay was said, have short attention span.
It is true that in Japan, you can find several bookstores along the street or block, while here in the Philippines, instead of bookstores, you will see sari-sari stores and computer shops. I think technology is one main reason why some Filipinos don’t read that much. I do agree with the author but not entirely. The phrase “Filipinos are not booklovers” apply to the whole Filipino society, and not all Filipinos hate to read books. There are some Filipinos we can also classify as bookworms, which means they love books. Honestly speaking I, myself, am not fond of reading books. I tend to get bored easily when reading books especially if its very long. I lose my patience easily, and sometimes I also find it hard to understand some of the words which make me really bored of reading it. I’d rather watch TV or a movie because it’s more fun to do. There are other means of printed media like newspaper and magazines which some Filipinos love to read. But I do think that I should start reading books to help me expand my vocabulary.
It is wrong to say that every single one of us is a bookworm. It is also wrong to generalize, here we go again, that the entirety of our nation does not enjoy to read. (Alas, if it would've been any other generalization that is positive, we wouldn't have minded.) Sure, the average 21st century Filipino may not spend a great deal of time with his nose in a book, but that is not enough to say that we appreciate books any less. We can do nothing about what the author has written, what the world has thought of us, no, it is a lost cause. But, it is well within our capabilities to change what future authors, and communities, will write of us and will think of us. That is the true response that all of this calls for: a change, a revolution.
This really tells the sad reality that more and more Filipinos are getting illiterate because they don't think of books as their basic learning process. Instead, they think that it's useless to read because it's just a waste of time. SINCE WHEN DID LEARNING AND DEVELOPING YOUR INTELLECT BECAME A WASTE OF TIME I WONDER? 🙂
Reading is really one of the issues of our nation today. Lesser people nowadays spend time to open a book and let the magic of the printed letters enchant them with wisdom and to every single emotion known to man. However for me, this is not really a big problem. Mind you, this is not the cause of the apocalypse.
Honestly, I am not a fan of books. I have grown preferring movies, music and pictures over reading. Perhaps, it is only because of a school requirement that I read and never as something to do when bored.
I can help but react while reading this blog. A part of me just agreed and a part of me just screamed and said, “Stop pretending that reading is the only source of knowledge and the only good thing in this world!”
Let me remind you that not all people are the same; and that we have multiple intelligences. You might like reading because you have that linguistic intelligence while some might like listening to music for they have that musical intelligence. Every person has a different way of learning – it depends on his/her intelligences.
All I’m trying to say is that, reading a book might work for you but for others, it may not. We cannot just force people to read.
Stop saying that people who read are the only ones who achieves greatness. I believe that a person should learn in a way that it is parallel to his/her intelligences – this way we will have a better chance of bringing out the best in an individual. Just let them be my friend, let them be.
This article accurately elucidated how Filipinos view novels and books .Well, it is in our nature to choose a particular task which would be exhilarating and more physical, which is exactly the opposite of sitting in a quiet corner, holding a book and concentrate on understanding what the book is all about. As it says above, it requires patience which we, the new generation, actually lacks of. Nevertheless, this article was way back then, If I were in that time then I would’ve agreed, but nowadays, Filipinos are starting to get involved in the literary world, we became aware of the benefits and advantages we could gain from it.
I agree with the statement: “Filipinos are not book lovers.” But with the idea that the Filipinos do not read, I don’t think so. Their reading process just not focus on literary works but maybe mostly on tabloids, magazines and whatever entertains their unaware mind.
Honestly, I haven’t read a good book for so many months now. And I can feel my vocabulary slowly deteriorating. Reading makes one’s mind critical and enriches its decisive way of thinking. Maybe this is also one of the reasons why the Philippines has shown no growth. Its people need to educate themselves even with just a simple good book.
I admit that this article is true and it is really saddening what happened to the fate of reading Filipinos. The majority, has to give his/her all in trying to find ways and means to earn a living, whether young or old, giving them less time for a solo encounter with a book.
The school, especially the public ones, teaches pupils to read the supplied books which are often outdated, thereby making them lose interest in reading. Also their libraries doesn't have books that will make students pick on then take home to enjoy reading. The government should make a drive to boost reading awareness of the Filipino youth, so when they grow old, the habit sticks with them.
“It seems certain now that Filipinos will never become book readers.”
Given the benefit of hindsight, it can be easily said that this statement is wrong. In fact, I would even dare say that Filipinos are actually more into books now more than ever. Even as I write this, I am looking at a shelf full of books (albeit written by foreign authors) that further makes it ironic just how wrong this statement truly is.
With that said, I would have to say that this statement is fallacious. Not only does it make the hasty generalization that just because one is Filipino, he or she will never become a book reader, but it also reeks of self-deprecation and a dose of colonial mentality that befall some Filipinos.
The most glaring problem with this article is the lack of support for the claims made by the author. How is one supposed to believe in what the author is saying if he or she does not even know the basis of the author’s claims? Did the author use statistics and research that led him or her to conclude that Filipinos are destined never to become book readers? Were there even statistics and resources from which the author found information that helped him or her to draw such a conclusion?
Pardon my skepticism, but it just seems so easy to present an opinion (which I wholeheartedly believe that everyone is entitled to) as a matter of fact. Especially when one considers that this article was written in 1987 (24 years previous from the time that I’ve read this article) does one have doubts already forming in his or her mind.
Personally, I am insulted at the conclusion that the author has come to. Being a teenage Filipino student who considers himself to be well-read, I cannot fathom how the author presented Filipinos. As a matter of fact, I actually do value the three things that the author pointed out as being detriments for Filipinos to read books- solitude, ideas, and silence.
Furthermore, I question the author’s thought process at the time he or she wrote this article. Did the author consider other factors (which, I have to point out, was mistakenly spelled as “facters”) for Filipinos not taking an interest to reading? Perhaps it is because that the value of reading books had not been imbibed in the average Filipino yet. It could even be because the Department of Education did not place much importance on reading books then as much as it does now. Whatever the reason/s may be, it seems narrow-minded to simply blame the average Filipino for being overwhelmed by the prospect of facing solitude, ideas, and silence when reading a book.
Then again, this is 24 years ago that the author is referring to. Perhaps the passage of time truly has developed and imbibed in Filipinos a sense of love for reading books. If not, then how can I even begin to explain the sheer number of people I encounter whenever I enter a branch of National Book Store, Power Books, or Fully Booked? Am I to believe that Filipinos are wasting their time importing foreign books (or even writing their own books) when their time and the national resources would be better off used elsewhere? Were my childhood memories of throwing temper tantrums whenever my mother refused to buy me a storybook all just figments of my imagination? And what am I supposed to think of whenever my sister and I would always go check out the book store first whenever our family goes to a mall?
I won’t deny that there are indeed Filipinos who just do not have any interest in reading. But I believe that for every Filipino who hates seeing a book, there is another Filipino itching to get his or her hands on the latest release in National Book Store. I can only hope that Filipinos who love to read can pass on their interest in books to their comrades.
Until then, I will maintain my love of books. Critics and skeptics be damned.
I agree with the author because it is true nowadays that Filipinos spend much of their leisure time doing other things like playing their gadgets because they are so distracted by technology. Filipinos are less-educated due to less budget that the government is offering them.
It's not that Filipinos aren't book lovers, just some of them are. Some Filipinos like to read and some don't. It's just in the person not in the race. And it doesn't mean if you have read many books, you are superior. For me, it's not in how many books you have read but it will be better if you/people read books.
In my own point of view, I think the writer of this article became so certain in assuming that Filipinos will never become book readers that he generalized us too much and did not foresee improvements whereas over the past couple of years, there had been lots of changes in our society including the fact that now, many of us are fond of reading books.
Although the factors mentioned might still be present, we Filipinos manage to find our ways to engage ourselves to books because we know that they are important sources of intellect and morals. We generate ideas from them, apply everything we learn and never depart from what they have instilled in us. That's why I also beg to disagree with the statement "Filipinos will go from being primitives to becoming exhausted as a civilization, without ever having been civilized enough to read books."
The "Filipinos are not book lovers" article convey truths about our generation today. One thing that makes it agreeable is because of advanced technology available in our country. Moreover, I agree with the Filipino traits stated by the author (i.e. ningas-cogon and solitude-hater) which makes the main idea of the article justifiable.
"It isn’t over in an hour or two like movies or television shows. And Filipinos with our ningas-cogon tendencies, like our entertainment fast and light, have suitably short attention span." I can relate with this statement. Most Filipinos would rather watch the movie than read the book and most Filipinos would rather watch Munting Heredera than sit by their study table and quietly read a book. Although I am not saying that ALL Filipinos are like what I just said, I'm just saying that MOST of us are like that.
From the first ten Filipino people I know, only two people really love reading books and two people only read books which are always in the "Best seller" section. I admit, I don't like reading books. Well I tried reading before when friendster and facebook did not exist in my world. I only read books because the teacher required me to (i.e. the velveteen rabbit or the little prince).
Although this stereotyping article is partially true, I know some Filipinos who would rather buy a book than a new t-shirt. In an essay I read, one the reasons why people do not read books is because they are busy with their jobs. Nowadays, people are busy "tweeting" and "liking" in their twitter and Facebook accounts. I see children holding iPads rather than books. I think that people-who-don't-read-books does not apply only in the Philippines but in other countries as well. But I don't want to believe that Filipinos will never read books. I hope that the light I see beyond the tunnel, is the new generation of Filipinos who loves reading books.
It is but agreeable that Filipinos would rather watch a movie than invest money, time and effort on an expensive book which would just eventually become an ornament. But, I still believe that there are still a few who are still interested in flipping those fresh scented pages. I, for one, love books. I like having some time alone in my room reading a book and being in my own world.
We do have personal interests. Some Filipinos like to read and some don't. So, I don't think that Filipinos should be stereotyped as such.
I strongly agree with this article because it is very evident that Filipinos are really not fond of reading books. Although, I found some lines arguable because I can tell that I myself am a reader of books, even not required of academics. I also agree that the reason why Filipinos don't spend time reading is because of their attitudes, cause a lot of Filipinos really are very impatient. It is just sad to know that Filipinos would rather spend time playing DOTA, watching all kinds of adult movies and other application in the computer than sit down in solitude and read a book. Nowadays, a thick book is nothing to a Filipino compared with FHM, Playboy etc. how sad…
If the only Filipino book-lover is as well a writer, he might end up reading his own work.
Maybe, what the writer was refering to were the teens. Because if we say Filipinos, it depends on the age bracket. This article might be applicable to teens since they are the most affected by the booming of the technology. I, myself is also a student and a writer (in my own way), but I sometimes lost my fondness of reading a book. It also depends on the book one is reading. Each one has his own preference based on his background or such.
Maybe, the stereotyping idea is just one of the flaws of this article but believe me, he will be most happy in improving his works.. The important thing is we, as bookworms should not stop reading. For those who are not, give yourself a break. Try to explore and give color to your lives.:)
I agree that Filipinos are not book lovers but it obviously does not mean that Filipinos do not read books. I can say that Filipinos are adventurous in nature. We love the outdoors. We go to different places to try different things. Most of us prefer to work, to eat, and to play. We are fun loving people. We want to experience the reality of a book's content.
Filipinos. Wow. How come they generalize so fast? Lahat na ba 'yan? It was written decades ago! How about now? Have we been looking around lately? I myself have a hard time reading for I have to help at our family business at home. I mean, is there no exception? Does this mean I have to read every single day? I do, as a student. But we can never force people to read. You must, MUST, be interested in what you read. I believe so.
Plus! We "Filipinos" live in a third world country where poverty is everywhere, even in our deepest fears. I mean, do you expect a squatter to read books rather than hustling or doing something to earn money and to keep his or her family alive? Think about it. Maybe this person wrote this (just maybe!) so that we'd buy books that would benefit him. I don't know. It's just my opinion. This is a blog site, not a commercial or advertising site. Right? So yeah, let's think things over.
It is true that most Filipinos wouldn't invest so much in reading a book. Maybe it's because Filipinos do not recognize that books contain knowledge; and knowledge means power. Maybe it goes back during the Spanish colonial period since the Spanish deprived us of knowledge because they knew that once we became knowledgeable, we could have overthrown them much earlier. But, of course, this article was written in '87, much has changed since then, I believe.
I’m not surprised by this. It is all so true that the filipino youth are not so much into reading rich literature and all those beloved classics that used to be devoured a lot by generations past. I remember that in the 2 schools I’d been to in the Philippines, among in my classes, I was the only one who’s able to read those torn, undiscovered children’s classics such as those written by Madeleine L’Engle (A Wrinkle In Time trilogy), Lloyd Alexander (Chronicles of Prydain), C.S. Lewis, Agatha Christie (Poirot mystery series), the Hardy Boys, Watership Down, Aesop’s fables, Pippy Longstockings and all those I sought after that have those Newberry Award labels (because they’re guaranteed to be great stories). When the Harry Potter film phenomenon came on in early 2000s, I saw kids my age with the books in their hands- but often I don’t see them reading. Perhaps some did, but often I felt, they would only pay to read these books when it gets recognised by pop culture. And, unfortunately, those recognised are the only ones that they’d pay mind.
This also became quite an irritation for me when, after four years having read Philip Pullman’s books, the movie came out, and of course, gained the mass audience’s attention to his books. Previously, I’ve recommended some of my friends into reading his books, not because I really like the story, it’s because they were interesting stories worth discussing about. Sigh. They had left me a fool talking to myself (in the form of a diary) to bring about crucial subjects dealing heavy stuff such as religion and human existence. They’re just not interested because, perhaps, it would only matter to read when pop culture validates them. I bet they just started paying mind to my suggestion of reading them when Hollywood brought this up. I’m not even interested in the Twilight series, but I’d sensed some of those who already read so much books their whole life get irritated when newfound fans (after the movie’s being made) get into crazy fanatic mode- and it just gets them dumbdowned.
Well, in a way, I’m half glad that I was the only one who had read those books, because in a way, they’ve made my childhood unique and quite special. Damn, after thinking those years back in elementary school, it’s a crying shame that deep and imaginative reading that would have fuelled them so much creativity and uniqueness into their individual lives had been wasted for Britney Spears and that ilk that is pop culture that made most of the young people thinking the same way (and it’s not even the good way). Guess why I was such a loner.
Whenever I go to the library, there would be heaps of people gathering around in groups on the tables not because they’d be reading, but because they’re for a great deal of gossip. I’m sorry to say but they were such a bored lot, pretending they’re all grown up and thought that reading is quite childish or for a patronising term, nerdy. Influenced by the trash of American pop culture, they’d given me the impression that it’s stupid to even bring up something that fits in the context of learning or knowledge acquisition. Believe it or not, they had been in this stupid groupthink mindset in their formative years, not having thought outside their boxes. I had experienced a great deal of social anxiety and probably a bit of existential crisis on why I couldn’t communicate with the lot of them- and why I feel like an alien. It wasn’t until I moved overseas that I have realised that there was absolutely nothing wrong with me, and that I’m in complete control of my own normal self.
Conformity in the Philippines reallys sucks. Group validation is what’s leaving me the impression of the many filipino youths not willing to read a lot of books. I somehow blame the education system there for not having updated their methods in providing useful knowledge for these children, and thus, prompting them to read more books.
Hi!
Thank you for your long and insightful comment. I have to agree with you in to a certain extend with a lot of the points that you have raised in your response. It is indeed saddening that a lot of people only start reading when the environment around them validates them. Yet after all its’s also good to know that there are a lot of them who eventually realize that reading is fun – like me. 🙂
I agree with you on the part about the library(and everything in general but mostly about the library). Last year my school’s library was the quietest place at school during lunchtime. Then they renovated it and now it’s become some sort of social meet-up place. Whenever I go there to actually read, I can’t concentrate because everyone is busy talking instead of reading, and when they do ”read” they just pick up a book and faux read, so they won’t get kicked out by the librarian. That annoyed me once because one of the faux readers picked up a book I was just about to borrow. I had to wait for lunch to be over and they left before I could get it.
It’s sad to see I’m the class oddball because I read a lot and write a lot.
I do agree at some points (re:why Filipinos do not love books) with the author because a midst the era of social networking very few people would love to sit down and read a good books. Often times students who love reading are labelled as “baduy” or nerdy. Just like any other race there are people who love to read and there are those who are busy with something else. Pinoys read books question is what kind of books are they reading? Pocketbook romance that has the same overuse plot with that of soap operas.
Filipinos ARE book lovers, you just have to know where to look for them. If you find them (especially those who read the same books as you do), it’s like finding a kindred spirit. One of the largest groups is http://www.readphilippines.com/Forum/. There’s also a group called Flips Flipping Pages and more in shelfari.com. We have built a community of readers since 1987. Hopefully it grows bigger in this decade 🙂
makapag comment lang aq 🙂
I don’t really agree with this one. I mean, okay, maybe Filipinos don’t buy the more expensive pocketbooks or novels from those “bookshops,” that doesn’t mean Filipinos are not book lovers. Have you seen those secondhand book stores? It’s not that Filipinos aren’t book lovers, it’s that Filipinos are wise spenders. Why buy an expensive book when you can get it secondhand for a tenth of the original price? Or you could just search the web and you can find tons of e-books uploaded everywhere (though I’m not saying I support piracy, but you get my point.) Fact of the matter is, if you look hard enough, and if you know the right place to look for them, you can find a Filipino book-lover almost anywhere.
P.S.
No disrespect, but “facter” is not a word.
I’m filipina and I love books. I own many books and would never throw or donate them – ever! And, I’d rather have a library rather than a swimming pool if I had to choose between the two to have in the house. And, I’m pretty sociable.
Interesting article though.
This is so true.. Majority of Filipinos are not book lovers.. Very rare. Me, I just developed my hobby in reading when I started college. AT first, it was a bit hard ‘cuz I’m not 100% fluent in English & would prefer a translated one..but as time time pass by, it improves my comprehension & communication skills. Plus, you’ll learned a lot and change your mindset & perspective in life. I love self-help,fantasy, Buddhism and asian books. In our community, , it’s really rare for people to develop a passion in reading.. Instead they prefer easy entertainment – TV.