Turn off that TV
CHILDREN are often encouraged to facea-book and read. But have you ever wondered what is happening to their parents and idols, the manongs and the aunties? It seems that the idea of reading books resonates with Filipino adults, those who are 18 years old and above. They do not believe that “reading books is tiring” or that “reading is a luxury.” They believe that “most people have time to read books if they will only want to.” They also find books to be “inexpensive and affordable.”
They are self-motivated, not needing encouragement to read. What matters to them is the book’s availability, not so much the recommendations from other people and social media platforms or book reviews in magazines and newspapers, not even the book’s popularity.
And yet, some Filipino adults don’t read books. The reason? Because they feel that there are better things to do. They would rather watch television, cook, listen to music, talk to friends, browse social media, garden, and surf the internet — in that order. Only sports and shopping give way to reading. Most Filipino adults also think that reading books is less important for them compared to children.
These are just some of the findings of the 2023 National Readership Survey (https://books.gov.ph/ nbdb-readership-survey/) conducted by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) and the Social Weather Station last November. (It is a survey about readership, specifically of non-school books (NSBs) such as novels, stories, poems, and books about religion, art, culture, and personal interests, and not literacy.)
How did this attitude towards books and the reading preferences translate in real life?
In the past 12 months, 42% of Filipino adults read NSBs. It’s a big drop from 80% in 2017.
Among the 2,400 individuals surveyed in 480 barangays, the highest readership comes from Mindanao (56%), followed by Luzon (40%), National Capital Region (37%), and Visayas (34%).
Gen Z are the top readers. Millennials and Gen X are next. However, only three out of 10 senior citizens read a book for personal enjoyment or information. According to the survey, older Filipinos start reading when they are 16 years old. Interest peaks at 18-24 years old and then it wanes particularly when they reach 55 years old.
Also, in the past 12 months, 8% of Filipino adults bought NSBs.
Apparently, adults do not want to buy books as much as children do. 54.6% prefer to borrow from others or from libraries. Only 36.7% will buy.
Public libraries though are not even a major attraction. Supposedly, this has more to do with adults having no time, and not because adults are not fond of books or because adults can access them in the internet or because the library is too far from their house. (But, yes, adult public libraries are not reachable by foot, unlike those for children. And, no, most adults are not even aware if their area has such a library.) Public libraries are considered as not being updated.
In terms of cost, although affordability is not the top consideration for NSB purchases, only 12.6% of Filipino adults will spend P600.00 and above for a printed book, 3.3% if it’s an e-book. They are more open to spending up to P199.00, whether for a new book or second hand.
Most prefer to read printed books, and that’s over printed newspapers, printed magazines, e-books, and printed comics. Meanwhile, an e-reader consumes 12 e-books per year at P99.00 each; that’s one book per month.
The survey has data on children too but it’s the results about the adults that were appealing.
So, okay. Cooking, music, human connection, nature, even sports: they are all fun, relaxing, and engaging. But so is reading. Reading allows you to get lost. It pulls you in. There is joy in being submerged in words and scenes. Reading makes you focus on one thing, an effective way of stress reliever. Reading develops your mental skills, which is helpful as one gets older. And when you read, you gain insight and empathy. You learn that there are different people, places, and perspectives.
Now that we have the National Readership Survey, wouldn’t it be interesting to find out if the results are consistent with the data culled from those selling books including used books? (I raised this question during the “Indie Publishers Learning Series: Reading the Filipino Readers” held on April 13 by the Indie Publishers Collab PH. Unfortunately, according to NBDB, there’s no data available from local bookstores.) At any rate, hopefully, this latest effort will push both government and the book industry to better understand the habits, resources, and infrastructure surrounding adult reading and their impact on the wealth and health of our communities.
As for watching television, the favorite pastime of Filipino adults in all age groups, it’s not bad by itself. I watch TV all the time. Children also like watching TV the most. Children, however, find reading NSBs more enjoyable than adults do. Plus, three out of 10 kids get the encouragement (to read) from their parents and guardians. We should take pride in that. And remember what it is that we teach our children.