HISTORY OF NATIONAL BOOK WEEK

In 1934, the Philippine Library Association handed a petition to then Governor-General Frank Murphy to propose a celebration that promotes literacy and the library’s services to the public. In response to the Association, Murphy relented and declared the Philippines’ first National Book Week in June of that year. The date of National Book Week was only changed to its current location at the end of November in 1936.

Even though interest in reading is waning in today’s world due to teenagers’ preference for television and video games, National Book Week organizers claim it is more vital than ever. One of the goals of the holiday is to keep schoolchildren’s reading habits alive so that future generations will be able to express themselves in writing.

Essay competitions, book exhibitions, and other types of fun competitions are held by a variety of libraries and educational institutions to encourage increased public engagement. To emphasize the value of reading to young minds, the government encouraged schools to arrange trips to libraries and publishers. National Book Week drew even more attention as the Catholic Church began to actively participate in its commemoration, with priests being encouraged to offer sermons emphasizing the importance of reading books. During National Book Week in the Philippines, this tradition is still practiced.

National Book Week has been welcomed with great enthusiasm by the Filipino public since its inception, generating widespread public interest and receiving support from senior government officials. It has sparked a renewed interest in reading in the Philippines, as well as increased library visits. While it can’t be blamed on the week, the Philippines has one of Asia’s highest literacy rates, at 96.3% as of 2020, which may explain why National Book Week is a huge success across the archipelago.