Ang Top Ten Bonggang Ganap sa PH Kids Lit (2009 to present)
Prospects and Directions in Philippine Children’s Literature
Zarah C. Gagatiga, Teacher Librarian and Board Member PBBY
Children’s Book Summit 2019
To dream and to remember
So while we are here this afternoon, prospecting for mineral deposits in the Children’s Book industry, mapping places where potential customers or clients are still yet to be found, looking at possible investments where we can grow not just our products, but to develop platforms where the talents and skills of people are enhanced and strengthened too, it is good to keep in mind the purpose of creating, developing and distributing books for children.
Children’s literature is a genre by its audience, and its categories read very much like the categories of adult literature (Paterno, 2018) except for the picture book and the young adult (YA) novel. This is what makes it unique and special. National hero Jose Rizal wrote and translated folk stories for the purpose of sharing them to his nieces and nephews. These stories were his gifts to the young people in his family. First, he made the journals by hand. Then he wrote on them the stories, perhaps The Monkey and the Turtle, The Ugly Duckling and William Tell. These journals, that became books, were wrapped and sent to the Philippines from Europe. I can only imagine the reaction of Rizal’s nephews and nieces upon receipt of the packages. If I were to put myself in their place, I definitely will feel valued and loved.
What can we glean from this story? Rizal the writer wrote for himself. Rizal the writer intended to leave a legacy. Rizal hoped that with stories and books as gifts, young people will continue the act of creation. By coding, writing and illustrating, since Rizal drew as well, the stories have found a place where it can be kept for remembrance and for continuity. From this experience of Rizal, we can also see the process of creating a book and its distribution in its simplest form. I believe that this model and the principles behind it remain the same centuries later. However, what changes the game for content creators, distributors and consumers of books, information and literature are the advancements in technology. We create the technology and in turn, it shapes our thinking and changes our ways of knowing ourselves and the world. Information and communications technology has greatly opened up windows of opportunities for the avid reader, creators and distributors of children’s books.
Long ago, a book, once published will have shelf space in a bookstore or in a library. Today, that book has an electronic counterpart. There is a YouTube channel or a social media account by the author or the publisher where he or she could post additional content in another media format. Young readers and their parents are exposed to a variety of learning materials. The different agencies where they can access them by mobile technology are a plenty. Accessibility to books, information and literature is made easier with the internet. Teaching and learning new literacy skills, as well as life skills, is needed more than ever. However, there are places where technological infrastructure is otherwise dependable. Besides, there are stories from the provinces and in the regions that we need to hear and know more about when we speak and discuss book development and literature for children. It is inevitable to reflect, take stock, make calculated risks, set priorities, examine criteria or the measurement of quality of our children’s books and challenge traditional publishing models and practices.
My friend Erick Ramos has been working so hard on social media, promoting my workshop. To ease him up a bit, I sent him this description of the workshop.
For Friday, July 19, we will have a discussion on CREATIVITY and what informs INNOVATION. A workshop on tapping into one’s creative self will follow. There will be sharing of best practices on library innovations and presentation of models and samples.
We will then move into understanding what Reading is and why it is akin to THINKING; how cognition and emotion factor in reading; and using this understanding in designing library readers services and programs for kids, teens and grown ups.
And yes, we will have a bibliography session for librarians!
I am excited to see you all!
Ang Top Ten Bonggang Ganap sa PH Kids Lit (2009 to present)
Prospects and Directions in Philippine Children’s Literature
Zarah C. Gagatiga, Teacher Librarian and Board Member PBBY
Children’s Book Summit 2019
Anong Ganap? Ang Bonnga!
For my talk this afternoon, I listed down ten bonggang ganap in Philippine children’s literature from 2009 to present. By children’s literature I included distribution of children’s books, readership and documentation in my presentation. I used the slang words Bonggaand Ganap because I like using them. Bongga came about in the late 70s and the early 80s which means fancy, stylish, outlandish (in a good way) and extravagant. Ganap on the other hand is a recent invention coming around in 2017 pertaining to a happening, an occurrence that is truly eventful or a role and a performance of great relevance. There have been movements and developments in Philippine Children’s Literature in the past decade that are indeed relevant and fanciful, in a good way.
I based my selection of these top ten amazing, notable and worthy of reckoning events and developments in Philippine Children’s Literature from 2009 to present on my participation in projects organized by the PBBY with its partners; my professional practice as librarian; and by reading research and news, articles and essays on the state and status of children’s literature in the country. It is my hope that from this list, I could discuss implications, present facts, share inspiring stories and identify prospects and directions of the book industry, especially, children’s books.
Back in July 2016, I attended a summer workshop on Book History. It was organized by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) in partnership with the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP). It was facilitated by Ramon Sunico, teacher, poet and wide eyed wanderer. The participants of the workshop were mainly content creators, book distributors and book lovers. Mr. Sunico set the tone of the workshop by laying down the very reason why we create books. We make them because we want to dream and we want to remember.
The Freedom of Information Project Management Office (FOI PMO) conducted the first training and workshop session on the use of the Freedom of Information web portal. The workshop was attended by librarians from different sectors of private and public institutions and agencies. The FOI PMO organized the workshop in coordination with the Philippine Librarians Association Inc. thus, the big four library associations were present during the workshop last July 9, 2019 at the University of Santo Tomas (UST).
The Freedom of Information (FOI) web portal is now up and running. This means, every Filipino citizen who has an access to the internet can request for government publications, public documents and information for free. Requests can be done manually and electronically. There is a List of Exceptions to what can be requested and accessed and protocols for the requisition are in place.
Here is the URL - www.foi.gov.ph
There are pages and links to explore and read. Begin by setting up an account. A government ID is required when signing up. Go to the RESOURCES page of the FOI Program and scan the list of free downloads that discuss basic and general information about the FOI Executive Order and the FOI Program. Choose and read the FOI Briefer before making any request for documents.
Because I was a participant in the workshop I am now an FOI Ambassador. I created an account already and my first stop was to download the briefer which I find useful for my learning community.
PASLI Represents school librarians in the FOI Workshop for Librarians
