As a recent study confirmed, reading is not a habit among Filipinos. What do you think is the reason behind this?

I think the main reason is that Filipinos focus more on earning money since the price of fuel has shot up. – Johann Lucas, Quezon CitY

Students have no time to read, with all the subjects they have to study in school, plus the distraction from cell phone texting, computer games, internet, TV, DVDs and the landline. – C.K. Yeo, Iloilo City

Distractions of new media

To many Filipinos especially in the rural areas, reading is boring so they prefer to watch telenovelas on TV or listen to drama on the radio. Because of technology, many would rather fiddle with cellphones, play computer games, or surf the Internet than read books. – E. Linsangan, Isabela

The influence of new technologies is the culprit. Parents must teach their children the value of developing a reading habit at an early age. – Joyce Valdizno, Bulacan

I read a lot early on and throughout my student days, but I later succumbed to the proliferation of enjoyable entertainment and informative media. Even retired people could be better off visiting websites for anything at all, if not on TV, instead of groping for books. – Nestor Buñag, Mandaluyong City

It’s because reading as a pastime has been eclipsed by the Filipinos’ addiction to the idiot box, which has taken over their lives. – Renato Taylan, Ilocos Norte

We are in an era of electronics, TV watching, texting, video games, karaoke bars, computers etc. Reading is relegated to the background. – Ching Gaspar, Laoag City

Radio and TV provide instant gratification. It’s the “pleasure now” mentality, whereas print is expensive in terms of pesos and time. – Al Lopez, Manila

Blame it on TV, texting, and video games! When I was only three years old, my maternal lolo Jose tutored me to become a speed reader. At three, I read Reader’s Digest, Post, Life, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, newspapers, etc. It gave me an unfair advantage. Reading is power! – Gerii Calupitan, Mandaluyong City

Obviously, there’s no other reason but the rise of the Internet, which makes books and magazines obsolete. – Leandro Tolentino, Batangas City

Because of user-friendly instruments that give immediate results with just one click. No need for critical thinking. – Rey Onate, Palayan City

Not a priority

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. – Leonard Villa, Laoag City

Reading, just like character formation, is developed in the home, with the family playing a vital role. I believe that exposure is the key. If kids acquire a good foundation, they will learn to love the habit. In some cases where kids are born in poverty, they have to content themselves with fewer resources, aggravated by the poor quality of textbooks, insufficient materials, unqualified teachers and the whole system. Among adults, where all Juan and Juana have to think about is where to get next day’s meal, reading has no place in their lives. All they can afford to read, if at all, are cheap dailies that provide mostly temporary relief with only an ounce of value. – Imee Aglibot, Rizal

Most Filipinos would rather buy a lotto ticket than a tabloid, some don’t have time to read, and a lot just doesn’t care. – Digoy Coro, Batangas

In general, Filipinos are too lazy to read. They are more interested in other things. – Lydia Reyes, Bataan

Well, a lot of people prefer and enjoy tsismis more than reading the papers. Menos gastos pa! – Rodolfo Talledo, Angeles City

Instead of buying books, the average Filipino prefers to allocate the money for food and vices. – Rey Ibalan, Antipolo City

It means that Filipinos prefer to feed their mouths first by earning a living rather than feed their minds by reading. – Edwin Castillo, Tanauan City

Working parents leave their children with nannies who take advantage of their masters’ absence by watching telenovelas while their wards watch cartoons. Poor Pinoys are too busy earning a living, making education only a second priority. We do not have enough books in our public schools, and our teachers are also busy trying to make ends meet selling sari-sari goods during class hours. – Manuel Abejero, Pangasinan

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. – Alan Hapitan, General Santos City

How can one read with an empty stomach?! – R. Santos, Isabela

Financial strains. Juan has no money and time to spare for reading. It’s poverty that deprives him of the opportunity to self-educate. Reading is time-consuming, and poor Juan is all hooked up working to earn some money for a meal. Reading can’t satisfy a hungry stomach. – Cris Rivera, Rizal

The survey is right; reading is not the cup of tea of most Filipinos, for most of us are busy making a living for survival. – Ricardo Tolentino, Laoag City

Could you expect a typical family who subsists on noodles to prioritize reading? It’s basic economics, isn’t it? – Ruel Bautista, Laguna

Rich and middle-class Pinoys are voracious readers, but they’re simply outnumbered by the poor who have little time to read. They are distracted by thoughts on how they can bring food to the table or idle talk. Some devote more time to baby-making. – Pedro Alagano Sr., Vigan

What’s there to read?

Johnny prefers not to read although he knows how to read. He prefers to do the thousand and one mundane things to attend to, rather than waste time reading. Besides, what is there to read? Newspapers? It is more dangerous to live in Manila than in Mindanao. Read your paper. – Jose Fabello Jr., Misamis Oriental

What’s there to read, erroneous textbooks? Bad newspapers? Gossip magazines? I’d rather sit and let the Discovery Channel work. By the way, I’m a working citizen, I pay taxes, and I know how to read. As for anybody who’s the opposite, I think they should start reading. – Rico Fabello, Parañaque City

Who would want to read local and imported, mostly trashy stuff anyway? – Art Bugarin, Tarlac

Out of reach

The first reason why reading has not become a habit among Filipinos may be the high cost of reading materials. Books are beyond the reach of most Filipinos; many cannot even afford to buy a newspaper. Competition from the internet, TV, radio, movies, DVDs and other forms of media is second. Illiteracy could be the third reason. Fourth, unavailability of public libraries; those few that exist are poorly equipped. – Robert Young, Jr. San Juan

Many Filipinos do not read due to lack of education brought about by poverty. Others are content with handy sources of information and entertainment such as the television, radio, movies and the Internet. Those interested to read are hampered by the high cost of reading materials. – Germi Sison, Cabanatuan City

Reading materials are expensive; they’re beyond the reach of the common man. We prefer to listen to the radio for news and entertainment than to watch TV or read books/newspapers. We are a listening rather than a reading people. – Jose Fabello Jr., Misamis Oriental

It’s because of the high cost of reading materials, lack of time, and lack of budget allocation. – C. Manalastas, Manila

We watch TV and movies instead of spending time reading, which consumes a lot of time and provides no action at all because everything comes only through the imagination of the reader. It’s quite boring in this fast-paced life. Another reason is that books and magazines are expensive. Who cares about reading when the stomach is empty? The youth will read something only if it’s part of their lesson. For others, who cares about reading? Makikitsika na lang or mag-text. For them, mas exciting and adventurous. – Rose Leobrera, Manila

Say what?!

If reading is not a habit among us, how come big-time newspapers, tabloids and other publications survive? Inbox World is telling tales. – G. Planas, Davao City

Not enough good libraries

Because there is no population control and the number of Filipinos keeps increasing. This is inversely proportional to the number of adequate and quality libraries, particularly in public schools. – Marcos Pattaguan Jr., Manila

Well, Pinoys are naturally fond of just listening to secondhand information rather than getting it first hand through personal reading. In short, tsismoso tayo. Hehehe. Seriously, I admire poor children, especially in the overpasses of Metro Manila, who try to read their books beside their parents who are selling their wares. – Loi Castillo, Davao City

Books are expensive. Public libraries are not available everywhere. For the majority, computer games are more interesting and cheaper. In fact, there are plenty of other things to do (and watch) nowadays aside from reading. – Edgar Artates, Parañaque City

The government should build more public libraries with a complete line of books, like encyclopedias and such. They should make the place more comfortable and the air should be cool for readers. – Vic Alim, Caloocan City

Kulang tayo sa mga libraries at reading centers sa buong kapuluan. Worse, pati mga public librarians natin ay karamihan mga political appointees. – Erwin Espinosa, Pangasinan

A forgotten passion

Reading is now a forgotten passion in the advent of cable TV and the Internet, plus the mushrooming of big shopping malls even in the provinces. – Wes Vinluan, Quezon City

Many Filipinos nowadays read, not because they love and enjoy it, but because they are forced to do so, especially by their teachers and professors. The passion to really understand what is written in the book is not there to begin with, that is why after reading a chapter or two of the assigned text, students tend to become bored and that is the reason why reading never becomes a habit to them. It becomes a burden. – J.C. Macavinta, Caloocan City

Reading is possibly more of a luxury than a necessity to most people, or they hardly have the time. – Jun Cajucom, Tacloban City

Yes, reading is not a habit among Filipinos. Has anyone, at home or in school, ever taken the importance of reading books, newspapers or any good reading material to our children seriously and consistently? I can’t recall now hearing it from teachers, even when I was young. What I vividly remember is an event when one teacher grabbed a comic book from one of my classmates, angrily saying reading such material was bad! Today, we are remiss in indoctrinating our people about the importance of reading to enrich ourselves with things we should know. Reading seems to be just a matter of personal passion after one develops the habit. I am glad I have developed the habit myself. – I. Calata, Parañaque City

Reading is not promoted

Reading is not promoted in our country and we do nothing about it. Filipinos would rather entertain themselves through television, iPods, laptops, PSP, and cell phones instead of books. Poor Filipinos would rather have something to eat than read. The government lacks the program and the initiative to promote reading. Our depleted public libraries lack funding both from local and national governments. Even our schools lack resources and proper training for teachers to promote reading as a habit. Sad to say, the poor reading habits of the Filipinos has a great adverse effect on us as a people and as a nation. – Che Hernandez, Quezon City

It’s due to lack of activities encouraging reading and our flawed educational system. – Delfin Todcor, Mt. Province

No more book reports

With corrupt people and a messed up DepEd, teachers neglect reading and comprehension and book reports. This is due to our deteriorating educational system. Reading should be inculcated in students from kinder to high school. – Ed Alawi, Davao City

It’s because we don’t hear about book reports in school now. In high school, we were made to read a book and make a report weekly. – Jim Veneracion, Naga City

Bad examples

Reading is not for the Filipino majority now because of TV. They can get entertainment and information from TV without toiling with the ABCs. Also, if they see personalities of scant education highly placed in politics, why would they labor to educate themselves by reading? – Elpidio Que, Vigan

Filipinos don’t read because they don’t understand what they read, so they idolize showbiz personalities instead of literary geniuses. – N. Campaner, Tacloban City

Parents don’t read and neither do kids. Teachers don’t read either, so how can we expect them to inculcate the value of this habit to their students? The broadcast media and cell phones are factors that ease out reading, which, unfortunately, is the best tool to improve our communication skills. – Rodolfo Capili, Caloocan City

Poor comprehension skills

People were told to think, read and write in Filipino. Tell me what books in Filipino I should read in lieu of Hemmingway, Sheldon and Longfellow. Up to the early ’80s when the general elementary and secondary curriculums were not changed, we were a nation of readers. After the general/basic curriculums were altered to suit the leftist/nationalist ideologies, the nation lost the appetite to read books in English. – Josh Pacatang, Dipolog City

Views expressed in this section do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The STAR. The STAR does not knowingly publish false information and may not be held liable for the views of readers exercising their right to free expression. The publication also reserves the right to edit contributions to this section as it sees fit.

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