The Governing Board

Dr. Dennis T. Gonzalez

Chairman
Ninety-four percent (94%) of Filipino adults can read
(simple words at least). Members:
Elmer C. Hernandez
Ninety-percent (90%) of Filipino adults have read books,
while 68% have read non-school books. Under Secretary - Board of Investments National Book
Department of Trade and Industry
Twenty-two percent (22%) of Filipino adults read non- Development Board
school books at least weekly, while another 22% read non- Engr. Ma. Lourdes P. Orijola
schoolbooks only a few times a year. Department of Science and Technology (DOST)

Ninety-one percent (91%) of those who read non-school- Dr. Cristina P. Hidalgo
books do so to get information or gain additional knowl- Publisher, U.P. Press
edge, while 9% do so for enjoyment of amusement.
Dr. Queena Lee-Chua
Seventeen percent (17%) of Filipino adults, in the past Journalist/Author and Writer
year, read only one non-schoolbook, while 14% read at Ateneo De Manila University
least ten non-school books.
Ma. Alegria Sibal-Limjoco
Filipino adults from ages 18-24 read more non-school President, Prhilippine Franchise Association (PFA)
books, with five books as average, compared to older ones,
in the past year. Atty. Laudimer I. Samar
Board Secretary
Fifteen percent (15%) of Filipino adults bought at least one
non-schoolbook for personal reading in the past year. The Secretariat

Forty-two percent (42%) of Filipino adults do not know if a Lilia Tan-Habacon

public library exists in their locale. Executive Director

Seventy-six percent (76%) of those who read non-school Maricar T. Aquino

books do not borrow from libraries. Deputy Executive Director

Only 4% of Filipinos have home libraries. Wilfred M. Castillo

Director I
Fifty-eight percent (58%) of those who bought non-school
books for personal reading spent at most P 200 in the past For inquiries, please contact
year. NBDB Help Desk at Tel. No. 9201869
Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Filipino adults prefer to read National Book Development Board
non-school books in Tagalog, 30% prefer English, and 13% A. Ma. Regidor Street, Area XI, U.P. Campus,
prefer Cebuano. Diliman, Quezon City
www.nbdb.gov.ph
Romance/love stories (26%) and the Bible (38%) are the most email: oed@nbdb.gov.ph • helpdesk@nbdb.gov.ph
popular non-school books read by Filipino adults.
www.nbdb.gov.ph
The National Book Development Board commissioned the
Social Weather Stations to conduct a survey on the reading
attitudes and preferences of Filipinos. This is the most compre-
hensive study on book readership in the country. The survey
was conducted from March 10 to 25, 2003 with 1,200 respon-
dents composed of 300 voting-age adults from every study
area: National Capital Region, Balance Luzon (areas within
Luzon but outside NCR), Visayas, and Mindanao. The sample
size has an error margin of +/-3% for the entire Philippines
and +/-6% for every study area. Of the total respondents,
63.6% are from rural areas, while 36.4% from urban. Of the
total respondents, 7.7% belong to classes ABC, 67.4% class D,
and 24.8% class E.
Significant Findings of the Book
Readership Survey
Readership of the 7 -17 years old age group
Nationwide, 60% of the
households surveyed have
family members aged 7-17.
Of these households, 35%
have at least one member of the 7-17 age group who
reads non-schoolbooks. Of the total family members
aged 7-17, only 26% read non-schoolbooks, but most
of those who read non-schoolbooks read at least
weekly.
Readership of non-schoolbooks among members
aged 7-17 tends to be higher among females, classes
ABC, those with a library at home, and those whose
household heads have high education.
The most popular non-schoolbooks read by the 7-17
age group are the Bible (22%) and romance novelettes
(22%).
Readership of Filipino Adults
The good news is 94% of
Filipino adults can read (simple
words at least). 90% have read
books at least some time in their
lives. 68% have read non-
schoolbooks. For those who
read, 91% read to gain knowl-
edge while 9% read for enjoyment.
The survey shows that readership of non-schoolbooks
is higher among Filipino adults from the the upper
socio-economic classes who have reached high levels
of education and attended private schools, are younger,
either single or without a partner, and live in the urban
areas. Moreover those who live near libraries and
bookstores read more often.
The Bible (38%) and romance novels (26%) are the most
commonly read books by adult readers. The highest
percentages of Bible-readers are from Mindanao (51%),
class E (43%), females (42%), and 45 and above years
old (49%).
The highest percentages of romance novel readers are
from Balance Luzon (27%) and Visayas (27%), class E
(28%), females (37%) and 18-24 years old (46%).
After the Bible and romance novels, females like to read
about cooking (11%), while males read about politics
(10%).
Manner of Acquiring Non-Schoolbooks
Allowing for multiple answers, the
following are the means through
which Filipino adults who read
non-schoolbooks acquire them:
borrowing from other people
(52%), receiving books as gifts
(40%), borrowing from libraries (24%), renting (18%), and
buying (15%). Majority of respondents from all study
areas and all socio-economic classes do not borrow
from libraries.
Buying Non-Schoolbooks
The percentage of those who bought non-schoolbooks
for personal reading in the
past year increases with
social class, educational
attainment, and personal
monthly income. 58% of
Filipino adults who bought
non-schoolbooks in the past
year spent only a maximum of
P200. 16% spent more than
P1,000. Among classes ABC,
38% spent more than P
1,000.
Accessibility of Bookstores and Libraries
The survey reveals that many of the respondents (42%) are
not aware if a library exists in their locale. 60% say that
bookstores are not within walking distance from their
residence, and 18% do not know if there is a bookstore in their
locale.
Data gathered from the National Library show that there are
only 511 municipal libraries out of 1,496 municipalities, and
49 provincial libraries out of 80 provinces.
Adult readership of non-schoolbooks tends to be higher among:
• those with high levels of education,
• those who attended private rather than public schools,
• those from upper socio-economic levels,
• those with higher personal monthly income,
• those from urban rather than rural areas,
• those younger in age,
• those who are not married,
• those who have libraries in their homes and offices,
• those living nearer to bookstores and public libraries, and
• those whose social networks (kith and kin) also like to read.
While Filipino adults generally recognize the value of reading
books, many (43%) can let a whole year pass without reading
a single non-schoolbook. On the other hand, 15% read 2-3
non-school books, and 14% read at least 10 non-school books.
Books are read more for gaining knowledge and information,
and thus perhaps book reading is considered something to do
when the need arises. Watching TV, movies and videotapes,
listening to the radio, and going to malls seem much more fun
to do. Perhaps parents, educators, publishers, and advertisers
ought to do more to portray book reading as fun to do too.
Filipino adults generally find books to be good gifts, and
although considered costly, a book is not regarded as a luxury
item but a necessity.