The Governing Board Dr. Dennis T.

Gonzalez
Ninety-four percent (94%) of Filipino adults can read (simple words at least). Ninety-percent (90%) of Filipino adults have read books, while 68% have read non-school books. Twenty-two percent (22%) of Filipino adults read nonschool books at least weekly, while another 22% read nonschoolbooks only a few times a year. Ninety-one percent (91%) of those who read non-schoolbooks do so to get information or gain additional knowledge, while 9% do so for enjoyment of amusement. Seventeen percent (17%) of Filipino adults, in the past year, read only one non-schoolbook, while 14% read at least ten non-school books. Filipino adults from ages 18-24 read more non-school books, with five books as average, compared to older ones, in the past year. Fifteen percent (15%) of Filipino adults bought at least one non-schoolbook for personal reading in the past year. Forty-two percent (42%) of Filipino adults do not know if a public library exists in their locale. Seventy-six percent (76%) of those who read non-school books do not borrow from libraries. Only 4% of Filipinos have home libraries. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of those who bought non-school books for personal reading spent at most P 200 in the past year. Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Filipino adults prefer to read non-school books in Tagalog, 30% prefer English, and 13% prefer Cebuano. Romance/love stories (26%) and the Bible (38%) are the most popular non-school books read by Filipino adults. Chairman Members: Elmer C. Hernandez Under Secretary - Board of Investments Department of Trade and Industry Engr. Ma. Lourdes P. Orijola Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Dr. Cristina P. Hidalgo Publisher, U.P. Press Dr. Queena Lee-Chua Journalist/Author and Writer Ateneo De Manila University Ma. Alegria Sibal-Limjoco President, Prhilippine Franchise Association (PFA) Atty. Laudimer I. Samar Board Secretary

National Book Development Board

The Secretariat
Lilia Tan-Habacon Executive Director Maricar T. Aquino Deputy Executive Director Wilfred M. Castillo Director I

A. Ma. Regidor Street, Area XI, U.P. Campus, Diliman, Quezon City www.nbdb.gov.ph email: oed@nbdb.gov.ph helpdesk@nbdb.gov.ph

National Book Development Board

For inquiries, please contact NBDB Help Desk at Tel. No. 9201869

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 comprehensive study on book readership in the country. The survey was conducted from March 10 to 25, 2003 with 1,200 respondents 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.

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%).

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.

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%).

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.

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 nonschoolbooks. For those who read, 91% read to gain knowledge while 9% read for enjoyment.