There is more to Filipino culture and information than the most familiar Filipino ballad, a hit Tagalog movie, or your favorite Filipino restaurant on the next block...True, these provide some information about the Filipino culture, but they are not enough.
Through the READ PHILIPPINES Project, the Philippine Consulate General in New York hopes to develop in young Filipino-Americans, their friends, and the community at large greater interest and awareness of the Philippines and its values, history and culture.
Since the READ PHILIPPINES campaign was launched in November 2002, the Consulate has worked closely with the Filipino-American community and together, donated over 500 books, videos and CD-ROMS to school and public libraries in the tri-state area where many Filipinos study or reside.
With your help, your children can now go to their school libraries, and they will not only read about Abraham Lincoln, but about Emilio Aguinaldo as well. They will know their JFKs as well as their Ninoys. After all, they are Filipinos too.
You can help put quality books and other materials about the Philippines and Filipinos in the libriary nearest you.
With titles like "Mga Kuwento Ni Lola Basyang," "Noli Me Tangere" to "The 20 Speeches That Moved A Nation," this initiative will help teach young Filipino-Americans about their heritage.
Read Philippines collections are currently available at the following locations: (*denotes pilot library)
New York:
HOW TO GET INVOLVED:
- Donate Books
- Donate Philippine books you own.
- Buy books from a bookstore of your choice, or any Philippine book distributor in your area, such as Tatak Pilipino (201.798.0288), Casa Victoria (201.216.1055), orThe Philippine Cultural and Educational Services: (425.646.9142 or philces@earthlink.net).
- Bring back a book or two from your regular visits to the Philippines.
- Send checks to the Philippine Consulate General, 556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036-5095, payable to Read Philippines.
- Adopt a library and become a Read Philippines Coordinator in your neighborhood library.
(This applies to organizations and individuals.) Please contact the Philippine Consulate General. - To initiate the setting-up of the Philippine collection in your public or school library.
- To solicit book donations.
- To maintain and update the collection.
- To address inquiries and concerns regarding the Read Philippines section in your adopted library
- Request your local library to acquire books and other materials about the Philippines. If you work in a library, you may also recommend the set-up of a Read Philippines collection in your work place.
- Seek funding from the government and other institutions to provide support for the Philippine collection in your library.
The key responsibilities of coordinators:
Note: When adopting a library's Philippine Collection, one becomes a coordinator, not a librarian. The keeping and logging of books remain the library's responsibility. The coordinator merely becomes a Read Philippines cotact person for the library, the community, and the Philippine Consulate in case of additional donations, information, or events connected with the Read Philippines section in your adopted library.
*Donors are requested to fill out the donation sheet. Please see the Read Philippines brochure»
For a complete listing of recommended books, please see the Read Philippines brochure more»
For samples of books from the recommended list, please see booktitles from recommended list
Press Releases
PHILCOM CENTER-NJ Establishes "Read Philippines" Corner (10 March 2003).
Philippine Book Collection Built in New York Public Library (10 February 2003).
Filipino-Americans Place Philippine Books in Public School Libraries (04 December 2002).
"Read Philippines" in Public School Libraries (03 October 2002).
Official website of the Philippine Consulate General in New York. Web content is designed and maintained by the Consulate.