QUEZON CITY--Alas, some reason to celebrate.
House Bill 1531, which seeks to create a National Book Development Trust Fund especially for struggling Filipino authors, was approved without amendments by the basic education panel chaired by Marinduque representative Edmundo Reyes Jr. Tuesday.
Authored by Iloilo City representative Raul Gonzalez Jr., HB 1531 directs the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to contribute P50M each that will constitute the seed money for the program.
The long overdue initiative aims to promote the welfare of local authors, especially those unknown yet talented ones in the regions or provinces, by supporting them financially so that they can work full-time on their manuscripts or research works.
Considered a milestone legislation in the field of local book development, the approved House bill sprung from the findings of a 2003 study commissioned by the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the country's lead government agency on book development and readership promotion.
Most regional or provincial authors, the study reveals, have begun manuscripts or research works that take too long to finish because they are preoccupied with earning a living for themselves and their loved ones.
What usually happens is that these authors, because of financial difficulties, abandon their manuscripts or research works, and focus on their usual 8-to-5 jobs instead.
Now, with the approved trust fund's help, authors may opt to take a leave from their jobs and finish their manuscripts or research works without starving themselves and their families.
Under HB 1531, the trust fund will give out at least 65 grants every year to authors, writers, or researchers throughout the country.
The measure is expected to support works on science and technology, local history, and subject areas wherein locally authored books are few or non-existent.
It also aims to facilitate the development of stories and books for children that reflect Filipino culture and inspire pride in local history and national identity.
The Iloilo City solon is convinced that, with the advent of the trust fund, regional and provincial authors would no longer labor in anonymity, suffer from financial dearth, and hanker for access to Manila-based publishers that are willing to invest on "nobodies" like them.
According to NBDB, a criteria or implementing rules and regulation will be drawn up to determine the choice of beneficiaries of the trust fund.
NBDB, which, under HB 1531, is the administrator of the fund, also expects a dramatic increase in its currently 150-strong author-registrants once the bill finally becomes a law.
House Bill 1531, which seeks to create a National Book Development Trust Fund especially for struggling Filipino authors, was approved without amendments by the basic education panel chaired by Marinduque representative Edmundo Reyes Jr. Tuesday.
Authored by Iloilo City representative Raul Gonzalez Jr., HB 1531 directs the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to contribute P50M each that will constitute the seed money for the program.
The long overdue initiative aims to promote the welfare of local authors, especially those unknown yet talented ones in the regions or provinces, by supporting them financially so that they can work full-time on their manuscripts or research works.
Considered a milestone legislation in the field of local book development, the approved House bill sprung from the findings of a 2003 study commissioned by the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the country's lead government agency on book development and readership promotion.
Most regional or provincial authors, the study reveals, have begun manuscripts or research works that take too long to finish because they are preoccupied with earning a living for themselves and their loved ones.
What usually happens is that these authors, because of financial difficulties, abandon their manuscripts or research works, and focus on their usual 8-to-5 jobs instead.
Now, with the approved trust fund's help, authors may opt to take a leave from their jobs and finish their manuscripts or research works without starving themselves and their families.
Under HB 1531, the trust fund will give out at least 65 grants every year to authors, writers, or researchers throughout the country.
The measure is expected to support works on science and technology, local history, and subject areas wherein locally authored books are few or non-existent.
It also aims to facilitate the development of stories and books for children that reflect Filipino culture and inspire pride in local history and national identity.
The Iloilo City solon is convinced that, with the advent of the trust fund, regional and provincial authors would no longer labor in anonymity, suffer from financial dearth, and hanker for access to Manila-based publishers that are willing to invest on "nobodies" like them.
According to NBDB, a criteria or implementing rules and regulation will be drawn up to determine the choice of beneficiaries of the trust fund.
NBDB, which, under HB 1531, is the administrator of the fund, also expects a dramatic increase in its currently 150-strong author-registrants once the bill finally becomes a law.
For details, contact:
Carlo June Panila
Project Development Officer
National Book Development Board
http://www.nbdb.gov.ph
(02)920-3887 / (02)929-3677
Carlo June Panila
Project Development Officer
National Book Development Board
http://www.nbdb.gov.ph
(02)920-3887 / (02)929-3677
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