Regular National Book Store customers like us know the drill—when you’re shopping at NBS around the holiday season, the cashier will ask you as you check out, “Would you like to donate a book?”
Since 2006, National Book Store Foundation Inc. has made it possible for Christmas shoppers to share the gift of reading with kids all over the country through Project Aklat. These donations are then delivered to schools near and far.
Super got the chance to go with National Book Store to Amado T. Reyes Elementary School in Buayang Bato, Mandaluyong City to do just that.
“We’re having our Christmas party tonight and we thought it would be good to do a sharing activity in the morning,” said National Book Store managing director Xandra Ramos-Padilla who led the team of volunteers. “It’s a mix—the volunteers are from the opening store team, people from finance, managers, some area managers, operation managers, including one from Baguio.”
National Book Store, along with Super’s incredibly generous friends Jollibee and Max’s, surprised the children and teachers of Amado T. Reyes Elementary School with a Christmas party. Bea Torres, National Book Store Foundation Inc.’s programs manager, kicked off the party by hosting games.
Xandra said, “Today we are giving them 200 books for their library. We want to encourage the students to spend time reading.”
Each student also received a Project Aral kit—school supplies also donated by National Book Store customers. “We just want to share the gift of learning. You never stop learning and you should start at a very young age,” said Xandra.
There are 147 kids at the elementary school, from kinder to sixth grade. Janet Mariano, the school principal, said, “This is a small school but our pupils here excel. This is a school that performs.”
She expressed appreciation for National Book Store. “Natutuwa ako kasi sila ay palaging nagso-sponsor. Very hands-on sila.”
It was heartwarming to see the stickers on the donated books with the names of the National Book Store customers who had given them. Janet thinks that is inspiring. “Malaking tulong ito. Maganda ito na makita ng mga bata at mga teachers ’yung mga nag-donate para sila ay ma-encourage din mag-donate. Malaking bagay ito.”
The kids were so excited about the books that they started reading even before the party was over.
Xandra said, “Thank you to Max’s and Jollibee. The principal was really happy because they hadn’t had the chance to have a salo-salo.”
The place was festive, with a lot of dancing and cheering, showing that there is so much joy in giving and not just during the holiday season.
And the party isn’t the only gift—National Book Store has pledged to help refurbish the school’s library and fill it with books. “Natutuwa ako that they donate books, kailangang-
kailangan namin ng library. Lahat ng schools dapat may books para ma-train ’yung mga bata to read books. Sabi nga natin, ‘Reading maketh a man.’ ’Yun ang aming pasasalamat sa National Book Store,” said Janet.
National Book Store has even bigger plans for 2017. “We’re celebrating our 75th year next year and we hope to open 300 libraries all over the Philippines,” said Xandra. “I realize that there are so many kids in the Philippines to help. It’s a big task. But we could help one school at a time.”
You can help too. National Book Store’s Project Aklat book drive runs until Dec. 31.
