Category: Enduring Excellence/ Young Reader Newspaper of the Year Sponsoring Newspaper: Philippine Daily Inquirer 1098 Chino Roces Ave. cor Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City 1200 Philippines Project director: Minerva Generalao, Research Dept. Head Email:
[email protected] Phone: +632 897 8808 local 346 Circulation: 250,000 copies nationwide from Mondays to Saturdays, and 270,000 on Sundays Brief description: The Inquirer Read-Along program aims to spread the joy and fun of reading among children aged 7 to 13 through interactive and wacky storytelling sessions with celebrities and other role models. Part 1. The Inquirer Read‐Along: Why we did it and What it is We have heard the sad news. READING IS DOWN. Why we did it Declining newspaper readership in the Philippines and in many countries Declining proporon of Filipino non‐ school book (NSB) readers, from 90 % in 2003 to 83 % in 2007. ‐ Naonal Book Development Board Survey Why we did it READING ON THEIR OWN is one habit top students of several public and private schools had all developed ‐ Ateneo de Manila University team survey Popular belief: Reading is at the core of learning Why we did it With television, computers and other mulmedia, books have competed with gadgets and have taken the back seat. Most children only read when they are told to do so. Reading has become a chore to be done only when assigned as homework or is needed to pass an examinaon. Our Dream: Empowered children who love to read on their own Our mission: To spread the fun and joy of reading Our program: The Inquirer Read‐Along gathers children aged 7 to 13 for a story reading session with celebries, famous role models or relavely unknown achievers in their field and with wacky interacve storytellers.