‘Siete Palabras’ with Bro. Armin

The Holy Monday consultative meeting initiated by the National Book Development Board and the Department of Education with key players in the book publishing industry could not have happened at a better time. The major item on the agenda—unethical practices in the industry—is widely known, spoken about in hushed tones, and for the cynic, something systemic and beyond redemption. The overflow crowd in attendance, led by National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera and F. Sionil Jose, was encouraging and provided a ray of hope on this shared concern.

This grew out of a special board meeting of the NBDB in mid-February when the discussion led to the urgent need to redirect our attention not merely to the promotion of excellence in the industry but also to ethical practices within the sector. There is a jarring and disturbing contradiction in books as vehicles for molding minds and vital to national development, and engaging in less than ethical practices in various guises in both the public and private schools—and all in the name of promoting knowledge? The discussion gave reason for pause and serious deliberation, especially as the issue was first raised by Education Undersecretary and NBDB vice chair Francis Varela. While aware of the keen competition in the trade, we knew we could not be true to ourselves and our mission if we did not take a stand publicly on this issue. We cannot continue to talk about promoting excellence in the industry when we are faced and hampered with a strong and embarrassing public perception that the book industry in the country needs major cleansing.

“We cannot entrust education to a corrupt organization,” Education Secretary Br. Armin Luistro FSC said, and convening the meeting meant that he was serious in examining his very own turf. He reiterated that as a matter of policy, the DepEd is keenly interested in ensuring that its Central Office carries on its business in a transparent and honest manner. Br. Armin also said he was interested in existing irregularities, as he had neither the time nor the energy to go back to what happened in the past, to investigate “structural sins” of which no one could be directly accused. He asked the publishers to remove any “for representation purposes” line item in their budgets. He has also specifically told his undersecretaries not to place themselves in situations that would make them beholden to the DepEd’s clients, such as sponsorships of conferences by publishers, corporate giveaways, or the use of company vehicles for land travel.

The known purchase of books by DepEd officials in the past mainly to favor certain publishers without any consideration of their content or their usefulness is a practice that must be stopped, Luistro emphasized. It is also time, in and out of the penitential season, for everyone in the industry to do some soul-searching and to review company practices in the grant of commissions and rebates.

Continuing what he called his “Siete Palabras,” Luistro did not want to merely dwell on the graft and corruption campaign. In answer to the publishers’ query about what materials the public schools would need, he mentioned original—not translations—Mother Tongue materials in the 12 major Philippine languages: Tagalog, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Iloko, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Tausug, Maguindanaon, Maranao and Chabacano.

This also gave him the chance to reiterate the DepEd’s priorities: a commitment to have every student in June have his own set of textbooks, a Library/Reading Corner in every elementary public school, and the promotion and development of Library Hubs.

F. Sionil Jose called for open shelves in libraries, remembering his childhood and his love of reading that began in the public library in Rosales, Pangasinan. The selection of supplementary reading materials is also an area that demands attention. November will now be officially celebrated as National Reading Month and July highlighted for National Children’s Book Day. The need to promote a culture of reading especially among our students is imperative.

The discussion was highlighted by the signing of the mural-sized tarp bearing the logos of the DepEd and the NBDB affirming everyone’s commitment to honor and uphold ethical practices in the industry.

At the end of the meeting, however, many questions remained unanswered. Clearly, continuing dialogues need to be scheduled to resolve these nagging issues. Graft and corruption on all levels, whether petty or in staggering numbers, is a difficult issue to tackle, but as Secretary Luistro reminded everyone present, even the giving of token gifts to government personnel already contributes to the perpetuation of the culture of corruption.

Do we try to do something about it or do we just shrug it off as too pervasive a culture to bother about? It would be so tragic to just throw up our arms in frustration—and in defeat.

Neni Sta. Romana Cruz (nenisrcruz@gmail.com) is chair of the National Book Development Board,  a trustee of the Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation, and a member of the Eggie Apostol Foundation.