Give Books to Children in the Philippines

Last May 6, 2017, we successfully launched our latest children's book.

As we had shared in our previous report, late last year, we sent a team of writers, photographers and artists to the island of Palawan to learn about and document the culture of the Tagbanuas, one of the oldest indigenous tribes in the Philippines. Partnering with the ECOFISH (Ecosystems Improved for Sustainable Fisheries) Project of USAID, we listened as elders and leaders of the Tagbanuas shared their history, culture, dreams, hopes and everyday lives.

“Panyaan: Three Tales of the Tagbanua” (authors: Rhandee Garlitos and Annette Ferrer; artist: Sergio Bumatay III) is the book that emerged from this creative process. It is a collection of three original children’s stories that, while fictional, are all based on the traditions, surroundings and heritage of the Tagbanuas. All are rooted in stories that have been handed from generation to generation of proud Tagbanuas.

5,000 copies of the book were published, and these are now being distributed to children and communities in the Philippines.

Our partner, ECOFISH, for one, distributed 1,200 copies to 60 people's organizations and communities across the marine key biodiversity areas where they work, namely: South Negros, Danahon Reef in Bohol, Lingayen Gulf, Verde Island Passage in Batangas, Tawi-Tawi in the Sulu Archipleago, Surigao del Norte, Sorsogon, and Northern Samar. 

Rina Rosales, a Senior Resource Economics Specialist of ECOFISH and the point person with whom CANVAS worked on this project, shared how the children treasured the books and how touched she was seeing the wonder and joy that could be seen on their faces as they received their very own copies of "Panyaan."

ECOFISH also allocated another 500 copies exclusively for the Tagbanuas.

Then, in June, Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. again joined CANVAS in a bookgiving activity for 100 children in Diiman, Quezon City. Binibining Pilipinas Supranational Chanel Olive Thomas and Binibining Pilipinas International Mariel De Leon took time out of their busy schedules and enchanted the spellbound children as they read the stories from the book.

Early this July, CANVAS also gave away copies of the book to around 80 children at the Philippine Children's Medical Center.

Finally, hundreds of copies are already committed for children in other communities, including the evacuation centers in Marawi City in Mindanao where thousands of people have been displaced by the ongoing conflict in the area. 

We will continue to keep you posted on this initiative in the coming months. In the meantime, again, on behalf of the children and communities that have benefited from the books, we thank all of you for your continuing support and generosity! 

Mabuhay!

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