MANILA, Philippines тАУ Calling all bookworms! If youтАЩre looking to discover some literary gems from Filipino authors or want to find a community that loves Philippine literature, youтАЩre in luck because Akdang Pinoy 2024 has exactly what youтАЩre looking for.
Akdang Pinoy 2024 is a reading challenge organized by book-based content creators or bookstagrammers Kathryn Leonorio and Saimon Perez, known in the online book community as Kat and Sai.
тАЬItтАЩs a year-long project where the goal is to read Filipino books in equal amounts as international books,тАЭ said Leonorio. She began the project in early 2024 and was joined by Perez to grow the projectтАЩs community.
For the month of August, Akdang Pinoy released reading prompts for a month-long read-a-thon to celebrate Buwan ng Wika. Leonorio explained that this was done in order тАЬto highlight and promote Filipino literature as well as Filipino authors and publishers.тАЭ
тАЬItтАЩs more engaging because itтАЩs something they look forward to for an entire month,тАЭ said Perez.
Participants of the reading challenge took to Instagram to share their prompt-inspired reads and their experiences with Filipino literature.
Aside from their reading challenge, Akdang Pinoy featured independent Filipino publishers and authors on their social media platforms.
тАЬWe reach out to authors whose books we personally enjoyed,тАЭ Perez shared.
Their featured authors include Sudden Superstar and Huс║┐ City writer Claire Betita De Guzman, Bayan ng mga Bangkay and Ang Nawawala writer Chuckberry J. Pascual, and Project 17 and Ascension writer Eliza Victoria.
They also asked other members of the bookstagram community about their top Filipino-authored recommendations.
The community impact
Leonorio has been part of the online book community since 2014 and Perez since 2018, and both have expressed their gratitude to the community for supporting Akdang Pinoy.
Leonorio said that the best part of hosting the project has been тАЬwhen people say they appreciate more Filipino literature because of [it].тАЭ
тАЬThis whole project wouldnтАЩt be sustainable if not for the support of the book community,тАЭ said Perez. He shared that the success and growth of the project is credited to the participation and work of the communityтАЩs members.
Why read books in Filipino?
When asked why it is important for people to read books in Filipino languages and dialects, Leonorio said, тАЬItтАЩs really a very wonderful experience reading a book written in your mother tongue, written in the language youтАЩre well-versed in.тАЭ
тАЬMayroong mga (There are) Tagalog words and Tagalog phrases and sentences that we cannot fully or genuinely translate to other languages,тАЭ she explained. тАЬMas naiintidihan ko siya (I understand it better), personally, as a reader.тАЭ
Perez added that the experience of reading literature in oneтАЩs own language goes beyond just the reading experience.
тАЬFilipino as a mother tongue and as a language is critical sa paghubog mo (to how youтАЩre shaped) as a person,тАЭ he said.
If you really dig into Philippine literature, sobrang daming (there are so many) gems,тАЭ Leonorio said.
Looking for your next read
When looking for Filipino books to read, Leonorio and Perez suggested that readers explore book-based spaces on social media and utilize the technology at their disposal to find the perfect fit for them. тАЬThe internet is currently the easiest and most accessible resource,тАЭ said Perez.
тАЬTry to follow creators outside your comfort zone,тАЭ Leonorio suggested. тАЬLook for your niche.тАЭ
They also encouraged readers to attend events such as the Philippine Book Festival where books from Filipino authors and publishers are given the center stage.
If youтАЩre ready to dive into the world of Filipino literature, here are some of Leonorio and PerezтАЩs recommendations on where to start:
Ang Bangin sa Ilalim ng Ating mga Paa by Ronaldo Vivo Jr.
Janus Silang by Edgar Calabia Samar
Desaparesidos by Lualhati Bautista
Tabi Po by Mervin Malonzo
Maharlika by Rexy Dorado and John Ray
тАУ Rappler.com