Davao Media Joins SM’s Children’s Book Reading Day as Storytellers

Davao City (PNA) – Members of the media has taken another role as storytellers during the Children’s Book Reading Day organized by SM City Davao and SM Lanang for this city’s pre-school children on Tuesday.

The event is in partnership with the National Book Development Board, Vibal Publishing, Department of Education and Culture and Calidad Humana.

At the SM Davao, the participating pupils came from the Good Soil Academy, Stockbridge International School and EuroAsia Emil’s Early Child Development.

The celebrity storyteller was GMA Davao news anchor Sarah Hilomen Velasco.

At SM Lanang Premier, the celebrity storytellers were ABS-CBN Davao News Chief and Maayong Buntag Mindanao host Michelle Robin-Bacsal and Jenefe Simbajon, reigning “Diwa ng Davao” 2015 and 1st Runner-up, Mutya ng Dabaw 2015. Grade 2 students from the Integrated Basic Education Department of Assumption College of Davao participated in the said activity.

The Children’s Book Reading Day was also held to commemorate the publication of Dr. Jose Rizal’s classic “Ang Pagong at Ang Matsing”.

Two books from Vibal Publishing – ‘Si Kaitlin at ang Game Machine’ and ‘Bob da Blob’ were read by featured storytellers to participating students ages 8 to 12 years old.

The storytellers discussed the moral of the story and encouraged the students to make reading a regular habit.

According to Nick Santos, assistant mall manager for SM City Davao, the annual event is held across all SM Supermalls in the Philippines and in China.

He said, “This is part of our nation building activity to foster learning opportunities for our children.”

“We believe that books are powerful tools which instill good values and character for children, enabling us to widen our imagination, enhance creativity and increase aptitude for learning,” he said.

Santos said it has been the commitment of SM Supermalls to become the venue for learning, a medium for imparting knowledge, especially to young customers as “we share this advocacy to our partners for the last five years”.

He also said that their new partner, Calidad Humana, is helping in reviving good Filipino values.

Of the 4 million customers daily in SM Supermalls with half of them being children, Santos said they care for each and every child that enters the mall by promoting their rights, prioritizing their safety and enhancing their learning experience in a child-friendly environment.

The said activity is part of SM Cares’ Program for Children, which promotes literacy and encourages the young to cultivate a love for reading at an early age. (PNA) LCM/DIGNA D. BANZON/LDP