Your Pinoy storytellers come together for one mission: instill the love of reading and literature amidst COVID-19. The pandemic has been mentally stressful, especially for children. With children spending more time in front of computers, it’s important to make sure that they were being kept creatively. And, educationally occupied.
Moreover, with self-isolation and quarantine protocols in place, schools had been closed and public avenues shut down. Our kuwentista para sa mga bata are limited to screens and the confinement of their homes as well.
Considering this, a lot of storytellers took to the internet to tell tales of lost kingdoms, prince and princesses. Magical realms and wonderful heroes, of monsters and men, fairies, and, villains result in a sense of love and hopefulness. Storytellers, authors, and local personalities took this chance of staying inside and read a book via FB liv or Zoom. They ensure that the Filipino children are reminded of the hope that still prevails.
This July for National Children’s Book Month, the Philippine Board on Books for Young People held a two-week storytelling session online to get your child hyped up in a productive and fun way. Storytelling sessions have seen a great amount of viewership in the Philippines. In fact, educators, authors, and parents share these tales with their young ones. Now your children can join for fun yet exciting and highly informative storytelling experience online. Storytellers also have been publishing content regularly on their Facebook page to engage children in a fun and creative ways.
Storytellers from Pinoy Book Club
For Anna, a field enumerator, she believes that storytelling even online can help children maximize their potential through reading.
“I remember Angel, a 5-year-old girl from Butuan,” she said. “She wasn’t listening as I read her the initial parts of the book. She’s always holding her toys. So what I did was I incorporated her toys into the story and make them active participants of it. Sometimes she makes them her co-listeners, and there she immediately paid attention and even blurted simple conclusions,” she added.
Anna has volunteered for Pinoy Book Club for their online storytelling sessions. “In reading, we can be whatever we want and we can make new friends!”
She further stated that as a teacher by profession, there’s a big difference when people choose to not do anything about it. “Children are allowed to go outside their homes to play, explore the world, and test their imaginations, before,” she said.
“But now, with adults more capable of coping with complicated boredom and with longer attention span, with almost all things available on the internet, I think one thing we can do to keep the children going is to tell them stories. Stories that will back up and will substitute each missing should-have-been-experiences, and will act as a simulation to the outside world,” she said.
Likewise, Bryan, a student of clinical psychology, volunteered for the group for an online storytelling session with kids via Zoom. “I believe children rely on adults for simplifying information for them. If they don’t have someone to rely during these times on, it’ll be hard for them to understand what’s going on.” Through storytelling, he believed that children learn new things and engage in a creative vent of self-expression through the community.
Storytellers from Central Philippine University Iloilo City – Psychology Students
Psychology students from Central Philippine University also lend their voice for an online storytelling session. They partnered with Bata Ako Ph for a chance to share Filipino tales to kids.
One of them is Jen.
Even online, Jen believes in observing the duration of how long storytelling can be done. It can be affected by many factors such as attention span, patience, and internal processing.
“Because children scarcely have patience with themselves and low tolerance when it comes in passive interaction, it may be hard for them to process everything if it will take longer,” Jen said.
Online storytelling sessions maybe is more convenient and easier to understand if storytellers can make it shorter and brief as possible for the children to digest and process it clearly.
“Children are considered as one of the most vulnerable in all sectors that we have,” she said. “Hence, they are prone to changes that are sure to happen in this time of pandemic,” Jen added.
For her, children are absorbers when it comes in learning. What you hand at them they will take it all in, they observe to imitate whether it’s something good or bad.
In this season of the COVID-19 pandemic, it will be a lot of a task for teachers and parents to adapt in this kind of setting where children must be taught online. Playing with others will be limited as well, and exploring outside is strictly prohibited.
Coping up with COVID-19
“I think the problem that really affect the children is that it might be hard for them to learn or to cope up academically online and might face some disturbances on how to communicate or to address their questions with the lessons they have,” Jen pointed out.
She also stressed how the pandemic will affect the kids’ learning because it’s a lot more different compare to what people had before.
“I am afraid it will take a toll on their social well-being because they can hardly express or perform their nature as kids or even make friends with other children because of this isolation and strict protocols,” Jen said,
Like most people, Jen has been trying to cope up due to the effects of the global health crisis.
“It’s about four months now since the quarantine started. Everything automatically shut down and most of the people got paranoid about the situation because of the limitation of activities,” she said.
Most importantly these activities sustain the everyday lives of the people. With so much negativity Filipinos are facing now, it will make everyone anxious thinking about what might be happening for the next coming months.
Jen keeps herself aware with self-examination or introspection to master oneself deeply and fully.
“I feel much better than before because I’ve prioritized the activities that add up to my development and growth. This, compared to the things that only gives me stress, fear, guilt, and wasted time.”
She managed to follow a daily routine, which includes chores (therapeutic!), social media detox, reading books, exercise, water and diet intake, and daily gratitude to acquire peaceful mind.
A voyage
Likewise, fellow Psychology student, Vania, storytelling is a voyage for children to discover new things despite restrictions in movement brought by the quarantine.
“Storytelling is one way which children can expand their horizons and at least make them feel that they are still part of the world by having someone to talk to them aside from their family,” she said.
She believes that there’s a difference to how COVID-19 affect children as adults.
“Adults have mature kind of thinking,” she started. Adults fully understand the whole situation and that the pandemic brought restriction compared before.
“Children do not fully understand the whole situation. Most of them think they’re just having a break from school,” Vania pointed out.
“Some of them may like it however, most of them don’t. This is because being in school and interacting with their peers is part of their development,” she continued.
Vania said that this pandemic has stolen them the opportunity to develop that aspect of their development.
That’s why it inspired her to reach out to children through storytelling.
“I believe that through this, I’ll be able to help them become interested in reading and exploring right in their very homes. This will somehow give them the imagination of the world and the reality that is happening,” she said.
The Philippine Board on Books for Young People Storytellers
Online storytelling sessions have proven to more productive. Not only that, they are also able to reduce anxiety, stress and fear amongst children.
Children are able to spend their time with friends, authors, and favorite storytellers.
Storytelling has always been a form of art that has proven to bring people together, to bridge gaps, and propagate a sense of community and togetherness.
With that said, your child might have joined to some storytelling sessions online during National Children’s Book Month.
Kwentuhan Series
Ms. Celine Anne delos Reyes, or Ma’am C, is a teacher from Paete, Laguna, and the founder of Kwentuhan Series. Through storytelling, she inculcates the power of the medium to reach out to children everywhere.
She recalled how one moment touched her heart when she told stories to children.
“Siblings Andrei and Andeng are struggling readers, (Andrei still could not read when I first met him) but they are two of the most attentive and they are always present in our sessions. One day, Andrei approached me and proudly said ‘Mam, nakakatitik na po ako’ meaning he can already read, and Andeng, can now lead with the reading of stories.”
This became one of the many reasons why Ma’am C decided to pursue her calling as a kuwentista para sa mga bata. During quarantine, however, she and her fellow teachers still has to go to school for enrolment preparations.
“We are required to physically report to school to manage the enrolment and the virtual graduation preparation three times a week,” she said. “We meet our students or their parents/guardians two or three of them at a time,” she added
She further observes that children are still innocent about the heaviness and seriousness of the matter at hand. “They just wonder why they cannot go out and miss playing outside,” she lamented.
Nevertheless, Ma’am C continues with her daily online storytelling, distributing school supply kits, and relaunching of their micro library project. “Once we go under MGCQ, Im going to conduct physical storytelling sessions to 5 kids at most.”
You can contact Ma’am C at: https://www.facebook.com/KwentuhanSeries/
Here’s Ma’am C in action reading “Ang Riles sa Tiyan ni Tatay” written by Eugene Y. Evasco and illustrated by Aldy Aguirre, published by Lampara Books.
National Library of the Philippines
Ms. Melanie Ramirez, librarian, and storyteller from the National Library of the Philippines, believes in promoting the love for books and reading. For Ma’am Melai, storytelling can change the lives of our children.
“When I conducted a storytelling session of Og Uhog to street children at Luneta Park, they learned about hygiene. The next day, they really took a bath and came clean and tidy for the session. Storytelling has the power to influence and change lives!” she exclaimed.
The global health crisis took a toll on her work as a librarian leaving the National Library of the Philippines with a skeletal workforce.
Before, hundreds of visitors, ranging from students, writers, researchers, filmmakers, and tourists visit NLP for their daily dose of inspiration and studies. Now, the library faces the blow of the pandemic.
For Ma’am Melai, she creates things and does online storytelling in partnership with various organizations. In the near future, she wishes to create a storyteller librarian or Kuwentistang Librarian group. You can view Ma’am Melai’s storytelling session live at the NLP Page: https://www.facebook.com/Philippine-National-Library-1461396310813276/
Here’s Ma’am Melai in action reading “Makinang Makinang” written by Genaro R. Gojo Cruz and illustrated by Conrad A. Raquel, published by Adarna House. The last day of PBBY 2020 Oras ng Kuwentuhan, she delivered “May Gulong na Bahay”, written by Genaro R. Gojo Cruz and illustrated by Paul Imbong, published Vibal Group.
Bata Ako Ph
Please open the link here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=775158563290450
I have a hard time embedding it due to copyright claims and all XD
The Philippine Board on Books for Young People on Facebook Watch
Magandang hapon! Dalawa ang kuwento natin ngayon: Sandosenang Kuya na isinulat ni Russel Molina, iginuhit ni Hubert Fucio at nagwagi ng PBBY-Salanga…
Ate Glory Moralidad joined in for National Children’s Book Month! She delivered Sandosenang Kuya written by Russel Molina, and illustrated by Hubert Fucio, and Pambihirang Buhok ni Raquel by Doc Luis P. Gatmaitan, and illustrated by Beth Parrocha-Doctolero. Both books are from Adarna Publishing House.
I enjoyed the arts and crafts sessions, of course – that was fun!
For Bata Ako Ph, the group promotes storytelling in all its forms by hosting activities that encourages children to participate and let them develop awareness for literature.
One of her many fond memories was a boy, around 4-years-old, who actually growled and lunged at her!
“There’s one child over the corner who’s pretty quiet and won’t join the group activity. He actually growled and lunged at me every time I came near to him!”
“I went over and talked to him one-by-one starting by how he feels until I have to sit down and talk to him like an ‘adult’, still, he wouldn’t budge.”
“I tried talking to him about his favorite game, and boy – he quickly told me everything about playtime, family life, and why he’s sad at that moment. The kid was pretty young and he can tell me everything now.
Amid the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country, Bata Ako Ph events are taking public health precautions by canceling or postponing such activities to prevent the spread of the disease.
But, because of COVID-19, every month, we’ll have something to offer to you! From children’s poems, puzzles, arts and crafts tutorials, and talks, find them here!
However, the group is planning to have a huge bash by the end of the year (online) so, stay tuned for more updates. There will be contests, online storytelling sessions, arts and crafts galore, and book launches. Hooray!
Feel free to contact us at:
W: bataakoph.com
F: www.facebook.com/BataAkoPH
E: bataako.ph@gmail.com
Basadours
Please open the link here: https://www.facebook.com/ThePhilippineBoardOnBooksForYoungPeople/videos/287015582521946/
Mommy Cris Evert Ruffolo and young Antoinette from Basadours at Cebu City Public Library lent their voices for some awesome online storytelling sessions with PPBY. Mommy Cris also works as a journalist and the current chairperson of the group.
Believing that literacy, as a human right, is an essential step in basic education, and that knowledge and information are vital to nation-building, the BASADOURS aims to promote the love of reading through alternative and non-formal strategies like storytelling.
Espousing the ideals of volunteerism and public-private partnership, the BASADOURS seeks to collaborate with government, private organizations and other community partners and stakeholders in pursuit of literacy development.
Committed, diverse and cool, the BASADOURS is a gathering of dynamic young professionals: librarians, teachers, media personalities, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, nurses, lawyers and students.
You can find their page here: https://www.facebook.com/Basadours/
Here’s Mommy Cris and Toni reading for you!
MAFIA – Mars and Friends in Action
Mars Mercado is a storyteller, teacher, and founder of Mars and Friends in Action or M. A. F. I. A; a volunteer group that trikes the mountains to tell stories to the children.
For Teacher Mars, children cannot play outside and that’s sad for a kid who wants to discover the world and its magic. This motivated her more to for outreach projects in the communities up the mountains, once the pandemic has hampered down. One of her many memories of her storytelling session was that of a child named Michelle.
“She attended one of my storytelling sessions in our house. After reading the story NAGSASABI NA SI PATPAT, I told them to wash their hands properly, take a bath, and be clean all the time. Then she told me that they don’t have a comfort room. Sa kanal lang sila dumudumi,” Teacher Mars recounted.
This proves that storytelling gives us an insight to a child’s life and how it can transform their way of thinking. We do hope some officials and authorities get to read this and reach out to children in the barangays and mountains and improve their situation.
This is an unfortunate fact we have to face today: many think books, like cars, are luxuries. However, we believe books should be treated as though they are necessities. Through storytelling, books can produce improvements in the children’s’ reading behavior and skills.
Would easier access to books play an important role in motivating kids to read books? You can reach teacher Mars at https://www.facebook.com/MarsAndFriendsInAction
Here she is in action with Nemo, Ang Batang Papel, written by Rene Villanueva and illustrated by Haru Sabijon, published by Adarna Publishing House.
Alitaptap Storytellers
You’ve probably heard of Alitaptap Storytellers before! It’s one of the oldest known organizations of storytellers in the Philippines. Alitaptap was founded in 1999. Amber Noval delivered the story Ang Alamat ng Ampalaya, written by Augie Rivera and illustrated by Kora Dandan Albano, published by Adarna House.
Did you know that Ang Alamat ng Ampalaya celebrated its 25th year anniversary this 2020? We heard Adarna House gave away crocheted Ampalaya dolls to the first 25 people who purchases on July 21, National Children’s Bok Day!
At present, it is currently house by The National Library of the Philippines for its workshops, competitions and storytelling shows. Alitaptap is a guild of volunteer storytellers whose mission is to instill among children the love of reading and the appreciation of children’s literary art through storytelling.
Aside from the storytelling sessions, Alitaptap also conducts workshops for teachers, caregivers, parents, and other people interested in storytelling. They also tie-up with other organizations whose missions align with ours such as Sa Aklat Sisikat, Cultural Center of the Philippines (with its Batang Sining Workshop), Bantay Bata 163, GUIDE Foundation (for Special Children) and DepEd’s Library Hub Project.
Alitaptap also organizes competitions yearly such as The Annual Alitaptap Inter-College Storytelling Competition for all college students and The Alitaptap Annual Children’s Storytelling Competition for students in the grade school level.
For inquiries, please contact alitaptap_storytellers@yahoo.com. Like their Facebook Page also at https://www.facebook.com/Alitaptap-Storytellers-Philippines-242041119211780/.
Here’s Amber in action!
Ang Pinoy Storytellers
Kuya Rich Rodriguez of Ang Pinoy Storytellers believes in a Filipino society where children are nurtured, and enjoy the benefits of storytelling in the household, school, or any gatherings.
Due to the pandemic, the Pinoy Storytellers took to Facebook to share their tale to children. They believe in propagating storytelling as a learning technique, a way of communicative, personality development and performing art to fellow countrymen.
It’s also to advocate the reading interest and enthusiasm of Filipino children through retelling the rich Filipino literature by using the mother tongue and English to instill Filipino values and patriotism.
Kuya Rich told the story of Rizaldy by Eugene Y. Evasco and illustrated by Yasmin Doctor, published by Vibal Publishing Group.
You can find Ang Pinoy Storytellers at: https://www.facebook.com/angpinoystorytellers/
The Storytelling Project
Kuya Rey Bufi, founder of the Storytelling Project shared that the pandemic affected their activities. For him, online storytelling sessions gave the opportunity to reach more Filipino families.
As for PBBY and NCBD, “I am happy about is to see different storytelling groups from different parts of the country sharing their talents and time to the NCBD celebration,” Kuya Rey said.
The Storytelling Project (TSP) aims to spark hope, inspiration and imagination through storytelling; to make reading an enjoyable experience for children; to start a reading habit; and to instill the love of reading and learning in all our TSP kids. We’ve tirelessly crossed rivers and excitedly conquered mountains to reach remote communities – to bring our own brand of happy learning.
Right now, Kuya Rey said it’s important to take everything one day at a time. With the global health crisis looming still, it is difficult to follow a specific routine. “Juggling activities from taking care of our children, doing storytelling and creating online content to creating project proposals,” he said.
As a parent himself, Kuya Rey said younger children can adapt more to the changes brought by the pandemic. “I only have two small kids, to base my experience from, so, it does not reflect children in general but I believe kids are more able to adapt to changes brought about by the new normal.”
For Kuya Rey, “Storytelling is my passion. Volunteering is my life.”
You can contact Kuya Rey here: https://www.facebook.com/TheStorytellingProject/
https://www.facebook.com/kuyareybufi/
Watch him in action as he shares the story of “Anong Gupit Natin Ngayon?” by Russell Molina and illustrated by Hubert Fucio from Adarna House, and “Dalawa Kami ni Lola” by Genaro R. Gojo Cruz and illustrated by Sophia Demanawa from Lampara Books.
Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA)
Luisito Pascua or Kuya Bodjie took online to share his tales to the children. Kuya Bodjie is a stage, film, and TV actor known for his character in Batibot. But, I guess every 80s and 90s kid can recall his segment “Mga Kwento ni Kuya Bodjie,” of storytelling famous children’s stories.
He even won as Best Children’s Program Host for Batibot – PMPC Star Awards For TV in 1987! Kuya Bodjie is a member of PETA, one of the Philippines’ pioneer theater groups.
Get to feel the magic once again as Kuya Bodjie shares Tight Times by Jeanette Patindol and illustrated by Sergio Bumatay III.
Quezon City Public Library
Ang tagapagkuwento natin ngayon ay si Kuya Troy, isang librarian sa Quezon City Public Library. Kung di siya nagkukuwento sa kaniyang bunso, siya at ang kaniyang mga kasama sa library ay nag-iisip ng mga kakaibang programang makakatulong sa kapwa librarians at public libraries.
Siya din si Heneral Basa ng QCPL. Naging bahagi rin siya ng Edukasyon Para sa Kinabukasan na bumuo ng aklatang pambata sa Bulacan, Caloocan, Tondo at QC. Pangarap niya na balang araw ay mas dumami pa ang mga pampublikong aklatan at mga batang nagbabasa rito.
Halina’t panoorin ang masayang kuwentuhan kasama ang kaniyang bunsong anak, si Trina. Ibabahagi nila sa inyo ang kuwentong May Higante sa Aming Bahay na isinulat ni Rhandee Garlitos at iginuhit ni Ferdinand Guevara. Nagwagi ito ng 2009 PBBY-Salanga Writers Prize at 2009 PBBY-Alcala Illustrators Prize. Mula ito sa Adarna Publishing House.
Museo Pambata
Ang Museo Pambata ay institutional member ng PBBY. Maliban sa pagiging Museo para sa batang Pilipino, ang Museo Pambata ay patuloy na isinusulong ang pagkukuwento sa mga bata kasama ang mga volunteers.
Nakikipagtulungan din sila sa mga partners upang makapagtayo ng aklatan para sa mga bata.
Ang ating mga volunteer kuwentista ngayon ay sina Lesley Lina, Maruja Calixto, Robelyn Arcangel at Michael Jose Autencio. Ibabahagi nila ang kuwentong “Ang Kamatis ni Peles” na isinulat ni Alberta Angeles at iginuhit ni Renato Gamos para sa Adarna House. Ang Kamatis ni Peles ay nagwagi ng PBBY- Illustrator’s Grand Prize noong 1984.
Museo Pambata is a children’s museum with various educational programs. It supports children’s rights and a broad range of creative and educational services for children and adults involved in children’s welfare. It is an institutional member of the PBBY and Zero in Consortium of Museums.
Contact Museo Pambata at: https://www.facebook.com/museopambata/
Museo Pambata Foundation, Inc.
Roxas Boulevard corner South Drive
Manila, Philippines
Tel: (632) 523-1797/98
Fax: (632) 522-1246
E-mail: info@museopambata.org
