Panel speakers discuss the Future of the Book (from left): Harvey Libarnes of Hand Interactive, Dr. Lloyd Espiritu of LG&M Publishing, Frances Ong of Tahanan Books, and moderator Alvin Buenaventura.
While the majority of Filipino students make do with paper textbooks, some schools are now toying with the idea of taking the virtual leap towards digital education.
In June 2011, the Laguna local government launched a pilot project involving the use of tablet PCs to replace the paper textbooks used by students in schools around the province. One thousand e-Rizal Tablets, pre-loaded with digital versions of their textbooks, were distributed to the freshmen students of Laguna Science National High School, University of the Philippines Rural High School, and one public high school from each of the province’s four congressional districts.
Some Philippine publishers see this as the future of the book and, ultimately, the future of Philippine education.
Leading publishers and book advocates from around the country were given a preview of this future during the Second Future of the Book (FOTB) Digital Publishing Conference, organized by Vibal Foundation, National Book Development Board (NBDB), and the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP). Held recently at the University of the Philippines Bahay ng Alumni, the event witnessed the gathering of some of the world’s most innovative publishers who presented trends in digital publishing to Filipino publishers.
Reinventing the book
During the 2nd FOTB, discourse on the e-book and digital publishing was raised a notch higher—from possible shifts in business approach within the publishing industry, to establishing e-books as the new standard in Philippine education. BDAP president Lirio Sandoval in his welcome remarks noted that e-book technology is simply a “reinvention” of the book and publishers must see this as a prospect given the rapid advancements in technology.
It was this paradigm shift that prompted Jun Lozada to lead the tablet education project of De La Salle Greenhills. Lozada was one of the invited speakers for the track on digital education.
“With the changing trends in education, the K-12, budget cuts and an increasing demand, we need an adaptive mindset. We need to introduce the digital word as the new medium—one that drives learning system design and not the other way around,” Lozada said.
The provincial government of Laguna was likewise attracted to the “reinvention” of the printed book into digital formats using mobile computing technology. Laguna Provincial Board Member Neil Nocon discussed how the e-Rizal tablet drew the attention of students and teachers of Laguna public schools. Though the tablets were used on a pilot initiative, Nocon looks forward to the e-book as a more efficient and practical alternative to printed textbooks.
This does not mean though that printed books will be banished to antiquity. Winnie Hung, regional coordinator of Hewlett-Packard (HP) Southeast Asia, presented statistics showing that the demand for printed materials is still steady, but the conventional mode of printing naturally produces supplies that outweigh the actual demand of readers. She promoted new trends in digital printing that are more cost-efficient and based on actual consumer demand.
But what of the present?
Publishers must brace for the future of publishing but must also consider the objective conditions of the present to effectively address the needs of the Filipino consumer.
Currently, the focal area in Philippine publishing is the public education sector, which for decades suffered from financial constraints.
According to Nocon, “The Philippine government provides only half of the required six percent out of the country’s gross national product for education. Education must be prioritized in our budget in order for us to move forward to digital education. Budget is still essential for education.”
More studies must be conducted to determine if the use of e-textbooks is feasible among public school students. The procurement of new equipment, such as tablets, e-readers, software, and applications, must also be transparent and publicly bidded out.
Outside the educational spectrum, e-book technology can provide independent authors a platform to more easily sell and distribute their works. It can also be used to promote classic Filipino literature, in essence preserving history in the futuristic realm of cyberspace. Observers note that digital technology should not be reserved for only a privileged few; instead, it must open the gates toward free and open sharing of information.
Open knowledge, unlimited learning, and education that is accessible to all – this must be the future of the book, and the future of Philippine publishing. ###
jccok. so you can practice law pa pala. pnsiaseya ka na, confusing kasi ipnaglalaban mo. kung ano ano kasi, alam mo naman, nakakalito. mea maxima culpa. so para ano pa yang mga love letters natin kay justice puno? corrupt ang sc dahil nahuli kang namamangka sa dalawang ilog??is that a legal point? that’s more like an ethics point .hmmm i hope you cooked a lot of nice meals with that super kalan you borrowed’.and why should association with miriam that prevent me from bashing her? i do not have a tribal mentality. . i can also criticise my own school, which in fact i do. i’m not shoving my degree at you, it’s you who is doing that to yourself. duh, hello, wake up, i stated it as a matter of fact and not to cause you envy. i know, i did something wrong there. i accept that. when chris rock makes blacks/nigger jokes it’s very funny, when a redneck makes black/nigger jokes it’s still funny but he will probably end up in jail/ostracized for inciting racism..i made a up joke and i am not from up. so there. and why are you so pikon? are you still part of the up cheer squad? last i checked, you graduated when my father did not yet consummate his lust on my mother. moove on, that’s decades ago, you are no longer poor, stop making a big sentimenal fuss.do not begrudge me for not liking lawyers, in the whole history of the human race, lawyers have never had a positive popularity rating for many valid reasons. i have lots of lawyer friends and I love them but I know when the rapture comes, they will all burn in hell along with the fornicators and supporters of the rh bill.
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That is why That is why phillipino low self esetem! Why Indian didnot claim they are white kind or mix Britain even they were under british colony. So as african! Indian are respectful race and deserve it and they are proud of their own culture. Plus east Asia are shameful of being colonized and dont even want to mention the history part. I don’t understand why you guys try to link Spanish to you, did Spain claim anything or you re their own?! Not really .. Be proud of your own race and stop marrying older