Finally, a trust fund proposed for book authors

At last, some serious attention has been given to Filipino authors, who for too long have been relegated to the backseat in terms of legislative attention and governmental assistance.

If Senate Bill No. 2612 and House Bill No. 6226 were passed into law to create a National Book Development Trust Fund to support Filipino authorship, local authors — especially those unknown yet talented ones — would have a chance to have their works published.

Considered milestone legislations in the field of book development, SB 2612 and HB 6226 were authored by Senate Majority Leader Loren Legarda and Deputy Speaker Raul Gonzalez, respectively.

The Book Development Trust Fund is envisioned to support and promote Filipino authorship, especially in science and technology, local history and subject areas where locally authored books are few or non-existent.

Data from the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the country’s lead government agency for book development and readership promotion, show that most books in bookstores and libraries are foreign-authored, while most local books are written by authors based in the National Capital Region, where most of the big publishers are based.

Countless writers from other parts of the country have for too long labored in anonymity, suffering from financial dearth as well as from lack of linkage with and access to established publishers who are willing to invest in unknown authors like them.

There are many talented authors and writers in the other regions, and they can put in writing their local knowledge and local stories. Some of them can write scientific and technical books that fit their local contexts, while others can translate classic works into the local languages.

If passed into law, the Trust Fund would enable at least 65 grants — which will be distributed equitably among the regions — to be awarded every year so that deserving writers or researchers could produce or finish excellent manuscripts for publication.

These grants could go a long way toward the production of a greater number and variety of primary, secondary and higher education textbooks that are useful and relevant to the local context.

The twin bills are hoped to facilitate the development of stories and books for children that reflect Filipino culture and inspire pride in Philippine history and national identity.

Based on NBDB data, most authors have begun manuscripts or research works that take too long to finish because they are preoccupied with earning a living for themselves and their loved ones. What usually happens then is that writers, on account of financial difficulties, abandon their manuscripts or research works.

Thus, the Trust Fund will support regional and provincial authors financially so they can concentrate full-time on working on their manuscripts or researches.

Authors may then opt to take a leave from their jobs and finish their manuscripts without starving themselves and their families because they would have financial backing from the Trust Fund.