Monsanto Philippines Corporate Affairs Head Chat Ocampo turns over more copies of Monsanto’s children’s book for the Davao City DepEd Library Hub’s Read-along activities
November is reading month and Monsanto Philippines participates in the efforts of the Department of Education Library Hub in Davao City to encourage young students to spend time reading books that interest them.
The DepEd Library Hub has been using Monsanto’s children’s book titled “Lina’s Town Rises Again” as material for its story-telling sessions along with other books which teach values to elementary school children.
Chat Ocampo, Monsanto’s Corporate Affairs Head and author of the aforementioned Monsanto’s children’s book said that by using the book as material, “not only are we providing ways for children to get interested in agriculture but we are also teaching values such as perseverance, hard work, making sacrifices for the family and faith in God.”
“Lina’s Town Rises Again” is based on the true story of a successful lady farmer, Aling Conching Reyes, who managed to rise above the devastation of her community caused by Typhoon Pablo. Aling Conching planted Bt corn and worked very hard. Soon after, her hard work and perseverance paid off so that she eventually recovered all her losses and started enjoying a much better life. She was able to also help her neighbors improve their lives.
Meanwhile, Rose Antipuesto, Division Librarian II, said that students react positively whenever she reads to them the story of AlingConching. “The story inspires them. There are not so many children’s books on agriculture so this book is definitely a great take off point to discuss agriculture, how it is to grow crops and how farmers help feed our world. We also get to discuss many other related matters after the said story is read to them,” Antipuesto added.
Antipuesto also underscored that encouraging students to read was made easier by the fact that they were able to distribute copies of the books whenever the story is read so that everyone could read together. “They really read-along as I read the story to them and that gets them excited to get hold of and read other books,” Antipuesto said.
Apart from the story-telling sessions, the Davao DepEd Library Hub will also hold a poster-making contest at the end of November. They are also doing an inventory of all the books donated to them through the years so they can send some copies to the libraries of public elementary schools.
