Most Filipinos Won't Read Despite Benefits

I moved to the United States when I was just nine years old.  When I got there, many kids, especially Filipino kids, made fun of me because I didn't speak English, and my accent was, well, very Filipino.  I had other Filipino friends who also just migrated to the US, and they, too, were made fun of because of their English and accent.  I didn't want to be teased of bullied, so I decided to quickly improve my English and American accent.  I did many things like watching television and mimicking the sound of the actors, but the one that really helped me a lot in becoming more proficient was reading books.  That's right, reading! 

After a few years, my accent was reduced, and I started to have a neutralized American accent.  Guess what, I was playing lead in theater and even became the captain of my debate team in high school.  To add to that, I was the literary magazine editor and editor-in-chief of our high school paper.  Yes, I was class president too.  I attribute my growth and development to reading, the past time that most Filipinos hate.  But I tell you, if you really want to go far, you should learn to love reading. 

Here are three benefits of reading:

1. You become smarter.  Yes, you really do.  You improve your knowledge as you gain information.  You become a critical thinker, and you will strengthen your analytical skills.  Reading helps you to gain so many perspectives from different characters, including of course, the authors.  You become a philosopher, a psychologist, and a thinker. 
   
2. You become a better communicator and better in English.  Your vocabulary will expand, and your writing and speaking skills will definitely improve.  You start to sound like the characters you read about.  You start to speak like the authors you read.  When you absorb all these stories, the information, these perspectives, these ideas, you can use them to strengthen your speech.  And if you read books written in English, you definitely will become a better English speaker.
   
3. You become more successful.  When you become smarter and a better communicator, success naturally follows.  A well-read person, combined with having a great-personality, can go very far in life in terms of career and business.  People naturally gravitate to a well-spoken, intelligent individual, regardless of looks and social status.

The problem is, even with these benefits, most Filipinos will not read.  They would rather make excuses like "I'm busy," "I don't have time," or "It's boring."  Then again, the world is fair since success comes to those who do not make excuses.  Otherwise, everyone would be successful.

So are you ready to pick up a book and start reading?  Chances are, you are not.