BIG Bad Wolf has expressed willingness to collaborate with the Cebu City Government in addressing illiteracy, aside from bringing over 22 million books to the city.
“We are always open to collaborating with any opportunities that come our way,” Terrence Leong, head of operations at the Big Bad Wolf, said when asked in an interview on Thursday, April 25, 2024, if they were willing to work with the government to address problems related to readings.
Leong said that beside running the sale event alone, they also have their own charity, through which they collect books donated by customers and give them to people who need them.
Leong said their goal is to change the world one book at a time, recognizing the importance of literacy, which is a key factor in change.
Meanwhile, Carol Chuaying, Big Bad Wolf Philippine Managing Partner head, said Big Bad Wolf is already in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in which they were able to donate books for children in Marawi.
“If Cebu City, definitely, we are so willing to work with you to be able to reach out and do more projects together,” Chuaying said.
Chuaying said they are hoping to be able to visit Cebu City at least once a year, adding that they cannot have it more than once a year because it is part of their mission to be able to visit more cities in the Philippines as much as possible.
On April 25, the VIP opening of the Big Bad Wolf Sale was attended by acting Mayor Raymond Alvin Garcia and acting Vice Mayor Donaldo Hontiveros.
In his address, Garcia said “books carry with it knowledge and knowledge carries with it the future leaders of the City of Cebu.”
Garcia said they want to move leaders in society, stressing that “the true measure of success is in succession.”
He said in the twilight of one’s career, one has to train someone who could carry on what has been started.
“Today you may be a reader, but tomorrow you will be a leader,” Garcia said.
In an interview, Garcia said knowledge is always the foundation for becoming a better individual.
He said what they want to inculcate in the younger generation is the importance of learning in order for them to become good leaders in the future. Consequently, it will be able to bring progress to the city.
Asked if the City is willing to work with the Big Bad Wolf, Garcia said he is leaving it with Hontiveros, who chairs the committee on education and scholarships.
But he assured that whatever is necessary for the children to be educated, to be able to read properly, is something that needs to be highlighted.
The Big Bad Wolf Book Sale runs from April 26 to May 5, 2024, at SM Seaside City Cebu. Doors open daily at 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Big Bad Wolf Books, founded in 2009 by Andrew Yap and Jacqueline Ng in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, aims to promote reading habits and increase English literacy worldwide by making books more affordable and accessible.
The company's popular book sales are a highlight, encouraging people of all ages to discover the joys of reading and pursue their dreams.
With tours spanning 15 countries and 37 cities, including various locations in Asia and beyond, Big Bad Wolf Book Sale is expanding its reach globally, inspiring readers worldwide. (AML)