MANILA, PHILIPPINES—To address the nation’s reading crisis, the National Book Development Board (NBDB), through its Readership Development Division (READ), has organized the Readers Rising! Hackathon, where the youth are invited to pitch their ideas on how to help solve this big problem on readership: How do we rekindle a love of reading for young Filipino adults?
Recent findings from the Functional Literacy, Education, and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) conducted by the Philippine Statistical Authority (PSA) in 2024 highlight the urgency of addressing this crisis. The survey showed alarming gaps in literacy rates, especially among young Filipinos.
This hackathon aims to bring fresh, innovative ideas to the table, empowering the Filipino youth to contribute solutions that can help overcome this pressing issue.
The best part is, the winning idea that can help end the reading crisis can earn PHP 60,000 for the creative thinkers.
This unique event, which involves both online and onsite meetups, is open to Filipino citizens, aged 18-25, who are currently university students or young professionals in various fields such as advocacy, policy, information technology, marketing, business, management, community development, social work, communication, social sciences, and humanities.
The onsite portion of the hackathon will take place on July 26 and 27, 2025 at a venue in Manila (location to be announced). To ensure a fully immersive experience, all team members must be able to attend this face-to-face event. During these two days, participants will have the unique opportunity to collaborate with industry leaders, expand their professional networks, and contribute to a cause that aims to make a lasting impact on Filipino readership.
Together, they will be challenged to come up with their most unique and innovative ideas and novel solutions that will impact the nation’s reading communities to adopt more positive reading behaviors and help develop a stronger reading culture in the Philippines.
This year’s hackathon will be guided by a group of mentor-judges, each a leader in fields like advocacy, technology, communications, and education. Their expertise will be key in evaluating proposals and presentations, which will be assessed based on the following criteria:
- Thematic Relevance (30%)
The idea clearly addresses the identified problem and caters to the developmental needs of the target audience. - Innovation (30%)
The idea is original, innovative, and creative. It offers a novel approach to solving the problem and is supported by strong research. - Feasibility and Sustainability (25%)
The project can be realistically implemented and takes into account economic, environmental, and social factors for long-term impact. - Presentation (15%)
The pitch is clear, easy to follow, and effectively gets the message across in an engaging way.
The winning idea that will come out of the Readers Rising! Hackathon stands to take home PHP 60,000 as the major prize, with PHP 30,000 as minor prizes. Special prizes worth PHP 10,000 will be awarded as well.
“This event proves that when you bring creative minds together with a purpose, the possibilities are endless,” said Daniel Lorenzo Mariano, Officer-in-Charge of READ. “Readers Rising isn’t just about coming up with novel ideas; it’s also about creating impact, equity, and giving our Filipino youth tools they need to grow through reading.”
Best of all, registration for the Readers Rising! Hackathon is absolutely FREE! Interested participants can learn more and apply through the official form. Submissions will be judged on how well they align with the hackathon’s mission, as well as their creativity and practicality.
Don’t let this opportunity pass; join us and be part of something that makes a real-world impact!
