A Proposal for Bookstores in the Philippines to Fight the Book Blockade
Posted by Robin Hemley on May 17, 2009 7:21 PM
Norman Sison's ideas for breaking the book blockade are very good, but I'd like to add an idea that might galvanize public opinion in this matter.
Book lovers around the Philippines are siding with the bookstores and importers. Now I think it's time for bookstores to get into that act. It would be a good idea if bookstores around the Philippines made banners to hang in their stores reading: NO TO THE BOOK BLOCKADE! Then in smaller print the banners might read, "For more information ask a cashier." At the cash register, there could be flyers that state in a nutshell what the issue is, including a website address and then the e-mail addresses of Sales, et al so that people could complain to the people who are behind the blockade. Imagine if these flyers and banners were in all the windows of every National Bookstore in the country, for starters! This would not take a lot of money but it would potentially rally book buyers throughout the RP.
Bookstores should be urged by everyone to join in the cause. After all, the book blockade directly affects their interests. National Bookstore, Fully Booked, and Power Books should create these banners and flyers in conjunction with the Book Development Association of the Philippines. The only way for this to succeed, I think, is if everyone plays a part.
Hi there. Great idea, Robin. It's exactly what I've been talking about. In this case, the book development association should be the lead in this one particular area.
Since the book companies are fearful of retaliation such as tax reviews, they should pool their resources and lawyers and get ready for legal battles. That's why I said earlier that we should get ready for anything. Getting the Makati Business Club to help might be useful because they've been pushing for tax reform policies.
Intimidation is the name of the game. We can't intimidate if there are only a few of us. So let's rock!
Norm