News & Events

The Araneta Center and the J. Amado Araneta Foundation (JAAF) recently celebrated the National Reading Month, and highlighted the importance not just of reading but also of spending time with kids.

The premier lifestyle hub in the country gives importance not just to lifestyle and leisure but also literacy as it launched a Reading Nook on level 4 of the Gateway Mall.

Situated in a quiet portion of the mall, the Reading Nook provides shoppers a spot where they can relax and enjoy a serene time with their favorite books. It currently houses books from Adarna House and other titles donated by Araneta Group employees.

JAAF, which is Araneta Group’s corporate social responsibility arm, likewise held a “Reading Under the Giant Christmas Tree” event on November 30 held, which was attended by around 300 kids from the foundation’s partner organizations and communities. Araneta Center’s iconic 100-foot tree served as the backdrop for the kids to learn from storytellers from the Center for Arts, New Ventures & Sustainable Development or CANVAS Philippines, Adarna House, and the Storytelling Project.

A voracious reader herself, Binibining Pilipinas Globe Michele Gumabao also participated in the activity and encouraged the kids to spend time reading.

“Through reading, you develop basic skills that are needed to be fully equipped to be competitive in school and in the work field later on,” Gumabao said.

Aside from the storytelling sessions, the kid participants were also treated to an afternoon of games and enjoyment with their friends and relatives, underscoring that activities like this also form a memorable bond.

“It’s more than giving the kids story books, it’s more about spending time with them. That’s also why we continue to hold storytelling workshops for moms and caregivers, because we want to emphasize that these kids still need family time, and an outlet to ask questions and express themselves,” said JAAF director Diane Romero.

The Department of Education has declared November as National Reading Month “to promote love for reading, and to celebrate the diversity of learners and culture through reading.”

Established in 2002, JAAF has been involved in various causes that involve education and community development.

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