MOTHERS AND THE MANY roles they play made for engaging storytelling at Thursday?s Inquirer Read-Along, which featured show biz celebrity Kris Aquino and children?s show actor Luisito ?Kuya Bodjie? Pascua.

Aquino told a story involving a tricycle-driving mom, while Pascua read a piece exploring the traditionally maternal chores of housekeeping.

Try to finish one book a month, Aquino, who graduated from the Ateneo de Manila University with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in English Literature, urged her young audience composed of selected pupils from three public elementary schools in Metro Manila.

Go for stories that are out of the ordinary, added Pascua, a US-trained theater actor who popularized the character Bodjie in the now defunct educational TV program ?Batibot.?

Held at the Petron Megaplaza in Makati City, Thursday?s session was the latest edition of what is now an award-winning Philippine Daily Inquirer project that aims to promote reading among the young.

Launched in May 2007, Inquirer Read-Along received an award of excellence last month from the prestigious Philippine Quill, an honor given by the International Association of Business Communicators.

Aquino, who came with her younger child Baby James, read a story titled ?Bakit Hindi Na Naka-lipstick si Nanay? before a group of 109 pupils from Pateros Elementary School (Pateros), Andres Bonifacio Elementary School (Mandaluyong City), and Tenement Elementary School (Taguig City).

A grand prize winner in the Palanca Awards for literature, the story authored by Grace Chong was originally written in English under the title ?No Lipstick for Mother.? It?s about a girl named Mayang who is ashamed of her mother?s occupation as a tricycle driver.

Ninoy?s gifts

Aquino asked three volunteers from the audience to help her read out excerpts from the story. In between their readings, Aquino further explained the situations depicted in the narrative.

The popular actress, commercial endorser and TV host also recalled how her famous father?the late Sen. Benigno ?Ninoy? Aquino Jr.?helped her develop the habit of reading by buying her books once a week.

?Until now, even with my busy schedule, I try to carry on with that value my dad taught me,? Aquino said. ?I try to read at least one book every week, and in a month I read about 45 magazines, both imported and local.?

Pascua held the kids in rapt attention with the story ?Papel de Liha? by Ompong Remigio. The tale revolves around a girl fascinated by her mother?s meticulous housekeeping.

?Reading contributed a great deal to what I have become as a person,? said Pascua, who earned a degree in Fine Arts in Drama from New York University.

After his Batibot role, he played the character ?Tito Luis? in another educational show ?Epol/Apple,? which introduces kids to the basics of the English language.

Daring kids to ask

Pascua considered himself an ?addict? when it comes to savoring the printed word, and recommended books that would not just entertain but also encourage children to ask questions. Look for books, he said, that seemingly deals with everyday life yet written in ways that are ?not ordinary.?

Another storyteller, Petron Corp.?s crude and product supply manager Weng Cortez, opened Thursday?s Read-Along with the story ?Ang Pamilya? by Genaro Gojo Cruz, basically a playful primer on the members of the family in the eyes of a young, inquisitive boy.

Like Aquino and Pascua, Cortez encouraged interaction with the children, at times even making them burst into laughter.

Also gracing the session was the Inquirer president Sandy Prieto-Romualdez. The children also received gifts from Junior Inquirer.

Classmates Veronica Apan and Jaslaine Saberdo of Pateros Elementary School, both aged 9, said they particularly liked the story read by their Kuya Bodjie because it left them with a deeper appreciation of their mothers? efforts in raising their families.
Petron scholars

Marilou Erni, executive director of Petron Foundation Inc., said spreading the love of reading jived with Petron?s CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives which focus heavily on education through the company?s Tulong Aral Scholars program.

Tulong Aral currently supports a total of 6,000 students in Metro Manila and Mindanao, Erni said.

The program produced its first batch of elementary graduates earlier this year. This batch has since moved on to high school and continues to receive assistance under the program through a partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines, she added.

The session was also organized in part by the Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation.

Inquirer Read-Along regularly holds session at the Inquirer offices in Makati City. Interested parties may contact Ellen Caparros and Girlie Refran at 897-8808 local 329.