MANILA, Philippines—Seventy-five years ago, the country’s very first textbook publishing house was established.
Abiva Publishing House Inc. (Aphi) was set up by educators Luis and Asuncion Quiray Abiva on May 9, 1936, in a one-room office on Evangelista Street in Quiapo, Manila.
The company started by publishing civil service examination review materials for first and second-grade policemen, and for junior and senior teachers.
Asuncion managed the office in Manila while Luis traveled to the provinces to promote the review materials he himself wrote.
When Luis was killed during the war, Asuncion, though left to care for four children by herself, boldly expanded the company’s business and added elementary and high school textbooks to Abiva’s menu of products.
Aphi published bestsellers like “Wikang Sarili” (1960), and the “Hiyas” series (1967).
When the second generation Abivas, headed by Luis Quiray Abiva Jr., took over in the 1960s, the company became known for distributing the SRA Reading Laboratory Kit. Started in 1965, the SRAs (Science Research Associates) are individualized and multilevel literary-based reading programs.
Today, headed by its president, Jorge A. Garcia, a third-generation Abiva, Aphi has registered more than 30 percent increase in sales of its textbooks, from preschool to college.
A hallmark of Aphi publications is the care given to every title—from development, to writing, editing and printing. The company takes pride in the fact that no Abiva textbook has ever been cited for any factual error.
“We put out more than 50 new titles a year, a commitment that we have been keeping to the Filipino students for several decades now. This is on top of the titles that we consistently revise and update,” said Garcia, who is also a member of the board of advisers of the Philippine Educational Publishers Association (Pepa).
Garcia credited people who shared the company’s commitment to the publishing industry for Aphi’s ability to maintain the quality of its products. They include authors, education specialists, and pedagogical editors.
With more advanced technologies for delivering better educational materials to Filipino students, Garcia was hopeful Aphi would have an exciting future.
Among Aphi’s future projects is the teaching of English as a second language online, using Abiva textbooks.
Garcia also saw Aphi becoming a stronger player outside the Philippines, addressing the demand, especially in the Middle East, for Filipino textbooks by Filipino authors.