Book donation closes gap on Taguig public school library deficiency

Now, all public schools in Taguig City will have a library of its own.

The Taguig City Public Library (TCPL) has received a large donation of pre-owned books from an international organization, an event that is seen to benefit schoolchildren and wipe out the deficiency of libraries in the city’s public school system.

A total of 19,926 volumes of pre-owned books in Math, Science and English, as well as General References have been turned over to Joselito Carpena, Jr., officer-in-charge of the Taguig Public Library, for distribution to all 34 of Taguig City’s public elementary and high schools.

The donation was made by Children International Philippines, Inc. (CIPI), an international non-government organization promoting the welfare of children, and had the primary objective of promoting among schoolchildren the love of reading.

The books arrived in Manila from Kansas City, Missouri inside a 40-ton container last December.

The formal turnover of the books was held in a simple ceremony held at the Taguig City Council Hall last February attended by principals and school officials in Taguig City, and by Mayor Lani Cayetano, who was also one of the guest speakers and witnesses to the donation.

“In Taguig City, our priority is education. We can leave no better legacy to our children than inculcating among them the value of a good education and the importance of the pursuit of knowledge,” said Mayor Lani Cayetano.

“We therefore express our appreciation to this laudable gesture from CIPI. We thank you for the gift of knowledge for our youth,” Mayor Lani added.

The TCPL sought for the donation of the quality hardbound books under CIPI’s Book Donation Program primarily to help the student populace of various public and elementary high schools in Taguig City to start and have their own libraries.

Carpena said when he was appointed OIC of the TCPL, Mayor Lani tasked him to alleviate the sorry state not only of his own office, but that of public school libraries as well.

Parallel to seeking donations for quality books, he said the TCPL held a two-day Basic Librarianship Seminar for teacher-librarians in August last year.

The seminar was attended by 62 participants from all of the 34 public schools in the city.

Carpena likewise said  the books donation  effectively wiped out the deficiency in libraries among public schools in Taguig City.

“Before this administration, only six out of the 34 public schools in Taguig have their own libraries. Now, all of them will have their own,” Carpena said.

He said that the books are now being distributed to all 34 public schools with a minimum of 500 books each.

“The number of books to be distributed will be according to the size and needs of the school,” Carpena said.

The donation is also envisioned to populate barangay libraries as well.

“The donation will help jumpstart the institution of libraries in public schools where there are none. Eventually, we hope that all of our schoolchildren will have access to their own libraries at their schools,” Mayor Lani said.

TAGALOG VERSION:

Magkakaroon na ng silid-aklatan ang lahat ng pampublikong paaralan sa Taguig.

Kamakailan ay tumanggap ng mga gamit nang aklat ang Taguig City Public Library (TCPL) mula sa Children International Philippines, Inc, (CIPI) isang international non-government organization na nagsusulong sa kapakanan ng kabataan. Pinaniniwalaang matutugunan nito ang kakulangan ng mga silid-aklatan sa public school system ng Taguig.

Umabot sa 19,926 na bilang ng aklat sa math, science, english at iba’t ibang general reference ang naiturn-over kay Joselito Carpena, Jr., officer-in-charge ng Taguig City Public Library para ikalat sa 34 na public school ng Taguig.

Pangunahing layunin ng hakbangin ay ang maengganyo ang mga kabataan na magbasa.

Dumating ang mga aklat sa bansa sakay ng isang 40-ton container mula sa Kansas City, Missouri, USA noong December.

Isinagawa ang pagturn-over sa mga aklat sa simpleng seremonya sa Sangguniang Panglungsod Hall noong Pebrero kung saan dumalo ang mga prinsipal at mga opisyales ng iba’t ibang paaralan ng Taguig. Si Mayor Lani Cayetano naman na sumaksi sa pagbibigay ng donasyon ay isa sa mga naging panauhing pandangal.

“Sa Taguig, ang pangunahin sa aming tinututukan ay ang sektor ng edukasyon. Walang ibang makahihigit sa iiwan nating pamana sa mga kabataan kundi ang maturuan at maipaunawa sa kanila ang kahalagahan ng edukasyon,” wika ni Mayor Lani Cayetano.

“Dahil dito, lubos kaming nagpapasalamat sa hakbanging ito ng CIPI. Nagpapasalamat kami sa handog ninyong kaalaman sa kabataan ng lungsod.”

Hinangad ng TCPL na makakuha ng mga de-kalidad na aklat sa ilalim ng CIPI Book donation Program upang matulungan ang mga estudyante at ang mga kanilang mga paaralan na makapagsimula sa pagbuo ng sarili nilang silid-aklatan.

Sa pagkakatalaga kay Carpena bilang OIC ng TCPL, inatasan siya ni Mayor Lani na ayusin ang kanyang tanggapan gayundin ang mga public library.

Sinabi ni Carpena na ang donasyong mga aklat na kanyang hiniling sa CIPI sa loob ng isang taon ay tumugon sa mga kakulangan ng mga silid aklatan sa mga papmpublikong paaralan ng Taguig.

“Dati- rati, bago ang kasalukuyang administrasyon ay 6 lamang sa 34 na public school ang may saril nilang library. Ngayon, lahat sila ay magkakaroon na ng sarili nilang mga silid-aklatan,” pahayag ni Carpena.

Ang mga aklat ay kasalukuyang ipamamahagi na sa lahat ng paaralan na kung saan bawat isa ay makatatanggap ng hindi bababa sa 500 aklat.

“Ang bilang ng makukuhang aklat ay depende sa laki at pangangailangan ng paaralan,” dagdag pa ni Carpena.

Sinabi rin niya na “timing” ang donasyon ng mga libro dahil nagdaos ang TCPL ng Basic Librarianship Seminar para sa mga teacher-librarians noong Agosto ng nakaraang taon.

Ang seminar na ito ay dinaluhan ng 62 katao mula sa 34 na public schools sa lungsod.

Bukod sa mga paaralan, inaasahan ding makkikinabang sa donasyon ang mga aklatan sa barangay.

“Ang donasyong ito ay makatutulong para masimulan ang pagkakaroon ng silid aklatan sa mga pampublikong paaralan na wala nito., umaasa kami na lahat ng mga mag-aaral ay magkakaroon ng aceess sa library ng kanilang mga paaralan,” wika pa ni Mayor Lani.