Marawi pupils to benefit from donation of storybooks
‘Sa Pagbasa, May Pag-asa’ aims to donate 10 M storybooks a year to public schools
Schoolchildren affected by the fivemonth armed conflict in Marawi City are expected to benefit from a book donation drive organized by a civil society group which aims to donate 10 million storybooks to 10,000 schools across the country every year.
Former education secretary Armin Luistro, BDO Foundation president Mario Deriquito, and philanthropist and civil society leader Vicky Garchitorena have partnered with nongovernment organizations, corporations, business groups and civil society groups to launch a storybook drive for public school students.
The campaign is led by a steering committee composed of Quezon City 3rd District Rep. Jorge Banal who authored the Araw ng Pagbasa Act, Adarna Publishing, Coordinating Council of Private Educational Associations of the Philippines, League of Corporate Foundations, BDO Foundation, Benedicta Du-Baladad Law, Makati Business Club, Association of Foundations, Ayala Foundation Inc., De La Salle Philippines, Philippine Business for Social Progress and the Management Association of the Philippines.
The “Sa Pagbasa, May Pag-asa” book donation project that was launched last week at Aurora A. Quezon Elementary School in Malate, Manila is still collecting donations for storybooks to be given to schoolchildren in Marawi City as among the initial beneficiaries.
“One of the major thrusts is to give storybooks to these children to give them happiness and hope that out of the destruction of the city can come new life, new hope and a brighter future,” Garchitorena, co-convenor of the campaign, said in her speech.
Aside from the book donation, she noted that the project will also implement programs incorporating storytelling activities.
Garchitorena mentioned that the project could get inspiration from the Manila division of city schools’ Project HATS (Healing After Trauma Services), which employs reading and art activities in counseling services.
Luistro said the book donation campaign hopes that “one student will read one Filipino story per year.” During the “Sa Pagbasa, May Pagasa” campaign launch, representatives of six local publishing houses taking part in the project gave so-called “book bundles” composed of up to 40 books to pupils — from kindergarten to Grade 4 — of the venue school.
Interested individuals or groups may donate their own storybooks or cash to the campaign or purchase the book bundles prepared by the partner publishing houses for P3,000.