SAN PABLO CITY – The Philippine Daily Inquirer’s daily contribution of free copies to all 243 public elementary and high schools and the city library here, is “helping tremendously in the efforts to enhance learning in the city,” said a city library official.
Rosario N. Robielos, supervisor in charge of the library, known here as the Library Hub, acknowledged the newspaper’s support during a thanksgiving ceremony on June 28 attended by over 100 school principals, school heads and city officials.
“We are happy that we are able to share our resources in San Pablo City. The goal is to bring the joy and power of reading to as many as it could,” said Sandy Prieto-Romualdez, president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
In the message read by Manuel Andrew Chanco IV, assistant vice president for circulation, Romualdez expressed hope that the Inquirer’s “small efforts will help readers become better people, better citizens and eventually create a better society.”
Free copies
Erwin Reyes, circulation officer of the Inquirer for Southern Luzon, said the free copies which were first given on June 10, consisted of issues from Monday to Friday and Sunday and would be given for the duration of school year 2011-2012.
A memorandum of agreement was signed between the Inquirer and city and education officials on the giving of free copies of the newspaper. Robielos said the thanksgiving program also served to acknowledge the support given by the various donors to the three-year-old Library Hub, which has been refurbished to serve its clientele of young, senior citizens, students, out-of-school youths in Laguna and elsewhere or anyone “as long as they bring proper identification.”
Library
First opened in 2008, the two-story library with a floor area of 302.25 square meters used to be an abandoned municipal building until Mayor Vicente Amante provided a budget of P3 million for its rehabilitation.
Robielos said that with help from some institutions, particularly the Rotary International Club of Korea-San Pablo Chapter, the library is now equipped with an electronic section in the first floor with 15 personal computers connected to the Internet.
Also in the first floor are the office of the librarian, shelves of reading materials and a “book clinic” where books are repaired.
In the second floor are the function room, “rainbow room,” which was named after the Rainbows Foundation which donated the reference books and an area for storytelling sessions.
Robielos also cited the support of Rural Bank of 7 Lakes, broadcaster Jiggy Manicad, Laguna Governor Jeorge “ER” Ejercito and Mayor Amante for other donations to the facility.
Support from various groups and individuals has helped the Library Hub earn second place in the 2009 search for best libraries nationwide, said Robielos.
Dr. Enrico T. Sanchez, officer-in-charge schools division superintendent, exhorted the Library Hub’s donors to “keep on giving” and “keep on sharing.” He said their support has made life more meaningful for the scores of readers from San Pablo City who come to the library.