Iloilo teacher’s mobile library is the latest hangout for students, parents

ILOILO CITY, Philippines – With a few public libraries across the country and even fewer people visiting them, a local government in the province of Iloilo is doing its part to bring books closer to people through a mobile library. 

The town of Oton launched in early September its mobile library, a brainchild of Jonny Bernas Pornel, a teacher at the University of the Philippines High School in Iloilo City. 

The mobile library is strategically stationed at the town’s plaza, in a shaded area to keep the visitors cool during the day and to encourage residents to spend time browsing through books. 

“The plaza is a place for people of all ages, where they can gather, relax, and connect with one another — and this time as a place for reading and learning,” Pornel told Rappler. 

Pornel, a resident of Oton and a Palanca Award-winning writer, believes that, despite the advent of technology, there is still hunger for reading physical books, especially among the youth, but their opportunity to have books is rare.

“These books should be brought to the people, not the other way around. We associate libraries with a serious setting, for academics, and that can be off-putting. But when books come to you, it’s a different feeling,” he said. 

The mobile library offers a wide range of books catering to all ages and interests — from children’s storybooks and coloring books to cookbooks and novels for adults. 

Since its launch, the mobile library has hosted several reading sessions and storytelling activities to entice more people to visit the area. 

Reading is fundamental

Pornel emphasizes the importance of developing the child’s love for reading as it stimulates their creativity and imagination. 

“Books are really important because they make you think, they make you visualize things on your own. Those people who grew up reading books have great imagination,” he said. 

He believes that getting more children interested in reading can help solve the creativity gap among Filipinos, as identified in the 2022 report of the Programme for International Student Assessment, which showed that Filipino students ranked second-lowest in creative thinking performance among 64 countries.

“Reading develops vocabulary and it enhances a child’s intelligence. Limited vocabulary means limited imagination, which in turn limits potential. Imagination is important over knowledge,” Pornel said.

Grade 9 students Micah and Vhianne have found the mobile library to be an invaluable resource for their education. For them, the mobile library is not just a place for learning but also a place where they can enjoy their free time productively. 

They shared that after school, they, alongside some classmates, go to the plaza and read some books from the library. 

“This is a nice project because it gives more people access to books. I believe that we really have to encourage a culture of reading, especially among us, the youth,” Micah said. 

Vhianne shared similar thoughts: “My friends and I usually go here. It’s nice to have a library so we can learn while also having our leisure time.” 

Cristy Cacares, a 38-year-old mother, said she brings her preschooler son to the mobile library every lunchtime. While her son is coloring a book, she also enjoys reading some encyclopedias and novels. 

“This is really a good initiative. While we wait for our children, we can use the time to also learn,” she said. 

Cacares also emphasized the value of lifelong learning, pointing out that parents should continue reading to stay mentally active. 

LGU support is key 

Pornel pitched the project to Vice Mayor Jose Neil Olivares sometime in May. Olivares saw the potential of the project and supported it as part of the beautification project for the Oton plaza. 

“I see that this is very beneficial to the public, especially to the learners and parents. There are parents who are waiting for their children, and instead of them gossiping, they can read and learn something,” Olivares said. 

Pornel said his proposal would not be realized if not because of the support of the LGU, hence the project has to be credited to the LGU. 

“Without the LGU, it would not be successful. If the LGU does not support it, this project will not survive and thrive, and it will just die down,” he said. 

The mobile library is overseen by the Oton Municipal Library and operates seven times a week, every morning. 

Aside from private donations, some books in the mobile library also come from the town’s library, which receives annual book allocation as an affiliated public library of the National Library of the Philippines. 

Thanks to numerous donations, the library has collected an excess of books, and Olivares shared plans to more another mobile library to be stationed in other areas in the plaza or in transport terminals. 

To ensure the sustainability of the mobile library, Olivares proposed an ordinance that would institutionalize the project. This measure would guarantee the mobile library’s continuation despite a change in administration. – Rappler.com 

Rjay Zuriaga Castor is a 2024 Aries Rufo Journalism Fellow. He is a reporter for The Daily Guardian, an Iloilo-based newspaper.