Friday, July 25, 2008 Talk back: Library Hub By Gregorio R. Jumao-as BRM International Corp.
THIS is a rejoinder to the article written by Brgy. Buagsong Elementary School administrator Viurina B. Baguio entitled “Realizing a dream” (Sun-Star Cebu, Speak Out, July 21, 2008, page A16).
I fully agree with her “that Libraries and not Internet Cafes should be the best hang out of school children….”
It is, indeed, even more unfortunate to know that not only parents but even teachers snub the important functions of books, consider them as passe or obsolete and patronize more computers for the students’ research and other assignments.
I have nothing against computers.
In fact I have made good use of them.
However, they should not be reasons to deprive the students the delight of book reading, the pleasurable sensation of touching the pages and the liberty of carrying them here, there and everywhere.
No less than Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft Corp., was quoted in the New York Times Syndicate as saying:
“Books are great. You can put them in a crib. Kids can take them on a bus or a plane. I`m a big fan of all kinds of books, and they will continue to be important. With the book, you don’t have to have the computer switched on, or even have a computer. My kids will have computers of course, but they will have books first.”
Ms. Baguio also lamented the sad reality of her grade school pupils being deprived of good reading materials that “are considered luxuries and rare items…”
Thanks God, DepEd’s “Library Project” was born.
When I was a Barangay Captain of San Miguel and later a member of the Sangguniang Bayan, it was also my dream that someday some concerned institutions would put up a house of reading materials, mobile or static, which can be made easily accessible to public school students and even out-of-school youth.
I thought it would just be a forgotten dream.
The Library Hub should not be a depository of trash reading materials.
It should be functional with quality books.
A good example of these books are, without being bias, the latest and world’s best books of Britannica, 2007 and 2008 editions.
They have lively photos and colored illustrations and the informative articles were contributed and edited by world’s experts.
They cater to pre-schoolers, elementary, high school and college students and slick professionals.
The Library Hub of the 5th District located in Cordova Central School should be replicated throughout the entire Philippines.
The LGUs from the Barangay to the municipal level aided by the NGOs – Rotary, Lions, K of C, Kiwanis, Jaycees, Chamber of Commerce, cooperatives and individual philanthropists should chip-in their financial support to this project.
If we can spend big amount of money on health, we should allocate an even more amount of money for the mind.
We cannot delay education; ignorance is even a more expensive tragedy.
