Bataan Board Members Antonino B. Roman III and Roman Harold R. Espeleta want the establishment of municipal libraries and barangay reading centers to promote reading culture in communities.

Roman and Espeleta jointly filed the resolution with the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Bataan following report from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) that of the 15-year old students from 79 countries in 2018 and from 81 countries in 2022 the Philippines ranked last or near bottom in reading, math and science.

They cited RA 7743, enacted in 1994, that mandates the establishment of congressional, city and municipal libraries and barangay reading centers to promote literacy and the moral and intellectual well-being of Filipinos “recognizing the vital role of knowledge and information in nation-building.”

So far, Bataan has only two public libraries – the Bataan Provincial Library and the City Library of Balanga, and one barangay reading center in Barangay San Carlos in Mariveles. Lately, Samal town put up its own municipal library with artworks of renown residents.

The two said in their joint resolution that municipalities and barangays should be encouraged to actively involve their residents in the decision-making and planning process related to the establishment of municipal libraries and barangay reading centers.

Roman said municipal libraries can contribute significantly to the social, educational, and economic advancement of communities.

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