MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Cultural Center of the Philippines donated various books and other publications to a youth group called Lahat ng Bata in Singalong, Manila.
A variety of publications ranging from books for children from the Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY), publications of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), as well as book donations collected from the Performatura Festival 2019 were turned over to Lahat ng Bata on May 27, 2021. Some of these books served as admission tickets during the three-day Performance Literature Festival last April 5-7, 2019 with the policy, one book is equivalent to a whole day admission.
The youth group intends to make reading accessible to the poorest families in the neighborhood who could not afford to buy books or learning materials. Thus, they put up the Lahat ng Bata Community Library. It was set up along Pag-asa Street in Zapanta, Singalong, Manila, to promote the joy of reading to neighborhood kids reeling from months-long isolation at home. Pag-asa Street is a community near De La Salle-College of St. Benilde, St. Scholastica’s College, and an estero (inlet canal).
The community library gives readers access to various book genres such as children’s literature to fiction, self-help books, psychology and philosophy books, even Filipiniana books, among other reading materials. Learning materials from grade school to college are also available.
Lahat ng Bata is also open for hygiene kit donations such as alcohol and facemasks. For inquiries, contact them at 0929-3779865. You may also visit their Instagram and Facebook pages at instagram.com/lahatngbata.ph and facebook.com/lahatngbataph.
