A senator ponders the setting up a Philippine Online Library to beat the pandemic while pursuing knowledge through reading materials.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian broached the idea as the country marks the Library and Information Service Month this November.
Gatchalian filed Senate Bill No. 477 seeking the establishment of the online library.
Under the measure, the Department of Education (DepEd) would create a digital copy of all textbooks and reference books vital for public education.
The books shall be compiled in the Philippine Online Library to be jointly managed by the DepEd and the Department of Information and Communications Technology.
“Matitiyak natin na magkakaroon ang mga mag-aaral at mga guro ng access sa mas maraming mga aklat. Sa ganitong paraan, matitiyak natin na magpapatuloy ang edukasyon makaranas man tayo ng kalamidad o mga sakuna (We can ensure that learners and teachers will have access to a greater number of books. This way, education continues even if there are calamities or disasters),” Gatchalian said in a news release on Saturday.
To complement the Philippine Online Library, the DepEd may utilize additional materials from the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), which should be representative of Filipino culture and literature, and add other materials it deems necessary for expanding learning opportunities.
Gatchalian noted that learners depended on printed modules when distance learning was implemented because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2021, a commissioned survey by the World Bank on low-income households revealed that 95.5 percent used paper-based learning modules and materials despite the availability of digital learning materials and platforms such as the DepEd Commons.
Gatchalian, chair of the Committee on Basic Education, said digital education tools help learners catch up and bridge learning gaps caused by school disruptions.
“By making libraries pandemic-proof, learners can access a broader range of textbooks and materials, while teachers can reach out to marginalized learners,” Gatchalian said.
The LIS Month directs public awareness to the invaluable service that libraries and information centers render for knowledge, learning, research and leisure.
