A HANDFUL OF BOOKS, A BAYONG, AND A DREAM: How a UPLB Professor is Revolutionizing Literacy through Community Libraries for Children

What if you could find a library tucked away in the corner of a sari-sari store or even inside a jeepney? Enter the latest initiative, "Bayong ng Aklat, Bayong ng Pag-Asa” led by University of the Philippines – Los Baños (UPLB) Assistant Professor Liwliwa N. Malabed. Woven bayongs, filled with colorful children's books, serve as mini-libraries, with eight distributed throughout Los Baños since September 2024. By placing these bayongs in various spaces that people naturally encounter, Prof. Malabed mobilizes the concept of a library, directly to the community in the most Filipino way possible. 

As a children's literature/book author, Malabed emphasizes the importance of early literacy: "I firmly believe that when a child learns to read, later on the child reads to learn. Books and reading make children independent readers and life-long learners but I also think it takes a community to achieve this.” By making books freely available in everyday spaces, this initiative encourages children to discover the magic of literature. 

On a children-scale basis, a study conducted by the World Bank reveals that 91% of Filipino children at late primary age lack reading proficiency, with over half of those from low and middle-income families unable to comprehend a simple story by the end of primary school. With this percentage, it simply translates that nine out of ten children, aged ten years old, are having a learning crisis for they all struggle to read and write a simple text. This fact alone leaves the Philippines in 2023 as one of the bottom ten countries with the highest results of illiteracy, out of 81 participating countries, in the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) test.

And this is not surprising anymore because, in a country where educational resources are mostly for the privileged, this project isn’t just about lowering or decreasing these staggering statistical reports. But, it’s now about resolving the root cause and that is the dismantling of the privatization, or the exclusiveness rather, of educational resources for the mass public. Thus, in hopes of success with this revolutionary dismantling of the root problem, igniting a passion for reading in every Filipino child and creating a brighter future for literacy in the community.

In essence, one of the many reasons that truly makes this initiative special is the strong creative grit behind it. Even with the beginning stages of the initiative, the UPLB Professor has even shared on her page the challenges that this project has gone through before it was even conceived to the “Bayong ng Aklat” that every person in UP Los Baños now known for. One of the challenges that came with the initiative was the abrupt changing of weather in Los Baños, Laguna, therefore, compromising a lot of changes, but nothing, not even weather instability, was able to stop Asst. Prof. Malabed from executing her idea, and the cultural item bayong (which also came from the book Bayong ng Kuting by Mae Astrid Tobias) was a major part of that.

But besides that aspect, this initiative is also wonderful because it has a strong sense of collaborative community spirit. As mentioned by the Professor: the ‘Bayong ng Aklat’ project would not even be possible without the inspiration and support from her colleagues—who are also her fellow children’s book authors: the late Ms. Mae Astrid Tobias and Mr. Augie Rivera. Aside from them, even students and educators from UPLB have united to donate books, bayongs, and also their precious time.

She soon recognized the ongoing support for this initiative project—enlisting friends and students to help maintain and ensure the bayongs remained in good condition—which keeps it afloat and thriving. That is why when asked about the future of the initiative, or if she will create another project like this one, Malabed answered:

“Bayong ng Aklat was conceptualized when I was mulling over reading spaces and [how we] encourage Filipino children to read. I think, as long as we problematize the accessibility and circulation of books (not just book production, because we have a thriving industry) and ask if the target audience are actually reading them, then we can find ways to address the problem. Since my resources are limited, I will always find creative solutions that are within my means and that involve the community.”

In introspect, Malabed viewed the distribution of the bayongs as "releasing a bird," allowing them to fly freely from her hands to the curious and learning hands of the Filipino children. She also added: “Involving the community, [I hope] that they will replicate [this] initiative or maybe start their own unique movement.” After all, as she mentioned on her page: all she ever wanted from this initiative was to share stories in the Freedom Park of UPLB every weekend, giving tribute to her late friend, Ms. Astrid Mae Tobias.

And now, the legacy of her friend and her dreams and passion for sharing stories outside the classroom walls have grown into a beautiful project that encompasses, not only the Professor’s psyche and the academic community but also out in the public, where access to the treasures of knowledge is needed there the most. 

Looking ahead to the future—as Asst. Professor Liwliwa Malabed continues her work and passion for the academe and in contributing to the Philippine literary space—professors, students, and some of her colleagues eyes to extend this initiative’s reach beyond Los Baños via planning more creative and sustainable ways to donate these mini-libraries to public schools and Non Government Organizations (NGOs), in modern-and-mobile waiting sheds in Los Baños, and most especially in the wake of coming disasters in the future, like Typhoon Julian. 

With this initiative project that Ms. Malabed has led and facilitated, may we also be inspired by this and find the strength, drive, and grit to do the same—even in smaller steps. Just like Ms. Malabed’s project, and the likes such of Michelle Rubio’s pandemic teaching and many other leaders (documented and undocumented), may these stories of them sharing their love for knowledge strongly prove that: as long as we have the passion and consistency to just do it, it’s already more than just a small step because not everyone has the motivation and resources to even do so. 

So, just simply be the one. Be the one to stand up, when no one even dares to stand for the marginalized sectors on the brink of destitution. Be the one to act, even when no one is watching or looking. Be the one, out of many like-minded (and like-hearted) people of different classes and statuses, to bring real change in this country. Be the one to make the masses finally move because "Bayong ng Aklat, Bayong ng Pag-Asa" is more than just a project; it’s a movement toward a brighter, more literate future for all Filipinos.

Now if you’re ready to “be the one”: come join the reading revolution! To support the initiative, "Bayong ng Aklat, Bayong ng Pag-Asa," visit their Facebook page or connect with Professor Liwliwa Malabed directly.