To promote literacy and foster a love for reading among Baguio City’s youth, the Department of Education Schools Division Office Baguio launched the “Barangay Pagbasa” program earlier this month. 

This initiative unites DepEd staff and barangay officials to create community-based reading programs tailored to each barangay.

Schools Division Superintendent Soraya Faculo emphasized the importance of engaging learning resources, saying they should utilize “engaging learning resources that spark interest and make reading enjoyable for learners.” 

The program aims to not only improve reading proficiency to grade level but also cultivate a lifelong love for reading, Faculo added.

It also has the potential to make a significant impact by creating a citywide network of community-driven reading initiatives, tailored to ignite a passion for reading in every child, she added.

The “Barangay Pagbasa” orientation, held on June 18, at the PFVR Multipurpose Building, was well-attended by local government representatives. 

ABC president Rocky Aliping, and Benjie Macadangdang, executive assistant IV from the Office of the Mayor, delivered messages highlighting the importance of empowering local government officials, particularly at the barangay level.

For her part, Chief Education Supervisor for the Curriculum Juliet Sannad outlined the program’s objectives during the orientation, explaining the program would involve collaboration between DepEd and barangay officials to design a reading program that caters to specific needs. 

This collaboration will include target learners, volunteer teachers, schedules, venues, curriculum and learning resources. 

Sannad further emphasized the importance of establishing strong monitoring and evaluation partnerships to ensure the program’s effectiveness and allow DepEd to provide necessary technical assistance. 

“Drafting a clear action plan is another key objective,” she said. The action plan will guide the program’s implementation and set the goal of improving reading proficiency to grade level while nurturing a love for reading among learners.