ANTIQUE Rep. Loren Legarda has filed a measure seeking to amend the law on the establishment of community libraries and barangay reading centers to ensure that they are digitally equipped to support the education sector especially amid the pandemic.

In House Bill 10622, Legarda pushed to amend Republic Act 7743 which was enacted to promote the moral and intellectual well-being of Filipinos by increasing the literacy rate through the establishment of public libraries and/or reading centers.

“The immense need to ensure that the country’s public libraries and reading centers are sufficiently equipped to tackle the mounting concerns in the education sector especially during this time of pandemic comes in the wake of reports by both local and international individuals and organizations citing the declining access and quality of education,” she said.

Legarda added that based on the law, the number of public libraries and reading centers should reflect the number of villages, municipalities, cities, provinces or congressional districts in the country.

“However, based on a 2018 report, there are only 1,455 public libraries of which only 40 percent are active,” the lawmaker said.

Legarda’s measure ensures that funds necessary to implement the law are provided for and increased annually until all cities and municipalities have access to full electronic library facilities.

The bill also requires the development council of each city or municipality to ensure that their library centers and/or reading centers have the latest technological equipment needed to provide electronic library services.

“The Covid19 pandemic has amplified the need to provide accessible learning materials to our educators and students alike. There is a need to equip public libraries with latest computer and electronic library facilities to make sure that Filipino students have access to a wide variety of up-to-date learning materials,” Legarda said.