Baguio: The city government here expects the implementation of the "Barangay Pagbasa" ordinance to sustain and further boost Baguio's high literacy rate. "This is one of the initiatives we have undertaken to ensure that students who need help will be assisted and none of them will be left behind," councilor Vladimir Cayabas, author of the ordinance that was passed on final reading and signed by Mayor Benjamin Magalong on June 17, said. The ordinance is up for posting and publication, which will determine its date of effectivity.
According to Philippines News Agency, the program was first started by the Department of Education (DepEd) during the pandemic as a support program. It involves the conduct of free reading lessons to children in certain areas in the villages. Cayabas and Association of Barangay Council (ABC) federation president, councilor Rocky Aliping, co-authored the ordinance to continue the gains of what has been started. Cayabas emphasized the importance of parent involvement in the ongoing education of their children, stating that the initiative allows barangays and volunteers to contribute to teaching young people.
He explained that the ordinance will bolster the city government's dedication to supporting the national government's education agenda, highlighting the benefits of investing in youth. The ordinance aims to institutionalize the program, enabling barangays to play a more active role in improving literacy among their residents. Baguio ranks second nationwide in functional literacy at 89.8 percent, based on the latest education survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), surpassing the national average of 70.8 percent.
The Barangay Pabasa program is designed as a tool to foster the enjoyment of reading while addressing reading deficiencies among the city's youth. It complements existing reading programs of the DepEd by extending them to all barangays in the city. The program is a collaborative effort between barangays, the Education department, the local government unit, and other education stakeholders.
The ordinance mandates the creation of the Barangay Pabasa Advisory Committee at the city level to ensure proper implementation of the program's primary purpose. Additionally, the Barangay Pabasa Advocacy Team will be established to promote and implement the program. The target audience includes children and youth aged six to 21 who are non-readers or at a frustrated reading level, especially those inadequately served by formal school education.
The program will operate for 15 days, ideally during school breaks, with sessions lasting half a day or totaling at least 60 reading hours. Cayabas noted that the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) budget will be sourced, alongside the PHP500,000 annual appropriation, from the city's Special Education Fund or the city government's general fund under the education department. The ordinance aligns with global and national calls to improve access to quality education, as articulated in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), specifically the Education For All (EFA) goal.
