The Department of Education (DepEd), in collaboration with the Office of the President, has launched a nationwide distribution program providing free school bags, supplies, and age-appropriate storybooks to millions of young students as part of efforts to improve literacy among Filipino children.
Program Launch Across the Country
The initiative, simultaneously rolled out across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, targets students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 enrolled in public schools nationwide. The Visayas leg was held at Mandaue City Central School in Mandaue City and was led by Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba and Assistant Secretary Janir Datukan, who represented Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara during the regional launch.
Strategic Intervention for Declining Literacy
According to officials, the program goes beyond providing school materials; it serves as a strategic intervention to address declining reading comprehension levels among young learners, as revealed by recent educational assessments. Undersecretary Aldaba emphasized that fostering a love for reading at an early age remains a department priority as it seeks to improve literacy outcomes nationwide.
“We want our children to enjoy reading and develop the habit of learning beyond the classroom. Providing them with books they can personally own and bring home gives them greater opportunities to read with their families and continue learning outside school hours,” Aldaba said.
Contents of the Distribution
Each beneficiary will receive a school bag funded by the Office of the President, along with school supplies and carefully selected storybooks and coloring books provided by DepEd through partnerships with private publishers and donors. Education officials explained that the books are specially designed to match the developmental and reading levels of young students.
Eight different versions of the reading materials were created and distributed according to grade level to ensure content remains engaging, age-appropriate, and relevant to students’ interests.
Targeting Access and Early Intervention
Assistant Secretary Janir Datukan noted that the initiative is designed to make reading materials more accessible to young children, especially those with limited access to books at home. Officials pointed out that literacy assessments conducted by the department have revealed a decline in student reading comprehension in recent years, making early intervention a priority.
