Dr Steven Rood, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation, hands turns over books to Iligan city Mayor Lawrence Cruz on Friday, October 10, 2008. While an unidentified student, curious about the donations, reads the label on the boxes of books for their school.
Dr Steven Rood, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation, hands turns over books to Iligan city Mayor Lawrence Cruz on Friday, October 10, 2008. While an unidentified student, curious about the donations, reads the label on the boxes of books for their school.
ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 10, 2008) – The Asia Foundation on Friday has donated more than 13,000 books to different schools in Iligan City in the southern Philippines.
ILIGAN CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / Oct. 10, 2008) – The Asia Foundation on Friday has donated more than 13,000 books to different schools in Iligan City in the southern Philippines.
Reynald S. Ocampo, Assistant Program Officer of the Books for Asia Program, said a total of 165 schools benefited from the donation which was made possible through The Asia Foundation’s Transparent Accountable Governance (TAG) project.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has supported the project, Ocampo said.
The Asia Foundation, he said, distributed 13,500 children’s books, including secondary and college reference materials to both public and private schools across Iligan City.
He said among those who graced the occasion were Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Cruz and Dr Steven Rood, the Country Representative of The Asia Foundation.
“In the midst of current conflicts and controversies in Mindanao, The Asia Foundation is proud to work with local leaders and citizens on longer-term efforts to improve educational opportunities, which will in turn help to reduce poverty,” Ocampo quoted Rood as saying.
“Through this donation of books, students in Iligan City will be provided with educational resources that can help them to greater achievements in school, increasing their chances of gainful employment and a more prosperous future,” Rood said.
The donation of books and materials was made in cooperation with local governments and private partners, and will enhance the libraries of communities throughout Southern Mindanao and the rest of the Philippines, according to Ocampo.
“For over 50 years, The Asia Foundation has supported local communities leading the effort to improve education for students. The Asia Foundation acknowledges the unrelenting support of public and private partners in this endeavor, including the government of Iligan City under the leadership of Mayor Cruz for encouraging education and literacy, Aboitiz2go for its help shipping the donated books, American publishers for their donations of brand new books ranging from elementary through university levels, and USAID for generously supporting Books for Asia’s efforts to foster education throughout Mindanao,” he said.
Books for Asia is The Asia Foundation’s longest running program and regularly distributes books and other reading materials for all educational levels in over 15 countries.
Since it was started in September 1954, The Books for Asia program has distributed more than 41 million books and journals to more than 50,000 academic and non-academic institutions throughout Asia.
The Philippines alone has been a recipient of 13 million books and journals to public and private institutions across the country. More than 95 percent of Books for Asia’s donations are new textbooks, donated by US publishers.
The reading materials range from the elementary level to professional level, covering such fields as government, business, health, environment, information technology, social science, and international relations.
The Books for Asia has made a significant contribution to education in the Philippines, especially since resources for instruction tools and facilities are scarce.
All educational levels have benefited from this program. Basic textbooks and supplementary reading materials have been donated to schools and libraries all over the country. Non-government organizations are also recipients of valuable resource materials from Books for Asia.
The Asia Foundation is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the development of a peaceful, prosperous, just, and open Asia-Pacific region.
The Foundation supports programs in Asia that help improve governance, law, and civil society; women's empowerment; economic reform and development; and international relations. Drawing on more than 50 years of experience in Asia, the Foundation collaborates with private and public partners to support leadership and institutional development, exchanges, and policy research.
With a network of 17 offices throughout Asia, an office in Washington, D.C., and its headquarters in San Francisco, the Foundation addresses these issues on both a country and regional level. In 2007, the Foundation provided more than $68 million in program support and distributed 974,000 books and educational materials valued at $33 million throughout Asia.
The Asia Foundation is not an endowed organization, and depends solely on monetary contributions from donors to accomplish its work.
While the USAID's program in the Philippines, valued at approximately $80 million in 2008, focuses on strengthening peace in conflict-affected Mindanao, promoting good governance, increasing economic opportunities, protecting the environment, strengthening health services, and improving basic education. (With a report from Merlyn Manos)
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