Pakpakitan Bookdrive and School Enhancement Project

The Libro Mo, Inspirasyon Ko Book Drive brought eight boxes of assorted reading books to Pakpakitan Elementary School last January 12 and 13 as the first outreach of the project this year in Cooperation with Bookends Bookshop.

Donors of the books were Bookends Bookshop, Jim Magat, Nino Sinco and Rainel Cosme.

The LMIK book drive started in October 2012 by SMILE, Inc. with several organizations and individuals supporting the activity. The mission is to help establish libraries in isolated schools in Cordillera. We also do research on effective programs teachers could integrate to help school children develop love for reading.

We believe that by teaching children to love reading, they will have better understanding of their lessons and how can these be practically applied. This cannot be done without enough reading materials that most of our schools in isolated areas are lacking.

We already have success stories from recipients where grades of the students have increased through the reading programs they implemented. Salamague Elementary School in Lamut, Ifugao is one of our favorites. The reading program they implemented has helped increase the National Achievement Test (NAT) rating of the school from 41 to 82 percent. With the permission of the proponent of the reading program, Mrs. Aurelia Balitoc, we imparted the system to teachers in other schools as well. 

With this program, we are hoping that all schools who received donated books will have improvements not only in their grades but their overall understanding and comprehensions.

The bookdrive coincided with Paint My Smile project with Premium Bikers and Pasa-Kalye Group of Artists. It is also known as Paint My Love by Premium Bikers. Premiume Bikers made this project their post-Christmas Party where they distributed loot bags and clothing to students.

These biker volunteers paid for their own gas and happily carried the donations to the recipients. 

The Paint My Smile on the other hand is a school enhancement project to beautify school campuses by volunteer artists and give new spark to school facades.