The Department of Education (DepEd) on June 9 launched the nationwide distribution of school bags and age-appropriate storybooks to Kindergarten to Grade 3 learners, part of efforts to strengthen literacy and encourage a culture of reading among young students.
The Visayas launch was held at Mandaue City Central School, where DepEd Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba and Assistant Secretary Janir Datukan represented Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara.
Under the program, all Kindergarten to Grade 3 learners across the country will receive school bags funded by the Office of the President, along with storybooks provided by DepEd.
Datukan said the initiative aims to develop reading habits at an early age amid continuing concerns over literacy and reading comprehension among Filipino learners.
“It is important that we evoke the love of reading sa mga bata, kailangan nilang matutong magbasa,” he said.
He noted that many learners continue to struggle with reading comprehension and cited findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2), which earlier reported that around 85 percent of Grade 1 to Grade 3 learners were below grade-level reading proficiency based on 2025 assessments.
According to Datukan, the storybooks distributed under the program were selected based on learners’ reading levels and interests. DepEd also partnered with authors and publishers who allowed their works to be reproduced for educational use.
The books were grouped into eight sets and printed in both English and Filipino to suit the needs of Key Stage 1 learners.
Officials said procurement and distribution were coordinated through DepEd divisions nationwide, with funding and logistical support provided by the central office.
“Ang bawat student from Kinder to Grade 3 ay makakatanggap… we will continue to provide storybooks and bags to all our Key Stage 1 learners sa buong bansa,” Datukan said.
Aldaba said the initiative complements DepEd’s broader learning recovery efforts, including the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, which focuses on improving reading and comprehension skills among learners.
She emphasized that strengthening literacy during the early years is essential to improving long-term educational outcomes and future opportunities, adding that access to quality reading materials plays a key role in developing comprehension skills and lifelong learning habits.
Photo courtesy of VCL
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