Our Work in the Philippines

In the Philippines, The Library Project provides free Reading Rooms, Book Donations, and Literacy Programs to rural elementary schools. These programs support children and youth living in rural communities by expanding access to books, strengthening school-based reading opportunities, and helping students build the literacy skills they need to continue learning.

Our Reading Rooms help schools create dedicated spaces where students can read, explore books, and develop stronger reading habits. Our Book Donations provide additional reading materials to rural schools, helping students gain access to age-appropriate books that support learning inside and outside the classroom.

The Library Project also provides Capacity Building for local literacy nonprofit organizations in the Philippines. This support is free of charge and may include one-on-one mentoring, planning tools, fundraising guidance, program development support, and access to practical resources. By strengthening local organizations, we help build long-term, community-led literacy impact.

Literacy in the Philippines

The Philippines faces a significant literacy and learning challenge. According to the World Bank and UNESCO Institute for Statistics, 91 percent of children in the Philippines at late primary age are not proficient in reading, after adjusting for children who are out of school. The same brief reports that 90 percent of students do not reach minimum reading proficiency by the end of primary school.

International learning assessments also point to the need for stronger reading support. In PISA 2022, 15-year-old students in the Philippines scored below the OECD average in reading, mathematics, and science. UNICEF Philippines describes the country as facing a learning crisis and notes that, compared to countries at the same economic level, students in the Philippines are behind by five to six years of schooling.

Children in rural and geographically isolated communities can face additional barriers, including limited access to books, learning resources, and consistent educational support. These challenges make school libraries, classroom reading spaces, and locally led literacy programs especially important.

Reading is the foundation for learning across all subjects. When students struggle to read, they are more likely to fall behind, lose confidence, and face greater barriers to continuing their education. The Library Project’s work in the Philippines responds to this need by supporting rural elementary schools with free Reading Rooms, Book Donations, and Literacy Programs, while also strengthening local literacy nonprofit organizations through Capacity Building.