By Angie Driskell
Ambassador, HAPI Junior

HAPI-Alabang’s Reading Room was the location of the first-ever Book Campaign organized by HAPI Jr. Ambassador, Angie Driskell, and her team. After months of collecting pre-loved and unused textbooks and sorting out the useable copies, the books were put out for children and parents last January 21, 2023.

The books that ranged from Grade 1 to Grade 12 covered subjects such as mathematics, history, science, social studies, art, and so on. Most of our elementary-age participants chose books for math and science subjects while the high school students chose books about computers and economics. In total, 60 children and parents were able to bring books home.

This project is one that seems simple but offers a lot of support for struggling students. Private tutors and new books can be quite expensive. Many of these families can barely make ends meet, let alone pay for additional resources when the students are trying to excel in their studies. On top of that, there is very limited access to public libraries. By offering textbooks that cover their school subjects, the goal is to provide more information that may help the students review on their own or with the guidance of their guardians. 

Many take their education and opportunities for granted. For some, these books are considered additional clutter at home. For many, these books are considered additional knowledge for school. Due to the lack of reliable and affordable resources, HAPI Jr. plans on continuing this project. The consistency of how often it will be held will be based solely on how often donors pass on their textbooks, but there is the hope of giving books away every four months. 

If anyone would like to donate their pre-loved or unused books, please reach out to HAPI Jr. Ambassador Angie Driskell or send a message to the HAPI Facebook page. Someone will happily coordinate with you!