by Angelo G. GarciaJuly 3, 2015

One library at a timeNational Book Store Foundation in partnership with internationalbestselling author Mitch Albom opens the first disaster resilient DRYLibrary in Palo, Leyte

Many people saw the devastation of super typhoon Yolanda after it hit Eastern Visayas inNovember of 2013. Most structures were flattened to the ground by the strong winds and ragingwaters of the storm surge. This included the small library of Pawing Elementary School in Palo,Leyte. Its library was just the size of regular classroom but it housed important books thestudents needed. After that fateful day, everything was gone, not a single book saved.

“It was totally washed out. It had more than 5,000 books and everything was gone,” recallsPawing ES principal Loreta Gulariza.

Images by NOEL B. PABALATE

After one year and seven months, the school of 761 students is still struggling from bookshortage. Books were donated to the school, coming from various organizations, but not enoughfor its entire population. The good news is, the school has a new library that opened two weeksago, housing almost 2,000 new books and a space students can safely study in.

“When we opened after the storm, the books that we had thenwere only kept in cartons, that was our library. Now, we havean actual library that students can use in their studies,”Loreta says.

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SAFE AND SOUND Habitat forHumanity Philippines built a library thatis disaster proof and is very conducive

for learning.

This is no ordinary library, however, because it contains aspecial collection of books that are donated by internationalbestselling authors like Stephen King, J.K. Rowling, StephenChbosky, Suzanne Collins, John Green, John Grisham, SophieKinsella, James Patterson, Amy Tan, Michael Chabon, amongothers. Some of the copies are even from the authors’personal collection and most of the books are even signed!

Called the DRY (Donated Reading for Youth) Library, the ideaof building these libraries came from New YorkTimes bestselling author Mitch Albom. The author visited thePhilippines in February of last year and saw the damagebrought by Yolanda. What he saw during that time devastatedhim but likewise inspired him to make a difference. So hecalled out to fellow authors and started to raise funds. Hisauthor friends immediately heeded his call and donationsstarted pouring in, from books to money. He pledged$160,000 needed for the construction of the libraries and as of today, 90 percent of the amounthas been achieved. Through the National Book Store Foundation and Mitch’s A Hole in the RoofFoundation, they aim to build 10 libraries in Eastern Visayas, in areas hit by the super typhoon,which include Ormoc, Eastern Samar, and Iloilo.

Mitch personally visited Pawing ES during his short visit inFebruary and chose the school as one of the sites of theproject.

“I have never been more impressed with the character orstrength of the people I’ve met around the world as when Ivisited Tacloban,” Mitch says in a video message. “What Isaw there devastated me yet inspired me with the love oflearning that went on these tattered areas after the storm.”

The award-winning author is scheduled to return to thePhilippines for the inauguration of the 10th DRYLibrary. Mitch has been hands-on with thisproject, overseeing every detail. He says that he is proudthat his name is associated with this project because of thedifference it has and will create. He also reveals that hislove for the country is so great that he mentioned thePhilippines in his upcoming book due this fall.

“I remember saying that I needed to do something aboutit,” he says. “From that sort of comment to the idea ofmaybe I will call some of my friends in the States who are

writers; maybe we can get books donated, donate some money, and build some libraries. Themaybes of life that turned into realities are what make life worth living and this is one of thosecases,” says the Tuesdays With Morrie author.

What makes the library totally different from others is its structure. Built by Habitat forHumanity Philippines, it utilizes the monolithic dome design that has been proven to withstandstrong winds and earthquakes. It likewise is much more conducive to learning, it’s made ofconcrete for better insulation, it has vent on the roof and multiple windows that maximizes airflow, and it’s painted white to keep the building cooler during hot days. With hope, Habitat forHumanity Philippines CEO and managing director Charlie Ayco explains that people shouldbegin to realize the importance of this kind of structure in a world that is quickly changing.

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A student reads a Mitch Albom classic.

Local storybooks are available for students to enjoy

“People has to think differently, because we live in a different time. Hopefully, we start with thelibrary, then we build bigger structures,” Charlie says. “First, students would get curious, why isthis building different from the rest? Then it begins the process of discussion. You can talk aboutclimate change, it’s no longer business as usual, we have to talk differently. What’s importanthere is to create awareness. You cannot have the same old solutions to new problems.”

The two-dome structure is divided into two spaces, an area for younger students withstorybooks, comfortable sitting, and colorful puzzle rubber mats. The other space for olderstudents that has the more sophisticated collection of books from the authors with titles such as,among others, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Insurgent by Veronica Roth,Kinsella’s Shopaholic series, and of course Mitch Albom’s bestselling titles like The Five PeopleYou Meet in Heaven, For One More Day, and The First Phone Call from Heaven. The library alsohas its own toilets.

National Book Store managing director Xandra RamosPadilla with students of Pawing Elementary School

The National Book Store Foundation intends to finish allconstruction of the libraries early next year. It is actually thefoundation’s first time to build a library from the ground up.Previous library projects only required the foundation torefurbish existing structures and filling them up withfurniture and books. They are open to doing this more of theneed arises.

“This is our first time to build from the ground up, usuallywe just fix the inside of an existing structure,” says NBSmanaging director Xandra Ramos-Padilla. “If we see theneed (to construct libraries), why not? Whatever we can do,we will do.”

 

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