ILOILO City – To revive the Ilonggo love for reading, Mayor Jerry Treñas on June 23 led the launch of Iloilo City’s first-ever outdoor public library at Plaza Libertad in the City Proper, offering a free and accessible reading space for all ages.
Joined by Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon and Councilor Rudolf Ganzon, Treñas inaugurated the reading hub at 8:55 a.m., calling the initiative a key step in making literature more available to communities.
The project, an initiative of the Iloilo City Public Library, is stocked with donated materials, including books from the mayor’s personal collection.
“Iloilo City supports initiatives like this. It may look small, but it’s really helpful to bring back the love for reading,” said Mayor Treñas.
To mark the occasion, Treñas read “Here, George!”, a children’s book about a dog with a big secret, to preschoolers from the Iloilo City Government Children’s Learning Center, also known as “Talatapan.”
“But you know, we really have to do more. Iloilo is doing its share — we already have seven community libraries. We’re now building daycare centers with libraries on the second floor so people in the community can read. Hopefully, this continues because we need strong interventions. Otherwise, we risk falling behind,” he added.
Treñas shared insights on the impact of decentralized libraries in the city, noting how their relocation from city hall to barangays improved foot traffic.
“When the library was here at City Hall, no one really came. But when we started opening libraries in the communities, starting with Lopez Jaena, we were open until 8 p.m. The community libraries were empty during summer and filled with students during school days,” he said.
Currently, Iloilo City’s seven community libraries are open from Monday to Saturday, operating until 8 p.m. The outdoor library in Plaza Libertad is expected to complement these efforts and attract both casual readers and students./PN
