Education and Community Initiatives

Bulata Community Library — Philippines

  • Barangay Bulata, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, Philippines ·
  • 2026
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME

A place to read

During a visit to southern Negros in the Philippines, Rhoda Phillips, Chair of Communities for Nature, visited Bulata Elementary School with her family. While meeting teachers and students, they saw the school’s library space — badly damaged by typhoons and years of wear.

For nearly 500 children aged 6–14, access to books and a proper reading space was extremely limited. Seeing the empty, deteriorating room made clear how transformative a functioning library could be for the students and the wider community.

Moved by the experience, Rhoda launched a birthday fundraiser to help rebuild the library. What started as a small personal effort quickly grew, as friends and supporters rallied behind the idea — some even organising their own mini-fundraisers. Together, they helped spark the rebuilding of a library the school had long been without.

At a glance

Location
Barangay Bulata, Cauayan, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Focus Areas
Education & Youth Leadership
Funder
-
Partner organization
Philippine Reef and Rainforest Conservation Foundation, Inc.
status
Completed
Support this programme

Key Strategic Priorities

Rebuild the space

Repair and complete the physical space and give every student at Bulata Elementary a library that works.

Fill the shelves

Grow the library’s holdings with non-fiction and reference titles suited to ages 6–14

Make it welcoming

Furnish the library with the seating, tables, and equipment that make it somewhere children want to spend time

Collective impact

As this project is ongoing, the figures below represent the impact we aim to achieve with and alongside the community.
0
Community Library re-established
0
pupils have used the library since opening
0
library visits since opening.
0
books available to pupils
WATCH THE JOURNEY

See the journey unfold

Follow the project’s journey year by year, through the voices and experiences of the communities and partners bringing it to life.

This project is currently underway. Our partners are busy delivering work on the ground. Stories and videos will be shared here once the project is complete. Watch this space.

EXPLORE THE PROGRESS

Reports & Learning

Explore the project’s progress, learning and impact year by year, including what has been achieved and how the work continues to evolve.

This project is currently underway. Our partners are busy delivering work on the ground. Full reports will be shared here once the project is complete. In the meantime, for regular updates and stories from the ground.

On behalf of Bulata Elementary School, I would like to express our sincerest gratitude to our donors; the Danjugan Island, CFN & PRRCFI, through Miss Rhoda Phillips, for the gift of our School & Community Library.

Before, our learners had very limited reading materials. Today, 425 out of 434 of our pupils (98%) have already used the library, with 1,185 visits from June to September. This is clear proof that our children are hungry to read and to learn.

This library is more than just books on shelves. It has become a safe space where our learners improve their reading, where struggling readers gain confidence, and where parents and community members also come to learn together.

It has brought great joy and hope to our small coastal community. It reminds us that even in a far barangay like Bulata, our children deserve quality learning opportunities.

Thank you for believing in our school and in every Batang Bulata. This library will continue to inspire generations to come.

Lenie T. Matia-Ong Principal I

As a teacher of Bulata Elementary School, I have personally witnessed the big change our School & Community Library has brought.

Before, it was difficult to encourage our learners to read because we had limited books. Now, our pupils are excited to go to the library. From 123 visits in June to 425 in August, they now look forward to reading time.

Our library helps not only the fast learners but especially our struggling readers. They now have a quiet and comfortable place to practice reading every day.

We are truly grateful for this project. It is a great help to us teachers and a big blessing to our learners and the whole community of Bulata.

Ma. Angelica O. Malihan Library In-Charge

Before, learning was mostly confined to the four walls of the classroom, with limited access to books and other reading materials. Today, we are grateful that our library has become another teacher in our school-a teacher that does not speak, but teaches through every page; a teacher that does not ask for anything, but gives knowledge, inspiration, and countless possibilities.

To Communities for Nature, your gift has become more than a library- it has become a lasting legacy.

Rommel P. Evangelio Teacher

keep exploring

Stories & Insights

View all stories

, ,

NewsPartner StoriesProgramme Updates
·

More Than a Day of Planting: The Many Seeds Sown in Luna

The first thing you notice is the mud. It clings to boots, coats hands, and slows every step as volunteers and community members carefully make their way across the mangrove…

Read more →

, ,

NewsPartner StoriesProgramme Updates
·

Growing Roots: Half a year of Growth, Partnership, and Community

As we move further into the year, we find ourselves reflecting not only on milestones, but on the relationships, communities, and shared commitments that continue to shape our work at…

Read more →

News
·

The Year We Made Space

Looking back on the year, what stands out most is not the volume of activity, but the clarity of purpose behind it. This has been a year of growth for…

Read more →