THE ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT



TO DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE PAPER, PLEASE CLICK HERE:



This project was designed to gather the oral history of the Bulacan public libraries before they are lost forever. Recording these public libraries' history, or even just a part of it such as their oral history, is essential  so that the important roles they have played in the community where they are located will be highlighted, appreciated, and preserved. 

In this project, oral history refers to a living person's memories and testimonies about their experiences. Unfortunately, oral history's survival is as long, or as short,  as the life of its possessor making it imperative for them to be gathered as early as possible.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

1. To ensure that a part of oral history of Bulacan public libraries will be gathered and not be forever lost.
2. To create a veritable source materials for future researchers of the history of Bulacan public libraries.
3. To record and process all the gathered oral history of Bulacan public libraries and make it accessible to the general public.

PROJECT OUTPUT

1. The oral history themselves contained in DVDs.
2. Complete transcription of each individual interviews/oral history.
3. This blogsite presenting the processed form of the interviews.

Outputs 1 and 2 is stored and accessible at the Bulacan Provincial Library. Output 3 is this blogsite you are reading now. 

METHOD

This project primarily used the method employed in oral history: the Interview Method.

TARGET LOCALITIES

All the provincial, city and municipal libraries of Bulacan as follows:


TO DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE PAPER, PLEASE CLICK HERE:
Oral History of Bulacan Public Libraries FULL PAPER

To listen to the author's whole interview with the different present and former Bulacan public libraries head, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of all the interviews are also available on site.

(Note: Each of the articles is based on the interviews during the conduct of this oral history project. Only important things related to the history of the public libraries were included in the articles, and some personal matters, doubtful claims, and unverifiable information were left out.)
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Bulacan Provincial Library

The Bulacan Provincial Library (BPL), the pioneer among all the public libraries in Bulacan, is located in the province's capital, Malolos. It is housed on the first floor of the Gat Blas F. Ople Building which can be found at the right side of the Capitol Park, Bulacan Capitol Compound and currently being managed by the Provincial Librarian, Mr. Marlon Hipolito.

Gat Blas F. Ople Building, the home of the Bulacan Provincial Library

 During its establishment, the BPL was first known as the Bureau of Public Libraries - Bulacan Branch. It is an independent office directly reporting to the National Library of the Philippines which was then the Bureau of Public Libraries under the Department of Education. In the recent years, the Bulacan Provincial Library (BPL) was put under the Provincial Youth, Sports, Employment, Arts, Culture and Tourism Office (PYSEACTO) and when that office was split into two in 2015, BPL became under the Provincial History, Arts, Culture, and Tourism Office (PHACTO), presently headed by Dr. Eliseo Dela Cruz.

Aside from the present, other identified Provincial Librarians and OICs are: Carolina G. Santillan, Mrs. Hipolito (first name not provided by the narrator), Jessie Capulong, Vilma Tobias, Veronica Cacabelos, and Veronica Manio.



BULACAN PROVINCIAL LIBRARY AND ITS FIRST LIBRARIAN
Based on the interview with Raf G. Santillan
(Son of Carolina G. Santillan, 1st Provincial Librarian)

The Bulacan Provincial Library (BPL) has been around for 69 years and will already enter its Platinum Year Anniversary on 2019. It is a long time of continuously serving the information needs of the people of Bulacan and it's all thanks to the main woman who persevered to establish the institution: Mrs. Carolina Santillan.

Mrs. Santillan is one fine woman who finished her Education degree and Library Science courses from the University of the Philippines. She first worked as a teacher, then as a Bulacan provincial government employee in the Assessor's Office before becoming the first ever Provincial Librarian of the BPL. It was her who did the paperwork and coordination with the proper government  agencies to establish the first public library of the province of Bulacan.

A surviving photo of the circulation section of the old Bulacan Provincial Library

In the early days of the library operations, the fund was scarce forcing Mrs. Santillan to solicit help or ask for donations from civic organizations (like Malolos Lion's Club which donated narra chairs and tables) and private individuals. While doing that, she also made rounds to the different municipalities of Bulacan and encouraged the executives to establish their own local public libraries.

At the start, the library was located at the 2nd floor of the Bulacan Provincial Capitol, beside the Governor's office and it stayed there for almost 4 years. When 1953 came, the library was transferred to a new location, in a structure standing in the location now occupied by the Marcelo H. del Pilar National High School Main Building. That structure, according to Mr. Santillan (the narrator), was called a cottage, an American Period structure designed to be the quarters of the doctors working at the present Bulacan Medical Center. After just 2 years, the library was transferred again to give way to the construction of the new Marcelo H. del Pilar National High School.

That 3rd transfer brought out the best out of Mrs. Santillan's  capacity as a librarian and a statesman. In order to fund the construction of the new library structure, she sought the help of her fellow UP Alumni including the then-Senator Gil Puyat, who readily helped her in raising the funds needed. A one-storey wooden building was built in the location near the present-day Max's Restaurant. The building has two rooms, each for Mrs. Santillan, and her assistant, identified only by the narrator as Mrs. Hipolito (who will later be the next Provincial Librarian) from Caloocan. It has a large hall serving as the reading area surrounded by bookshelves.

Bulacan Provincial Library's reading area

It was in this location where the library stayed the longest, 16 years, before transferring to its present site. During those times, the library was an independent office complete with its own personnel including janitor and guard. Unfortunately, the guard is stationed there during the day only that's why the library typewriter, considered a very important equipment especially in libraries that time, was stolen one night. When the Hiyas ng Bulakan Building (now the Gat Blas F. Ople Building) was built during Governor Ignacio Santiago's time, the BPL transferred to that building and stayed there until today.

Among all the Bulacan government office, the BPL was the only one open during Saturdays (half day) to cater to the needs of clients who can only visit during weekends as well as to allow borrowers return the books that they have borrowed during the weekdays. The library also serves as meet up place and loitering area for the local reporters and correspondents to check whether their articles or tips were printed in the newspapers.

Because of the undeniable role played by Mrs. Santillan in the organization and establishment of the Bulacan Provincial Library, she was already hailed then as an institution by the many people who has benefited from the use of the library, and should really be hailed as one by all Bulakeños who continue to benefit from it until this day.



THE BULACAN PROVINCIAL LIBRARY THRU THE YEARS
Based on the interviews with 
Mr. Marlon Hipolito (Provincial Librarian, 2013 - Present), 
Ms. Veronica Manio (OIC - Provincial Librarian, c. 2000 - 2013)

Bulacan Provincial Library has already existed for a long time, continuously catering to the information needs of the people of Bulacan as well as researchers from outside the province. In the past decades, two librarians have manned and steered the library into its present status : Mr. Marlon Hipolito, present provincial librarian, and Ms. Veronica Manio, OIC Provincial Librarian from the early 2000's until 2013.

Mr Hipolito started working at the BPL in 2009 as assistant librarian. He is a licensed librarian who finished his Bachelor of Library and Information Science at Baliwag University in 2007. He is a member of different professional organizations for librarians such as Philippine Librarian's Assocaition, Inc. (PLAI), Association of Public Librarians in the Public Sector (ALPS) and the Bulacan Public Librarian's Association, Inc. (BPLAI). On the other hand, Ms. Veronica Manio started serving BPL in 1990 as a library staff under the mentorship of the then Provincial Librarian Jessie Capulong. Later in her career, she was also appointed as the OIC-Provincial Librarian. She graduated from Regina Carmeli University with a degree in Management and has successfully earned a Ceritficate in Library Science. She has also completed the academic requirement for Master of Library and Informaton Science at PNU.


Entrance of the Bulacan Provincial Library before it was renovated in 2017.


One of the most important projects that was accomplished by the BPL during their time is the establishment of BPLAI which primary objective is for all the cities and municipalities to have their own public libraries. Mr. Hipolito became the founding president of this association. Other founding members are Mr. Marlon Mariano of Plaridel Municipal Library, Carolina Guevan of Guiguinto Municipal Library, Resureccion Gaspar of Baliwag Municipal Library and Museum, Salvacion Gimeno of Pulilan Municipal Library, Sarita Rubio of Meycauayan City Library, Jeylin Espino of Hagonoy Municipal Library, Aurelia Garces of San Miguel Municipal Library, Mercedita Orosco of San Ildefonso Municipal Library, Anne Lazaro of Bustos Municipal Library and Jennifer Lopez of Bulihan (Malolos) Barangay Library. After a year, the organization opened up its door to other Bulacan libraries in the public sector such as those of State Colleges and Universities, Public School Libraries, and the Library Hubs of the DepEd Divisions of Bulacan, Malolos, Meycauayan, and San Jose del Monte. Since 2015, BPLAI has conducted annual 3-day conference for its members geared towards library service developments and reiterating the importance of library's role in history and heritage preservation.

Other significant projects and developments of the BPL are the following:

1. Development of the Bulakañana Program that aims to collect and promote publications and research materials about Bulacan and the Bulakeños.
2. Bayaning Bulakeño Program wherein the library purchased copies of a former television show "Bayani" of ABS-CBN. Only episodes pertaining to Bulakeño heroes, artists, and personalities were purchased and the library conducts film showing to student from different schools of Bulacan for them to appreciate and realize the greatness of many fellow Bulakeños.
3. LIS Award which is a search for outstanding library with outstanding program to promote literacy.
4. Friends of the BPL wherein individuals are encouraged to donate books to the library. In turn, BPL will award them certificates as an appreciation for their donation.
5. The library became a Tech4Ed Center with Mr. Marlon Hipolito as the Tech4Ed Manager. Tech4Ed stands for Technology for Education, Employment, Entrepreneurs, and Economic Development (to know more about what Tech4Ed is, please click HERE).

View of Reading Area from the 2nd floor before the Bulacan Provincial Library was renovated in 2017


The BPL owes its continued existence and improvements to many people who supported it through the years. Former and present governors who have shown invaluable support to the library as identified by both Hipolito and Manio are Gov. Josie dela Cruz, Gov. Obet Pagdanganan, and Gov. Willie Alvarado. Dr. Eliseo Dela Cruz (PHACTO Head) and Mrs. Arlene Torres (PHACTO-History and Heritage Division Head) have also supported all the BPL projects and was described by Hipolito as the "father" and "elder sister" of BPL as well as BPLAI. Manio added writers/historians Jaime Veneracion, Virgilio Almario, and Bienvenido Santos as notable supporters of the BPL who have selflessly donated their book collection (of which many are written by them) which beefed up the Local History Collection of the BPL. She also mentioned Toti and Ayie Ople who donated their Blas F. Ople Collection to the library.

Fortunately, the library was spared from any natural calamities that has affected the province in the past and the collection remained intact. The library's service has been continuous except when the renovation of Gat Blas F. Ople Building started last September 2017. It is hoped that the library will be able to open its doors again to the public this coming September, just before the celebration of the annual Singkaban Festival.

The library has won 2 national awards for its excellence in the many years of its service to Bulakeños. The first one was in 1998 when the library won the National Search for Outstanding Public Library in the Philippines through the efforts of then Provincial Librarian Veronica Cacabelos with the help from Veronica Manio and Raf G. Santillan. The second award was won just last year, 2017: 1st place for the Search for Outstanding Public Libraries with Special Program on the Protection and Preservation of Cultural Heritage through the effort of the Provincial Librarian Marlon Hipolito with the assistance of PHACTO.


To listen to the author's whole interview with Mr. Hipolito, Ms. Manio, and Mr. Santillan, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of the whole interview is also available on site.
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Guiguinto Municipal Library

Guiguinto is a town which can be found at the center of the more urban part of the province of Bulacan. It is famous for its annual Halamanan Festival which features its booming landscaping and gardening industry. This historical town has varied folktales explaining its name but the more famous one is that it got its name from the Tagalog word “ginto”, meaning gold. For this town of 99,730 (2015) people, a municipal library, Guiguinto Municipal Library, takes care of the people’s information and literacy needs.

Guiguinto Municipal Library

This library has had 3 municipal librarians/officers-in-charge: Veronica Manio, Lourdes Añonuevo, and Carolina Guevan. The library has limited availability to public for around 3 years, between 1990 until 1993.


GUIGUINTO MUNICIPAL LIBRARY, FROM THEN UNTIL NOW
Based from the interviews with 
Carolina Guevan (Municipal Librarian, 1998 – Present)
Lourdes Añonuevo (Municipal Librarian, 1993 – 1998)
Veronica Manio (Municipal Librarian, 1989-1990)

The Guiguinto Municipal Library was the brainchild of a private citizen instead of the municipal government, though the latter fully supported the initiative. Mrs. Estela Figueroa, a retired librarian from the United States Information Service of the US Embassy in the Philippines, and a citizen of the town, proposed and spearheaded the preparation for establishing a municipal library for Guiguinto. This was realized in the same year by the passage of Resolution No. 16, Series of 1989 sponsored by Councilor Virgilio Idos. There were two sites considered for the library, the Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall and Guiguinto Central School. For convenience and easy access, the library was placed in the former.

In the same year, Veronica Manio, the first librarian was appointed by then Mayor Pag-asa Estrella. The support of Mrs. Figueroa didn’t stop with the establishment of the library. She also spearheaded the building of the library collection as well as supporting the studies of Manio to earn 18 units of Library Science to help her manage the library better. Many projects were done those times like awarding books to the most frequent library users, and donating books to the different elementary and high schools of Guiguinto. Mayor Pag-asa also contributed much to the library’s development by soliciting donations of books from different institutions and private individuals. Manio’s service as the municipal librarian was cut short when she decided to transfer to the Bulacan Provincial Library in 1990.

Present Guiguinto Municipal Hall that houses the Guiguinto Municipal Library

Carolina de Leon Guevan, the present municipal librarian started serving the library in 1998. She holds the item of Bookbinder IV, an item reserved by the Guiguinto local government for the municipal library because there is no item existing for the municipal librarian position yet. She is an active participant of many different library trainings offered and hosted by the National Library of the Philippines, Bulacan Provincial Library, and Bulacan Public Librarians Associations, Inc. (BPLAI). She is a founding member of BPLAI and served the organization as Board of Directors and Auditor. Lourdes Añonuevo, on the other hand, managed the library from 1993 to 1998. She first worked at the Assessor’s Office before being transferred to the library during the time of Mayor Pag-asa Estrella.

Añonuevo remembers that the main reason why she was transferred to the library is because the municipal government felt the need to reopen it when many students looking for a library or a place where they can study or research often visit the municipal hall just to be disappointed. After almost 3 years since it was left unattended, it was reopened and the service resumed with Añonuevo manning the library alone. During those times, she was directly reporting to the National Library of the Philippines (NLP). In the last years of her library service, Añonuevo would often bring along Guevan when she picks up the library’s book allocation from NLP. She would show her where the seminars are being held, who are the people to talk to, and where to get the book allocations from on those NLP visits. She already introduced Guevan to the NLP so when Guevan took over the position in 1998, she already know what to do.

The library has transferred to 6 different locations since Añonuevo’s time. At first, it was housed in a room serving dual purposes, as the session hall of Sangguniang Bayan as well as the municipal library. Since the session is just once a week, the place functions as a library for the rest of the week. In 1997, the library was transferred to the 2nd floor of the barangay hall of Poblacion to give way to the old municipal hall’s renovation. During that transfer, many people from DepEd, especially Mrs. Erlinda Tolentino, helped Añonuevo in bringing the books and other materials as well as pieces of furniture to the new location. The library was in this location when Guevan replaced Añonuevo as the caretaker of the library.


The last 5 relocations of the library happened during Guevan’s time. From the 2nd floor of the barangay hall, the library was transferred again to a room adjacent to the barangay daycare center in 1999. After around 3-4 years, the library was back in the municipal hall. It was relocated in the former DILG room which according to Guevan is as large as the current library and the furniture used there is still being used up to this day. It stayed there for 2 years. After that, the library was transferred again to the 2nd floor of the building in the room presently used as the Vice-Mayor’s Office. After sometime, the library finally found its home in the 3rd floor of the present building and stayed there until now.

For the past decades, both Añonuevo and Guevan acknowledged the fact that whoever is in position supports the library through professional development. They were allowed and given allowances whenever they have to attend library workshops or seminars so that they will be able to apply them in their work as the municipal librarians. They were also assisted whenever they have to pick up book allocations from the NLP or donations from institutions or private individuals.

Just like Añonuevo and Manio in the past, Guevan started out as the sole library staff. But later, she was joined by Rowena Torres in the library during the 1st term of Vice-Mayor Banjo Estrella. Torres stayed at the library until 2014 when she was pulled out and reassigned as a secretary at the Sangguniang Bayan. At the present, Guevan has 2 library staff, Imelda Cenis and Angelita Capulong, who both started serving the library in 2013. They help her in all the library works especially in inventories and assisting the library clients.

Former councilor Pedro Ramirez is credited as one of the fervent supporters of the library that he pushed for the creation of an item, Bookbinder II, specifically for the library. This item was given to Guevan who was promoted to Bookbinder IV in 2009 or 2010. Notable former user as identified by Añonuevo is the present ABC President Cesar Mendoza. According to her, he was a frequent visitor of the library when he was still studying, and serving as ex-officio member of the Sangguniang Barangay in his capacity as the president of Guiguinto’s SK Chairmen Federation.

At the present, the library is still improving and compared to how it was years ago, Guevan categorically stated that it is much better now. It continues to attract many clients, especially students from the nearby elementary and high schools, and still helps in molding the Guiguinteños minds to be the best they can be.



To listen to the author's whole interview with Ms. Manio, Mrs. Añonuevo, and Mrs. Guevan, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of the whole interview is also available on site.

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Baliwag Municipal Library and Museum

Baliwag is dubbed as the financial, commercial, and education center of Northern Bulacan because of the many businesses, financial institutions and tertiary schools there that cater to the needs of Baliwag itself as well as of neighboring towns such as San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Bustos, Angat, Pulilan, Plaridel, Apalit and Candaba. It is no wonder that the town's population quadruples during the day when all these institutions are open. For this very lively town and center, a silent sentinel stood in the midst, always waiting to be discovered by those who are hungry for knowledge, as well as cultural and historical information. They just need to look for the century-old municipal hall of Baliwag and there, in all of its glory, is the Baliwag Municipal Library and Museum.

Old Baliwag Municipal Hall, the home of Baliwag Municipal Library and Museum

Baliwag Municipal Library and Museum is directly under the Office of the Mayor. It is now under the care of the Mr. Heherson C. Cruz, the Municipal Librarian while the museum section is under Ms. Susie Villanueva, the Museum Curator.



THE BALIWAG MUNICIPAL LIBRARY AND MUSEUM 
Based on the interview with Mr. Heherson C. Cruz,
Municipal Librarian (2017 - Present), Assistant Librarian (2012 - 2017)


It's not easy being the one to tend to a library full of heritage, from the building itself, to the valuable books that it hold, and to the collection of artifacts and museum pieces that it exhibits and takes care of. Take away the museum part and the library is still very much important, even just taking into consideration the wealth of local history books in its collection. This valuable library was established in the 1970's when the Baliwag Municipal Government transferred to a newer town hall. The old town hall which is a Spanish-era house was turned into a Library and Museum through the suggestion of different historical associations in Baliwag and the province of Bulacan during the incumbency of Mayor Florentino Vergel de Dios. These historical associations has been very much instrumental in the establishment as well as the continued existence of the library. Today, historical associations such as Samahang Pangkasaysayan ng Bulakan (SAMPAKA), Pangkat Saliksik ng Kasaysayan ng Baliwag at Baliwag Historical Association, Inc. are the ones which helps in maintaining this institution.

The present librarian, Mr. Heherson C. Cruz, became the Municipal Librarian just last year, 2017, but he has been serving in the library as early as 2012 in his capacity as assistant librarian. He is a licensed librarian who finished both his Bachelor and Master's Degree in Library and Information Science at Baliwag University. He succeeded Resureccion Gaspar when the latter retired in 2017.


The library has not stopped its operation since it opened in the 1970's except when the building was renovated in 2016, as part of the measures taken to preserve it because it has just been declared by the National Museum as an Important Cultural Property. The library is non-operational for 6 months that the restoration is ongoing though library users can still request for information materials they need, provided it is part of the small collections the library personnel has set aside because of their high frequency of utilization.

The building itself that house the library and the museum is a very historical one which has played an important role in the history of the town of Baliwag. It has been the town's official hall since the American Period and all of the town mayor who has ever served Baliwag since the Americans set foot in the town has held office there until the 1970's. Because of its cultural and historical importance to the town, it was called as the "Tahanan ng Kasaysayan ng Kalinangan ng Bayan ng Baliwag.


Notable users of the library are the members of the different historical associations already mentioned above but one stands out among the rest: Mr. Pedro Cabingao, a local history enthusiast who is a well known Facebook personality in Bulacan known as Batang Baliwag. According to Mr. Cruz, Mr. Cabingao can always be seen poring over books in the library looking for historical trivia and tidbits about Baliwag that he can post in FB. Because of having so many followers, his posts about the history and cultural life of Baliwag and neighboring towns are big hits and able to educate and inform many people about the greatness of Baliwag's past. Many of those posts couldn't have reached the social media if not for the rich collection of the Baliwag Municipal Library.



To listen to the author's whole interview with Mr. Cruz, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of the whole interview is also available on site.

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Bustos Municipal Library

Bustos is a town which can be found in the north central part of the province of Bulacan. Its history is forever intertwined with its neighboring town Baliwag as it was a part of the latter in the olden times. This town is famous for its heritage cookies called Minasa, giving birth to an annual festival celebrated by the Bustoseños, the Minasa Festival. It has a municipal library officially called Aklatang Bayan ng Bustos currently under the care of Amelita Sanchez. It has its own building located beside the Tourism Office at the Bustos Municipal Compound.

Present Aklatang Bayan ng Bustos (Bustos Municipal Library)

The Aklatang Bayan ng Bustos was served by the the following people since it was established c. 2000: Sylvia Corpuz who works in the Municipal Treasurer's Office at the same time, Bebelina Lazaro who also works as Population Worker, Anne Lazaro who was the very first professional librarian to man the library, and Amelita Sanchez, the present officer-in-charge.



AKLATANG BAYAN NG BUSTOS
Based on interviews with
Amelita Sanchez (OIC-Municipal Librarian, 2016 - present),
Bebelina Lazaro (OIC- Municipal Librarian, 2007 - 2010)

Aklatang Bayan ng Bustos has been existing for more than 15 years already and it had its fair share of fortunate and unfortunate events during those years. No one can best describe those events but the people who has worked in the library during those times such as Amelita Sanchez and Bebelina Lazaro.

The present OIC of the library, Amelita Sanchez, started working there as a library staff in 2011 and left to rest in 2012. She came back again to serve the library in 2015 and has been serving the library since then. She is a BS Psychology graduate of CEU Malolos in 2000 and had library works training with the former librarian Anne Lazaro. She is also an active member of the Bulacan Public Libraries Association, Inc. (BPLAI). Bebelina Lazaro, on the other hand, was designated as the Municipal Librarian from 2007 to 2010 while also serving as a Population Outreach Worker. She finished her Bachelor in Elementary Education at Philippine Normal University.


The library was in an inactive status when Bebelina Lazaro took charge of it in 2007. The former OIC, Sylvia Corpuz has since vacated the position and settled as employee of the Bustos Treasurer's Office. To start with the reactivation of the library, Bebelina Lazaro has to look for the books to put on the library because they were scattered and placed in sacks and stored in different places. Unfortunately, many of the books were already infested by termites and already beyond salvation. Because of lack of library materials, Bebelina led the call to every Bustoseños to donate books to the library. Her call was answered by many people and boxes of books from private individuals arrived in the library. For the first 3 years that she manned the library, Mrs. Bebelina was the lone library staff. When Arnel Mendoza assumed the post, she was given a JO (job order) she only identified as Ms. Cristy who helped her in manning the library especially when she goes out to conduct family planning seminars. When the former Mayor Toti Reyes vacated the Mayor's Office in 2010, she transferred to the library all the books left there to add to the library's measly collection.

The present building occupied by the library hasn't always been for the library alone. Before that, the library was in a small gazebo-like structure in the park which was already demolished. It was then transferred to the second floor of the present building while the first floor was occupied by the Tourism Office as well as the Cooperatives Office. Bebelina described the former library as on open air place with no ceiling, no walls, and with only 2 to 3 book cabinets. When Arnel Mendoza assumed office in 2010, he pushed hard and supported the library's improvement which includes installing a professional librarian as head of the department, and renovating and dedicating the whole building for the sole use of the library.

After Mrs. Bebelina, a professional licensed librarian took the helm and brought the library into even greater heights. She is Anne Lazaro, described as an excellent librarian by both Bebelina Lazaro and Amelita Sanchez. She is considered as the pillar of the present library's modernized and efficient version. She developed the library into what it is today, complete with the internet terminal area, the children's corner, Bulacañana collection, and a museum to boot. During her time, the revitalized library was reopened on May 5, 2011. The museum followed suit in October, 2012.


Aside from transforming the library, she is very much engaged in the research about the local history and heritage of Bustos. She readily offered her help and accompanied Dennis Galvez and Jaime Veneracion, authors of a history book about Bustos, to National Library and other places to look for materials. Unfortunately, she died on 2016, just after finishing her Master in Library and Information Science in Baliwag University.



To listen to the author's whole interview with Mrs. Lazaro and Mrs. Sanchez, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of the whole interview is also available on site.



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Plaridel Municipal Library

This town, formerly known as Quingua, is one of the oldest towns of Bulacan. From its womb was born some other Bulacan towns such as Angat and San Rafael, and possibly, Pulilan. It got its present name in 1936 in honor of Bulacan’s foremost hero, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, who used the pen name “Plaridel”. The town is famous for its Spanish-era Church of Santiago Apostol and other heritage houses dotting its town center and nearby barangays.
For this town of 107,805 people (Census 2015), a municipal library can be found situated at the municipal hall, the Plaridel Municipal Library. The library is directly under the Office of the Vice-Mayor and is presently being managed by the municipal librarian, Marlon Mariano.

PLARIDEL MUNICIPAL LIBRARY 
Based on interviews with Marlon Mariano (Municipal Librarian, 2005 - present),
and Estrellita Quinay (OIC- Municipal Librarian, 2001 - 2004)

Plaridel Municipal Library is a veritable source of the town’s local history due to its many clippings and bounded collection of articles and fiesta souvenirs about the town including articles and old photos of different Plaridel landmarks such as the Battle of Quingua in Barangay Agnaya, the Plaridel Airport, the old church, the simborio, the old municipal hall, and many others. In addition to these, the library also has a sizeable collection of Bulakañana materials for the use of casual readers as well as researchers.

Presently, it is under the management of Marlon Mariano who was the municipal librarian since 2005. He is a licensed librarian and a graduate of BEEd Major in Library Science from Bulacan State University (BSU). He is also a member of the BPLAI and served as the organization’s vice-president in the past, and now its current treasurer. When he applied as the municipal librarian, the position was vacant because the former OIC-librarian was co-terminus with the former mayor. The said OIC-librarian was Estrellita Quinay, Mariano’s former teacher in St. James Academy. She served as the OIC-Municipal Librarian from 2001-2004 and was just months away from taking her licensure exam for librarians when the town’s administration changed. She has an AB Major in English as well as BSEd Major in Social Studies degree from Southern Luzon Colleges. She also studied in UP Los Baños for a time before pursuing said degrees. When she was serving as the municipal librarian, she took library courses in BSU but transferred to PNU later where she finished her 2 year Certificate in Library Studies.

The library is reportedly established in 1971 but Mariano discovered through his research that the library might have already existed in 1956 based on the memorandum receipt of books he found in the records of the National Library. The year 1971, according to him, was only based on interviews with other old employees and town officials and not on official documents. Since library has to be already existing before it can be accredited by the National Library and be given book allocations, Mariano places the library’s establishment 2 or 3 years earlier, 1953 or 1954. When asked about the library’s establishment, Quinay said that she has no idea about the exact date but shared that the library already exists when she relocated to Plaridel in the 1980’s.

The existence of the library has been continuous but its operation is not. Quinay remembers that when she arrived, the library was so filthy and much of the collections are obsolete, many of which came as a donation from the US and not applicable to the use of the locals. She asked for donations from her former students at St. James Academy to beef up the collection, cleaned and rearranged the library, and made it available for use during the lunch time when many of the students from nearby schools have time to go to the library. She shared that before she arrived, the library is being taken cared of by a municipal employee though it was always close because said employee was doing other tasks in the municipal hall. Said employee is Ronald Allan Morales who has been serving the library for almost 20 years, longer than Quinay and Mariano combined because he was already a staff there when Quinay arrived in 2001. Mariano was also able to work with Morales when he became the municipal librarian in 2005 until 2017. Quinay and Mariano describe him as a helpful workmate. At the present, Allan serves as a driver in the vice-mayor’s office.

The library has transferred 4 times since the time of Quinay up to the present. When Quinay arrived, it was located in a room adjacent to the mayor’s office in the old municipal hall. It was later transferred to the vacated mayor’s office which at that time already transferred to the new municipal hall. Quinay describes the new location as twice as large as the first one and more comfortable for the users because it was air conditioned. It was the library’s location when Mariano arrived in 2005. In 2006 due to the demolition of the old municipal hall, the library was transferred again, this time in the 2nd floor of the new municipal hall. The office of Sangguniang Bayan was divided into two and the other half became the library’s home for a year. In 2007, the library transferred again in the old conference hall between the office of the mayor and the vice-mayor, and finally in 2008, it transferred to another room in the 3rd floor, and stayed there until today.

In 2011, Mariano added a mini-museum to the library where many old pieces came from their house. It includes old coin collections, old jars, old lamp, and coal iron (plantsa). His mini-museum also includes the original sketch of the famous Battle of Quingua by the National Artist for Sculpture, Abdulmari Imao. Old pictures and portraits of Plaridel can also be found in the mini-museum.

Fortunately, the library has not been affected by any calamities, natural or man-made, that’s why the collection is intact, and continuously growing. With the collection’s growth is the need for more space so Mariano is hoping that the library be transferred to another location which has enough space to accommodate all the users as well as showcase the rich collection the library has, including its mini-museum.


To listen to the author's whole interview with Ms. Manio, Mrs. Añonuevo, and Mrs. Guevan, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of the whole interview is also available on site.
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Pulilan Municipal Library

The town of Pulilan, known as San Isidro (de Pulilan) during the olden times, is one of the emerging urban centers of Bulacan where many large national company has set up businesses like SM and Robinsons but was able to retain and preserve much of its heritage. It is known for its Kneeling Carabao Festival during May as well as its many heritage structures such as museums, ancestral houses, and a Spanish-era church. One public library serves the information needs of the citizen of this heritage-conscious town, the Pulilan Municipal Library.

Former Pulilan Municipal Hall which houses the present Pulilan Municipal Library.

The library is directly under the Office of the Mayor and the present officer-in-charge is Ms. Salvacion M. Gimeno.


PULILAN MUNICIPAL LIBRARY, THE DUAL LIBRARY
Based on an interview with Ms. Salvacion M. Gimeno,
OIC- Municipal Librarian (2013 - Present)
Pulilan Municipal Library is unique because it is the only dual library among all the public libraries of Bulacan. Dual here means the library functions as a public library while also functioning as an academic library. The library is presently located at the Old Municipal Hall of Pulilan which was turned into Pamantasang Bayan ng Pulilan (PBP) when the Pulilan Government transferred to the new municipal hall. Later, PBP was converted to Polytechnic University of the Philippines Pulilan Campus, and the library stayed with it, catering to the needs of the college's students as well as the general public outside.

Pulilan Municipal Library

The present librarian, Ms. Salvacion Gimeno or Ma'am Salve, started working as the municipal librarian on June 1, 2013 and has been manning the library alone, close to five years as of this writing. She finished her studies in Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurial Management at PUP Pulilan. She is an active member of Bulacan Public Librarians Association, Inc. and has served as the organization's secretary in the past. Other librarians who has worked in the library in the past were : Dolores Caleon (1989 - 1990), Gloria F. Buñing (1990 - 1991), Marcelina Mutuc (1991 - 1993), Ma. Adora E. Angeles (1993 - 2000, 2001 -2002), Filomena Alcanices (2000), Herbert Rivera (2003), Nicetas R. Roberto (2003 - c. 2010), Jennifer Lopez (c. 2010 - c. 2013).

Bulacaña Collection
Since its establishment in December 28, 1989, the library has stayed in the same location and was closed for a period only on August 2015 when the whole building underwent an overall renovation. According to the librarian, the main reason why this library was established is because of the felt need of an information center where the many students of Pulilan, especially the college students studying at PBP then, could find the information they need for their studies.

The library has also done its responsibility to preserve the local history of the Pulilan. It has a collection of books about Pulilan as well as the different towns and cities of Bulacan. One of its project during National Book Week annually is the exhibit and story telling about the history of all the town's 11 barangays which main objective is to inculcate in the minds of young Pulileños the local history and heritage of their own barangay and town.


To listen to the author's whole interview with Ms. Gimeno, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of the whole interview is also available on site.

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San Ildefonso Municipal Library

The Municipality of San Ildefonso can be found in the northern part of Bulacan and just one town away from the province of Nueva Ecija going north. It is known for its Bulak Festival which gives tribute to its former name Bulak, referring to Kapok trees abundant in the place in the past. This verdant town has for its own a municipal library intended to serve the needs of the townspeople: the San Ildefonso Municipal Library. Said library is currently housed in the daycare center of Nabaong Garlang, a barangay north of the town center, near the San Ildefonso's boundary with San Miguel. It is presently under the care of Mrs. Mercedita P. Orosco. 

Nabaong Garlang Daycare Center serving as San Ildefonso Municipal Library

Different from other public libraries of Bulacan, San Ildefonso Municipal Library is away from the municipal center or any major highway. It can only be reached by going to Barangay Anyatam and from there, riding a tricycle going to the Nabaong Garlang Barangay Hall where the library (or a semblance of that) can be found. It has been manned by Mrs. Orosco (who also serves as the barangay daycare teacher) since it was founded in 2001, and really needs a new home and better location so it can better serve the people of San Ildefonso.
Location Map of San Ildefonso Municipal Library


THE SAN ILDEFONSO MUNICIPAL LIBRARY EXPERIENCE
Based on the Interview with Mrs. Mercedita Orosco,
Municipal Librarian (2001 - Present) 

The San Ildefonso Municipal Library can be considered a municipal library by name only. In reality, it is a barangay library which started and had its glory days in 2001 as a Community Learning Resource Center (CLRC) serving Nabaong Garlang as well as the clusters of barangay around it such as Mataas Na Parang, Anyatam, Santa Catalina, and Sumandig. 

Community Learning Resource Center (CLRC), the predecessor of San Ildefonso Municipal Library 

Inside the Nabaong Garlang CLRC 

Key players in the foundation of the said CLRC are Mrs. Adora Catacutan Cruz, former principal of Nabaong Garlang Elementary School, and other school heads of the neighboring barangays. She is the one who supported the appointment of Mrs. Orosco as the CLRC librarian, and continued to support the library until her death. Other supporters were: the barangay head that time, Rolando Cruz, who donated funds for the painting of the CLRC building as well as making bookshelves for the library; former Barangay Head Valentin Cruz who helped in soliciting books to beef up the library's collection, and; Mrs. Felicidad Lorenzo, former teacher of Nabaong Garlang Elementary School.
Mrs. Adora Cruz, one of the key players
in the establishment of the Nabaong Garlang CLRC

Felicidad Lorenzo, former teacher at Nabaong Garlang
Elementary School and one of the benefactors of the CLRC

Mrs. Mercedita Orosco, the assigned librarian, finished her degree of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education from Bulacan National Agricultural School in 1985. In 1987, she started working as the daycare center teacher of the Nabaong Garlang Daycare Center, and has held that position until the present. She became the CLRC Librarian due to the recommendations of the people who has witnessed her exemplary work as the daycare center teacher. Under her, the library has seen fortunate days during its early years of operation. It was declared as the best CLRC in all of Region 3 in 2001. Another string of awards for the library came in the succeeding years and it became a Hall of Famer for Region 3 according to Mrs. Orosco. That's the main reason why then Mayor Sazo Galvez elevated Mrs. Orosco's position as the municipal librarian, thus adopting the CLRC as the municipal library too. 

Mrs. Mercedita Orosco, CLRC Librarian (2001)

Kubo beside the CLRC used as reading area

At the start, the library has it's own building constructed through the support of the then-Mayor Sazo Galvez and then-Congressman Ricardo Silverio. It has a small "kubo" beside it that functioned as additional reading area aside from the reading area inside. Many books can be found inside the library, most of which came from solicitations made by the barangay officials, school teachers, and Mrs. Orosco herself. When Mrs. Orosco was sent by the Municipality of San Ildefonso for a training in the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), she met the then-Director Prudenciana Cruz and she was told to affiliate the San Ildefonso Municipal Library to the NLP. Since then, the library has been receiving yearly book allocation that adds up to its collection.
Mrs. Mercedita Orosco inside Nabaong Garlang Daycare Center/San Ildefonso Municipal Library

 But the recent years haven't favored the library that much. The building intended to be the home of the CLRC, later the San Ildefonso Municipal Library, was re-purposed as the barangay hall of Nabaong Garlang when the former one was demolished. The library was displaced and transferred to an attached room to the main building which also functions as the barangay daycare center. This room was just an additional part of the main CLRC building constructed through the Php 100,000.00 cash prize given by former Mayor Sazo Galvez because of the CLRC library being a Hall of Fame awardee. The small lot where this room stands is donated by a local, Mr. Temistocles Cabande Sr.  

The present Nabaong Garlang Barangay Hall which used to be the CLRC

Presently, the library cum daycare center houses a small collection of mostly elementary and high school books. It was badly affected by Typhoon Yolanda in 2013 when many books were lost due to the water entering the room, and later being infested by termites. The collection and the library is visibly affected by these unfortunate events that the place can hardly be called a library anymore. There are no reading area presently except the very same area used for daycare classes, with no chairs and tables for the library users. The room has no ceiling so the collection is not safe from the elements, may it be water when another typhoon comes, or the extreme heat in the summer days. It is still very much prone to another termite infestation. To keep valuable books in their mint condition, especially those which came from the National Library, the librarian stores them temporarily at her house which is not that far from the daycare center. 

 Having no place that one can really call a legitimate library is just one of the biggest worry of the librarian. During the interview with her, she quipped that she's willing to wait for a time to come when the municipal government is able to provide her with a place in the town center where she can better set up the municipal library, provided it happen before she retires.

To listen to the author's whole interview with Mrs. Orosco, you may go to the Bulacan Provincial Library and ask the librarian there about the ORAL HISTORY OF BULACAN PUBLIC LIBRARIES PROJECT. Transcript of the whole interview is also available on site. 

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