The Quezon City government, along with the School of Fine Arts (SoFA) Design Institute, opened on Thursday, April 27, the newly built library in Barangay Pag-asa Elementary School. Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte said the new library is expected to provide 2,013 students access to information they need to enrich their knowledge. The mayor was joined by SoFA Design Institute President Amina Aranaz-Alunan, Quezon City 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde, Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, Quezon City District 1 action officer Ollie Belmonte, Quezon City Public Library OIC Mariza Chico, QC Internal Auditor Noel Gascon and Schools Division Supt. Dr. Carleen Sedilla during the event. SoFA Design Institute is the country’s leading specialized design school offering a wide range of programs in fashion and interior design, the local government said. The Ignited Souls Team, composed of SoFA Interior Design students Samantha Bell, Virneece Ragragio and Mark San Diego, started the initiative as part of their graduation project.
The local government of Quezon City in partnership with SoFA Design Institute formally opens a new library at Bagong Pag-asa Elementary School in Quezon City. The library, which design was inspired by the story and activity book Ignited Souls, is a graduation project of SoFA students. They partnered with QC Library in order to help more students have access to information while promoting a space conducive for learning. (Noel B. Pabalate/MANILA BULLETIN)
The construction of the library began in November 2022 and was completed in April 2023. According to the city government, the design elements of the library were based on the components featured in the Ignited Souls story and activity book. It also draws inspiration from the term "Liwayway," which means "a new beginning." "We believe that this joint effort between the private and public sector is a great contribution to the people of Quezon City,” Belmonte said. For her part, Alulan thanked the city government for ensuring that education is accessible to Filipino children. Aside from Bagong Pag-asa Elementary School, Atayde said four other Quezon City schools will have their own library. Bagong Pag-Asa Elementary School Principal Lorna Ojeda expressed gratitude for the project, saying the library’s contribution is to help shape the minds of their students. “We’re excited to witness how our students will become more equipped with modern learning tools that will prepare them for the future. We are thankful to have been chosen as the beneficiary of this project,” Ojeda said.