CPU - Library and Information Science Student Organization

𝗙𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗨𝗥𝗘 | "𝗧𝗨𝗟𝗔𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗔𝗚𝗕𝗔𝗦𝗔 𝗦𝗔 𝗕𝗨𝗞𝗔𝗦 𝗡𝗔 𝗣𝗨𝗡𝗢 𝗡𝗚 𝗣𝗔𝗚-𝗔𝗦𝗔": 𝗖𝗣𝗨-𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗢 𝗖𝗢𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗖𝗣𝗨-𝗘𝗦 𝗜𝗡 𝗕𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗟𝗜𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗔𝗟 𝗕𝗢𝗢𝗞 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞 𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗕𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

In the final weeks of November, the halls of Central Philippine University were uncharacteristically quiet. There was the silence of suspended classes and the uneasy tension of recent security scares. For the Library and Information Science Student Organization (LISSO), their grand vision for National Book Week seemed destined to remain unwritten.

But as the saying goes, a good story has a plot twist.

On December 2, 2025, the Rose Memorial Auditorium finally swung its doors open. The theme, “Tulay ang Pagbasa sa Bukas na Puno ng Pag-asa,” was no longer just a slogan, it was a testament to the resilience of the CPU community. It was not just a celebration; it was a joyful bridge to a better future.

BLIS students, usually seen behind library desks or buried in archives, stepped into the spotlight. They put on the costumes of beloved literary icons, bringing a crossover of characters to the stage that blurred the lines between fantasy and reality. With creative minds, the atmosphere was electric as the worlds of university life and childhood imagination collided. The real stars, however, were the CPU Elementary School students. Watching a child portray a fictional character isn't just a performance; it’s a glimpse into their potential and talents. As they interacted with the older BLIS students, the auditorium felt less like a theater and more like a living library, one where the characters teach the readers just as much as the readers learn from the characters.

The celebration was anchored by the university’s own guardians of knowledge. Dr. Merle L. Junsay (VPAA), Assoc. Prof. Ma. Cynthia Peleña (Director of Libraries), and Prof. Janet P. Jaco (CPU-ES Principal) didn't just give speeches, they offered blueprints for the future. Reminding the audience that in a digital age filled with fabricated information, the ability to read deeply and critically is a superpower.

Their message was clear, literacy isn't just about decoding words on a page. It’s about building the courage and wisdom necessary to navigate a complicated world.

From the collaborative spirit of the Henry Luce III Library’s American Corner to the tireless LISSO officers and the cheering parents, the event proved that while a person can read alone, a community grows together and that it takes a village to raise a reader.

The partnership between LISSO and the CPU Elementary School has created a bond that extends beyond a single day in December. It has reinforced a lifelong commitment to learning, proving that no matter how many bomb scares or suspensions life throws our way, the bridge to a hopeful tomorrow is paved with books.

As the program closed with a community song, the voices of the young and the old echoed together. The partnership between LISSO and the CPU Elementary School has become more than a collaboration; it is a lifelong pact to keep the fire of literacy burning.

The delay didn't dim the celebration, it acted as a spotlight, showing us that when we hold onto books, we are holding onto each other. The bridge is built. The path is clear. And for these students, the future is indeed full of hope.

| Via Zvia Irene Catolin
| Image from CPU-LISSO via Nadine Marie Bernadas