CURRENT POSITION Head of Product Marketing Unit, Electronic Information Solutions, Inc., Makati City, Philippines DEGREE MLIS in progress; BLIS, 2015,  both University of the East, Manila FAST FACT Tansiongco was born and raised on an island called Sibuyan, marble capital of the Philippines. FOLLOW linkedin.com/in/kenthelibrarian; Instagram @kenthelibrarian; Facebook magbasatayomovement2015 Photo by Litràtu-Self Photo Studio

Magbasa Tayo—Let’s Read

As part of his work for Electronic Information Solutions, Inc. (EISI), the Philippines’ leading provider of library technologies, Kevin Tansiongco evaluates a range of products for the country’s libraries. In 2015, as an offshoot of a student leadership congress where he was a delegate, he founded the Magbasa Tayo (Let’s Read) Movement (MTM), an advocacy campaign promoting the importance of community reading centers and public libraries in the Philippines.

MTM got its start in Manila, where Tansiongco asked local officials to set up a reading corner in a local barangay (borough) hall. At the time, fewer than 10 percent of barangays in the Philippines had areas dedicated to reading, whether or not the communities had a library. He arranged for MTM to donate a few books and set up storytelling activities for young children at the first location.

As city and library officials became interested and willing to advocate for MTM after learning how libraries affect literacy rates, its outreach expanded. He has given presentations at more than 250 events to help educate librarians and library officials about the importance of upgrading library programs and services, emphasizing access for all.

In 2020, as MTM’s storytelling pivoted to social media with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was featured on “Youth Educators,” an episode of the CNN Philippines documentary series The Story of the Filipino. The added visibility led to a rise in donations of books and money that year, including nearly 2,000 volumes given to two community reading centers and eight public school libraries.

In 2022, 46 community reading centers received donations of 200 books each from MTM. “Through our advocacy…many saw the beauty and the reason for advocating for [MTM] and the importance of reading centers,” says nominator Roana Flores of Manila’s De La Salle University Libraries. “A well-informed citizenry will create a more sustainable future.”

Going forward, Tansiongco says, “I will continue to work with people who help uplift the literacy of the society through the work I do in advancing library technology and providing libraries in remote areas [with] information and resources.”