Minalabac, Camarines Sur — Wiki Club Minalabac proudly joined Freedom to Read 2026: One World, Many Languages, a global reading campaign led by Pratham Books’ StoryWeaver platform to celebrate the joy of reading in mother tongue languages.
The campaign, which coincides with the celebration of International Mother Language Day and the 10th anniversary of StoryWeaver, highlights the importance of linguistic diversity and access to inclusive reading materials for children around the world.
In Minalabac, the initiative was spearheaded by Alliance for Open Education Collaboration Inc. co-founder MaryGrace Valencia, school head of San Jose Elementary School Annex, Minalabac 1 District, Division of Camarines Sur. She led an engaging reading session with young learners this month, emphasizing the value of reading in one’s first language as a foundation for literacy, identity, and cultural pride.
Supporting the activity were dedicated educators from Antipolo Elementary School, Minalabac 2 District: Kindergarten teacher Maryjean Sibulo and elementary teachers Mayden Jaravata, Mary Ann Delos Santos, Irvin Sto. Tomas, and Nora Rejalde. They read aloud Bikol translations of children’s books developed during the inaugural Hablon-Usipon Children’s Book Translation Workshop held in June 2025 in Naga City.
Wiki Club Minalabac is a professional club of educators and individuals supporting the promotion of open educational resources in the academe and beyond.
The teacher-Wikimedians also participated in the Bikol WikiConference 2023: Wikipedia and Education Collaboration, and in the WikiCommons PH Conference 2023: Preserving Our Heritage: Safeguarding Digital Assets Through Wikimedia.
The translated books reflect contextualized stories, making reading more meaningful and relatable for young Bikolano learners. The workshop that produced these materials was made possible through a collaboration between the PhilWiki Community, PB Writers Inc., and the San Miguel Bay Writers Workshop.
Through this partnership, the PhilWiki Community continues its commitment to enriching communities through literature, translation, and open knowledge initiatives. By promoting culturally relevant and accessible reading materials, the group supports inclusive education and empowers children to learn and thrive in their mother tongue.
As part of a global movement championing multilingual literacy, Wiki Club Minalabac’s participation in Freedom to Read 2026 underscores the power of collaboration in building a world where every child can experience the joy of reading in their own language, the Central Bikol language.
Spreading the Spirit of Free Knowledge 