Some Filipino readers say e-books are enough, but public libraries remain scarce

The National Library of the Philippines lists only 1,753 public libraries far below the 43,911 envisioned under the law.

Public libraries in the Philippines have once again become the subject of online debate after some Threads users argued that physical libraries are no longer necessary because of e-books and digital resources.

A user who favors digital platforms argued that in a third-world country like the Philippines, public libraries are “often inaccessible, underfunded, outdated, or don’t even exist.”

“Not everyone has the same opportunities or access. Touch some grass,” the user said.

Others pushed back, noting that while online options are available, they fail to consider Filipinos who have limited internet access or cannot afford digital alternatives.

“People need libraries because people read and need actual spaces to read,” one user said, adding that libraries are also safe spaces for kids who live in troubled households.

“Libraries are where people learn that reading is not a daunting hobby. [They] are run by actual librarians and are so much more than just a physical space holding books,” the user also said.

The discussion reflects a long-standing gap in public access.

Republic Act No. 7743, or the Establishment of Public Libraries and Reading Centers Act, requires the establishment of at least one library in every congressional district, municipality, and city, as well as at least one reading center in every barangay.

Based on those targets, there must be a total of 43,911 public libraries and reading centers nationwide. But the National Library of the Philippines’ 2025 annual report lists only 1,753 affiliated public libraries in the country—roughly 4% of the number envisioned under the law.

The gap is further highlighted across the regions. The Cordillera Administrative Region, which has a population of 1.8 million, only has 10 affiliated public libraries across Abra, Kalinga, Ifugao, and Mountain Province.

Zamboanga del Sur, meanwhile, has only 11 libraries available for at least one million residents.

The debate may not be about whether public libraries are outdated. Rather, it is about whether Filipinos have ever had meaningful access to one in the first place.

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