Aklatan sa Kostal

20/05/2026

We are deeply grateful to be part of ‘Siridit na Kuti-kuti’, an initiative organized by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) of Camarines Norte. Launched on 1 May 2026 at the Provincial Playground, this community-based learning space was created to nurture arts, creativity, and a love for reading through a cozy nook where children can explore and enjoy books.

We feel truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to collaborate with Jill Celeste of Celeste Artisanal and Ma Ria as well as the entire PSWDO team. It has been inspiring to meet people who share the same passion and enthusiasm for reaching more children through meaningful learning experiences.

We look forward to working closely together as we continue dreaming big, spreading the joy of reading and creating more learning spaces for even more students in the future.

And to those who donated reading materials for kids under our ‘Turning Pages, Saving Childhoods’ book donation drive, thank you so much po! Dios mabalos po sa indo gabos! 🙏😊📚

CTTO 📷: PSWDO Team

17/05/2026

We were proud and excited to have successfully launched the “Grow Green, Kabataan” Contest last 15 May 2026, an initiative that encourages the youth to grow vegetables in their own backyards. 🌱🍆🥒🥬🌶️🌿🍅

The program aims to showcase the skills, creativity, and passion of young individuals for sustainable food production while promoting food security and environmental stewardship in our community. The competition welcomed young people at the Aklatan sa Kostal who loved planting, growing, and nurturing their own vegetable gardens. Through this initiative, we hope to inspire more youth to embrace gardening and develop a deeper appreciation for agriculture and the environment.

This event would not have been possible without the support of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) of Camarines Norte! We extend our heartfelt gratitude to OPAG for providing the seeds and conducting an informative talk on basic vegetable planting for our participants. Your support and guidance greatly contributed to the success of this initiative. Special thanks as well to Ma’am Brenda Relano Meneses and the entire team for your time, effort, and dedication in making this meaningful activity possible. Your commitment to promoting sustainable gardening and empowering the youth is truly appreciated. 🌿

We would also like to extend our gratitude to the Sangguniang Kabataan leaders in the coastal area of Mercedes for collaborating with us and supporting this meaningful initiative. Special thanks to Heart Dela Cruz of Brgy. Hinipaan and Daniel Nael of Brgy. Masalongsalong for your cooperation, dedication, and commitment to empowering the youth and promoting sustainable gardening in our communities. Your support truly helped make this activity a success.

We look forward to continuing and expanding this initiative in the future, reaching more mothers and families in the community as we work together toward a greener and more sustainable tomorrow. 💚

15/05/2026

Getting ready for today’s Green Grow Kabataan at the Aklatan sa Kostal! 🥒🌿🥬👨‍🌾❤️

12/05/2026

🌿🌱 Three days to go before the launch of “Grow Green, Kabataan,” a vegetable gardening contest organized by the Aklatan sa Kostal (ASK) in collaboration with the Sangguniang Kabataan, with support from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist. Register now for a chance to win cash prizes for the best and most well‑maintained gardens! Seedlings and seeds will be distributed to participants on 15 May, 10:00a.m., to help jump‑start their own vegetable gardens! The first 100 registered participants will also receive a FREE USB as part of ASK CONNECT: Bridging the Digital Divide initiative. Tara, magtanim at magpalago! Let your garden do the talking and start growing your winning entry today! 🌱💚

09/05/2026

Join the Aklatan sa Kostal’s “Grow Green, Kabataan” contest and get a free USB! Cash prizes will also be given to best vegetable gardens in Barangays Matoogtoog, Hinipaan, Masalongsalong, and Pambuhan! See you on 15 May, 10am, for the distribution of vegetable seeds and seedlings. 😊🥬🍆🌶️👨‍🌾🥒

07/05/2026

🌱🌿 Calling all youth gardeners in Barangays Matoogtoog, Hinipaan, Masalongsalong, and Pambuhan! Join “Grow Green, Kabataan,” a vegetable gardening contest organized by Aklatan sa Kostal (ASK) in collaboration with the Sangguniang Kabataan and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPAG) of Camarines Norte. Showcase your skills, creativity, and passion for sustainable food production while promoting food security and environmental stewardship in our community. The competition is open to young individuals who love planting, growing, and nurturing their own vegetable gardens. OPAG has provided seeds, which will be distributed to all participants on 15 May, 10:00 a.m. First 100 participants who register will receive a free USB as part of ASK CONNECT: Bridging the Digital Divide initiative, and will also get the chance to win cash prizes for the best and most well‑maintained gardens. Tara, magtanim at magpalago! Let your garden do the talking and start growing your winning entry today. 🌿🌱

02/05/2026

We are very happy to be a part of this initiative! Looking forward to continuously working with you Celeste Artisanal and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office - Camarines Norte! 🙏❤️

🤩ᴛʜᴇ ᴘꜱᴡᴅᴏ ᴡᴀʀᴍʟʏ ɪɴᴠɪᴛᴇꜱ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴇʟᴇʙʀᴀᴛᴇ ꜱɪʀɪᴅɪᴛ ɴᴀ ᴋᴜᴛÎ-ᴋᴜᴛÎ ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ ᴀʀᴛꜱ ꜰᴇꜱᴛ 2026!🤩
For the month of May, various traditional art forms to inspire children aged 4 to 10 years old will be taught, with their guardians, to return to traditional media. This motion intends to reinforce quality time and fulfillment by going offline and being present in the moment, for a few hours. The participants will be eased into the slow process of self-expression through sketching, coloring, origami, crochet, and other crafts near the playground.
On weekdays:
• Sketching and Coloring will be from Mondays to Wednesdays at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
• Chalk art will be on Thursdays at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
• Origami will be every Friday also at 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
The final dates for the weekend activity, polymer clay art, are yet to be announced.
✅You can pre-register your children by messaging the PSWDO official page or through this Google Forms link: https://forms.gle/mMGDCqtQ9BZdpWxL7
✅The events will follow a one (1) child per parent policy for safety purposes. Each event will be held for by batch, within 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM.
Your presence and interest is highly anticipated. We hope to see you there! 🥳🥰🎨

⚠️🚨Note: To attend more than one (1) activity on a different date, kindly register again through directly messaging the FB page or submitting another accomplished Google Form.🚨⚠️

23/04/2026

‘Turning Pages, Saving Childhoods’ is an initiative that aims to collect children’s books for the establishment of a book nook intended for children below ten years old under an ongoing child protection program.

The project is a collaborative effort between Aklatan sa Kostal (ASK), Jill Celeste’s Celeste Artisanal, and the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO) of the Province of Camarines Norte. Launched in line with the upcoming Labor Day celebration, this project seeks to promote early literacy and provide a safe, nurturing learning space for children, while contributing to broader efforts to prevent the continuous incidence of child labor.

Requested books are children’s storybooks that are in good condition. These do not have to be new, as long as they are well-kept. Should you wish to donate, kindly drop off the books at the PSWDO, Provincial Capitol Complex, Daet, Camarines Norte. 🙏❤️

31/03/2026

Much gratitude to the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office for this incredible recognition, honoring the pillar of the Aklatan sa Kostal, Julieta Panol Arquiza, as one of the Outstanding Women of Camarines Norte 2026.

This is truly a humbling moment. It represents not just an individual achievement, but the shared effort, passion, and dedication of everyone who believes in the power of community, learning, and service. And to all the other remarkable women awardees, congraulations!

Thank you so much and may we continue to uplift and inspire others. To God be the glory! 🙏

19/03/2026

To one of the founders and the principal driving force behind the Aklatan sa Kostal, Julieta Panol Arquiza, we celebrate you with immense pride. Congratulations! You truly deserve this! To God be all the glory! 👏❤️🙏

✨ 𝘼 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚. 𝘼 𝙇𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙘𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜. ✨

We proudly honor 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐉𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐄𝐓𝐀 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐋 𝐀𝐑𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐙𝐀 of Mercedes, Camarines Norte—an inspiring educator, humanitarian, and one of the 2026 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞.

As the founding leader and driving force behind Aklatan sa Kostal (ASK), she has transformed access to education in the coastal communities of Mercedes—bringing hope and opportunity to countless children and families, especially among the poorest of the poor.

An Industrial Engineer by profession, Miss Arquiza chose a path of selfless service, dedicating her time, resources, and expertise without expecting compensation. She has worn many hats—mentor, organizer, teacher, and leader—guiding young learners, managing the community library, and building partnerships that sustain impactful programs.

Now at 76, her passion remains unwavering. Through ASK, which has earned national recognition for its commitment to promoting literacy and education, she continues to uplift lives and empower communities—proving that meaningful change can begin with a single act of generosity and grow into a movement that transforms generations.

𝙈𝙞𝙨𝙨 𝘼𝙧𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙯𝙖’𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙪𝙡 𝙩𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙘𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙚 𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙨 𝙬𝙚 𝙪𝙥𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙩. 💜

Congratulations, Miss Arquiza! Your legacy continues to inspire a culture of learning, compassion, and hope.