The Philippine Consulate General’s close collaborative efforts with members of the Filipino-American community in New York have resulted in the success of one of its major projects, "Read Philippines," which is now being set up in four pilot libraries of New York, namely, Elmhurst Public Library in Queens (New York), Five-Corners Library in Jersey City (New Jersey), University of Connecticut Library in Storrs (Connecticut), and Passaic High School Library in Passaic, (New Jersey).

"READ Philippines" is designed to provide young Filipino-Americans access to information about the Philippines by conducting a book drive for a special collection to be donated to area libraries. It aims to develop in the Filipino-Americans and the community at-large a greater interest and awareness of the Philippines; its values, history and culture.

The positive media coverage from local newspapers of "Read Philippines" has drawn interest among Filipino-Americans. Hence, the Consulate embarked on a more aggressive information campaign about the project and invited the Filipinos to replicate "Read Philippines" by adopting public and school libraries in their respective communities.

Outside the pilot libraries, the PHILCOM Center-Jersey City was the first to establish a "Read Philippines" corner in its premises in March 2003. Soon to follow were the opening of a "Read Philippines" reading area at the Philippine Pastoral Center in Manhattan and adoption of one of the local libraries in Patterson, New Jersey by its Filipino-American community.

The newly formed group, otherwise known as CORE (Collaborative Opportunities Raising Empowerment), is now working to establish "Read Philippines" corners in three public libraries located in Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx before the year ends. END.