The Basilio B. Garrote Memorial Library was founded by my Mother, Loreta Garrote Trinidad, in 2007. It's in the town of Cortez, on the island province of Bohol, in the South East Asian country of the Philippines. This is my Mom's way of giving back to her family and her hometown.



It's the sort of thing that I wish that all Filipino Americans who proclaim "Pinoy Pride" would put their energy or money in, rather than: just getting a tattoo in ancient Tagalog, fixing up their Hondas, writing cliche spoken word pieces about being filipino, joining a filipino gang, chisme, being in a beauty pageant, or producing a bad PCN. (Pilipino Cultural Night-- usually its a sort of play produced by the Filipino Club at a college or University which incorporates traditional Filipino dance, hip hop dance-- for some reason, and someone singing. It's the sort of thing that that you go to because a family member is in it.)

Basilio B. Garrote, the man that the library commemorates, was my grandfather who was a councilman in Cortez. He passed away when my mother was very young. I've obviously never met him, although I hear that my older brother resembles him in mannerisms and body type. My brother also carried this tradition in local politics and community service by starting the East Hollywood Neighborhood Council.

Although third world countries need food, health care, money, etc., there are several charitable organizations that help in these fields. We tend to forget that these things will continue to stay as charities, as handouts, and not as self sufficiency until these societies are properly educated. Individuals' imaginations need to be tickled and the laughter that comes from such tickling can end up to be solutions to everyday problems. And the more little problems are solved, the easier bigger problems are taken care of.

I've donated several old art books and comic books to inspire any young komikeros (filipino comic artist) and to help exercise their imaginations. (Y'know, if Star Trek has inspired scientists to create cloaking technology, what do you think a few good books will do to kids whose families can't afford decent shoes?) I've also heard that the library has gotten some illiterate adults motivated to learn how to read.

I wish there was a website for the library, but I'm just a slightly competent web designer and even if I was a fully capable web designer, my mother asking me to do a website (or almost anything computer/art related) for her is as much of a bother when she used to ask me to take out the garbage, wash the dishes or water the lawn.

I don't think my mom is asking for any monetary donations right now. But I don't think she'll deny any, since shipping books to the Philippines isn't free, the library was just expanded in May and Mom employed her cousin to run it, all this from her own pocket.

She is always going to used book sales and swap meets. She also collects old books from friends. I'm not one to simply give away my mom's e-mail on my blog, but you can reach her on her (and my dad's-- I think) youtube account, or e-mail me: elanrodgertrinidad@gmail.com if you have any good books to donate (especially if you're in Los Angeles).

Or contact us if you want to know more about my mom's library. Maybe there are people out there who want to do something similar, I'm sure my mom has some tips. Maybe there are people who ARE doing something similar and trading tips with my mom would be a good thing.

All I know is that she started a great thing and I'm very fortunate that this sort of woman raised me. I'd like to see this great thing expand, both as a bigger and better library and I'd love to see it copied, not just in the Philippines, but in places that really need it.

Labels: filipino, video