ZAMBOANGA CITY (PNA) – The Philippine Marines with support from a California-based non-profit organization known as the “Books for the Barrios,” turned over some 2,989 books to two schools in the island province of Basilan.

The recipient-schools are the Parang Basak Central Elementary School, and Badja Elementary School in the town of Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.

The books were turned over in a ceremony held recently which was arranged by the Marine Battalion Landing Team-9 (MBLT-9) headed by Lt. Col. Benjamin Espinosa and District Schools Supervisor Naser Pasad.

Espinosa said the donation of the books was realized through the coordinated effort of Brig. Gen. Eugenio Clemen, chief of the 1st Marine Brigade, and “Books for the Barrios” president and executive director Nancy Stowe Hamington.

Arcie Taberoa and Hansira Harad, school principals of Parang Basak Central Elementary School and Badja Elementary School, respectively, said the books were of great help to their pupils from Grades 1 to 6 as they would have more reference materials to upgrade their quality of education.

They have expressed their heartfelt thanks and gratitude to Hamington and Clemen for choosing their schools as beneficiaries of the program.

“Books for the Barrios” is a non-profit organization based in Concord, California, that distributes books to children in impoverished areas.