When we speak of infrastructure, what usually comes to mind are concrete structures or utilities. Although these are undeniably important, there is also a necessity for social infrastructure in our cities to address the needs of the Filipino people. A clear concern is the current character of our demographic.

There is a crisis in education as EDCOM 2 noted that around 18 million high school graduates are functionally illiterate as of 2025. This poses a serious concern for the future as a lack of comprehension will limit economic productivity, weaken civic participation and reduce social mobility.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reports basic literacy at around 94 percent, yet functional literacy drops closer to 70 percent. This means that many Filipinos can read and write but struggle to apply information in real situations. The World Bank describes this gap as “learning poverty,” where children reach age 10 without the ability to read and understand simple text.

A plausible solution is already written into law. Republic Act 7743 mandates every city and municipality to establish and maintain public libraries and barangay reading centers. However, the National Library of the Philippines counts roughly 1,500 public libraries and reading centers against more than 1,600 local government units. Some cities operate active systems while others rely on small rooms within municipal buildings. The issue is about priority as libraries compete with health, safety, and economic programs in local planning.