Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) marked a significant milestone today, January 28, 2026, with the Inauguration and Blessing of the Candau-ay Reading Center, officially opening a new hub for learning and literacy in the community.

Led by Dr. Jolo Van Clyde S. Abatayo, the project is supported by the Main Campus Library Team, spearheaded by University Librarian Dr. Colette O. Abequibel. It is further supported by external partners, including the Negros Oriental Librarians Association (NORLA), Silliman University, and the Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor.

This initiative is the fruition of an advocacy to empower lifelong learners and strengthen communities, with a long-term vision of establishing a reading center in every community within Dumaguete City.

The center will offer a series of literacy trainings, reading sessions, storytelling activities, and other programs designed to cultivate a culture of reading and continuous learning across all age groups.

In attendance at the ceremony were Hon. Teodulo N. Salvoro Jr., Barangay Captain; representatives from the City Administrator's Office led by Froilan Lazaro; barangay officials of Candau-ay; the Scandinavian Village officers; and Dr. Guillbert Nicanor Atillo, Director of the University Extension and Community Services of NORSU.