Summary
On April 10, 2026, the ECAIR team presented and validated a refined five-step prioritization methodology for the 2027 Library Hub cycle with the Bureau of Learning Resources (BLR). The session builds on Project SIBOL, the policy research that helped shape DepEd's PHP 1-billion 2026 Library Hub allocation. What began as a one-time allocation win is now becoming a repeatable, evidence-based standard for directing library resources to the schools that need them most.
From a One-Time Win to a Repeatable Standard
SIBOL uses data science to answer a question every budget cycle raises: where will an investment do the most good. In the previous cycle, BLR adopted the priority list ECAIR developed, and that analysis helped guide the PHP 1-billion 2026 Library Hub allocation. This quarter, ECAIR carried that credibility forward, working with BLR to turn a single successful allocation into a durable method the Department can reuse.
A Five-Step Methodology, Validated with BLR
At the April 10 validation meeting, ECAIR presented a proposed five-step methodology for the 2027 prioritization cycle. A series of alignment meetings with BLR tested the emerging prioritization criteria against both policy objectives and on-the-ground feasibility, confirming that the framework stays responsive to planning needs while remaining practical to implement. The collaboration ensures the model reflects how the Department actually plans and delivers, not just how the data looks in the abstract.
The team also prepared SIBOL's data pipeline and geospatial modeling framework to accommodate the 2027 direction, which will support the strengthening and construction of Library Hubs for Key Stages 3 and 4, extending the program's reach to older learners.
What Comes Next
ECAIR is consolidating the work into a policy note, and will continue refining the model with BLR through the 2027 planning cycle. The aim is straightforward: give DepEd a research-grounded, repeatable basis for deciding where each new library investment goes.
The ECAIR Team
The SIBOL work is led by ECAIR's policy research team, including Angel Derrickvhel Tan, Sebastian Felipe Bundoc, and Danielle Carreon, in close coordination with the Bureau of Learning Resources.