Cebu City Public Library: The 24/7 Legacy Reopens

Just when Cebuanos thought it was just another Tuesday morning on June 17, 2025, newly elected Mayor Nestor Archival stated on Facebook that he is pleased to announce that the Cebu City Public Library will soon be available to the public 24/7. 

The eagerly awaited reinstatement of the Cebu City Public Library’s 24/7 services signals a fresh era for knowledge enthusiasts and night dwellers in the Queen City of the South. 

Following a phase of limited hours, this cherished public library is ready to restore its identity as a continuous center for learning, research, and community involvement, providing a free and accessible resource for students and the wider public.

Cebu Daily News reported that Archival stated in an interview that the program is a component of his larger objective to guarantee “uninterrupted access to educational resources,” particularly for students and anyone who requires longer study or research hours. (2025)

“We are now coordinating with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) on how fast they can put the system in. If there is none, that’s one thing that we will have to do,” Archival said.

THE PHILIPPINES’ FIRST 24/7 PUBLIC LIBRARY

The Cebu City Public Library made headlines on March 9, 2018 for becoming the first public library in the Philippines to operate 24/7. 

This was a significant and pioneering move for public libraries in the Philippines, initiated by a request from a 4th-year engineering student to the then-Mayor Tomas Osmeña on his Facebook Page. 

Mitch Roldan, a student at Cebu Institute of Technology-University studying Electrical Engineering, stated, “Mayor, I’m also hoping and praying that you will consider having the public library be open 24/7 for us students who really need to study in a library setting.” 

Roldan’s request gained momentum because it likely reflected the opinions of many students in the city.

“Okay, give me a week,” Osmeña responded.

A report by SunStar states that the effect was felt immediately, as Cebu City Librarian Rosario Chua noted that the CCPL saw over 103,000 visitors in 2018, compared to just 26,000 in 2017. (2024)

MANPOWER LIMITATIONS & COVID-19 PANDEMIC IMPACTED ITS OPERATIONS

Due to staffing shortages, CCPL shortened its operational hours in June 2019. Edgardo Labella, the former mayor, later promised to reinstate the round-the-clock schedule.

In March 2020, CCPL halted all activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

When quarantine restrictions in Cebu City were loosened on September 8, 2020, it reopened after being temporarily closed on May 9, 2020.

The Cebu Public Library has since kept its restricted hours, allowing visitors only from 8:00 AM to 12:00 NN and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM on Mondays to Fridays, and closing on Saturdays and Sundays. 

REDEFINING LEARNING: THE CCPL EXPERIENCE

Since then, the library’s free services have been acknowledged as “equalizers,” providing equal access to educational materials for people of all income levels and ranking among the best places to study outside of coffee shops and fast food restaurants. 

In 2020, the CCPL began renovating its Braille Room, installed eight air conditioners, and invested a substantial P3.5 million in eight new computers and software. 

In anticipation of the removal of health and mobility constraints from the pandemic, the library purchased an interactive bulletin board and P1 million worth of e-books. 

In addition to introducing a digital Braille component for the visually impaired, the CCPL is a pioneer in diversity.

The CCPL currently has a minimum of 25,000 books. With free resources including periodicals and Wi-Fi, as well as computers for research support, the facility fosters an inclusive learning atmosphere that is open to individuals from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds.

EXACT LOCATION:

G/F, Rizal Memorial Library and Museum Bldg., Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City