BACK for its second year is the Philippine Book Festival (PBF). The festival’s return will take place on April 25 to 28 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, and is set to bring together authors, artists, publishers, educators, and readers.
This time, it aims to showcase the richness of Philippine literature through 160 exhibitors, an extensive collection of books, and a diverse range of talks and workshops.
“The challenge is making people aware of what books are available. This is something we saw in our national readership survey. Although there is a concerning outcome saying that there is a dramatic drop in readership, one of the reasons people are saying that is because they lack access,” said Dante Francis M. Ang, chairman of the National Book Development Board (NBDB). These concerns led to the PBF last year.
“It was a dynamic gathering of publishing professionals, educators, families, students, and creatives. This year, fairgoers can expect much of the same exciting programming except with a much bigger scope,” Mr. Ang said at festival’s press conference on April 3 in Makati City.
The program lineup includes book signing and meet-and-greet sessions with authors like Gwy Saludes, Ambeth Ocampo, and Ricky Lee. “Dahling Nick: A Tribute to National Artist Nick Joaquin” will honor the renowned writer.
Meanwhile, a session called “Aklat Para Sa Accla: New Trends in Boys Love and Girls Love” will be dedicated to modern gay and lesbian romance fiction. Many workshops are also in store, like Patti Ramos’ zine-making workshop and Bunny Luz’s workshop on crafting independently produced “fanzines.”
Mr. Ang said that the event is meant to cover all bases: “The PBF is a program that, on the one hand, is about celebrating Philippine culture, but on the other hand, encompasses our agency’s long-term plans: improve access for every Filipino reader, democratize distribution, and enable our publishers and authors to keep producing Philippine books.”
The National Library’s Rare Book Collection will feature a new selection of rare manuscripts and facsimiles while the Book Bar will focus on award-winning books. Cosplay Filipiniana will invite fans to dress up as their beloved Philippine literary characters while Guhit Pambata will highlight the works of children’s book illustrators.
Four sections divide the festival: Kid Lit, just for children; Komiks, placing the spotlight on Pinoy komiks; Booktopia, where one can find both fiction and non-fiction titles; and Aral Aklat, devoted to textbooks and educational materials.
Panels, puppet shows, storytelling with surprise television and movie celebrities, and live performances are also scheduled throughout the four-day festival.
On bringing the PBF to other parts of the country, Mr. Ang said that last year’s Davao leg could not be replicated this time due to NBDB being “one of the smallest agencies of the government,” making resources a challenge.
LOCAL AND FOREIGN READERSHIPCharisse Aquino-Tugade, NBDB executive director, said at the press conference that the recent readership survey found that only 42% out of 2,400 Filipino adults have read a book in the last year.
A similar figure arose when 2,400 children across the country were surveyed, with only 46% saying yes.
“We also asked, ‘when was the last time you went to the library?’ and most people said they don’t even know where their local library is. Other choices to compete with are scrolling on phones, going to the mall,” she added.
Book Nook, one of NBDB’s programs, has been established in 100 sites around the Philippines, from remote villages in Ifugao all the way to Tawi-Tawi in Mindanao. There, the books vary in language depending on the region, to allow children in the various areas easy access to local literature.
This year, a Book Nook will also be launched in Daly City, San Francisco, California, which boasts the most concentrated population of Filipinos abroad.
“Our kids, besides lacking ready access to quality books, are not reading their own stories in their languages,” Ms. Aquino-Tugade said. “If we don’t provide a platform for our children to learn about themselves and the world they live in, they will grow up in environments shaped solely by other voices.”
This is also why the Department of Education is sending over 750 book evaluators and procurement officers from all over the country to the PBF, so they can scope and evaluate books to purchase for public school libraries.
“These teachers need a place to see these books because we don’t see them in stores. Many of our books are relegated to one Filipiniana section,” said Ms. Aquino-Tugade.
“We also tapped the event managers who are already doing this, which is Prime Trade, the ones behind the Manila International Book Fair. We’re not competitors. What we’re trying to do is create a robust market,” she added.
Mr. Ang also emphasized the Philippines’ upcoming endeavor as the Guest of Honor at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair, also known as “the Olympics of books.”
“It’s the largest rights-selling event in the world, but it’s also a place where publishers and other creatives get together. We’re in the midst of preparing for that. There are a lot of possible economic returns for this,” he explained.
If all goes well, the NBDB will be able to raise the flag for Philippine publishers seeking to have their books translated in other languages and distributed abroad.
In the meantime, the PBF will be gunning to improve readership locally. The fair will be free and open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on April 25 to 28. For more information on the Philippine Book Festival and to register for free, visit www.philippinebookfest.com. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
