The Philippine Book Festival is coming back strong this coming  Mar. 13 to 16. But before it opens its doors to avid readers, writers, and publishers nationwide, the National Book Development Board (NBDB) is calling for exhibitors. Applications will close on Jan. 15 at 12 p.m., and eligible exhibitors will be announced on Jan. 20. The venue has yet to be announced.

The first day of the festival will not include any major programs and is open only to international buyers, as well as the Department of Education (DepEd), who will evaluate local titles to be made available in public school libraries and library hubs as part of the Supplementary Learning Resources Program. Subsequent days will be open to the public, and there will be programs and activities for the festival-goers.

A recap of PBF 2024

Last year, the Philippine Book Festival was held from Apr. 25 to 28 at the World Trade Center. It aimed to promote the advocacy of cultivating Filipino reading culture and revitalizing the book industry in the Philippines. 

Notable figures were also present at the festival, including Ricky Lee, a National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts; Sen. Loren Legarda, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Culture and the Art (NCCA)’s Committee on Culture and the Arts; and Ambeth Ocampo, famed historian and author.

Across its four-day run, the PBF was packed with book signings, workshops, food booths, and a multitude of book offerings—ranging from komiks to textbooks.

Notably, the event is distinctly the “first and only all-Filipino book festival” in the country, pushing to share local literature on a wider platform. 

For more updates, you can follow the PBF and the NBDB’s Facebook pages.