The Philippine Book Festival (PBF) is the country’s trailblazing all-Filipino book festival. Back on a four-day run from March 13 to 16, the PBF opened its doors at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall to welcome literary enthusiasts, publishers, and authors of all different ages. Headed by the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the PBF boasted numerous simultaneous panels and performances, with a newly-added space for this year.
This year’s PBF took pride in different cultures from all parts of the country, championing homegrown books closer to readers. The festival featured various exhibitors, opportunities to connect renowned authors and publishers, and simultaneous events such as seminars, screenings, a live mural painting, and even an energizing performance of a traditional percussion ensemble.
Where the Filipino takes center stage
With a colorful and spacious, Pahiyas-inspired bahay kubo as its centerpiece, the PBF mainly highlighted children’s literature, Pinoy komiks, and Filipino novels as exhibitors, neatly organized by their respective genres in different sections of the venue—Booktopia for Filipino novels, Aral Aklat for learning materials, Komiks for Pinoy komiks, Kid Lit for children’s literature, Collective Stands for standalone and independent exhibitors, and International for foreign books. Field trips from various schools were also being held, with children eagerly participating in various educational activities organized for them.
Seasoned and up-and-coming authors alike were present, holding their respective book signings and meet-and-greets with their fans and readers. People were lined up to see their favorite writers, such as National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, and komikeros like Kevin Raymundo of Tarantadong Kalbo.
Likewise, in a quaint yet vibrant corner of the venue was the Mindanao State University-Meranaw Cultural Heritage Center. Author of Pananadem (Proverbs and Idioms of the Meranaw Ancestors), Sofaila L. Panggaga, LPT, PhD, was happy to share their advocacy on preserving the pre-colonial literature of the Maranao people. Accompanied by fellow authors, she flipped through pages of books on their language, poems, essays, historical records, and even an ancient governance code. This being their first time at a book festival, she expressed the importance of conserving and continuing their time-honored traditions.
Reaching out to the youth through reading
Government agencies were present at the festival, most notably the Department of Education (DepEd), whose personnel was also seen evaluating books to be made available in learning hubs and public school libraries as part of their Supplementary Learning Resources Program.
In an interview with The Benildean, John Mark Cabotaje, Technical Assistant of the Bureau of Learning Resources, noted that the scoping of learning resources would help bring more materials to those public schools and libraries in need. “Marami silang [scopers] maiaambag para sa kanilang school libraries and library hubs,” he remarked.
According to an event overview by the NBDB, over 650 teachers facilitated the purchase of books worth Php 2.4 billion to be placed in school libraries across the nation. They also reached out to schools from elementary to high school and invited them to partake in the event. As a result, the festival was sprawling with children from various schools.
By the Filipino, for the Filipino
One of the goals of the PBF is to bridge the gap between Filipino authors, publishers, and readers. Patricia Marquez from the local bookstore Everything’s Fine PH commented that the festival makes local books more accessible to the public. “It’s an all-in-one place—it helps so much with getting to know different authors, especially local ones,” she told The Benildean.
Andra, a college student from National University (NU) MOA, expressed the same enthusiasm for being a part of the local literary scene. As a former Vice President of the Love for Reading Club, Andra emphasized how important it is to attend events such as the PBF to be more immersed in Filipino literature and also get the chance to meet and connect with book lovers alike.
Yearly, the PBF comes back with a myriad of book signings, releases, panels, and performances. With free entrance, the festival continues its advocacy of encouraging the love for literature among Filipinos of any and every background. It is the right place for anyone who seeks to meet their favorite authors or find their next page-turner.
Missed this year’s festival? Fear not! You can already start preparing for next year’s run by staying posted on the NBDB’s social media pages for updates!
