The Philippine Book Festival (PBF), themed “Gubat ng Karunungan,” is indeed a lush forest teeming with life, love, and literature in every corner of Megatrade Hall at SM Megamall, freely welcoming everyone from curious bystanders to the most famed artists and writers from March 12 to 15.
The first day saw a surge of excited celebrants filling the halls and booths of the festival. Within the first hour, there was already a rush of people circulating the Gubat Stage. They roamed from the Kid Lit booths, the Collective Stand, Komiks, Booktopia, Aral Aklat, and International, to the Fiesta Stage—but there was inarguably one main event that goers awaited: the official launch of legendary rapper Gloc-9’s seven-part poetry chapbook, “Makata Sa Pinas.”
Kicking off with a signing at the booth of Everything’s Fine, Gloc-9 or Aristotle Pollisco was met with ecstatic fans and peers for a short talk alongside writer and founder of Everything’s FiIne, Katrina Stuart Santiago—ending with an exhilarating performance of iconic songs such as “Upuan” and “Sirena.”.
More local exhibitors
Among the buzz of curious students, friends shaking hands, customers moving across each carefully curated booth, the Cordillera Studies Center (CSC) wants nothing more than to simply share their books on the wonders and stories of the Cordilleras to the goers of PBF. For Grace Santos, Information Officer of CSC, the effort itself is the goal, sharing how they simply want to be present, even if it means carrying heavy loads of books themselves from one place to another to cut back on gas use amidst the massive price hike.
Nestled amid the jungle of colorfully illustrated stories was Looking for Juan, a publishing initiative under the nonprofit organization CANVAS (Center for Art, New Ventures, and Sustainable Development). According to the organization's advocacy associate, Aya, the group joined this year’s festival with a clear goal: to expand the reach of their advocacy using art and literature to inspire a new generation of young readers. This mission is in action through their One Million Books for One Million Filipino Children Campaign, where every book purchased is matched with a donation. By participating in PBF, they hope to connect with potential partner teachers, institutions, and sponsors who can help them continue producing more titles and distributing books to communities that need them.
Navigating further into the festival's forest of booths sits Joan D. Saga-oc, a 2025 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards winner and a resident of Kalinga. Saga-oc writes tales shaped by the folklore and traditions she grew up hearing from her community. At this year’s festival—a particularly meaningful moment for her work—she also launched a new initiative called the “Tiny Library” in Magmag-an, Kalinga, a project aimed at creating a space for young minds to read, write, and engage with books. She shared that many of the elders in her village who once shared their oral traditions have recently passed away.
So, through Saga-oc, writing has become a kind of remembrance—a conduit through which stories are handed down from past generations to those yet to come.
Quiet stories in loud halls
Shanne, a newly appointed librarian from Don Bosco Technical College (DBTC), was one of the many occupying the free Zine Making station at the booth of Everything’s Fine. He personalized a bookmark and a zine as a quiet gift for someone. Shanne shared that he enjoyed the experience of crafting as an introvert who prefers activities without much talking. His first time at PBF consisted of him going around different stalls and taking note of books and genres that he can recommend to fellow librarians.
Beyond these booths lay countless other great reads, each one a vibrant ecosystem of imagination, culture, and connection that brought literature to life. As the sun sets on this year’s Philippine Book Festival, it is prepared to welcome visitors again for the remaining days of the festival.
Here, where stories are shared and memories are preserved, a forest of Filipino creativity unfolds, humming with life and reaching out to young learners.
