MANILA – The Philippine Book Festival is back and is bringing together publishers, authors, artists, educators and readers at the country’s biggest travelling book festival.
Spearheaded by the National Development Board of the Philippines (NBDB), the book fair will run from April 25 to 28, 2024 at the World Trade Center in Pasay City, and will feature Philippine literature, culture and arts, while integrating education, entertainment, tourism and shopping into a single family-friendly event, a statement said.
In an exclusive interview on program KKK on DZRH, DBDB Director Anthony Balisi said that as an attached agency of the Department of Education (DEPED), it is their mandate to help the publishing sector in the country, including book sellers, bookstores and most important the general reading public.
Balisi also mentioned that efforts of NBDB has given Filipino authors more exposure compared to a decade ago when the publishing industry was dominated by books written by American authors or published in the U.S.
“Napakarami ng naiambag ng NBDB simula ng naitatag ito noong 1995. Pangunahin dito ay ang pagpapalaganap ng Filipino Authorship. Ssa mga tagapakinig na hindi pa pinapanganak noong mga 1970s, 1980s, karamihan ng mga aklat natin ay galing sa Estados Unidos. Karamihan dito, siguro 90 percent ng book market natin ay galing sa US habang 10 percent lang ang gawang Pilipino,” Balisi explains.
Simula noong na-establish ang NBDB, ang RA 8047, pangunahing tinutulak na magkaroon pa tayo ng maraming libro na akda ng Pilipino, na gawa ng Pilipino, tungkol sa Pilipino at nilimbag dito sa Pilipinas. So nagprosper ang book publishing industry sa tulong ng DBDB,” Balisi added.
In addition to the extensive collection of published works and titles from the Philippines, this year’s festival offers a diverse range of talks and workshops.
According to the organizers, highlights include "A Day with Gwy Saludes," featuring an exclusive book signing and meet-and-greet session with the author. Historian and bestselling author Ambeth Ocampo will lead "Ambeth Without the Overcoat," a book signing session. National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts, Ricky Lee, will present "Trip to Quiapo," while "Dahling Nick: A Tribute to National Artist Nick Joaquin" will honour the renowned writer.
Other sessions include "Aklat Para Sa Accla: New Trends in Boys Love and Girls Love," "Comics Can Change the World" with Patti Ramos, and "Zine-making 101," a workshop on crafting independently-produced "fanzines" led by Komiket's Bunny Luz.
Attendees can anticipate the comeback of the Rare Book Collection by the National Library of the Philippines, which will feature a new selection of rare manuscripts and facsimiles; the Book Bar–a library of sorts filled with award-winning books; Cosplay Filipiniana, a cosplay competition allowing fans to portray their beloved Philippine literary characters; and Guhit Pambata, an exhibit highlighting the creations of some of our best children’s book illustrators.
This year, the PBF will launch the Tabuan Food Hall, wherein guests can feast in between pages.
The festival also brings back its four popular realms: Kid Lit, a land just for children; Komiks, which puts the spotlight on Pinoy komiks; Booktopia, home to an abundance of fiction and non-fiction titles, and Aral Aklat, which is devoted to textbooks and educational materials.
Organizers also mentioned that there will be a Creators Lab, Main Stage, and Kids-at-Play that highlight exciting talks, activities, and workshops more specific to the interests of readers and fans of those genres.
Panels, puppet shows, storytelling with surprise television and movie celebrities, and live performances are also scheduled throughout the four-day festival.
The fair is open to the public from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on April 25-28, with no entrance fees. For more information on the Philippine Book Festival and to register for free, visit www.philippinebookfest.com.
