Philippine Book Festival 2024 at World Trade Center Manila | April 25-28, 2024

For the second year running, the National Book Development Board Philippines (NBDB) is bringing together publishers, authors, artists, educators, and readers at the country’s biggest traveling book festival.  

Taking place at the World Trade Center in Pasay from April 25 to 28, 2024, the PBF is a four-day celebration showcasing the richness of Philippine literature, culture, and arts. This unique book fair integrates education, entertainment, tourism, and shopping into a single family-friendly event.

NBDB urges focus on readership and literacy initiatives

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) urges policymakers, educators, community leaders, and stakeholders to prioritize readership and literacy initiatives, while also involving parents in efforts to make reading more accessible to all segments of the population.

This call follows the release of the 2023 National Readership Survey (NRS) results, showing a notable decline in non-school book readership among Filipino adults and children. The survey revealed adult readership at 42% and children at 47% in 2023. Access to books emerged as the primary reason for the decline, with limited awareness of public libraries and constraints like time and distance cited as barriers to visits.

Cheap forms of entertainment at home

Technology has given as a lot of choices on how we can turn dull, boring moments at home into something fun and exciting yet worthwhile. Nowadays, there are a lot of apps and subscriptions that can be used for entertainment or to just kill our time. Streaming apps for movies and series, apps for listening unlimited music genres are just a tap away from our smartphones.

Fantastic hauls at Big Bad Wolf Bookfair 2018 in Manila

These are some of my book choices hauled at the Big Bad Wolf (BBW) Bookfair held at the World Trade Center Manila and I was able to catch it on the last day, February 25. 

After attending our SPAS High School Alumni Homecoming last February 24 at our alma mater in Paco, Manila, my friend Charles volunteered to bring me to a spot where I can take a ride home safely. Then without thinking twice, I told him that I planned not going home yet and asked him to bring me to the World Trade Center instead. He agreed. 

Charles is a certified bookworm himself but couldn’t join me. So I went straight to the bookfair at 2:00am and couldn’t believe my eyes — they are open 24 hours for 10 straight days for real —- which makes this bookfair so unique!

Some of these books I bought and some I plan to have in the future. Many of their books are hardbound. For about every 2 hours, staff would replenish the stacks of books. I was tired, sleepy & hungry - but for the love of books, I could sacrifice anything.

Since the prices of hardbound books of Booksale Bookstore went up so high now, this is what I found & discovered — the hardbound books at BBW priced at PhP450-950, I was shocked to find some of them at Booksale priced at PhP2,500-3,500! No kidding!

Since BBW Bookfair will already be an annual event in Manila, I look forward to their 2nd year in 2019. If only I had rest & sleep that time, I could’ve stayed longer. Nine (9) hours of checking the stacks of books was I think enough. 

I left the place before 12nn carrying 3 very heavy plastic bags of books. If only I had more budget and a car to bring me home, I could’ve rummaged for more. 

My small growing muscles were put to a gruelling test that day as I had to commute with my backpack & a bag of extra clothes & shoes. Book hunting at BBW was a great experience!

Be inspired by reading My Pope Philippines magazine

My Pope Philippines is a monthly inspirational-lifestyle magazine giving doses of inspiration in print and online. Currently it has a mini-site, but stay tuned because they are launching a website in April this year! They will be sharing exclusive news and photos of Pope Francis, articles on how to live your life to the fullest, and more content that’s sure to bring out the good vibes on www.mypope.com.ph (under contruction). 

Tanghalang Pilipino's ANG PAG-UUSIG (The Crucible by Arthur Miller) at CCP | Sept 29-Oct 22, 2017

Ang Pag-uusig, a Filipino translation of the Tony Award-winning play “The Crucible” by world renowned playwright Arthur Miller is the second production of TP’s 31st season which will open on September 29, 2017. Playing for four weekends (every Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays), this classic American drama will close on October 22, 2017. This will be shown at Tanghalang Huseng Batute (Studio Theater) at Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

Call for Entries: TALES of HUGOT audiobook anthology | extended till August 30, 2016

Calling all WattPad and romance authors! Have you ever dreamed of seeing your characters come to life in the form of an audiobook? Well, here's your chance!

An audiobook anthology calls for submission dubbed as Tales of Hugot. The 12 best submitted works (short fiction or creative non-fiction) will be selected for inclusion. Theme should revolve around "Hugot" (literally means "to pull out" or "to draw"). But this "hugot" can mean something else.

According to TagalogLang.com:

Hugot as a slang word refers to drawing emotions from somewhere deep within you… sort of like being emo. So-called “hugot quotes” (#whogoat) are very popular.

Deadline of submission of entries has been extended until August 30, 2016 at 11:59 PM.

Pinoy Bookstore Tour | April 8-10, 2016

In celebration of Buwan ng Panitikan, writers, readers, students, and book lovers are invited to a bookstore tour that will highlight Filipino-owned bookstores within and north of Metro Manila on April 8-10, 2016. 

Readings, book talks, poetry performances, and book signings are some of the activities included in the Pinoy Bookstore Tour. Plus, participants will get to meet and greet their favorite Filipino authors in each of the bookstore stops.