A Grand Feast of Filipino Books

Although it is only three years old, the Philippine Book Festival (PBF) has emerged to be the biggest all-Filipino book fair, drawing more than 40,000 attendees in four days, according to its organizer, the National Book  Development Board (NBDB), a national government agency dedicated to book publishing.

This year, PBF was held from March 13 to 16 at the Megatrade Hall in Mandaluyong City, a smaller venue compared to last year’s World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City, but accessible to more people being inside a popular mall, SM Megamall. It was able to attract the largest crowd in a single day—17,857 people on March 15—in the fair’s short history. 

            But more importantly, PBF was able to invigorate the love for reading among Filipinos, making books and the printed word hip again, with an effort to spotlight different literary genres and printed forms, ninety-four exhibitors, more than 110 book signing sessions, and more than a hundred events, all in one venue made vibrant with eye-catching designs and a festive atmosphere.  

While last year’s festival was intent on addressing concerns about the dismal reading habits of the Filipinos, as  revealed by a survey commissioned by NBDB, this year’s mood was more celebratory, as NBDB anticipates the participation of the Philippines as Guest of Honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025, which will take place from October 15 to 19 at Messe Frankfurt in Germany.

            Also, the design theme of PBF 2025 was inspired by the modern-day, touristic festivals around the Philippines—Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City, Iloilo; Tuna Festival of General Santos City in southern Mindanao; Panagbenga: The Baguio Flower Festival in northern Luzon; and the Pahiyas Festival of Lucban, Quezon. The whole venue was decorated with colorful banderitas or buntings, evoking the traditional patronal town fiestas, fitting for a celebration of Filipino authors and Philippine-published books.

Additionally, NBDB tapped renowned children’s book illustrators Juno Abreu, Pepot Atienza, Danielle Florendo, and Paul Eric Roca to create images and designs for the four sections of PBF, which they call “realms”—Booktopia (trade books), Kid Lit (children's literature), Aral Aklat (educational books), and Komiks (comics and graphic novels).

The center of the festival was the Pakyawan Plaza, where people could meet and gather, read, and marvel at the centerpiece installation—a large hut, inspired by the traditional bahay kubo, complete with baskets of real farm produce. Constructed of bamboo and nipa fronds, the hut was embellished in the practice of pagpapahiyas during the Feast of San Isidro Labrador of Lucban, a community and church tradition that is incorporated also into the local government-organized Pahiyas Festival, featuring the kiping and Abreu’s artworks. 

            PBF 2025 also focused on education, welcoming more than 650 public school and teachers and Department of Education workers and scopers, who were given opportunities to choose books that would be used in classrooms and libraries. 

“Our third year is all about the opportunity to be more intentional with our programming by getting to the heart of the matter and asking the very basic question: What do our teachers and our students need?" said NBDB executive director Charisse Aquino-Tugade, who founded the festival in 2023.

To make the scoping process more efficient, NBDB placed several “book counselors” to provide guidance.

“With the help of NBDB’s book counselors, the scoping process of our partners from DepEd was more seamless and insightful than ever before,” explained Aquino-Tugade. “They were able to select books that will truly enrich the learning experience of students across the country.”

The festival was able to facilitate ₱3 billion worth of books procured for distribution to public schools and libraries nationwide, 

            Aside from textbook publishers, the festival was able to give space to both established and small, independent publishers. There were also dedicated booths for popular screenwriter Ricky Lee, National Artist for film and broadcast arts, and comics creator Kevin Raymundo, popularly known as Tarantadong Kalbo.

            PBF 2025 was brimming with different activities both at its main stage, in many of the booths and specialized sections including performances, live mural painting, talks and fora, workshops, book launches, etc.  

            Notable was one of the first activities in the centenary celebration of the creation of Lola Basyang, a beloved character created by writer and playwright Severino Reyes.  Lola Basyang is a grandmother who tells stories, who made her debut in Reyes’ “Ang Plautin ni Periking” in the Filipino-language magazine Liwayway in 1925. 

The activities included a panel discussion, “The Timeless Legacy of Lola Basyang,” led by children’s book author, and Lola Basyang scholar Christine Bellen-Ang, along with a descendant of Reyes, Ani R. Reyes; a poetry performance by another descendant, Leandro Reyes; and a screening of Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang, an animated film produced by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Other Filipino fictional characters came alive in the cosplay contest, Filipiniana Cosplay Fiesta, in the last day of PBF. The duo depicting the komiks superhero Darna and villain Valentina, created by Mars Ravelo, won the top prize. 

            Among the book launches, one of the largest was the Vibal Group’s, which unveiled thirteen  new titles, as well as five new imprints. 

            On the other hand, the National Library of the Philippines (NLP) mounted a pocket exhibit, showcasing its collection of rare books— facsimile copies of José Rizal’s novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, and Doctrina Christiana en lengua española y tagala (Christian Doctrine in Spanish and Tagalog Languages), considered as the first book published  in the Philippines, printed in Manila in 1593. Additionally, NLP also displayed old souvenir programs of town fiestas and a collection of photos of fiestas, in keeping with the festival theme, as well as old komiks such as Kenkoy, Darna and Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang.

            The exhibit underscored the immortal power of books in an affair that is helping bolster the future of books, bridging the past and the future and making PBF a more meaningful experience. 

Bright and colorful LED walls welcomed vistors to the wornderful world of books (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

PBF's centerpiece is a large hut embellished according to the practice of pagpapahiyas  (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

A chandelier-like decoration made with kiping (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The hut featured the work of artist Juno Abreu (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

The festive atmosphere (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

A mini exhibit by the National Library of the Philippines (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Cultural agencies such as the National Museum of the Philippines also participated (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

A dedicated booth for National Artist Ricke Lee (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Authors and illustrators of a children's book on the life of celebrated Tboli textile weaver Lang Dulay (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

Twenty-One Belles Present Pangasinan’s Pulchritude

  

The 21 Limgas na Pangasinan 2025 candidates representing different towns and cities with the three reigning queens (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

 

            The provincial government of Pangasinan formally unveiled the 21 candidates for its province-wide 2025 beauty contest, Limgas na Pangasinan (meaning “beauty of Pangasinan” in the Pangasinan language) during the Press Presentation on 16 March at the Sison Auditorium, the Capitol Complex in the capital town of Lingayen. Each candidate represents their own town or city in the province in northwestern Luzon. 

            Formerly called Limgas na Dayat, the beauty pageant is one of the highlights of the Pista'y Dayat, the local government-organized, touristic festival, inspired by and promoting the sea (dayat) and its products and held every April.  

            The Press Presentation signaled the start of this year’s tilt. Contestants sashayed and performed onstage, introduced themselves and answered questions from members of the press, who voted for the Darling of the Press and Most Photogenic awards, the winners of which will be revealed during the grand coronation night on 25 April. The contestants will also undergo a preliminary competition on 13 April.

“Each candidate has shown us that beauty is not merely skin deep. It is a reflection, and reflected in their poise, their commitment in their communities, their aspirations for a brighter future. They remind us that true beauty of Pangasinan lies within its people,” said Maan Tuazon Guico, wife of Pangasinan governor Ramon V. Guico III and the pageant’s executive chairperson. “I believe we have spoken about this several times…that the greatest assets of the Pangasinan are its people. We believe that our strength, resilience, and unwavering spirits are shown in each and every one of us. As someone who has always been passionate about empowering women, Limgas holds a special place in my heart. We have continued to provide Pangasinense women with the opportunities to empower themselves in the government units and in our province.”

            The roster of candidates include Bayambang’s Reign Joy C. Lim, who dreams to become a medical technologist and to promote reading and literary among the youth; Nursing student Kayzee Chasta P. Brillo from Umingan; Leinahtan L. Sarmiento, whose interests are making videos, photography and makeup, San Carlos City; Kyla S. De Leon, who dreams to become a flight attendant, from Basista; a student who has established her own clothing line, Xyza Nicole S. Aguilar, from Mangaldan; Louise Anne A. Vergara, a Tourism Management student from San Manuel; Cheska T. Donato, an Architecture student from Bugallon; Grace Jineah C. Lumague, who has joined Miss Universe Philippines in 2024, from Pozorrubio; Clarisse C. Borbe, a worship leader and children’s minister, Alcala; and Liannah Jermayne L. Mangosong, who is into painting and digital art, from Asingan.

            Also competing are Felicity C. Mamplata, who advocates for the environment, from Lingayen; a graphic design and marketing freelancer, Krysha R. Villanues, from Binalonan;  Marianne Jinnah F. Nandin, who describes herself as an “adrenaline junkie,” from Balungao; Chelsea Mae M. Oranza, who loves to eat and watch television, from Malasiqui; Alannis Sophia Melarne F. Hodge, whose advocacies are women empowerment and sports education, from Sual; student leader and farmers’ rights advocate Maria Julianne Vernice F. Nandin from Rosales; Venus B. Sawaysaway, a teacher from Dasol; Freda V. Rosario, a tutor and youth leader from Labrador; Angelica Joy B. Flores, a Sangguniang Kabataan kagawad from Santa Barbara; Claire Arwen V. Cacal, a Pharmacy student who advocates for health awareness from Calasiao; and Rosemarie O. Ernang, who graduated with a degree in Secondary Education magna cum laude, from Urdaneta City.

            Addressing the candidates, Tuazon Guico said, “To our lovely candidates, to our Limgas na Pangasinan 2025 candidates, you have all made us proud. To us, you are already winners, and I am sure to each and every town you represent, you are their pride and you have represented them well. Your journey does not end here. It is only the beginning, and I hope and pray that everything you learn from us, from your time with us, from the trainings to our consultations, and even to the pageant, the moral lessons that you learned, the character building, I hope that you bring it with you not only in your future endeavors in the pageant industry, but throughout your life. You are the future of Pangasinan, and we are confident that you will carry forward the legacy of our province with honor and dignity.”

“I hope that everyone in Pangasinan appreciates what we have done so far, and that we truly represent Pangasinan, its culture, its arts, and its heritage. This cause of empowering women is very close to our hearts, and we will always support initiatives that uplift and celebrate the beauty and strength of Pangasinan women,” she added.

The top three winners will represent the province in national beauty contests—Miss World Philippines, Mutya ng Pilipinas and Miss Grand Philippines.

 

The candidates in their opening number during the Press Presentation (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)

 

The three reigning queens who will pass on their crowns—Limgas na Pangasinan Grand 2024 Jenesse Viktoria P. Mejia from Malasiqui; Limgas na Pangasinan World 2024 Lyha Yzhienne Laylo from Pozorrubio; and Limgas na Pangasinan Mutya 2024 Pearline Joy Bayog from Lingayen.  (Photo by Roel Hoang Manipon)