{"id":12542,"date":"2026-03-24T09:48:19","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T01:48:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skinny-green-hippopotamus.82-197-71-20.cpanel.site\/?p=12542"},"modified":"2026-03-30T10:48:35","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T02:48:35","slug":"philippine-book-festival-2026-strengthens-its-commitment-to-the-growth-of-local-publishing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/?p=12542","title":{"rendered":"PHILIPPINE BOOK FESTIVAL 2026: A Festival Dedicated to Philippine Literature"},"content":{"rendered":"

THE National Book Development Board (NBDB) 4th Philippine Book Festival (PBF) \u2014 the country\u2019s only marketplace dedicated exclusively to all-Filipino books and published works, and a shared third place for publishers, writers, illustrators, readers, educators, and industry stakeholders has recently concluded. The festival runs from March 12 to 15, 2026 <\/strong>at the Megatrade Hall in SM Megamall.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith the continued interest we saw in the last few years, we are encouraged by the growing appreciation for Filipino stories and content,\u201d <\/em>said NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade. \u201cThe strong public response affirms that there is a meaningful demand for books that reflect our own culture, languages, and lived experiences.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Building on that momentum, the NBDB sees PBF 2026 as an opportunity not only to expand visitor turnout and exhibitor participation but also to strengthen access to locally produced books and learning materials. In a milestone for the festival, Day 1 (March 12) opened to the general public, welcomed all readers alongside the Department of Education (DepEd) and its book evaluators from across the country.<\/p>\n

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Four Realms, One Rainforest<\/strong><\/p>\n

PBF 2026 reimagines its four signature realms within a rainforest-inspired setting. Aral Aklat <\/strong>highlights books as tools for learning and discovery, featuring textbooks and teaching guides. Booktopia <\/strong>invites visitors to explore the breadth of Filipino fiction and nonfiction. Kid Lit <\/strong>nurtures early readers through interactive, child-friendly experiences. Komiks<\/strong> celebrates the visual richness of Filipino comics and graphic storytelling.<\/p>\n

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Ricky Lee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This year\u2019s lineup brought together the full spectrum of Philippine literary life. National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee<\/strong>, National Artist\u00a0for Literature Virgilio Almario<\/strong>, and prominent historian Ambeth Ocamp<\/strong>o<\/strong> did the book signings alongside trade-book superstars Jonaxx <\/strong>and Ron Canimo<\/strong>, kidlit masters Eugene Evasco<\/strong> and Luis Gatmaitan,<\/strong> and komiks legends Manix Abrera<\/strong> and Pol Medina<\/strong>. GMA Network, together with PaperKat Books, also launched \u201cEncantadia Chronicles: Sang\u2019gre\u201d<\/strong> at PBF 2026.<\/p>\n

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Beyond the realms, the festival offers a range of spaces for connection: Lugar Lagdaan <\/em><\/strong>for book signings and reader-author meetups; Bahay Ilustrador<\/em><\/strong> for a look into the world of visual storytellers; Gubat ng Karunungan<\/em><\/strong> for workshops, talks, and masterclasses; the Fiesta Stage<\/em><\/strong> for major programming and performances; and Umpukan for informal community conversations.<\/p>\n

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The Author Neil Omar Gamos<\/strong> & Illustrator Clarisse Caguntas<\/strong> of “Kaya Ko Na”<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The NBDB, in cooperation with the National Library of the Philippines, also featured facsimiles of Jose Rizal\u2019s Noli Me Tangere, Doctrina Christiana, and Fr. Manuel Blanco\u2019s Flora de Filipinas\u2014rare works that anchor the festival in the Philippines\u2019 deep literary heritage.<\/p>\n

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A highlight of the four-day run is the 43rd National Book Awards (NBA), held last March 14 at the Fiesta Stage. The NBA acknowledges the works of authors, illustrators, editors, translators, and publishers whose books have helped shape the country\u2019s literary landscape.<\/p>\n

Into the Gubat ng Karunungan<\/strong><\/p>\n

This year\u2019s festival takes its theme from the richness underfoot and overhead: Gubat ng Karunungan<\/em>, or Rainforest of Knowledge. The key visual, crafted by returning artist and designer Joffrey \u201cPepot\u201d Atienza, follows two characters, Yaz and Ye-ey, as they journey through a teeming rainforest, taking in its flora, fauna, and falls.<\/p>\n

Drawing on his daily life at the foot of Mount Banahaw in Lucban, Quezon, Atienza wove recycled paper into the artwork as a deliberate gesture: the same trees that give us paper carry the stories we tell. \u201cOur stories, our books, and our karunungan all start here\u2014in the biodiversity we need to protect,\u201d<\/em> he said.<\/p>\n

A Festival Dedicated to Philippine Literature<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Philippine Book Festival is positioned not only as a literary event but also as a third place that connects key players in the publishing and education sectors,\u201d<\/em> Aquino-Tugade said. \u201cBy convening publishers, institutional buyers, educators, and readers in a single venue, the festival supports broader efforts to improve access to quality Philippine books and sustain the local publishing industry.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s make the Philippines not just a nation of readers, but a global powerhouse of authors and creators,\u201d <\/em>Aquino-Tugade concluded.<\/p>\n

—————————————————–<\/strong><\/p>\n

About the National Book Development Board<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) is the Philippines\u2019 book authority mandated to develop and strengthen the local book publishing industry. It works to expand access to quality Philippine books, promote a culture of reading, and support the growth of local publishing, while ensuring that Filipino authorship and literary production remain visible, competitive, and sustainable in both national and international contexts.<\/p>\n

Follow @nbdbphilippines (Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok) or visit books.gov.ph<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Let\u2019s make the Philippines not just a nation of readers, but a global powerhouse of authors and creators!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":12552,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,940,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12542","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-events","category-general-interest","category-latest-stories"],"pageone_source":{"pageone_source":"Post Edited PR from NBDB","author_name":"Aileen De Leon"},"_pageone_source":"Post Edited PR from NBDB","zyndk8_nxtgen_metadata":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12542","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12542"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12542\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12552"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12542"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12542"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/digitalmanila.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12542"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}