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World’s biggest book sale goes to Davao

By Digna Banzon

November 6, 2018, 9:00 pm

DAVAO CITY -- The world's biggest book sale has come to this city with over a million books on offer with big discounts from Nov. 23 to Dec. 2 at The Tent, Azuela Cove, Lanang.

At the press briefing on Monday, Big Bad Wolf Books co-founder Jacqueline Ng said bringing the book on sale is more than just the discounts, but also seeks to encourage people to go back to reading.

Ng, who flew in from Malaysia, said the event is a partnership with Gawad Kalinga (GK), which shares the Big Bad Wolf advocacy on readership.

She said they aim to make the Philippines as one of their hubs for book processing and warehousing.

"Our talk has gone beyond the selling of books but helping members of GK communities in creating jobs through skills development on marketing and management, and perhaps bring them to other countries as staff during sale events," she said.

Ng encouraged shoppers to buy a book and give it to someone, especially those who can't afford it.

“Our calling is to help the less fortunate and our partnership with the GK is just appropriate by helping people who are less in life,” she said.

The books will have a variety of genres from fiction, novels, science fiction, business, biography, art and design, architecture by popular authors. These are offered for up to 50 to 90 percent discounts. There are also children's interest -- activity book, story books, board books, interactive books and augmented reality books.

“With over 20,000 titles, there is a book for everyone,” Ng said.

Luis Oquiñena, the executive director of Gawad Kalinga, said under the partnership with Big Bad Wolf Books, for every purchase of books the shoppers will donate a portion of proceeds to GK to fund their different programs like organizing communities, helping the farmers and other similar activities.

"This year is their first in the Philippines to be held in Manila, Cebu, and Davao and hopefully next year we will add three cities more," he said.

He said that 90 percent of the volunteers on the floor come from GK communities as part of their livelihood program.

"We are training elite groups that we will bring to other countries for the book sale event starting next year in different cities," Oquiñena said. (Digna D. Banzon/PNA)

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