Courtesy of NBDB
MANILA – The National Book Development Board (NBDB) will kick-off one of the country’s largest book fairs, highlighting the rich Filipino literature and culture.
The government body, tasked to develop the country's book publishing industry, will open the second Philippine Book Festival at the World Trade Center in Pasay from April 25 to 28.
The four-day event will be unique from other book fairs and will feature an extensive collection of published works and titles from Filipino authors.
The fair will bring the “Rare Book Collection” by the National Library of the Philippines, giving the public an opportunity to get a glimpse into its selection of rare manuscripts and facsimiles.
The event will also host a diverse range of talks and workshops such as "A Day with Gwy Saludes," featuring an exclusive book signing and meet-and-greet session with the popular romance author.
Historian and bestselling author Ambeth Ocampo will lead "Ambeth Without the Overcoat," a book signing session, while National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts, Ricky Lee, will present "Trip to Quiapo”.
“This year, we have more authors and we bring together the best of Philippine content for the entire family. The country needs more reading spaces that encourage conversation, creation, and collaboration,” said NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade.
“Ang Philippine Book Festival ang nagsisilbing panghikayat ng NBDB sa iba pang mga organisasyon na lumahok at makiisa sa mga programang nagtutulak sa mga Filipino na magbasa dahil ang aklat ay para sa lahat (The Philippine Book Festival serves as NBDB's way to encourage more organizations to join in the programs that encourage Filipinos to read because books are for everyone),” she added.
The event runs longer this year to give ample time for teachers, librarians, and organizations to research the books they need for their schools, the NBDB said.
The NBDB is also working closely with the Department of Education (DepEd) to train more than 750 book evaluators and procurement officers to scope and evaluate books to purchase for public school libraries and library hubs.
For the event, evaluators from all over the country will fly in to source educational books for the students of their regions, the NBDB said.
The fair is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. with no entrance fees.
Registration is free at www.philippinebookfest.com. (PNA)
