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  • PBF 2026 Brings Together the Full Spectrum of Philippine Literary Life

    PBF 2026 Brings Together the Full Spectrum of Philippine Literary Life

    Did you know that the Philippine Book Festival (PBF) 2026 brings together the full spectrum of of Philippine literary life?

    The writers whose pages many of us grew up with – Ricky Lee, Virgilio Almario, Ambeth Ocampo-will be on hand along side trade-book favorites Jonaxx and Ron Canimo, kidlit masters Eugene Evasco and Luis Gatmaitan, and komiks legends Manix Abrera and Pol Media. Viral reads, poetry, pop fiction, indie zines, and award-winning titles every kind of reader finds their people here.

    On March 14, 2026, the Final Stage will host the 43rd National Book Awards (NBA) – honoring the authors, illustrators, editors, translations, and publishers whose work has shaped and sustained Philippine literature. It is the festival’s day set aside entirely for the recognition of excellence and affirmation of the strength, creativity, and diversity of Filipino story telling this day.

    The PBF is more than gathering of books. It is a gathering of the nation’s voices – where writers meet readers, teachers meet students, and communities come together around stories that are unmistakably ours. Literature lives beyond if it is shared, celebrated, and felt together.

    PBF 2026 runs from March 12 to 15, 2026. Register here for FREE: bit.ly/PBF2026Registration

  • Philippine Book Festival 2026 Theme: Gubat ng Karunungan or The Rainforest of Knowledge

    Philippine Book Festival 2026 Theme: Gubat ng Karunungan or The Rainforest of Knowledge

    National Book Development Board (NBD)’s Philippine Book Festival (PBF) 2026 was launched on February 26, 2026. During the PBF 2026 Media Launch, Joffrey “Pepot” Atienza has revealed the theme of PBF 2026.

    This year’s PBF gathers under the theme Gubat ng Karunungan—The Rainforest of Knowledge. A gubat is alive, layered, and interconnected, and our literary ecosystem is no different. Featured as the festival’s four signature realms, each one represents a distinct corner of Philippine literature and learning: different audiences, different genres—one forest, thriving and alive.

    Kid Lit is built for young readers, featuring picture books, learning materials, and titles that nurture a lifelong love of stories.

    Komiks brings the universe of Filipino comics to life, honoring the legends of the form while spotlighting emerging visual storytellers.

    Booktopia is a meeting ground for the many voices shaping the Filipino literary imagination—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays, and more.

    Aral Aklat is dedicated to learning, featuring textbooks, teaching guides, and educational resources for classrooms, teachers, and library hubs across the country.

    The PBF 2026 takes its theme from the richness underfoot and overhead: Gubat ng Karunungan or Rainforest of Knowledge. The key visual, crafted by returning artist and designer Joffrey “Pepot” Atienza, follows two characters, Yaz and Ye-ey, as they journey through a teeming rainforest, taking in its flora, fauna, and falls.

    Drawing on his daily life at the foot of Mount Banahaw in Lucban, Quezon, Atienza wave recycled paper into the artwork as a deliberate gesture: the same trees that give us paper carry the stories we tell. “Our stories, our books, and our karunungan all start here – in the biodiversity we need to protect.”

    PBF 2026 runs from March 12 to 15, 2026 at the Megatrade Hall, 5th Floor, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. FREE Entrance for ALL.

    Register here for FREE: bit.ly/PBF2026Registration

    REFERENCE:

    National Book Development Board (NBDB) – the Philippines’ book authority mandated to develop and strengthen the local book publishing industry.

  • Philippine Book Festival 2026 Programs and Featured Events

    Philippine Book Festival 2026 Programs and Featured Events

    During the Philippine Book Festival (PBF) 2026 Media Launch on February 26, 2026, Charisse Aquino-Tugade, Executive Director, National Book Development Board (NBDB), has shared the PBF 2026 Programs and Feature Events.

    DAY 1 (MARCH 12) FEATURED EVENTS:

    FIESTA STAGE

    Layag Pahina: The Opening Ceremonies; Fragile Frontier: The Climate Study of Palawan Film Launching UNESCO by National Commission of the Philippines; and Makata sa Pinas with Gloc-9 by Everything’s Fine

    GUBAT NG KARUNUNGAN

    The History Q&A with Prof. Xiao Chua by San Anselmo Press

    BAHAY ILLUSTRADOR

    Concept Character Making: From Idea to Visual Form by Jerome Supler

    UMPUKAN

    Making Learning Araling Panlipunan Fun with Alamin, and Alamin! by Adarna House

    DAY 2 (MARCH 13) FEATURED EVENTS:

    FIESTA STAGE

    Culinary Calling: Pinoy Chefs’ Roundtable; and Mafia-mafihan, literary, literaryhan?

    GUBAT NG KARUNUNGAN

    Owver-owver sa Hiraya: Writing Queer; and Fantasy by GAD-NBDB

    BAHAY ILLUSTRADOR

    Make Your Little Dream House by Danielle Florendo)

    UMPUKAN

    Wellness for Authors by PaperKat Books

    DAY 3 (MARCH 14) FEATURED EVENTS:

    FIESTA STAGE

    National Book Awards Ceremony & VivaOne Soecial Program

    GUBAT NG KARUNUNGAN

    PITCH, PLEASE by NBDB x PaperKat Books

    BAHAY ILLUSTRADOR

    HAGOD (The Brush Inking Techniques of the Filipino Komiks Masters) by Randy Valiente

    UMPUKAN

    PITCH, PLEASE! From Print to GMA Pictures by NBDB x GMA Pictures

    DAY 4 (MARCH 15) FEATURED EVENTS:

    FIESTA STAGE

    Encantadia Chronicles Sang’gre Book Launch by GMA x PaperKat Books

    GUBAT NG KARUNUNGAN

    Malong: The Magic Cloth by Teatro Arellano

    BAHAY ILLUSTRADOR

    Paint Your Own Jeep by Patricia Ramos

    UMPUKAN

    Hayop na Booklaunch! With Naldo Vivo by Avenida Books

    Join the Philippine Book Festival, from 12 to 15 March at Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City, where books, art, and culture come together in one unforgettable experience!

    The Philippine Book Festival isn’t just another typical book fair—it offers a diverse array of events, including talks, workshops, meet-and-greets, book signings, exhibitions, and musical and literary performances. It’s an immersive book experience where attendees can purchase their favorite Filipino books, meet esteemed authors, participate in workshops, and even enjoy different contests. With special features like walking tours with National Artists, the festival presents an ideal opportunity to reintroduce the joy of reading to students in an engaging learning environment.

    See you at the Philippine Book Festival!

    PBF 2026 runs from March 12 to 15, 2026 at the Megatrade Hall, 5th Floor, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City. FREE Entrance for ALL.

    Register here for FREE: bit.ly/PBF2026Registration

  • Philippine Book Festival 2026 Media Launch

    National Book Development Board (NBDB)’s Philippine Book Festival (PBF) 2026 Media Launch was held on February 26, 2026 at JRich Corporate Center, 16 Sto. Domingo Ave, Quezon City, 1114 Metro Manila,

    During the event, Charisse Aquino-Tugade, Executive Director, NBDB, has shared an opening message regarding the PBF 2026. She is someone who deeply believes in the power of Filipino stories. She is not just a public servant, but as a storyteller, a mother, and a reader who has seen, firsthand, what books can do to a life.

    She mentioned that the Philippine Book Festival is a marketplace – and we must celebrate that Authors deserve royalties. Illustrators deserve fair compensation. Editors, designers, printers, and booksellers deserve recognition and livelihoods. When books move, the industry thrives. And when the industry thrives, new voices get the chance to rise.

    PBF is more than a marketplace. It is a third place – and in a world where most of our interactions are filtered through screens, where the boundaries between work, home, and school have all but dissolved, we all need a place where we can gather freely, without expectation or agenda. At PBF, you will find spaces for conversation, for creation, for curiosity.

    PBF 2026 runs from March 12 to 15, 2026 at the Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall, in Mandaluyong City. FREE Entrance for ALL.

  • The Philippine Book Festival: A National Stage for Filipino Books and The Ultimate Book Experience

    The Philippine Book Festival (PBF) is the country’s only book festival dedicated exclusively to Filipino-authored and published works. Powered by the National Book Development Board (NBDB), it brings together thousands of Filipino books, educational materials, and creative works in a single space for culture, learning, and conversation—and, more than a marketplace, a shared third place for readers, writers, teachers, illustrators, publishers, students, families, and literary enthusiasts, all under one roof.

    Since its launch in 2023, the PBF has steadily grown in reach and scale across its first three editions. PBF 2026 runs from March 12 to 15, 2026 at the Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall, in Mandaluyong City.

    Into the Gubat

    This year’s PBF gathers under the theme Gubat ng Karunungan—The Rainforest of Knowledge. A gubat is alive, layered, and interconnected, and our literary ecosystem is no different. Featured as the festival’s four signature realms, each one represents a distinct corner of Philippine literature and learning: different audiences, different genres—one forest, thriving and alive.

    Kid Lit is built for young readers, featuring picture books, learning materials, and titles that nurture a lifelong love of stories.

    Komiks brings the universe of Filipino comics to life, honoring the legends of the form while spotlighting emerging visual storytellers.

    Booktopia is a meeting ground for the many voices shaping the Filipino literary imagination—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays, and more.

    Aral Aklat is dedicated to learning, featuring textbooks, teaching guides, and educational resources for classrooms, teachers, and library hubs across the country.

    The Philippines is a nation of many languages, many regions, many voices—from Luzon to Mindanao, from the city streets to rural barangays, from fantasy novels to research publications. Every story
    strengthens this ecosystem    . Maglakad. Maglibot. Maligaw. Every reader is an explorer, every page a forest.

    Creative Corners of PBF

    Alongside its four realms, the PBF stages exhibitions that connect the literary with contemporary creativity—from rare historical texts to art installations. Past editions have featured:

    • The Rare Books Collection from the National Library of the Philippines, including facsimiles of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
    • The Ang INK art installation, featuring the creative works of children’s book illustrators
    • The History of Komiks by Randy Valiente
    • Mundo ng Trese by Kajo Baldisimo
    • NCCA School of Living Traditions
    • NCCA-PVAS art installation and exhibition

    For this year, five activation spaces complete the festival experience:

    Lugar Lagdaan is your go-to spot for book signings. Meet the people behind the stories you love.
    Bahay Ilustrador is where illustrators, comic artists, and graphic storytellers show how images speak louder than words.
    Gubat ng Karunungan is a forest of learning, workshops, and masterclasses for curious minds of all ages.
    Fiesta Stage is the main stage, the heartbeat of PBF, where grand performances and epic panels unfold.
    Umpukan is the chill zone for intimate talks and idea-sharing sessions where conversations flow freely.

    Together, these creative corners add new layers of visual and cultural depth to the PBF.

    The Audience Pulse

    From 2023 to 2025, the PBF drew more than 120,000 visitors and, through its partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd), helped generate PHP 946 million in institutional book sales in 2024
    alone. Beyond retail, the festival has reshaped how books reach classrooms: through a coordinated review process between DepEd and the NBDB, regions can now identify and acquire books that reflect
    their local contexts and students’ needs    .

    The Vision of PBF

    The PBF was launched as a national effort to improve access to quality, affordable Filipino-authored books, addressing long-standing gaps in distribution for both retail and institutional buyers. At the festival’s opening, welcome remarks from DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo Sonny” Angara and NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade will set the tone for discussions that will shape the future of educational resources in the country.

    The PBF Experience

    PBF 2026 brings together the full spectrum of Philippine literary life. The writers whose pages many of us grew up with—Ricky Lee, Virgilio Almario, Ambeth Ocampo—will be on hand alongside trade-book
    favorites Jonaxx and Ron Canimo, kidlit masters Eugene Evasco and Luis Gatmaitan, and komiks legends Manix Abrera and Pol Medina. Viral reads, poetry, pop fiction, indie zines, and award-winning titles: every kind of reader finds their people here.

    Honoring Filipino Stories

    On March 14, the Fiesta Stage will host the 43rd National Book Awards (NBA)—honoring the authors,illustrators, editors, translators, and publishers whose work has shaped and sustained Philippine
    literature. It is the festival’s day set aside entirely for the recognition of excellence and affirmation of the strength, creativity, and diversity of Filipino storytelling today.

    The Philippine Book Festival is more than a gathering of books. It is a gathering of the nation’s voices—where writers meet readers, teachers meet students, and communities come together around stories
    that are unmistakably ours. Literature lives when it is shared, celebrated, and felt together.

    Come witness Filipino literature in its grandest form, in its fullest expression.

    We will see you at the Philippine Book Festival 2026!

    REFERENCE:

    NATIONAL BOOK DEVELOPMENT BOARD (NBDB) COMMUNICATIONS

  • PHILIPPINE BOOK FESTIVAL 2026 Strengthens its Commitment to the Growth of Local Publishing

    PHILIPPINE BOOK FESTIVAL 2026 Strengthens its Commitment to the Growth of Local Publishing

    During the 2026 Philippine Book Festival Media Launch that was held on February 26, 2026, the National Book Development Board (NBDB)has announced the Philippine Book Festival (PBF) 2026 – the country’s only book festival dedicated exclusively to Filipino-authored and published works.

    The NBDB is all set for the 4th Philippine Book Festival (PBF)— the country’s 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.

    The festival runs from March 12 to 15, 2026 at the Megatrade Hall, 5th Floor, SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.

    CHARISSE AQUINO-TUGADE is the Executive Director of the National Book Development Board (NBDB), a cultural worker, the primary mover behind CulturAid, the founder of The Manila Collectible Co., and the founding Director of Museo ng Muntinlupa.
    With interdisciplinary experience spanning the public and private sectors, she creates an environment that empowers and amplifies voices, connecting communities and organizations that might otherwise not cross paths. As the NBDB Executive Director, she envisioned and spearheaded The Book Nook, storytelling and reading communities that provide Pinoy books for kids and kids-at-heart from Ifugao to Tawi-Tawi, as well as the Philippine Book Festival, the country’s premier all-Filipino book fair.

    “With the continued interest we saw in the last few years, we are encouraged by the growing appreciation for Filipino stories and content,” said NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade.

    “The strong public response affirms that there is a meaningful demand for books that reflect our own culture, languages, and lived experiences.”

    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) will be open to the general public for the first time, welcoming all readers alongside the Department of Education (DepEd) and its book
    evaluators from across the country.

    Four Realms, One Rainforest

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

    This year’s lineup brings together the full spectrum of Philippine literary life. National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, and prominent historian Ambeth Ocampo will be on hand for book signings alongside trade-book superstars Jonaxx and Ron Canimo, kidlit masters Eugene Evasco and Luis Gatmaitan, and komiks legends Manix Abrera and Pol Medina. GMA Network, together with PaperKat Books, will also launch “Encantadia Chronicles: Sang’gre” at PBF 2026.

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

    The NBDB, in cooperation with the National Library of the Philippines, will also feature facsimiles of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, Doctrina Christiana, and Fr. Manuel Blanco’s Flora de Filipinas—rare works
    that anchor the festival in the Philippines’ deep literary heritage.

    A highlight of the four-day run is the 43rd National Book Awards (NBA), to be held on March 14, 2026 at the Fiesta Stage. The NBA acknowledges the works of authors, illustrators, editors, translators, and publishers whose books have helped shape the country’s literary landscape.

    Into the Gubat ng Karunungan

    This year’s festival takes its theme from the richness underfoot and overhead: Gubat ng Karunungan,or Rainforest of Knowledge. The key visual, crafted by returning artist and designer Joffrey “Pepot”
    Atienza, follows two characters, Yaz and Ye-ey, as they journey through a teeming rainforest, taking in its flora, fauna, and falls.

    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. “Our stories, our books, and our karunungan all start here—in the biodiversity we need to protect,” he said.

    A Festival Dedicated to Philippine Literature

    “The 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,” Aquino-Tugade said. “By 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.”

    “Let’s make the Philippines not just a nation of readers, but a global powerhouse of authors and creators,” Aquino-Tugade concluded.

    About the National Book Development Board

    The National Book Development Board (NBDB) is the Philippines’ 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.

    Follow @nbdbphilippines (Facebook, Instagram, X, and TikTok) or visit books.gov.ph to learn more.

    REFERENCE:

    NBDB Communications

    #PhilippineBookFestival #PBF2026 #MagbasaTayo #AklatParaSaLahat #NBDB

  • Asia Stage: Amplifying Asia’s Voice at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025

    Asia Stage: Amplifying Asia’s Voice at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025

    Books have the power to cross borders, carrying the voices, experiences, and cultures of those who create them. This capacity to bring people together takes center stage at the Asia Stage of the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025. From October 15 to 19, 2025, illustrators, writers, publishers, and thought leaders from across Asia will gather to share their stories, celebrate their craft, and showcase the richness and diversity of Asian literature to the world.

    The Asia Stage is the vision of Rex Education, brought to life in partnership with Frankfurt Buchmesse and supported by the National Book Development Board. Its journey began in 2018 as the ASEAN Forum, evolved into the ASEAN Stage in 2019, and in 2024, it embraced its current identity: the Asia Stage. What began as a noble idea to highlight regional publishing has grown into a recognized platform, a stage where the depth of Asia’s literary voices can shine on the global scene.

    At the heart of this initiative is Atty. Dominador D. Buhain, Chairman and President of Rex Education. His lifelong passion for literature and publishing has guided this vision from the start. As a co-founder of the Asia Pacific Publishers Association and the ASEAN Book Publishers Association, he has long believed that the stories of Asia deserve a wider audience. Through this initiative, he has sought to open doors for publishers to share works that mirror their nations’ creativity, hopes, struggles, and resilience.

    For REX, the Asia Stage has grown beyond a program. It has become a brand, a symbol of years of dedication to supporting Asian publishers and content creators at one of the world’s most important book fairs.

    This year, with the Philippines as Guest of Honor, the Asia Stage brings a deeper dimension to the country’s participation. It reminds us that Filipino literature is part of a much larger story—one that connects with the voices and visions of Asia. For 5 days, the Asia Stage will host conversations, panels, and presentations that explore the education landscape, the evolving world of publishing, and the many ways culture continues to shape and inspire the region’s literature. Through this collaboration, REX and Frankfurt Buchmesse renew their shared commitment to uplifting Asian stories and ensuring that these voices continue to be heard, seen, championed, and remembered.

    As the Frankfurt Book Fair opens its doors, the Asia Stage will stand with much gratitude and pride, inviting the world to witness and listen. It is a reminder that stories carry power. They connect us, inspire us, and transform us. For 5 days, Asia will speak, and the world will listen.

    Reference & Media Contact:

    Richard C. Mamuyac

  • NBDB Sends Off PH delegation to the World’s Largest Book Fair

    NBDB Sends Off PH delegation to the World’s Largest Book Fair

    The National Book Development Board (NBDB) recently rolled out a spirited send-off for more than 100 Filipino publishers, authors, illustrators, and creatives bound for the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair (FBM), happening from October 15 to 19, 2025 where the Philippines takes the spotlight as its Guest of Honour (GoH).

    The evening celebration, held at the 2025 Manila International Book Fair at the SMX Convention Center on September 11, 2025, brought together the country’s diverse delegation for networking and a toast to this historic moment in global publishing.

    Guests at the send-off were given an exclusive first look at the Philippine Pavilion – a 2,300 square-meter cultural space featuring daily author talks, installations, performances, and more than 65 interdisciplinary programs highlighting Philippine literature and creativity.

    “The National Book Development is here to ensure that all of you are ready to present our books to the world,” said NBDB Executive Director and Philippines as Guest of Honour (PhlGoH) Project Co-Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade. “Because when we step into Frankfurt, we bring not just our stories and books, but also the diverse voices and imaginations of the Filipino people. This is our chance to show the world that the Philippines’ creative industries are worth investing in.”

    At the Frankfurt Book Fair, the world’s largest, oldest, and most prestigious book fair and rights marketplace where the global “who’s who” in publishing gathers annually, the Philippine delegation will showcase the richness of Philippine publishing, spanning contemporary and speculative fiction, poetry, children’s literature, nonfiction, and graphic novels and comics.

    This historic milestone is made possible through the collaboration of the NBDB, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda.

    As Guest of Honour, the Philippines will enjoy unprecedented visibility at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2025, opening doors to translation deals, international rights trading, cultural exchanges, and global readership growth.

    Festive yet forward-looking, the send-off marked the culmination of years of preparation, and the start of an extraordinary journey as the Philippines takes its boldest leap yet onto the biggest global stage for books and ideas.

    To learn more about the National Book Development Board and its upcoming activities, visit books.gov.ph, and follow the NBDB through its social media accounts on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and X.

    Reference & Media Contact:

    Divine Reyes