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.
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.
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.
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.
