The National Book Development Board (NBDB) successfully concluded the 4th Philippine Book Festival (PBF), where more than 100 publishers and nearly 39,000 visitors gathered for the country’s largest and most spirited celebration of Filipino books, authors, illustrators, and readers, surpassing PBF 2025’s retail sales figures in the process.

The strong turnout affirmed what the NBDB has long believed: Filipino readers are eager not only for greater access to locally published books but also for meaningful opportunities to meet the writers, illustrators, and creators behind the stories they love. 

The festival was formally opened by NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade and Department of Education Secretary Edgardo “Sonny “ Angara, who stayed well beyond the opening program to walk the venue, speak with publishers, and engage with authors, illustrators, performers, and visitors—a gesture that left little doubt about the depth of his support for the festival and the industry it serves. National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Chair Eric Zerrudo, along with Ilokano author Faye Flores-Melegrito and Mindanawon poet Gerald Galindez, added a moment of unexpected beauty to the proceedings by delivering a live reading of Galindez’s “Kung Ang Libro Ay Dagat” in Hiligaynon, Ilokano, and Maguindanao, respectively, a fitting invocation for a festival built on the conviction that every language of the archipelago has stories worth telling. 

Where Readers and Creators Met

At Bahay Ilustrador, illustration and visual storytelling workshops gave aspiring artists and curious visitors a rare window into the creative process. Several artists, including Beth Parrocha, Danielle Florendo, Randy Valiente, and Jerome Suplemento, led sessions that drew participants who arrived simply to observe but left with creative outputs, new skills, and in many cases, a clearer sense of what they might one day create themselves.

Meanwhile, the long queues at Lugar Lagdaan offered a telling snapshot of the connection between Filipino readers and authors they admire. Book lovers waited patiently for the chance to meet their favorite writers, have books signed, and share brief but heartfelt conversations about how certain stories had shaped their reading lives. Many went on to purchase additional titles and merchandise, a show of support that extended well beyond the page.

Among those who drew the longest lines were National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, historian Ambeth Ocampo, and fictionist Jose “Butch” Dalisay, each of whom took time not only to sign books but to speak directly to readers, encouraging them to tell their own stories through writing. Popular Wattpad author Jonaxx drew her own devoted crowd, with readers—known as “Jonaxx Stories Lovers”—purchasing books and merchandise in a show of loyalty that needed no book signing to keep it going. Authors Rolando Vivo Jr. and Ron Canimo each marked the festival with the launch of their latest titles at the Umpukan area, followed by signing activities at their respective booths. 

For publishers and creators, the festival provided an invaluable platform to connect with the broader reading community. Komiket President and Co-Founder Paolo Herras noted that bringing together publishers, authors, readers, book clubs, book evaluators, and librarians in one venue creates a uniquely meaningful experience for everyone involved. Several publishers echoed this sentiment and expressed hope that initiatives like the PBF will continue to expand opportunities for creators and their audiences to find each other.

Festival Co-Director Charmaine Capuchino reflected on what those four days meant: “When we created the PBF, we dreamed of a space where Filipino stories could truly live. Receiving messages of strong book sales, seeing readers meet their idols, and watching creators build new connections reminds me that the dream is real. Filipino stories are alive, wanted, and bringing people together—and we will keep building this dream, improving it, and taking it even further.”

Stories on Stage

Beyond the bookshelves, the festival offered moments that lingered. Teatro Arellano staged an adaptation of “Malong: The Magic Cloth” by NBDB Governor Mary Ann Ordinario, with NBDB’s own Noesis Marquez and Mitch Balladares contributing to the production, a reminder that the stories the NBDB champions are not confined to the page. Rapper and poet Gloc-9 took the Fiesta Stagefor a brief but memorable set shortly after launching his book “Makata sa Pilipinas,” turning a book launch into something closer to a concert. The same stage welcomed John Brixter Tino, a PWD poet and son of a fisherman from Quezon, who launched “Mulias: Mga Tula” and spoke about the life and circumstances that shaped it—one of the festival’s quieter but more affecting afternoons, and a reminder of exactly the kind of voice the PBF exists to amplify.

On the morning of March 14, the Fiesta Stage hosted the awarding ceremony of the 43rd National Book Awards. Officials of the Filipino Critics Circle (FCC) and NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino Tugade personally handed trophies to the authors of 30 winning titles. Among the honorees was Lucia Asul, whose debut graphic work, “Lucia Dreaming,” won Best Graphic Novel and Comics in English—a first-time winner stepping into the recognition that her work had long deserved. Jhoanna Lynn Cruz received the Elfren S. Cruz Prize for Best Book in Social Sciences for “More Mindanawon Than We Admit: History, Culture, and Identity in the Philippine South,” a timely recognition of a voice that has long given the Philippine South its due weight in the national literary conversation. The lifetime achievement award went to National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, with National Artists Kidlat Tahimik and Gemino Abadamong those in attendance.

The Gubat ng Karunungan space also made room for the Philippine South. A talk on independent publishing in Mindanao, featuring NH Legaspi of Papel-Papel Publishing OPC, Gerald Galindez of Tridax Zines, and educator, translator, and illustrator Eric Gerard Nebran, moderated by Xi Zuq of Aklat Alamid, brought to the festival a conversation about regional publishing that is too rarely heard in Manila, and was all the more valuable for it.

Education at the Center

The festival also played a significant role in supporting the education sector. According to NBDB Director Carol Tapia, the agency provided free online and onsite training for 350 book evaluators and provided them a catalogue of all showcased titles ahead of the festival so they could arrive fully prepared for the book selection process. The setup of the Aral Aklat realm drew particular praise: ample tables and chairs positioned in front of every booth gave publishers the space to properly accommodate inquiries and book orders, making the evaluation process more efficient and productive.

The book evaluation and scoping process that the PBF has built into its model has become one of the festival’s consequential contributions to Philippine education. Many evaluators have since expressed interest in having the process extended to their respective regions, a sign that the demand for direct, hands-on access to quality Filipino-authored books extends well beyond the halls of Megatrade.

A Global Eye on Filipino Books

The festival also drew international notice. Claudia Kaiser, Vice-President for business development of the Frankfurt Buchmesse, was among this year’s visitors and offered a warm assessment of what she saw. “I’m very happy to be back here, and I hope to come back many more times to continue to see your culture and literature,” she said. Her visit reflects the sustained interest generated by the Philippines’ landmark Guest of Honour year at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair and signals that the PBF has earned a place in the broader conversation about where Philippine publishing is headed.

In a further affirmation of the festival’s growing institutional significance, the Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) formalized a partnership with the NBDB at PBF 2026, committing to the production of a commemorative stamp in honor of the festival, set for release next year.

A Platform that Keeps Growing

For the NBDB, the festival’s success reflects the strength of the partnerships that make it possible. Executive Director Aquino-Tugade emphasized that the Philippine Book Festival will continue to serve as a premier platform for Filipino-published books and a space where the country’s literary and creative communities can thrive. “Based on what we saw over these four days, we are confident that retail sales have grown by at least seven percent compared to last year, and that is only the beginning of what this festival is capable of,” she said.

“To our authors, illustrators, and publishers, we remain grateful for your trust. To Secretary Edgardo Angara and the Department of Education, your partnership makes the scale and reach of this work possible,” Aquino-Tugade added.

As the fourth edition of the Philippine Book Festival comes to a close, the message from the halls of Megatrade is clear: the Filipino reading community is growing, the local publishing industry is gaining strength, and the stories of Filipino creators continue to find new readers eager to discover them.