NBDB opens 2nd book fair to champion works of Filipino authors

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) on Thursday kicked off the second edition of its all-Filipino book festival to celebrate and promote Philippine authorship and readership.

In view of the National Literature Month, NBDB chairperson Dante Ang II said that the Philippine Book Festival 2024 aims to build a better book publishing industry and readership in the country as many Filipinos struggle with inadequate access to books.

"We want to attach joy to books, to highlight the names behind them, and give them recognition they have long deserved," he said.

A survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) last year, commissioned by the NBDB, showed that less than 50% of both Filipino adults and children admitted to have ever read books or literature that are not required for school purposes.

Access to books emerged as the primary reason for the drop in readership in 2023, with people having limited awareness of public libraries.

Travel time and distance to public libraries were also cited as barriers to visits.

In her speech during the book festival's launch, Senator Loren Legarda, who chairs the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to prioritize the procurement of books for public school libraries and library hubs.

"All students and young people deserve the same opportunity to discover new worlds, broaden their horizons, and increase curiosity through literature. Let us not underestimate the value of promoting Filipino content in our libraries," the lawmaker said.

The NBDB, which organized the book fair, is an attached agency of DepEd.

Legarda also called on writers and publishers to innovate approaches, particularly in textbook writing, to make it even more engaging and insightful for students.

She said that arts and culture should be creatively weaved in the textbooks for Filipino, English, Science, and Mathematics.

"As co-author of the Philippine Creative Industries Act, rest assured that I will always support the creative sector. We will ensure that we will be able to increase the readership, and improve the comprehension skills and literary interests of our younger generation," she added.

The Philippine Book Festival 2024 will run until April 28, at the World Trade Center in Pasay City. Entry to the event is free.

It also offers four book sections for Filipino readers: Kid Lit for children, Booktopia for various genres, Komiks Land for comic book lovers, and Aral Aklat for students and scholars. — VDV, GMA Integrated News