The Philippine Book Festival (PBF), the country’s biggest all-Filipino book festival is back – this time in a new location that is accessible to many. This year’s PBF will be happening at the Megatrade Hall in SMM Megamall, Mandaluyong, City, from March 13 – 16, 2025.
Registration is FREE for the four-day book festival, organized by the National Book Development Board (NBDB). Every year, this project puts Philippine Books at the center if a fiesta brimming with events, performances, and meet-and-greet sessions with your favorite authors.
“In just over a month, we are bringing back the Philippine Book Festival. Now in its third year, the PBF started in 2023 as an attempt to create the largest marketplace for Philippine books that the country has yet to see. Now, it has become an important annual gathering for families, educators, creatives, and avid readers – all in the name of Philippine books.” said Charisse Aquino – Tugade, NBDB Executive Director.
The PBF’s third edition promises to be more exciting, putting the spotlight on the country’s famnous festivals, each one designed by some of the best and brightest Filipino artists working today.
THE CREATIVE MINDS BEHIND THE PBF 2025 REALMS. NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade with National Artist and Scriptwriter Ricky Lee together with the artists of PBF 2025 Realms, Paul Eric Roca, Danielle Florendo, Joffrey “Pepot”Atienza and Juno Abreau.
The first is the glorious Dinagyang Festival for Kid Lit (the PBF’s section dedicated to children’s literature), designed by Juno Abreau, and the Komiks realm inspired by the famous Tuna Festival in General Santos City, with design by illustrator and painter Paul Eric Roca. Aral Aklat, the section dedicated to text \books, draws inspiration from the colorful Pahiyas Festival in Quezon courtesy of Joffrey “Pepot” Atienza, himself a native of the province, and finally, Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival for Booktopia (the section for fiction, non-fiction and poetry), with design by Danielle Florendo.
The festive atmosphere is made all the more exciting as the PBF 12025 moves to a new venue – at the Megatrade Hall in SM Megamall. The NBDB believes this fresh location will bring new energy to the festival and draw and even larger audience.
“The decision to move the PBF to a different and smaller venue is definitely a bold one. We hope to offset that with the venue’s accessibility and generate higher foot traffic, as well as provide convenience for more visitors from other areas” shared Tugade.
The PBF is the largest all-Filipino book fair in the country and is one of the NBDB’s flagship programs. NBDB, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this June has amped its readership efforts in the past four years, shifting to solutions-based programming to improve trade and distribution. Concerned with the lack of quality Philippine-authored books in libraries and bookstores across the country, Aguino-Tugade spearheaded the PBF in 2023, a retail activation space that celebrates Philippine books while bringing in revenue for publishing professionals.
The fair also showcases the creme dela creme of Philippine literature, culture, and content – all situated in an engaging, experienced-based setting that fuses entertainment, education, and learning. Positioning PBF as a favorite pastime (reading) among Filipinos, all for a good cause.
For complete details, visit the official FaceBook page of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) https://www.facebook.com/NBDBPhilippines
