The Philippines is a book haven

MANILA, Philippines - With the technology available today, the 21st century was predicted to be the end of the book era. But the good news is that the printed word is still doing well, and is very much alive in the Philippines and all over the world.

The Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), the only internationally-recognized book fair in the country, is proof enough of this. This year, the MIBF is set for Sept. 16 to 20 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

“When we started the book fair 30 years ago, we just had a few publishers in a small venue,” observes Irene Lloren, president of MIBF organizer Primetrade Asia. “But now, we have hundreds of participants, from publishers to retailers, and we get at least 50,000 visitors in five days – attesting to the growth and dynamism of the industry.’’

“Before, people regarded reading and buying books as a serious matter; they usually bought books because they were required to. Over the years, we have made reading a pop culture and a healthy habit. The importance of books has evolved and its significance is immeasurable – people really take their time to drop by the nearest bookstores and buy the books they want,” Lloren adds.

Today, the Philippine book industry is infused with new life. Local publishing houses consistently churn out new titles, book retailers aggressively offer a wider range of book genres.

“Books are doing well despite the trying times. The books coming out now are not only better in content but also in production and design quality,” affirms Lirio Sandoval, president of the Book Development Association of the Philippines (BDAP).

Recent industry figures support this claim. The National Book Development Board website lists over 150 book publishers in the country, a significant jump from 86 in 2003.

With this increase in book publishers also comes the growth in the yearly output of printed books. In 2006 alone, 5,713 books were produced in the country, based on the records of the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) culled by the Philippine National Library. This shows a marked increase from 2005 (set at 5,429), and is the highest number printed in the Philippines for the past 10 years.  In fact, the Philippine National Library reports that a total of 12,269 ISBN have been issued from 2005 up to the second quarter of 2007.

Aside from the amazing showcase of books, the book fair also presents a wide variety of special events throughout all five days of the fair. Fans can rub elbows with famous and up-and-coming authors and illustrators, get their photos taken, and get their books autographed.

Kids can also enjoy story telling sessions, art workshops, puppet shows, reading-related contests, robotic demonstrations, and picture-taking sessions with exhibitors’ mascots or cosplayers of their favorite book characters.       

This year, the MIBF offers a unique highlight: a peek into the beginnings of the Philippine book industry with an exhibit, courtesy of the diocese of Balanga, Bataan, featuring Tomas Pinpin, the Prince of Filipino printers.

Showcased in the exhibit are replicas of Pinpin’s book “Librong Pag-aaralan Nang Manga Tagalog Nang Uicang Castilla” (the first book authored and printed by a Filipino) and the first printing press. The exhibit is mounted in preparation for the book’s 400th anniversary in 2010.