Activity: Iloilo Mega Book Fair
Theme: Libro Para Sa Tanan (Books for All)
Date and Time: April 28

Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas and the City Councilors,

Dr. Isidoro M. Cruz, publishers, writers, illustrators, teachers, students,

Ma-ayong hapon po sa ating lahat.

On behalf of the National Book Development Board (NBDB), welcome you all to the fifth Iloilo Mega Book Fair, happening from April 28 to 30. After two years of online festivities, this in-person fair is a celebration of how Ilonggo creatives have forged ahead amid the global crisis.

Iloilo is a wellspring of literature. Its vast archive of plays, poetry, novels, and short stories are continuously added to by new generations of creators. Following Ilonggo wordsmiths such as Stevan Javellana, Miguel Syjuco, Magdalena Jalandoni, and Peter Solis Nery, fresh talents bring new perspectives to the table.

Since its inauguration in 2018, the Iloilo Mega Book Fair (IMBF) has focused the spotlight on Ilonggo creatives, and has upheld Iloilo as a vibrant literary center in our country.

The three-day fair will feature the launching of exciting, never-before-seen titles in children’s and COVID-19-era literature, all written in a variety of languages including Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, and Aklanon. By championing local languages, supporting new authors, and publishing works that represent our current times, the IMBF is actively asserting Ilonggo voices in the national literary scene.

This year’s IMBF 2022 theme is “Libro Para Sa Tanan” or “Books for All“, an advocacy shared by the NBDB through its Book Nook project that created 52 reading hubs in remote and indigenous communities across the country last year. In the same year, the IMBF also distributed 2,000 books among nine disadvantaged communities in Iloilo through the Sari-sari Book Store sa Barangay project.

Together, the NBDB and the IMBF nurture a robust culture of reading, writing, and literary trade in our country. Thank you to our partners – Kasingkasing Press, Book Latte, and Hubon Manunulat – for making this possible.

Book fairs are important venues for networking, business, and support for creatives in the publishing industry. Given the diversity of narratives across the Philippines, fairs also promote and champion the traditions, languages, and stories of a province. Just like the local fiesta, book fairs paint a portrait of a town, they remind people of their heritage, encourage them to create and connect, and give everyone a chance to feast —not just on food, but on ideas, as well.

We wish the IMBF and Iloilo City more success and book fairs in the future.