For the first time in several years, the NBDB was invited to visit one of the most advanced printing
companies in the country. Print Town Group of Companies is the largest privately owned newspaper
and commercial printer in the Philippines today. The NBDB staff was able to witness the entire printing
process of books, newspapers, and magazines.

Print Town executives were kind enough to facilitate the tour and explain to the staff the meticulous
and varied processes of printing different kinds of reading materials. The trip not only exposed the
staff to printing but also to the process of making soy-based ink, which was found to be a more
sustainable and environment-friendly alternative to the typical block-based ink.

This exposure trip was an opportunity for the NBDB employees to be constantly updated on the
developments in printing technology as well as to understand how the agency’s policies and programs
aid in developing the book industry at the grassroots level.