Hemophilia Community Celebrates Success Over World Hemophilia Day 2024.

Hemophilia Advocates-Philippines (HAP), a national nonprofit organization for people with hemophilia and related bleeding disorders, proudly announces the success of its latest awareness campaign. Held at the Festival Mall, Alabang on April 13, 2024, World Hemophilia Day brought together about 250 patients, members, supporters, and advocates from across the country in a collective effort to raise awareness for those affected by hemophilia.

Hemophilia is a rare genetic bleeding disorder that affects about 10,000 Filipinos. However, in the 2020 study conducted by the World Federation of Hemophilia, only around 1,600 cases have been diagnosed and registered.

Through educational discussions led by HAP’s medical advisors from the Philippine Children’s Medical Center and Philippine General Hospital, attendees, mall goers, and Facebook live spectators learned more about hemophilia care in the present age. The gathering also highlighted testimonies of how HAP’s partnerships with other organizations created opportunities and positive impact to improve the quality of life of persons with bleeding disorders.

This event also strengthened our efforts to call forth the attention of the Philippine government to hasten the passage of the Bleeding Disorders Standard of Care Bills that have been pending in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The generosity and compassion displayed by the guest speakers, advocates, and performers including Peter Harbinson a renowned Australian Opera Singer, underscored the importance of coming together to increase awareness and provide opportunities for individuals living with bleeding disorders to lead better lives.

HAP successfully commemorated World Hemophilia Day thanks to the commitment of its volunteers, donors, as well as foreign and local partners including Festival Mall-Alabang, Save One Life, Project
Share, Virtualahan, Jollibee, and the media sponsorship by Inquirer.net, Cebu Daily News Digital, Pop!, Preen.ph and Be An Inquirer.

The funds raised through donations and merchandise sold will directly support HAP’s initiatives to make information accessible and comprehensive care available at the grassroots level.

"We are overwhelmed by the incredible support we received during this event," said Andrea Trinidad, HAP's President. "Every donation, every step taken, and every conversation had a meaningful impact on the lives of those affected by hemophilia. Together, we are making a difference and providing hope for a brighter future."

HAP extends its deepest gratitude to everyone who participated, donated, and supported the event. The generosity and commitment to their cause are invaluable, and with our continued support, we can all create a world where individuals with hemophilia can live healthier, happier lives.

For more information about Hemophilia Advocates-Philippines and how you can continue to support their mission, please visit hemophilia.ph or contact our Executive Director Ms. France Alviz at 09955505315.

PH to make its debut at Bologna Children’s Book Fair 2024.

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) and its partner, The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY), are set to make a historic debut at the 2024 Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF) from April 8 to 11, 2024 at the BolognaFiere Exhibition Centre, Bologna. This is a milestone for the Philippine children’s book sector, as it marks the country’s first-ever participation at the world’s biggest international fair for children’s content.

With the Philippine children’s book sector thriving and highly sought-after in the local publishing industry, this debut offers a long-awaited opportunity to showcase the country’s children’s content, which is among the most widely translated genres, to a global audience.

A curated selection of 103 books, exploring themes such as culture, diversity, identity, peace, community, and the environment, will be featured at the Philippines’ country stand at the BCBF.

The delegation includes acclaimed artists Beth Parrocha (The Pencil Who Would Not Write, Bulul), Liza Flores (The Secret is in the Soil), and authors Russell Molina (Tuwing Sabado, Sandosenang Kuya), and Mary Ann Ordinario (My Muslim Friend, War Makes Me Sad).

It aims to not only present the talent of Filipino creators but also to secure translation rights, expand networks with foreign publishers, and foster collaborations between local and international counterparts.

Additionally, Philippine comics will take center stage at the BCBF’s Comics Corner, courtesy of Avenida Books founder and Trese publisher Nida Ramirez, who has been honored with a fellowship from the BolognaFiere Group.

“Establishing the country’s presence in the BCBF—as well as in the upcoming Asian Festival for Children’s Content, where it will be the Country of Focus, and the upcoming Guest of Honor role in Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025, shall help solidify the Philippines as an emerging creative content capital in Southeast Asia. We cannot wait to introduce our children’s book industry to the global stage—the many Filipino authors and publishers exploring themes of peace identity and community,” notes Executive Director, Charisse Aquino-Tugade.

Since its inception in 1964, the Bologna Children’s Book Fair has been the premier platform for professionals in children’s content worldwide, providing opportunities for networking, rights selling, and cross-media adaptation, along with educational activities.

This year, with over 1,500 exhibitors from around 100 countries, including the Philippines, the fair anticipates over 25,000 visitors. The Philippines’ country stand, designed by the award-winning artist and illustrator Aldy Aguirre, is located at Hall 29, Stand B24-C23.

For industry professionals interested in attending, tickets for the Bologna Children’s Book Fair can be purchased at https://www.bolognachildrensbookfair.com/en/visitors/ticket-online/1131.html. For more information, visit books.gov.ph or follow us on Facebook and Instagram, @nbdbphilippines.

Vinyl Gold Rush.

More and more audiophiles keep digging their hands for hours to score the vinyl record they have been searching for so long. Audiophiles crowded the first "One Stop Record Fair" for this year which kicked off at the new Greenhills Mall in San Juan City recently.

The quarterly music event "One Stop Record Fair" featured over 30 vinyl record sellers, such as Bunnygod Records, Tambai Records, Lennox Records, Kapitan Plaka, Musique Vibe Records, Mamsy Records, Plakatons, Ohmandys, and Perfect Day Records, among others. Vinyl records from as early as the 60s to 2020s were discounted up to 50 percent and sold for as low as 200 pesos, but everyone is welcome to negotiate and ask for discounts. First pressings are often sold for an expensive price so it's good to note for next time to bring additional cash.

Got no turntable and other audio equipment yet? Fret not because cassette tapes and compact discs (CDs) were also available at the record fair. Audio-Technica had a booth selling their audio gear such as turntables and speakers. Notable titles which are sold at the event are Bob James Trio's "Feel like Making Love" and "The World's Greatest Audiophile Vocal Recordings" both from UG34 Music; Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham's "Buckingham Nicks (Japan Pressing" and "City Pop Avenue" by Paper Moon Project from Bunnygod Records; Edie Brickell & The New Bohemians' "Shooting Rubberbands At The Sky (US First Pressing) and Charles Mingus' "Mingus at Monterey (Japan pressing mono)" from New Vintage Culture and other unique records sold.

Cubil's wife Keiko Necesario, who is also a singer-songwriter, joined him on stage to sing their song "Una." Meanwhile, director and actor Bobot Mortiz launched his 8-track vinyl album "Goin' Standard," a collection of standards popularized by Frank Sinatra, at the record fair.

"I am happy with the outcome of this event. One Stop Record Fair is indeed successful. I can say that 'our events are always successful, and it was different from previous fair since it was more fun and more people came,'" said Sari Osorio, the organizer of the record fair.

Osorio noted that the people are also more excited this time because they already know what the record fair offers and they want to get a look at what has been added to the mix since the last fair. Get ready to get digging because the next “One Stop Record Fair will be in June 2024.

The Philippine Book Festival is back, and it's bigger than ever!

For the second year running, the National Book Development Board Philippines (NBDB) is bringing together publishers, authors, artists, educators, and readers at the country’s biggest traveling book festival.

Taking place at the World Trade Center in Pasay from April 25 to 28, 2024, the PBF is a four-day celebration showcasing the richness of Philippine literature, culture, and arts. This unique book fair integrates education, entertainment, tourism, and shopping into a single family-friendly event.

In addition to the extensive collection of published works and titles from the Philippines, this year's festival offers a diverse range of talks and workshops.

Highlights include "A Day with Gwy Saludes," featuring an exclusive book signing and meet-and-greet session with the author. Historian and bestselling author Ambeth Ocampo will lead "Ambeth Without the Overcoat," a book signing session. National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Ricky Lee, will present "Trip to Quiapo," while "Dahling Nick: A Tribute to National Artist Nick Joaquin" will honor the renowned writer.

Other sessions include "Aklat Para Sa Accla: New Trends in Boys Love and Girls Love," "Comics Can Change the World" with Patti Ramos, and "Zine-making 101," a workshop on crafting independently-produced "fanzines" led by Komiket's Bunny Luz.

Attendees can anticipate the comeback of the Rare Book Collection by the National Library of the Philippines, which will feature a new selection of rare manuscripts and facsimiles; the Book Bar–a library of sorts filled with award-winning books; Cosplay Filipiniana, a cosplay competition allowing fans to portray their beloved Philippine literary characters; and Guhit Pambata, an exhibit highlighting the creations of some of our best children’s book illustrators.

This year, the PBF will launch the Tabuan Food Hall, wherein guests can feast in between pages.

The festival brings back its four popular realms: Kid Lit, a land just for children, Komiks, which puts the spotlight on Pinoy komiks, Booktopia, home to an abundance of fiction and non-fiction titles, and Aral Aklat, which is devoted to textbooks and educational materials. There will be a Creators Lab, Main Stage, and Kids-at-Play that highlight exciting talks, activities, and workshops more specific to the interests of readers and fans of those genres.

Panels, puppet shows, storytelling with surprise television and movie celebrities, and live performances are also scheduled throughout the four-day festival.

“This year, we have more authors and we bring together the best of Philippine content for the entire family. The country needs more reading spaces that encourage conversation, creation and collaboration. Ang Philippine Book Festival ang nagsisilbing panghikayat ng NBDB sa iba pang mga organisasyon na lumahok at makiisa sa mga programang nagtutulak sa mga Filipino na magbasa dahil ang aklat ay para sa lahat,” said NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade.

The event is longer this year to give ample time for teachers, librarians, and organizations to research the books they need for their schools. Similar to last year, NBDB is working closely with the Department of Education (DepEd) to train more than 750 book evaluators and procurement officers to scope and evaluate books to purchase for public school libraries and library hubs. Evaluators from all over the country will fly in to source educational books for the students of their regions.

A Feast for the Eyes

The festival will be a feast for the eyes too as it features the designs of talented graphic designer and children’s book illustrators Marc Vincent Soriano, Liza Flores, and Beth Parrocha. Parrocha designed the four realms, finding inspiration in the four major elements: water for Kid Lit; earth for Komiks; fire for Aral Aklat; and air for Booktopia. Each realm has its color as well—pink, purple, yellow, and aqua—to make it easy for guests to figure out which part of the festival they’re in.

“I had fun doing all the visuals. It’s a great opportunity for any artist to be given the whole World Trade Center as a canvas for my art,” Parrocha said.

A Stronger Culture of Reading

The Philippine Book Festival is part of the National Book Development Board’s effort to promote a culture of reading and develop the publishing industry in the Philippines.

“The Philippine Book Fair is a program that, on the one hand, is about celebrating Philippine culture, but on the other hand, encompasses our agency’s long-term plans: improve access for every Filipino reader, democratize distribution, and enable our publishers and authors to keep producing Philippine books,” said Chairperson Dante Francis Ang II.

Register now at https://bit.ly/_PBF2024Registration or scan the QR code. No worries, because entrance is free! The fair is open to the public from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM on April 25-28, with no entrance fees. For more information on the Philippine Book Festival and to register for free, visit www.philippinebookfest.com.

NBDB urges focus on readership and literacy initiatives; ramps up efforts to boost reading among Filipinos.

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) urges policymakers, educators, community leaders, and stakeholders to prioritize readership and literacy initiatives, while also involving parents in efforts to make reading more accessible to all segments of the population.

This call follows the release of the 2023 National Readership Survey (NRS) results, showing a notable decline in non-school book readership among Filipino adults and children. The survey revealed adult readership at 42% and children at 47% in 2023. Access to books emerged as the primary reason for the decline, with limited awareness of public libraries and constraints like time and distance cited as barriers to visits.

These results have prompted the NBDB to reaffirm its commitment to bolstering existing programs and policies to reignite a love for reading among Filipinos.

“These findings, which provide a much-needed nuanced understanding of Filipinos’ reading habits and preferences, reinforce the fact that access to quality books remains a pressing issue in book publishing and education, so the sectors’ focus now clearly has to be on addressing gaps in access,” said NBDB Chairperson Dante “Klink” Ang II.

Moreover, Chairperson Ang stated that the NBDB and its partners will examine various proposals to develop meaningful policy directives aligned with the objectives of Republic Act No. 7743, which aims to establish congressional, city, and municipal libraries, along with barangay reading centers nationwide. According to a 2018 study by the National Library of the Philippines, only 3% of LGUs have local libraries across the country.

“One of the main hindrances to reading revealed by the survey is access to reading facilities such as public libraries, particularly in the provinces. Some of them are really beyond the reach of those living in mountainous areas, for example. Besides expanding the Book Nook project, we will also work to bring libraries closer to the people,” Chairperson Ang added.

Meanwhile, NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade emphasized the significance of enhancing NBDB's readership efforts, particularly through initiatives like the Book Nook project. This project establishes reading and storytelling centers across the Philippines, featuring locally published books and serving as distribution hubs for publishers. By offering quality books in various Philippine languages, the Book Nook project addresses access and literacy issues in a single space, fostering education and community engagement in a safe and inclusive environment where visitors can participate in activities, borrow books, and take them home at no cost.

Additionally, the Philippine Book Festival (PBF) promotes a robust reading culture while providing guidance on institutional book purchases. Like the Book Nook project, the PBF brings quality books to readers nationwide while facilitating collaboration between major buyers of educational resources and Philippine publishers.

To encourage involvement in the local book economy, NBDB launched Booklatan sa Bayan, inviting both avid and passive readers to explore literature and culture. NBDB collaborates with reading advocacy groups such as the Reading Association of the Philippines, the Philippine Librarians Association, Inc., and the Adarna Group Foundation, Inc., to synergize efforts in enriching the nation's reading culture.

“Programming must work hand in hand with policy. Besides readership programs, we will push for policies that democratize distribution and enable publishers to publish more affordable books,” Executive Director Tugade emphasized.

“These survey findings should serve as a call to arms: an opportunity to acknowledge and better understand the current state of readership, to reframe the problems they pose in a way that we are pushed to act and change them rather than dwell on them. If attitudes toward reading are less than desirable, then the responsibility to create environments that make reading possible lies with us. The NBDB is hopeful and renews its commitment to better its programs and policies,” Executive Director Tugade added.

The NBDB highlighted that, according to the survey findings, overall attitudes towards books and reading remained positive. The majority of respondents recognized the importance of books beyond educational and professional contexts. Key insights from the survey included the most popular non-school book (NSB) genres among adults (the Bible) and children (picture books), the preferred reading language (Filipino for both age groups), preferred formats (printed books for both age groups), and primary considerations when selecting NSBs (availability for both age groups).

The NBDB enlisted the Social Weather Stations (SWS) to conduct the 2023 National Readership Survey from November 14th to 20th, 2023, with a sample size of 2,400 adults aged 18 and above, and 2,400 children aged 8-17. This survey is the most comprehensive examination of Filipinos' reading habits and preferences and is expected to provide invaluable insights for the agency's readership-focused initiatives.