GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Sarangani Writers League (SWL) members participated in the Philippine Book Festival (PBF), held at the SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang in Davao City, from August 18–20, 2023.
The event, which was part of Davao City's 38th Kadayawan Festival, aimed to celebrate and promote Filipino books and authors across the country, giving the Sarangani writers the opportunity to showcase their work and promote the thriving literary scene in their province.
"It’s a great honor for SWL to be featured in PBF. Since the event was held in Davao City, Sarangani is one of the provinces in Mindanao to represent the province and be able to showcase its literary works to other attendees in the event," said SWL chairperson Carlou Barroca Espedillion.
"We hope to expand our advocacy, which is to promote and cultivate the literary scene of our province and region. We hope that in a few years, more local writers will rise," he added.
The book titles showcased and sold at the event included: "Life Cycle of a Butterfly" and "Amputation, Decomposition: Tales of Eventual Decay" by Espedillon; "Gusto Maglupad ni Bangsi" by Xaña Angel Eve Apolinar; "Jonas: Nobela sa Wikang Sebwano" by Hannah Adtoon Leceña; and zine titles such as "Mga Palayaw" by John Dave Pacheco; "Hangad" and "Gusto Ko Maglangi" by Kyle Cherifaith Bago; and "Dugtong," an anthology by Sarangan writers. These works were displayed at The Indie Publishers Collab PH and Tambayang Pambata booths.
SWL collaborated with Indie Publishers Collab PH, a community of Filipino independent literary book publishers. Members of SWL volunteered to sell book titles under this group and were able to sell their work.
"We hope more local works and writers will be showcased in this kind of event," said SWL co-founder and Indie Publishers Collab PH Treasurer MJ Cagumbay Tumamac.
Other writers from the SOCCSKSARGEN region who participated in PBF included Gerald Galindez (Tridax Zines), Mary Ann Ordinario (ABC Educational Development Center Children's Books), Jennie Arado, and Teng Mangansakan.
PBF Davao was organized by the National Book Development Board (NBDB). The agency takes the lead in creating a robust environment for publishing while encouraging a vibrant culture of reading through business development and professionalization. NBDB provides technical, developmental, and marketing assistance to creatives, publishers, enterprises, and individuals involved in the production of books in the Philippines. (Genory Vanz Alfasain/Voice of the Youth Network/PIA SarGen)
