Hey hey, book lovers — the 2025 Philippine Book Festival is in A WEEK and I’m very excited! Why, you ask? Well, my friends, it’s because the Philippine Book Festival is the ONE big bookish event in the country that has Filipino-authored publications as its focus. So if you wanna get into Filipino authors and their works, this is THE event you should be at.
This year, the Philippine Book Festival is happening on March 13-16 (Thursday to Sunday) at the Megatrade Halls of SM Megamall Building B. As always, the event is FREE for the public — you can pre-register using the QR code on the poster below, or just simply show up on the day of the event and register at the door.
Every year at the Philippine Book Festival, the venue is divided into four realms: Booktopia (trade books), Kid Lit (children’s literature), Aral Aklat (educational books), and Komiks (comics and graphic novels). This year, #RomanceClass will be having its very own booth at Booktopia, and we are inviting you all to check us out at Booth BO11! Your favorite #RomanceClass books will be there, as well as some authors who’ll be hanging out and signing books as well.
Things to watch out for
- New Blush Books release! Author H. Bentham’s new book Kiss Away the Goodbye is going to be released on March 13! This little spicy M/M romance is about Martin and Judd, two guys who initially just wanted to have fun (wink, wink!) but end up falling in love. Check out its wonderful cover below, illustrated by local artist Rye Quizon.
- Gay panel, anyone? Authors Chi Yu Rodriguez and H. Bentham will be participating in a panel called Baklaan at Bahaginan: Gender-inclusive Voices in Philippine Literature on Saturday, March 15 at 4:00 pm at the Creator’s Stage. If you’re attending the event on Saturday and are interested in gender inclusivity in books, this is something you shouldn’t miss. Chi and Ben will be joining fellow authors Chuckberry Pascual and Bernadette Neri, and the panel will be hosted by Mitch Balladeres of the National Book Development Board.
- Live readings are SO BACK! Yes, we are having a live reading session at #PBF2025! We always say that attending a #RomanceClass live reading is A Must especially if you’re a romance fan, or even just a book fan, because it’s really An Experience. Imagine our talented theatre actors reading whole scenes from romance books. It’s KILIG, that’s it. For #PBF2025, we will be having Gio Gahol, Jef Flores, Jade Albert, and MNor Madamesila on the lineup! Come and see them on Sunday, March 16 at 4:00 pm at Meeting Room B.
- Vibal Grand Launch! If you have been paying attention to the #RomanceClass Instagram account, we’ve announced a couple of acquisitions by Vibal Group, one of the biggest publishing houses in the country. This year, they are launching a new new-adult fiction imprint and have acquired three titles from #RomanceClass authors so far — Interim Goddess of Love Trilogy by Mina V. Esguerra, Blooming Love by Carla de Guzman, and Ghost of a Feeling by Celestine Trinidad. For #PBF2025, they will be launching Mina’s Interim Goddess of Love, and that’s happening on the Main Stage on Sunday, March 16 at 5:00 pm.
Do check out the event’s Instagram account (@bookfestph) or the National Book Development Board’s Instagram account (@nbdbphilippines) for more details about all of the programs happening within the festival dates. We hope to see you all next week!
