Scribblory at the PBF 2025: A Look Back
- scribblory
- Apr 4
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 5
In March 2025, Scribblory had the honor of joining the largest Philippine book fair—the Philippine Book Festival—for the very first time. Representing the group as a collective, the Scribblory Writers Group (SWG) was given its own dedicated wall at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall. The event ran for four days, from March 13 to 16, with the doors opening daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
On March 13, the PBF team and exhibitors kicked off the event dressed in Filipiniana. DepEd scopers from various provinces visited the booths and walls around the hall, looking for books that would meet the needs of their schools. Through the teamwork of Scribblory authors and volunteers, SWG successfully created a cozy, homey ambiance that caught the attention of most passersby.
At the event, Scribblory showcased twelve (12) creative nonfiction books written by Scribblorists and published by a mix of indie and traditional publishers. Among the titles were two memoirs by Vergie Manligas—A Silver Lining and Amiable Hometown; Feast Books' Finding You and the self-published writing guide Scribbling from Memory by Elaine Marie Factor; Ukiyoto Publishing's Calm in the Chaos by A.M. Caneda; and the award-winning memoir Remind Me in Rome by Ria L. Miral. Also featured were Claretian’s bestselling Redeemed by L.L. Tumbaga, as well as several self-published works: Remembering Pandan by Naysan Albaytar, Ripening by Kai Alfonso, To Be by Mars Apidos, and the writing journal Pen De Manila, co-created by Rosalie De Silva, Naysan Albaytar, and Vergie Manligas. Among these titles, it was Boundless Optimism by Rosalie De Silva that emerged as the collective’s bestseller.
Starting on the second day, a Meet & Greet and Book Signing was scheduled for several authors throughout the event to engage both loyal and potential readers. Ria L. Miral met with readers on March 14, followed by A.M. Caneda (March 15, 10–11 AM), Vergie Manligas (2–3 PM), Rosalie De Silva (3–4 PM), L.L. Tumbaga (March 16, 4–5 PM), and Elaine Marie Factor (6–7 PM). Family and friends from various parts of Metro Manila and nearby provinces came to show their support, while passersby who purchased books had the lucky chance to have their copies personally signed by the authors.
On March 14, Founder and Managing Director Elaine Marie Factor had the opportunity to promote memoir writing and Scribblory through a workshop titled "Writing about Memories: A Memoir Writing Workshop," held at the NARA (National Alliance for Reading Advocates) lounge. The majority of the NARA team participated in the discussion, writing activities, and group sharing. “At Scribblory, we have built—and are still building—bonds through this: writing memoirs together and sharing stories that are precious to us.” The two-hour session concluded with a group photo of all the attendees, who expressed eagerness to continue writing the stories they had started during the workshop.
Back at SWG’s wall, Scribblorists who had connected through the online platform finally met face-to-face. They worked together to distribute brochures, entertain visitors, and assist with transactions. The authors generously sponsored freebies for readers, meals for the volunteers, and Scribblory button pins for the Scribblorists. What was meant to be a bowl of 'writing encouragement' filled with rolled papers soon overflowed with cute bookmarks and keychains!
Overall, PBF 2025 had been a great experience for Scribblory Writers Group. It's amazing how events like this can put book lovers—writers, readers, book producers, book sellers, reading teachers—all together. This is a great way to build and nurture the literary community in the Philippines, and more importantly, to promote love for literacy.
We can't wait to join more book fairs this year and the years to come!
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