Events: Aklatan: The First All-Filipino Book Festival

This is another sideline event for me this year before the much awaited Winter Komikon 2013. This year an all Filipino book festival was made possible by Visprint, Inc. in cooperation with The National Book Development Board. It was held at The Alpha Tents. It is located at the 6th floor of Alphaland Southgate, EDSA cor. Chino Roces Avenue. This is one event that I made sure I had time to attend, despite the busy and full packed schedule that I had today (September 7, 2013).

Aklatan 2013, aims to promote and encourage Filipinos to read more Filipino authored books and someday be also an author of a book. There are a lot in store for this year's event such as Visprint's book launching, the Write Pitch, talks regarding e-books, and a lot more. There are a lot of surprises and announcements that was made. One of those was the announcement of a movie adaptation of Bob Ong's ABNKKBSNPLAko?!

Well one of the main reason why I want to attend this event is because it is the place where the book launch of Stories from the Diabolical Volume 1 are going to be done. The story is still written by Budjette Tan and the art is now made by KaJo Baldisimo. The stories were originally published online at http://www.diabolical13.blogspot.com/ with Elbert Or as the illustrator back then. This event was held at the Balesin Room.

There are other events which was held at The Tents that occurs simultaneously at the Balesin Room. The first event that was done in the Balesin Room was Visprint's launching of its new titles. These are Wakasang wasak by Siege Malvar, Project 17 by Eliza Victoria, and Diabolical by Budjette Tan and KaJo Baldisimo. When I got there, which was around 10 a.m., there was already a short line for Manix Abrera and KaJo Baldisimo. Budjette came along a little after.

 

Manix never fails to have a line, whether it be short or long, wherever
it may be on a Komikon or not, whenever he launches a new book or not.

Budjette just came in with a cup of coffee while KaJo signs a copy of Trese.

Budjette Tan, writer of Trese, The Diabolical, and The Dark Colony among others

Budjette Tan browsing thru The Diabolical for the first time

KaJo Baldisimo, artist of Trese and The Diabolical

There's a lot of things happening that I forgot to take a picture of it. There's also the trouble that I need to get out of the place since I need to tend to other things. But as far as I can see from it, events like this do a big job in helping the promotion of Filipino books. It helps the current generation continue to enjoy the fun of reading and maybe later on be inspired to write a story for others or perhaps draw them such as what the others had done in order to contribute and help the Filipino Comics industry.

Well I hope we all continue to support our locally published works, let they be printed by a local publisher and even those that are self published. I know there are also good works written from other countries. But let us not forget that we also have good writers and illustrators here in our country whose works deserve being read most especially by us Filipinos.

Here are the things that I got from Aklatan 2013:

• Confused Volume 1
• EM Zine 
• Project 17
• Stories from The Diabolical Volume 1
• Wasakang Wasak

Hope next time I'll have more time, and hopefully more money on the next Aklatan.

Note: Some of the images were taken from the internet.