The Imagination Peoples the Air': PHL Prepares for Literary Spotlight at Frankfurt Book Fair

'Literature,' according to Senator Loren Legarda, 'does not flourish in isolation.' It thrives with the nurturing of a nation that values its storytellers.

- IGAN D'BAYAN

As the Philippine literary contingent returns to Germany—a country deeply intertwined with our country's own literary history—the nation is poised for a landmark year as we take center stage as Guest of Honour at the 2025 Frankfurter Buchmesse (FBM) in October. Kicking off with its inaugural national stand at the Leipziger Buchmesse in March and a dynamic cultural program already in motion, the Philippines is boldly scripting a new chapter for its literature on the global stage.

At a recent press talk in Berlin, Senator Loren Legarda, a long-time advocate for Philippine arts and culture, spoke in a video message with conviction about the journey to this moment. "It is quite ironic for a nation, whose independence was inspired by books, to be late at the world's oldest book fair," she remarked, reflecting on the country's long hiatus from the event. "We waited a hundred years after our freedom from colonial rule to participate in the FBM."

The Philippine Guest of Honour delegation was represented by National Book Development Board (NBDB) executive Karina Bolasco, curator of books and head of the literary program; Daryll Delgado, who introduced the new German edition of her climate fiction novel Remains; J. Philip Ignacio, presenting his historical graphic novel Alandal; alongside representatives from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The road to Frankfurt has been anything but accidental. It was the senator who, nearly a decade ago, helped secure the Philippines' re-entry into the Frankfurt Book Fair after a 15-year absence. In 2017, she met with fair officials and signaled the country's ambitions to become Guest of Honour—a bid finally formalized in 2023.