MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The National Alliance of Reading Advocates (NARA), a group composed of readership advocates in the country and a project by the National Book Development Board (NBDB), held its first important NARA Milestone Meeting recently, where the provisional outline of the NARA Readers’ Agenda was presented. The group also decried the lukewarm state of reading culture in the country, as shown in the country’s State of the Reading Nation (SORNA) for the second quarter of the year. The alliance will work collaboratively in drafting and finalizing the NARA Readers’ Agenda, and hopes to ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The National Book Development Board (NBDB) announced the list of grantees for the first cycle of the Translation Subsidy Program for Foreign Publishers, a vital component in the country’s preparations as Guest of Honor (GoH) at the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse (FBM) in 2025, which will be held in Frankfurt, Germany on October 15-19, 2025. The Translation Subsidy Program, which has a separate program designed for Philippine publishers, is enhanced further with the PhlGoH2025, an interagency collaboration between the NBDB, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCC ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The Philippine Postal Corporation (The Post Office) in collaboration with Museo Orlina, is inviting students, designers and Illustrators to join the nationwide stamp-design contest in celebration of Universal Postal Union‘s (UPU) 150th Founding Anniversary. The UPU is a specialized agency of the United Nations created on October 09, 1984, under the Treaty of Bern. It unites the postal networks of 192 member countries.  The competition is open to high school and college students, artists, designers, illustrators, and other interested individuals. The design must inter ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — In celebration of Pride Month, the Philippine Information Agency, together with partner brands and organizations, rolled out the Rainbow Care Caravan: Ang Araw na Itech ay Para Sayis in Intramuros Manila last June 20. Through the event, the primary beneficiary communities of Golden Gays and Golden Beks, and the public, were able to access government services and partake in the festivities such as performances, free merchandise, and bazaar. Among the services offered were legal consultation, police clearance application, HIV testing, medical and dental check-ups — addressi ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — BBDO Guerrero and Childhope Philippines Foundation won Gold in the Education and Lifelong Learning under the Champions for Humanity cluster with their Singing Lessons initiative at the recently concluded Asia Pacific Tambuli Awards 2024. Awarded last June 04 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Singing Lessons also took home a Silver in the Builders of Society category under radio and audio. The Singing Lessons initiative supports Childhope’s KalyEskwela or the School-on-the Streets program. This effort provides quality education to street children at 11 locations in Manila thr ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Bossjob, the chat-first career platform for professional hiring in Southeast Asia (SEA), has signed a strategic partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority-National Capital Region (TESDA-NCR) to boost the employability of technical vocational education and training (TVET) graduates. Aligned with TESDA-NCR’s program, CollaboraTVET: Forging Partnerships for TVET Excellence, Bossjob will offer specialized training programs tailored to the needs of TESDA graduates, along with exclusive job opportunities and career development resources. The Colla ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Online shopping has established itself among Filipino consumers, with NielsenIQ revealing that 67% of those who turned to ecommerce during the pandemic plan to keep shopping online.  For small and medium businesses (SMBs), the key to unlocking business growth could be in enhancing SMB digital marketing strategies. As we move further into 2024, digital marketing trends have changed to match new consumer behaviors and tech advancements. This shift is a great chance for SMBs to adjust and succeed. In this article, we explore the trends shaping the digital marketing play ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Thousands flocked to IFEX Philippines 2024, where the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) organized a major showcase of the country’s local and international food flavors and ingredients for trade and retail. Activities included live cooking demos and learning sessions from the culinary community and industry personalities. The three-day event was held at the World Trade Center Metro Manila from May 10 to 12. CITEM officially opened the 17th edition of IFEX Philippines last May 10 to an estimated crowd of nearly 10,000 for the combined three-d ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — In 2020, the Department of Tourism (DOT) expressed its aim for domestic tourism to return. One of their solutions is to reimagine food tourism in the country. Based on the 2020 Food Travel Monitor, 7.2 out of 10 travelers select their destination based on its food and drinks. In the Philippines, nearly 30% of the total expenses of international tourists are allocated to culinary experiences, as per the Department of Tourism’s statistics. Fast forward to 2024, see how culinary tourism in the Philippines fared with tourists now that COVID-19 restrictions are less strict. Ho ..read more

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — In the world of art, every stroke tells a story, and every hue carries emotions. Such is the case with Edward Russel Romero‘s masterpiece, “Nak, Uuwi Na Si Mama” (“Child/Son, Mom’s Coming Home”), which clinched the second prize under the watercolor category at the 56th Shell National Students Art Competition (NSAC).  Hailing from the University of the Philippines – Cebu, Edward’s winning artwork serves as a poignant tribute to his Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) mother, whose unwavering dedication paved the way for his education and artistic journey. He shared ..read more