In an era dominated by digital screens, the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) proves that the allure of printed books remains strong, drawing 120,000 attendees to the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City by Saturday. The longest-running and largest book fair in the Philippines, which began in the 1980s to foster a reading culture and bolster the local publishing industry, concludes Sunday.
For many, the tactile experience of print continues to captivate. “I tend to understand and remember more if it’s printed,” said Gabriel Ricarte, a college sophomore, flipping through pages at the fair. “It’s easier to go back for information.” Vanessa Marie Panopio, 19, echoed the sentiment, adding, “I like the smell of printed books. It’s satisfying.” Bing Cabael, a customer service associate, noted the practical benefits: “No screen fatigue, no eye redness or dryness.”
The fair’s main stage buzzed Friday with a “blockbuster” event: a book-signing for Vilma Santos, Icon: Essays on Cinema, Culture & Society, featuring the beloved actress and Batangas province governor herself, Vilma Santos. Fans, primarily Baby Boomers, packed the venue, with some traveling from across the Philippines and even abroad. Amelia Quizon, a 74-year-old retired nurse from California, clutched three hardbound copies. “One is mine, the other two I’ll bring home to my friends,” she said, her admiration for Santos rooted in a shared history. “I’m 74, Vilma is 71. I’ve watched her since Trudis Liit,” referencing Santos’ 1963 debut, which earned her a FAMAS Best Child Performer award at age 10.
Younger fans also flocked to the event. “We’re Gen Z and proud Vilmanians,” said 25-year-old Patricia Espino, who attended with college friends, all avid Filipino movie buffs. The book, a collection of critical essays on Santos’ six-decade career in film, television, and media, is a second-printing success by the University of Santo Tomas (UST) Publishing House, selling at least 500 copies during the signing. Co-edited by UST professors Augusto Antonio Aguila and journalist Joselito Zulueta, it highlights Santos’ diverse roles as a striptease dancer, AIDS victim, activist nun, killer, and overseas worker, among others.
“Fans didn’t just watch her movies,” Aguila said in a prior interview. “They lined up for hours, bought every magazine, kept newspaper clippings, and even shelled out money.” Their dedication is fueling plans for a coffee table book and filmography, with Santos potentially named a National Artist by the time they’re published.
Santos reflected on her career in a media interview: “I’m one actor who’s very lucky to be able to do relevant movies.” Aguila emphasized the empowerment in her roles, telling UST’s Varsitarian, “The characters she portrays somehow uplift the status of women in society.”
As the MIBF wraps up, it underscores not only the enduring appeal of print but also the timeless draw of cultural icons like Santos, whose legacy continues to bridge generations.
