THE WORLD DESERVES OUR STORIES | Filipino Books take center stage at the London Book Fair 2022

The Philippines has great stories to tell and the world is just waiting for them. The country’s wealth of legends and folklore in the form of graphic novels, young adult and children’s literature, and contemporary fiction will be featured in this year’s London Book Fair (LBF), which will be held from April 5 to 7, 2022 in Olympia at Kensington, London. 

Through the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the Philippines will participate in this event for the very first time.

The London Book Fair is one of the largest international rights trade fairs in the world. International publications and producers in the film, television, theater arts and music industries seeking compelling works for global adaptation will get to catch the best works of Filipino authors and publishers.

AN ARCHIPELAGO OF STORIES 

As the lead agency in the research and development of books, the NBDB will highlight the broad spectrum of Philippine works, including these titles:

Doll Eyes, written by Eline Santos and illustrated by Joy Mallari (published by CANVAS)

This beautifully illustrated children’s book is set in Quiapo—a place where myth, marketplace, and church mingle. In this busy district, the old doll-maker Manang Bolabola runs her shop. Inside is a room filled with the most exquisite dolls, their eyes made of precious gemstones. Curious children enter her store but never come out.

Mga Batang Poz by Segundo Matias, Jr. (published by Lampara Publishing House, Inc.)

“Mga Batang Poz” centers around four online friends who embark on a two-day road trip. Three of them–Gab, Enzo, and Luis–are discreet gays, while Chuchay is the proudly effeminate character. Despite coming from different walks of life, they learn that they share a common truth: they are People Living with HIV (PLHIV).

Tales from the Southern Kingdom by Virginia Villanueva (published by Ateneo de Manila University Press)

This collection of legends, folklore, and children’s stories reflect the culture and the environment of the Sama and Tausug people. Hence, it abounds with tales of seas and oceans, mermaids, boat-people, warriors, and religious characters from the distant past imbued with magical overtones through decades of telling and retelling.

HIGH HOPES AND POSSIBILITIES 

Attending the London Book Fair will be NBDB Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade, NBDB Project Lead of the National Book Database Kevin Ansel Dy, and Komiket founder Paolo Herras. They will be engaging with publishers and literary agents.

“We are thrilled to finally travel and meet with international publishers. The world deserves our stories and the London Book Fair opens a great opportunity for works of our authors, illustrators, and publishers to gain a wider audience. This fair is the best place to start,” shared Tugade.

Komiks publisher Paolo Herras revealed, “Filipino Comics is one of the most underrepresented and exploited genres. We're not studied in colleges or universities, we're not found in the K-12 curriculum, national writer's workshops, or most national awards. But we are already crossing territories, getting picked up by international publishers around the world, and venturing forth into live-action films, animation, content platforms, video games, toys, and other merchandise. So we're mighty proud to be representing the Philippines in the London Book Fair. It's about time.”

RECONNECT IN THE DIASPORA

The Filipino community in the United Kingdom is in full support of this distinguished book event. Acclaimed writers like Candy Gourlay (author of the award-winning Tall Story) who are also based in the UK will be visiting the Philippine stand.

The Philippine Embassy in London will host a lecture by the NBDB on April 8, 2022 at the Sentro Rizal, a platform sharing Philippine culture, history, and art. Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade will lead the conversation on decolonizing the reading landscape in the Philippines.

THE WORLD DESERVES OUR STORIES 

As travel restrictions relax, the publishing world finally reconnects to produce more works to be enjoyed by readers worldwide. The Philippines is on track to be one of the content powerhouses that will enrich not only the literary scene but other forms of media as well. The NBDB is at the forefront of paving the way for Filipino works to reach a global audience because the world deserves our stories.

Scholastic Books on HUGE SALE! 80% off on Harry Potter, Fantastic Beasts and Geronimo Stilton

Here's a treat for Potterheads all over the country as Scholastic Flagship Store goes on sale too! Get as much as 90% off from March 27-29, 2022. 

Click here to order and check available books

Harry Potter Cinematic Guides are available for Php 87 only from the original price of Php 435. The best part? As of writing, they are complete so you can get all of them: Harry Potter, Hermoine, Ron, Dumbledore even Newt Scamander. 

Click this link to order the Harry Potter Cinematic Guides

The Fantastic Beasts series are also on sale for only Php240 from its original price of Php 1,200. This is surely a treat for Potterheads and collectors as this is the hardbound version. This will run out fast so order now. 

Click this link to order the Fantastic Beast (Hardbound)

Aside from Harry Potter books, Geronimo Stilton's books are also on sale at 80% off. 

So, what are you waiting for! Check out Scholastic's Flagship Store here: https://bit.ly/Scholastic90offSALE

Shopee launches Career Jumpstart Series to help accelerate tech careers of students, young Filipinos

By 2025, the Philippine internet economy is expected to grow by 30% annually to reach USD28 billion. In order to sustain such sizable growth, developing young, tech-driven talents will be key. In fact, the DTI has recognized the increasing need to upskill and reskill Philippine talent as one of the main priorities for the 2022 Philippine E-commerce Roadmap. As a means to support the digital economy boom, this April 2022, Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, is launching its first-ever Career Jumpstart Series, a curation of virtual open houses designed to train young tech leaders with career-building skills.

The Shopee Career Jumpstart Series aims to equip leaders of tomorrow with the necessary skills to find success in the tech industry’s workplace setting. The open house learning series will be spaced out across three seminars scheduled on April 5, 7, and 9. 

Who can join? 

• Penultimate and graduating students
• Young professionals with less than two years of work experience

What can you expect? 

Each seminar will be held virtually and focuses on relevant career-building topics:

• Effective resume writing
• Essential interview skills
• Case interview mastery

This presents the perfect opportunity for students and budding professionals to polish their skillsets before immersing themselves in a tech company setting.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said “We are committed to developing young talent - from the initial interview stage, all the way up to securing a job and furthering one’s career. Through the Shopee Career Jumpstart Series, we believe that we can not only help young talent fulfill their potential, but also help contribute to the Philippines’ growing digital economy. We look forward to creating even more opportunities to hone the skills of young Filipinos and support local digital growth.”

Apart from the Career Jumpstart Series, Shopee also offers other programs and initiatives centered on polishing the skills of young talent. Shopee’s Global Leaders Program, for example, is a 2-year graduate program consisting of four 6-month local and overseas rotations that is open to final-year students or young professionals with up to two years of working experience. On the other hand, the Shopee Apprentice Program is an internship program designed to expose interns to the e-commerce and digital finance industry and allow them to participate in the different end-to-end processes of large-scale projects and initiatives.

Registration for the Career Jumpstart Series will be open to all interested individuals. Registrants are not required to be applicants for Shopee’s other key talent programs such as the Shopee Apprentice Program or the Global Leaders Program.

Those interested in learning how to stand out among other applicants may apply for the Shopee Career Jumpstart Series here: https://shp.ee/yz3c5n3.

Try this ultimate makeup hack from KIMUSE featuring its Eyeliner Cosmetic Seal Stamp Wings Eye Beauty Kit

Struggling with your eyeliner? Try this ultimate makeup hack from KIMUSE! 

With over 125,000 pcs sold and a 4.9-star rating on Shopee, the KIMUSE Eyeliner Cosmetic Seal Stamp Wings Eye Beauty Kit is a must-try. It is waterproof (which is a non-negotiable for me.) It also is very handy that you'll have no problem adding this to your make-up kit inside your bag. 

The best part? This International Women's Month, KIMUSE is treating you to up to 80% off discounts exclusively available on Shopee Beauty. So, you don't want to miss this. 

Click here to ADD TO CART

What do they say about the product?

• Easy to apply and has a nice tip to make a thin wing. The stamp is effective.
• Perfect for beginners who want to practice since it's easy to remove and erase.
• No harsh or strong smell.

And that's not all. In case you are interested to order, the KIMUSE Eyeliner Cosmetic Seal Stamp Wings Eye Beauty Kit will be on a FLASH SALE on March 23 (3:00 PM - 6:00 PM) where you can enjoy it at a much lower price. 

Indeed, from skincare to makeup, Shopee Beauty has all your needs! 

Enjoy the most exclusive deals up to 90% off, new launches and exciting offers from your most-loved brands, and free shipping with a minimum spend of ₱499! 

Click here to check all available offers