10 Years Later: Remembering the 2015 Manila International Book Fair

2015 Manila International Book Fair

I started collecting books in 2015 when I was already working in a BPO company. That year medyo nakaluwag-luwag at nagkaroon tayo ng freedom para gumastos ng extra. Kasi, when I was teaching in college, sakto lang yung ating salary kaya kahit yung gumastos sa sarili ay hindi natin magawa-gawa. Although that year medyo nag-addjust sa time sa BPO at hindi pa sira ang ating body clock noon ay kinaya naman at dito ko nga rin na experience yung gumala with friends and any other activities na may extrang kita. 

In 2015, may nakilala akong teammate na mahilig rin sa libro at nabanggit niya nga sa akin ang annual na event sa SMX Convention Center sa Pasay City, ang Manila International Book Fair. After the shift, and it was already Friday, napasyalan namin yung event, and it was really fun to be there. All of the books that you wish to find were there at nanduon din yung mga mismong authors ng libro at puwede ka magkaroon ng libreng pirma nila kapag bumili ka ng latest book selling nila. Nagulat ako sa dami ng tao, and yes this is my very first time to attend this kind of event na paborito ko pa ang tema. 

The Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) has always been more than just an event—it’s a pilgrimage for book lovers. Held at the SMX Convention Center in Mall of Asia, Pasay City, the 2015 edition was no exception. It was a sea of stories, authors, publishers, students, collectors, and dreamers.

But today, habang sinusulat ko ito, I am trying to cope with the memories of that magical week. Ang hirap kalimutan—dahil hindi lang libro ang naipon ko, kundi alaala rin.

Walking inside the SMX Convention Center was like stepping into a city of books. Rows and rows of stalls carried all kinds of treasures—new releases, rare titles, educational references, children’s literature, and even international editions, which are not always easily found in regular bookstores.

Students rushed to buy discounted textbooks, families pushed carts full of children’s books, writers promoted their works, and bookworms like me… well, we tried to keep our wallets from crying.

Workshops, author signings, storytelling sessions, and panel discussions filled the schedule. Some booths offered games and raffles, while others invited artists to sketch live for their fans. It was, in every sense, a celebration of words and imagination.

AND YOU KNOW WHAT? MARIA OZAWA WAS MY UNEXPECTED HIGHLIGHT OF THE NIGHT! 

Kung tutuusin, the most talked-about moment of the 2015 MIBF wasn’t just about books. It was the day Maria Ozawa—yes, the Japanese celebrity—came to do a signing of her newly released book.

The crowd swelled. Some were shocked, others were curious, but many lined up eagerly just to get a glimpse of her. I remember thinking: Here I am, surrounded by authors and literature, and suddenly Maria Ozawa is part of my book fair memory. It was surreal, and it added a peculiar chapter to my own story of that day.

Si Maria Ozawa ay isang Japanese actress star na sumikat noong kalagitnaan ng 2000s sa Japan at sa iba’t ibang bansa sa Asya. Kilala siya hindi lang dahil sa kanyang mga pelikula sa adult entertainment, kundi dahil din sa kanyang pagiging outspoken at sa pagsubok niyang pumasok sa mainstream showbiz.

Noong 2015, naging usap-usapan siya sa Pilipinas dahil nagkaroon siya ng mga proyekto dito—tulad ng pag-arte sa pelikula at paglabas sa ilang events. Isa na nga dito ang Manila International Book Fair, kung saan dumalo siya para mag-promote at mag-sign ng kanyang libro.

Ang photobook na “Ozawa” ay ipinromote sa Manila International Book Fair 2015 kung saan nagkaroon din ng nakatakdang book signing session sa booth ng Summit Media. Ang photobook ay itinuturing na isang “fan service” project, na idinisenyo upang magbigay-kasiyahan sa mga tagasunod ni Ozawa sa pamamagitan ng mga larawang bumabagay sa kanyang established image. Sa kasalukuyan, maaari pa rin itong matagpuan sa ilang online stores bilang OZAWA photobook, na naglalaman ng mga larawan sa gravure style content.

Sayang nga lang—hindi ko nabili ang libro niya. Hindi ko rin nakamayan si Maria Ozawa, at naisip ko pa tuloy kung gaano kaya kalambot ang mga palad niya, hehehe. Pero gano’n talaga—by the time dumating siya sa book fair, nakabili na ako ng limang libro at totally out of budget na. Kung may dagdag pa sana akong pera, malamang isinama ko rin sa haul ko ang photobook niya bilang alaala ng isang kakaibang pagkakataon at nakita ko sana harap-harapan ang kanyang ganda. 

Pero makaraan ang ilang taon nakabili rin ako ng kanyang photobook sa National Bookstore dito sa amin. Naging interesante rin kasi sa akin kung ano man ang nilalaman nun, hehehe. 

Of course, I didn’t leave empty-handed. I went home with five precious books—each carrying its own universe, each offering a different way of looking at life and storytelling.

1. Kiko Machine Komiks by Manix Abrera

This was a must-buy. Manix Abrera’s Kiko Machine is a cult favorite, blending humor, satire, and Filipino pop culture quirks. Ang mga simpleng araw-araw na eksena ng estudyante, tambay, at pangkaraniwang tao ay nagiging nakakatuwang satire. His comic strips are witty, sometimes absurd, but always reflective of our society. Reading it feels like sitting with barkada, laughing at the silly yet profound truths of Filipino life.

2. Anim na Sabado ng Beyblade

It shows here how his child fought against his illness.

We can also read the list of rumbles he got into and the people he knocked down during drinking sessions. It’s not only about brawls; even his misadventures in love are written down here. Included are the names of his ex-girlfriends and his many fleeting first loves. But it doesn’t stop with personal matters—he also wrote about how his child bravely battled against sickness.

In Jarin’s works, the protagonist is ordinary. Ordinary people, ordinary lives, and ordinary experiences. The words are simple and easy to understand, not too deep or complicated. If we look closely at his writings, we’ll see that Jarin himself is just an ordinary person, which makes his work deeply connected to our everyday life. And from them, we can glean many lessons.

Yet, it is not simply ordinary—it is ordinary with art. He is not only a good writer but also highly creative with his stories and essays. Places, characters, movements, and even events are vividly drawn in our imagination. He can make his readers laugh and cry at the same time. Truly, we will find ourselves laughing and crying because his works mirror the life of the Filipino.

3. Manila Noir edited by Jessica Hagedorn

A gritty collection of short stories, Manila Noir showcases the darker side of the city. Written by Filipino authors, each story paints Manila in shades of crime, mystery, betrayal, and survival. This anthology is not about the postcard version of Manila; it’s about the underbelly—the neon-lit bars, the alleys filled with secrets, the voices of people living in the margins. Reading it felt like wandering through the city at midnight, where every shadow has a story. Gusto ko dito yung kwento ni Leslie Tenorio na pinamagatang "Aviary", the best!

4. Para kay B by Ricky Lee 

Ricky Lee is a legend, and Para kay B remains one of his most celebrated works. The premise is striking: only five people are destined to experience true love in this world. Ano na lang ang mangyayari sa iba? Through interconnected stories, the book unravels the pain, irony, and hope that surround love. It’s both heartbreaking and enlightening—because it forces us to ask: Is love destiny, or is it choice?

5. Trip to Quiapo by Ricky Lee 

Para kay B is a literary reflection on love, Trip to Quiapo is Ricky Lee’s gift to writers. It’s a guidebook, a manifesto, and a memoir rolled into one. He teaches not through rigid rules but through storytelling—sharing his own struggles, techniques, and philosophies as a screenwriter. Para sa mga nangangarap magsulat ng kwento, this book is both a map and an encouragement to carve your own path. Dito rin ako natuto ng maraming estilo ng pagsusulat kagaya nang naisulat ko sa blog post kong "When Greek Gods buy Vinegar, Fish Sauce, and Soy Sauce". Mukhang hindi ko pa nga ito naibabahagi sa Facebook, but soon! 

Now, years later, as I recall that 2015 book fair, I realize that it wasn’t just about the books I carried home. It was about the energy of the crowd, the joy of discovery, the awkward but unforgettable presence of Maria Ozawa, and the quiet moments where I hugged my purchases like trophies.

Disyembre man o Setyembre, books will always carry the same magic. At sa tuwing bumabalik ako sa mga librong binili ko noon, I am not just reading stories—I am remembering myself at that moment, wandering the aisles of SMX, breathing in the scent of paper and ink, and holding on to the belief that books are not just objects, but vessels of memory.

Susundan ko pa sana ang aking pagbisita yearly sa Manila Book Fair ngunit dala ng aking health conditions nahinto ako at nakabisita lang muli noong 2017 kung saan guest naman at nakita ko si Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. Ang experience ko sa 2017 Manila International Bookfair ay ibabahagi ko naman sa aking mga sunod na kwento. When I was successfully undergo with my heart surgery, I went for a bike ride in 2022 to visit the 2022 Manila International Bookfair but this time I did not went to the actual event and just become a spectator outside at napakaaga ko rin naman kasi nun sa SMX Convention Center at may mga lugar na rin akong nakaplano na pupuntahan. Kung papalarin at makakarecover muli sa aking health conditions ay gusto ko muli pasyalan ang Manila International Book Fair.