Up ahead: Bookish November!

 

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(UPDATED) November is the Philippine Book Development Month, and this year, it’s marked by a series of literary events, including “Text in the City,” the Philippine International Literary Festival, set from Nov. 11-15 at different institutions around the city: UST (Nov.11), DLSU (Nov.12), ADMU (Nov.13), UP (Nov.14), and POPtastik Pinoy! at the Ayala Museum (Nov.15); the Komikon 2013 on Nov. 16; the National Book Store Warehouse Sale, and the 3rd Filipino Reader Conference on Nov. 9 Dec. 7 at the Ateneo Rizal Library, and

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Queridas ni Rizal: the Ambeth Ocampo lecture

The weekend before the MIBF, I attended the Ambeth Ocampo lecture at the Ayala Museum. I wanted to go to the lecture since I saw the announcement go up on Facebook — it’s been years (don’t ask how many!) since my History 165 (Rizal and the Emergence of the Filipino Nation) class, but I haven’t forgotten the fun I had that semester!

It was good a friend reserved a slot for me at the lecture, as nothing turned out as planned. I found myself on the other side of the metro, drumming my fingers on my lap inside a cab as I was stuck in heavy traffic for over an hour. The friends I was supposed to go to the lecture with suddenly found themselves caught up in urgent business, and I was afraid I wouldn’t make it! I got to Ayala Museum at exactly 3 pm. Good thing I was waved through when I presented my receipt so I managed to snag one of the last seats in the jam-packed hall right before the lecture started.

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