The Philippine Book Festival will be held on March 12-15 in 2026. It is a festival for all the book lovers out there, especially the ones in the Philippines. This book fair is one of the many initiatives of the National Book Development Board.  NBDB is the Philippines' book authority, dedicated to creating a vibrant, diverse, and equitable book publishing ecosystem.

The book festival is set to take place at  Megatrade Hall, SM Megamall, and the entrance is FREE, just register through this link: bit.ly/PBF2026Registration.

The Philippine Book Festival is not just a book fair; it’s a book experience!

 

I will be joining the Philippine Book Festival this year as an author through a consignment agreement with PaperKat Books and Ms. Kath Eustaquio-Derla. I am happy to tell you that two of my books will be available at the book festival, and they are The Restless Mind and It's Not About Us.

I won't be able to be there physically, but my books will be there for sure. They are at the PaperKat Books booth. Please do drop by. 

Experience the Philippine Book Festival this year for FREE! My books will see you there. Raxmat!

On my last day in Boracay, I took another round of the tour at the hostel where I stayed, Shortime Dormitel. It was a nice place to stay, especially for a solo traveler, as it was quite safe. 

It was a rainy day when I left the hostel as if the sky was crying because I was about to leave the island. Before leaving the dormitel, I made sure I had enough water to keep me hydrated throughout my trip back home. 

When I was already riding a multicab all the way to the port, I had a pretty meaningful chat with a local driver about a glimpse of what kind of life is there in their island. 

I arrived at Tambisaan port safely and ready to sail to Caticlaan airport. The boat ticket was a bit pricey for me, to be honest. For a Filipino touring her own country, it was expensive in Boracay. After quite a long negotiation, I finally got the amount I was willing to pay for. 

Thankfully, the sea was calm even in the rainy season. 

After the boat ride, I needed to take another tricycle ride to reach the airport. It was a silent ride this time with a noisy background. 

I got confused about where the airport was, because it was unlike the NAIA airport, but then again, it was just a small airport. 

I got to board an early flight with AirAsia that was good, but unfortunately, I had excess baggage weight and had to pay a fee, which was pretty much unacceptable for me, but I had no choice but to pay because of the souvenirs that I bought.

The sky had finally cleared up when I reached Caticlan airport, and it was a good sight. 

I got home safely after all the transfers of transport, and that's all, folks, for my Boracay trip! Just me and my attempt to vlog. 

My third day in Boracay Island, and this day was supposed to be a relaxing day after all the adventure yesterday, but the typhoon wouldn't let me rest. I had planned to have a reading at Angol Beach, but it was cancelled due to the rain, strong wind, and waves. 

I wasn't able to do any reading; I got a lot of steps walking back and forth on the shore while looking for some souvenirs. It was a good way to make up for all the workouts I missed since I returned to the Philippines. 

D'Mall was a popular commercial center in Boracay. You can find hotels. restaurants, souvenir shops, and people who offer different package tours. There were also individual vendors at the shore who sell local delicacies like turon (fried banana in a lumpia wrapper).      

I got a free voucher when I was approached by a sales agent (don't entertain them if you can move on without the free food, haha). The food was good and free, and the hotel was good. The experience was decent, but I wouldn't do it again. 

The real adventure began on my second day in Boracay Island. It was windy and rainy, since it was typhoon season in the Philippines. From the hostel, I headed over to Angol Beach to meet up with my cousin, Limboy. He helped me book a package tour, and it was also a good opportunity to catch up with him. 

We had to head to another beach called Bach Beach for the starting point of the package tour. The place was jam-packed with local and foreign tourists. The waves and wind were much calmer at Bach Beach.

Reaching our first destination, Ilig-iligan Beach, required a boat ride. From Bach Beach, a medium-sized boat was packed with mostly local tourists, and I think two foreigners. 

There were simple attractions like the trending 'photo opp on a crystal kayak' and also small stores. I wasn't surprised when I heard about pricey goods on the island. It's an island, and it must have taken extra effort and expenses to bring those goods to Ilig-iligan Island.

After quite some time at Ilig-iligan Island, our boat went to a part of the sea intended for snorkeling. I got to try a fresh coconut drink on the boat in the sea; the idea felt unique and refreshing. Snorkeling is an activity that I enjoy the most whenever I have a beach trip. I was planning not to try snorkeling in the seawater of Boracay Island because I had to pay extra for the environmental fee again. 

The under-the-sea experience is always scary for me, but the view is divine.

On this day, it was my second time experiencing ATV. I was still a little nervous, since it had been a while since I had gone to Bohol to do ATV in the vast land of Chocolate Hills. That was a good and fun memory. It wouldn't be a bad idea to visit Bohol again. 

ATV was tiring, but enjoyable. Moreover, the zipline was scary, but humans are scarier. Jump diving and kayaking are the inclusions of the package tour I got to try, which were not new to me, but still fun to do.

Today was the start of my adventure going to Boracay. I didn't expect it to have a lot of transport transfers going to the main island of Boracay. 

Airplane to bus. Bus to tricycle. Tricycle to boat. Boat to tricycle. That was a lot and tiring. Yes, I was tired. But I had hope; it was all worth it. 

Caticlan Airport was a small airport, and it had a manual conveyor belt for all the checked-in baggage. It was a curious aspect of the airport, and I shouldn't be surprised, given that it was a relatively small airport.  

I met another Filipino traveler on my tricycle ride going to the ferry terminal. I remember he had been to Boracay more than once, probably three or four times. It was nice to meet a fellow traveler on a trip. He gave me some heads up on what to expect on the island, and helped me through the registration process and payment at the tourist center. I admit that I didn't expect a lot of fees as a local tourist of my own country, but I guess that's how the economy was built on the island. 

After paying all the fees for environmental protection and more, it was time for the ferry ride. I was excited to see my accommodation at Shoretime Dormitel. Here I come, Boracay!

I was hungry, and I needed something to fill my grumbling stomach. But I was really careful not to trigger my stomach sickness and migraine. I tend to vomit and have a headache if traveling on a red-eye flight, and that happened too during my Taiwan trip. Thankfully, I prevented the same unpleasant experience from drinking warm water. 

Breakfast was hearty at Shortime Dormitel restaurant. They offer sumptuous silog breakfast meals and light sandwich snacks, and I enjoyed them. 

Angol Beach was a sight, a breathtaking place worth visiting! It was also one of the reasons why I chose my accommodation, since Shortime Dormitel was within walking distance of Angol Beach. It was still a bit of a walk, and I considered it as part of my exercise routine. 

All along, I thought I had only spent more or less P10,000.00 for my July 21 to 24 Taiwan trip. Behold, let's reveal the accurate computation cost on this blog episode. 

I tried my best to remember some of my expenses during this trip and I just estimated some of the amount or prices. Below is the list of my expenses:

I also used Google Sheets to present my expenses hoping it would present clarity. 

I think I went over my budget on this trip. Hopefully, next time I'll be able to spend less on my next trip.

Please use my Trip.com and Klook code if need to purchase anything on these travel apps. I hope this information is helpful if you are planning a trip to Taiwan. 

Do you think I spent a reasonable for this trip or not? 

Let me know what you think. 

Last night of my trip in Taiwan, and I got to witness the night market of Ximending. There were street performers who captivated both locals and foreign tourists. I stayed for a while watching the performers from the beginning of their performance, but I wasn't able to finish recording it since the camera had lost its power. I also couldn't stay late, and I had to sleep early for my return flight the next day. I think I also bought some food souvenirs that night. 

I decided to have my breakfast at the airport, and the Burger King food stall caught my attention because of their Naruto meal specialty. Unfortunately, I did't get the Naruto meal, because it was a little pricey for one meal for me, it was 300 plus Taiwanese dollars, so it would cost me 600 plus Philippine pesos. Instead, I got their regular meal, probably it was 189 Taiwanese dollars or 378 Philippine pesos. 

My tummy was happy and moved on to the boarding and waited for my flight. 

With less than two hours, I got back to the Philippines and it was still raining. I left raining and returned raining, just like Philippines, I guess. 

It was a tiring Taiwan trip, but it was all worth it. Just like I said before, I would love to visit Taiwan again if I get the chance, hopefully for a trip and not just for a layover. 

It's my Day 2 in Taiwan, y'all!

From Ximen, it was a two-hour ride to Tamsui, and that was a long travel time, but the good thing the view from the train car was something I enjoyed. Along with my unexpected travel buddies, Jewel and Sheila, we got to take some pictures inside the train.

We hadn't had our breakfast, so upon reaching Tamsui, the first thing we did was to check out some food stalls and convenience stores near the train station.

After the train ride, we needed to ride a bus for an hour, I think, to reach Yehli, where we could find the geopark.

The coastal view from the bus ride was superb. The sea was looking blue and divine. That long bus ride was worth it in exchange for all the sights I got to see. It was like having a bus tour of the provincial area of Taiwan.  

There's no denying the wonders I witness at Yehliu Geopark. All the sweat, confusion, and doubt vanished when we saw the magnificent rock formations that looked like mushrooms and the vast blue sea. 

We tried our best to explore the place and get the best out of the little time we had there. Photo opportunities were something that was never missed among Filipinos. 

There was an area of the geopark that had souvenir stores. I got dried seafood and a ref magnet. Some of the store owners spoke Tagalog words and accepted Philippine currency either cash or via GCash.

It was another adventure finding our next stop, Jiufen Old Street. We were not sure what bus number we were supposed to hop on; it was all instinct and confidence in our understanding of the Tiktok travel video, which was always referenced by my travel buddies.

The Jiufen Old Street was literally a maze old street turned into a market. There were a lot of interesting stores. Food, souvenirs, a tea house, and restaurants were just a few of the shops I remember. The place had that Studio Ghibli vibe, and I liked it as a fan of their animated movies. 

I made sure I got the free Taro balls as one of the complimentary items of the Fun Pass I bought via Klook app. 

Unfortunately, we didn't make it to Sheifen Falls and the Lantern festival. The travel time consumed most of our time. I had this thought, I should go back to Taiwan since I missed a lot of attractions I wanted to visit. I don't know when I would get to explore Taiwan, but I hope to visit it again.

It was dawn and Taoyuan International Airport was practically closed. Only the passengers and a few employees were present when I got inside the airport. My struggle was that there were few options of people to ask for queries. Sometimes, I tend to ask a lot of questions.

The wall decor at the airport was entertaining enough to preoccupy me as I trudged on the long pathwalk. There were paintings in frames and murals. It was nice to see them the second time. There were a lot of Filipinos going to Taiwan. I was amazed but not surprised. The Philippines' proximity to Taiwan made it easier for us, Filipinos, to travel to Taiwan without the hassle of a long and rigorous visa processing. 

Filipino travelers can enter Taiwan visa-free until July 2026 and can stay up to fourteen (14) days. Just make sure you complete an online immigration arrival card at https://twac.immigration.gov.tw on the website of the National Immigration Agency within three days before arriving in Taiwan.

Enjoying an almost empty of people airport was something I got to experience at Taoyuan International Airport. No noise, no people. It was just silence and bright lights and nice structures. 

Before my flight, I purchased a Taiwan Fun Pass (Unlimited 3-Day Pass) via Klook app. It cost me P3,994.00. The fun pass card was available at the airport, and the pick-up time was four (4) or five (5) in the morning. I wasn't able to use the pass to the fullest because of the places I missed visiting, but I think I got its worth in all the train rides I had. 

For those who are unfamiliar with MIBF, it stands for Manila International Book Fair and is an annual event that many Filipino readers and writers eagerly anticipate. As a reader and writer, I have always been excited to participate in this event, especially if I have the budget (haha).

And this year has been, so far, my best experience of MIBF. And good news for those who know me: I stepped out of my comfort zone, or at least I tried, even if only for an hour, and I want to praise God for that!



With the help of PaperKat Books and Ms. Kath, I was able to book an hour of meet-the-writer and a book signing event during the MIBF 2025.

Initially, I only planned to consign my latest book, The Restless Mind, and hope for the best of its sales. I am scared to be on the frontline of the meet-the-writer and a book-signing event. But then, there was this desire to try the book signing activity. I took the risk. I thought I had nothing to lose, and it was not like I was going to do something bad or illegal.

"I am just gonna put myself out there, and be a little vulnerable in the eyes of spectators." I thought to myself.

So, yes, I did! I had the book signing and meet-the-writer activity with PaperKat Books. I am really grateful for the opportunity and the experience, and I am so glad I got to experience MIBF 2025 as a writer and a reader.



Special shout-out to the readers who took a chance on my book, The Restless Mind, during my book signing: Ram, Grace, Zu, LJ, and Thine!💙 If you bought my book at MIBF 2025, and I was not able to sign it for you, I hope I get to see you at other events. SLMT 💙

I am looking forward to experiencing more of this event.

I am joyful that I did this. It was beyond my comfort zone, but God did it again! He helped me get through 🙏🙌