MANILA, (PIA) — The National Book Development Board (NBDB) has released the list of grantees for the first cycle of its Translation Subsidy Program for Foreign Publishers, a key initiative in preparation for the Philippines’ role as Guest of Honor at the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse in 2025.
The program, part of an inter-agency collaboration called PhlGoH2025, aims to increase the number of Philippine-authored books translated into foreign languages.
It involves the NBDB, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Department of Foreign Affairs, and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda.
“We seek to introduce Philippine books to global publishing markets and foster cultural exchange with diaspora communities,” an NBDB spokesperson said.
The NBDB will lead three subsidy cycles in 2024 to provide more opportunities for foreign publishers.
A PhlGoH2025 Advisory Council will prioritize applications based on relevance, feasibility, and the applicants’ experience.
As Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair, scheduled for October 15-19, 2025, the Philippines will be only the second Southeast Asian country accorded this distinction after Indonesia in 2015.
The first cycle grantees include publishers from Germany, Egypt, Spain, Azerbaijan, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka, among others.
For more information, visit the NBDB website at books.gov.ph/GOHtranslationguidelines/.
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