Celebrity Authors, Diverse Titles Draw Thousands to Ateneo MBF 2026 Booth

Danika Geronimo, Ateneo Research Communications

Ateneo de Manila University’s participation in the 2026 Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) brought together thousands of readers, authors, and members of the Ateneo community from all over the globe in celebration of books and ideas—as well as the people who bring these both to life.

As a whole, this year’s MIBF drew hundreds of thousands of visitors over its five-day run. The Ateneo de Manila University Press and ADMU Journals booth saw a steady stream of visitors who browsed the shelves, searched for familiar titles, and explored something new among the University’s growing collection of literary works.

Booth visitors actively sought out a diverse selection of other titles, including works on history, social issues, regional culture, and literature, demonstrating the wide-ranging interests of the Ateneo community and the broader public. PHOTO: OAVP-RCWI, 202

The University sold hundreds of books and journals, reflecting the distinct interests of readers who visited the booth. Among the titles that found their way into the readers’ hands were Versus: Mga Kuwento by DJ Ellamil and Epistolaryo ng Bagamundo at ang Tugon ng Multo by Mikael de Lara Co from AUP.

Also drawing readers were issues of the Journal of Management for Global Sustainability and Budhi from ADMU Journals, as well as issues and publications covering topics such as the Marcos years, disaster justice, colonial history, Bicol and Peñafrancia, the Philippines under imperial Japan, and workers’ struggles for Philippine Studies: Historical and Ethnographic Viewpoints.

Ateneo’s Filipino historian and Senator Gil J. Puyat Professor of History Ambeth R. Ocampo greets readers and signs copies of his book, Rizal Lost & Found: The Forgotten Drafts, at the Anvil Publishing booth on September 12, 2026. PHOTO: OAVP-RCWI, 2026

A major highlight of the MIBF are the book-signing sessions: at the AUP booth, featured authors included Ines Bautista-Yao, Mikael de Lara Co, Vida Cruz-Borja, DJ Ellamil, Don Jaucian, Alfonso Manalastas, Trish Shishikura, Felice Prudente Sta. Maria, and Julian Tiongson Jr. Ateneo de Manila University faculty Edgar Calabia Samar and Prof. Ambeth Ocampo also launched their latest Rizal-related tomes.

The signings offered visitors an opportunity to meet the people behind the stories, research, and ideas they had encountered in print.

Descendants of Marcelino Fule–one of the central figures featured in Nicolas Sy’s article Did the Municipal Elite Intermarry? A Case Study of Marriage Practices among the Political Elites of San Pablo, Laguna, 1853-1854–visited the Ateneo booth on opening day. PHOTO: PSHEV, 2026

Beyond book sales, the Ateneo booth served as a space for discovery and connection. With the energy of the MIBF crowd, AUP and ADMU Journals showcased the breadth of work created by Ateneo’s authors, scholars, researchers, and editors.

Ateneo de Manila University’s participation in the Manila International Book Fair has always been an opportunity to bring its publications beyond the University and into the hands of a wider reading public. Each year, the fair also reminds us why these publications matter in the first place: books create connections.

When the 2026 Manila International Book Fair finally drew to a close, what remained was not only a record of books sold or visitors welcomed, but the memory of people gathering around books and taking a little piece of Ateneo home with them.