Panels
Reading Everywhere: Scanning the Reading Environment (9:15 – 10:35)
Panel will be composed of booksellers, from indie, online, and brick & mortar, and a librarian, who will discuss the following questions: what do bookstores do and don’t do for readers? From their experience, how would they characterize the Filipino reader? How do different ways of getting books to readers address the current gaps in bookselling? Are libraries still important?
Panelists: Feliz Perez (Mt. Cloud), Maru de Castro (Pandora’s Books), Zarah Gagatiga (PBBY)
Facilitator: Jasper Ong
Session venue: Main Hall
Book Blogging Ethics (9:15 – 10:35)
Selected book bloggers will discuss the following questions in the book blogging sphere: Should one post negative reviews, especially if the book review is solicited? How does one handle authors who react to negative reviews? What are the acceptable means by which we get followers/readers for our blogs? How much does getting paid to blog compromise one’s objectivity?
Panelists: Kai (Amaterasu Reads), Blooey Singson (Bookmarked!), Jaime Salazar (Random Salt)
Facilitator: Tarie Sabido
Session venue: Library
Publishers’ Perpectives on Readers (10:40 – 12:00)
Speakers will discuss the following questions: do publishers consider readers’ choices / preferences when they decide to publish a book? How do they connect with the readers pre-and post-publishing?
Panelists: Nida Ramirez (Visprint), Aleks Tan (OMF), Gwenn Galvez (Anvil)
Facilitator: Honey de Peralta
Session venue: Main Hall
School Reading Programs that Work (10:40 – 12:00)
Speakers will be teachers who have implemented a reading program in their schools that actually increased the level of reading engagement of the students. Panelists will share the experience and will also strive to answer the question: What are the elements that ensure the success of a reading program?
Panelists: Melissa Espiritu (Veritas Parochial School), Maricar Fernando (CENTEX), Divina Asuncion (Kalayaan National HS)
Facilitator: Joel Falgui
Session venue: Library
Authors as Readers (1:00 – 2:00)
Panelists are popular authors who will share their favorite book/s. A significant chunk of the time will be given to panelist-audience interaction so the readers can ask authors about their reading journey or how their reading affects their writing.
Panelists: Manix Abrera (KikoMachine Komiks), Mina V. Esguerra (That Kind of Guy), Jun Balde (60Zens: Tips on Senior Citizenship)
Facilitator: Paolo Chikiamco
Session venue: Main Hall
Panelists: Budjette Tan (Trese), Bebang Siy (It’s a Mens World), Dean Alfar (Salamanca)
Facilitator: Carljoe Javier
Session venue: Library
Activities
Book Discussions (2:05 – 3:50)
Volunteer book clubs/reading groups will sponsor a 45-minute book discussion on a popular title or series. The objective is to get the audience to interact highly with the material. It is recommended that book clubs first source either the material or the questions online, to ensure greater participation and interest. The format of each book discussion will depend on the host book club/reading group. Suggested formats are the following: straight out book discussion, debates, round robin-type question and answer.
2:05 – 2:50
Main Hall: Flips Flipping Pages – Pacific Rims by Rafe Bartholomew
Library: DLSU Literature Circle – Smaller and Smaller Circles by F.H. Batacan
3:05 – 3:50
Main Hall: The Mysterious Reading Society – Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
Library: Goodreads – The Filipino Group – The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Readers’ Choice Book Awards Ceremony
Winners of the Filipino Readers’ Choice Book Awards, which will be an event held online from July to August, will be acknowledged and awarded.
Readers’ Cocktails and Socials
Book bloggers, book club members, writers, publishing professionals, etc., can socialize during this period. Raffles will be held here.
Filipino ReaderCon 