25th National Children’s Book Day (NCBD)

The Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY) is a private, non-stock, non-profit organization committed to the development of children’s literature in the Philippines. It is the Philippine National Section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), a world organization founded in Zurich in 1953 that promotes international understanding through children’s books. The National Children's Book Day (NCBD) is celebrated every third Tuesday of July to commemorate the anniversary of the publication of Jose Rizal’s rendition of the folk tale "The Monkey and the Turtle" in the July 1889 issue of Trubner's Oriental Record in London. The PBBY is the lead agency of NCBD celebration by virtue of Proclamation 2365.

The PBBY is composed of permanent and institutional members and individuals representing different sectors. The institutional members are The National Library (TNL) the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), and Museo Pambata (MP). The individual members represent educators, researchers, librarians, book reviewers, writers, illustrators, storytellers, publishers, booksellers and mass media. Ms Zarah Gagatica of Xavier School is the sectoral representatives of librarians in the PBBY Board.

PBBY also hands out the PBBY-Salanga Writer's Prize to writers of children literature and the PBBY-Alcala Illustrator's Prize to illustrators with winning entry of the Writer's Prize as the basis for the illustrations.


Comment:
Philippines is not listed as among the national sections of IBBY as of 31 May 2008 website visit.