Celebrating culture and diversity: The Inteligente Publishing, Inc. in Mindanao Book Fair 2024
by Mheryll Giffen L. Alforte
Published April 3, 2024 5:00 PM
To celebrate diversity and bridge cultural divides, The Inteligente Publishing, Inc. (TIPI) flew all the way to Davao for its much-awaited return for the Mindanao Book Fair 2024 from March 13 to 15, at the Ateneo de Davao University’s (AdDU) Arrupe Hall.
“(May this event) celebrate shared heritage and explore unlimited possibilities that lie within the pages of books,” AdDU President Rev. Fr. Karel S. San Juan, SJ said during the opening ceremony of the event.
The aim of the event was to inspire and nurture a strong love of reading among the lively Mindanao community. Bookworms, literature enthusiasts, and inquisitive educators flocked to this year’s book fair, eager to sate their appetites for reading and quench their thirst for knowledge – and TIPI was at the forefront of meeting these needs by bringing a wide range of books and invaluable educational resources to the table.
For the first time ever, TIPI unveiled sample copies of its newest lineup of textbooks in response to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) release of the MATATAG Curriculum. The lineup of textbooks include: Synergy 4 (Music and Arts), Banaag 1 (Filipino), Mathematics 7, Lifeguide Kindergarten (GMRC), and English Learning Ventures 4. With DepEd’s goal for the new curriculum in mind, TIPI ensured that the textbooks are pedagogically sound and enriched with exercises, instructional materials, and content.
The Mindanaoan audience also got to check out first-hand the physical showcase of TIPI’s Theractivity™ storybooks. Available in both English and Filipino, these storybooks were a hit with the audience of all ages since they constantly caught attention and had them turning heads.
TIPI brought to life the portmanteau “Theractivity™,” a combination of the words “therapy” and “activity.” Like the name implies, the Theractivity™ books aim to act as “therapy” for the readers, combined with activities that encourage impressionable readers to be involved in caring for Mother Nature in their own way.
Aside from the grand display of latest titles, exclusive discounts, and other learning materials, the book fair also provided free seminars and workshops on DepEd’s MATATAG Curriculum, STEAM Education, Multisensory Techniques in Teaching, and more.
Moreover, the fair proved to be the pinnacle of celebrating cultural diversity by inviting rising J-pop soloists and idol groups, namely: BUGVEL, Chicken Blow the Idol, Kuroguro, The Canbellz, and Tenohira El. Book fair attendees and exhibitors alike were thrilled for having the opportunity to have a photo-op with the Japanese idols as they made rounds in every booth.
The three-day event was organized by Primetrade Asia Inc. and sponsored by Davao Association of Catholic Schools, Inc. with the support of the Book Development Association of the Philippines and the National Book Development Board.
As the book fair comes to a conclusion, TIPI looks forward to coming back to the Mindanao region and serve as an instrument for promoting literacy, exploring the boundless possibilities found in books, as well as cultivating empathy, recognizing and overcoming social and cultural barriers, and raising awareness of these issues.