NBDB names grantees for translation subsidy program

The National Book Development Board (NBDB) announced the list of grantees for the first cycle of the Translation Subsidy Program for Foreign Publishers, a vital component in the country’s preparations as guest of honor at the 77th Frankfurter Buchmesse (FBM) in 2025, which will be held in Frankfurt, Germany, on Oct. 15 to Oct. 19, 2025.

Grantees are: Ombra GVG Publishing House, Ana Pol Publication House, Transit Buchverlag GmbH, Hohe Publisher, Alfred Kröner Verlag GmbH & Co. KG, Al Arabi Publishing and Distributing, Schüren Verlag GmbH, El Maraya for Culture and Arts, Editorial Pretextos, Sonambulos Ediciones, Gadim Gala Publishing, Kathalaya Inc. Pvt. Ltd., BBM Global, Everbest Media Sdn Bhd (EBM), Praphansarn Publishing Co. Ltd., Bookonomics Asia Sdn. Bhd., Lakes Arts Festivals, NDSP Books, Dantes Verlag, Dutch Venture Publishing, Good Reads Lanka.

The Translation Subsidy Program, which has a separate program designed for Philippine publishers, is enhanced further with the PhlGoH2025, an interagency collaboration between the NBDB, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of Senator Loren Legarda. Through the program, the agencies aim to increase the number of Philippine-authored books translated into foreign languages.

The program seeks to introduce a significant number of Philippine books to publishing markets around the world and foster an intensive cultural exchange between the Philippines’ diaspora communities and their host countries, ultimately making Philippine books globally competitive as the country positions itself as the emerging content capital in Southeast Asia.

Three subsidy cycles will be initiated this 2024 to provide more opportunities for foreign publishers to discover Philippine titles and introduce them to their local markets.

An advisory council will prioritize eligible and complete applications based on the relevance and importance of the work to be translated, feasibility and production schedule, production scale and distribution, and the applicants’ experience in translation projects and rights negotiations.

The FBM is touted as the world’s largest trade fair for books, and regularly attracts hundreds of thousands of regular and trade visitors worldwide.

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The Philippines will be only the second Southeast Asian country to be accorded the guest of honor designation after Indonesia in 2015.

This distinction offers immense strategic, economic, political and cultural importance, and likewise provides the Philippines with the unique opportunity to showcase its literary and intellectual talent and garner attention from the global creative arena.

For more information, visit books.gov.ph/GOHtranslationguidelines/.