A heartwarming moment between a literary content creator and a small family-run publisher captured the spirit of Filipino storytelling on the opening day of the Philippine Book Festival 2026.

Social media personality and book advocate Scribbles & Books, also known as MJ, recently shared a touching encounter she experienced while exploring booths at the country’s biggest all-Filipino book festival, currently being held at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall.

After spending hours walking around the venue, the content creator said she briefly stopped to rest when a shy man, known as Christopher Asa, approached her while holding two children’s books.

Christopher politely asked if she was the person behind the “Scribbles & Books” social media page and revealed that he had been following her content online. He then offered to give her copies of their books.

What struck her most, however, was the atmosphere inside their booth.

According to her post, there were barely any visitors at the time, but the space felt unexpectedly warm and peaceful. The Asa’s wife was there supporting the booth, while their son quietly sat nearby drawing.

“It felt like home,” she wrote, describing the calm and heartfelt moment of meeting a family deeply passionate about Filipino literature.

The books came from Towfee Publishing, a small publishing effort built around creativity and family collaboration.

Inside the booth, the publisher explained how the project began—and the story surprised her.

The children’s books were inspired by the doodles of one of their children, which the father turned into full stories. The books are also interactive, featuring music and even a mascot designed to bring the stories to life for young readers. Adding another deeply personal touch, the handwriting of one of their children was used as the book’s official font.

For the content creator, the experience became one of the most memorable moments of the festival.

She described the family’s passion for storytelling, culture preservation, and creative expression as something that deeply resonated with her own aspirations as a literary advocate.

“This is the purest essence of the Filipino spirit,” she wrote, reflecting on how the encounter made her feel that her trip to Manila for the festival was truly worth it.

She also encouraged festival-goers to visit the Towfee Publishing booth and support small Filipino creators.

The Philippine Book Festival 2026 runs from March 12 to 15 at the SM Megamall Megatrade Hall, with free registration open to the public, celebrating Filipino authors, publishers, and the growing community that continues to champion local literature.