TWO professors from the University of Santo Tomas were elected as trustees of the Book Development Association of the Philippines.

Assistant Prof. Benedict Parfan and Prof. John Jack Wigley will serve the post for two years, which commence on January 10, 2024.

Wigley said priority projects of BDAP include activities related to the Philippines being the Guest of Honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2025, the establishment of Philippine Book Fairs in different parts of the country, the 2024 and 2025 Gintong Aklat Awards, and the strengthening of readership and book publishing among its stakeholders and members.

Meanwhile, Parfan said, “The collaborations with the book industry, other academic institutions, and our fellow publishers will continue.”

Recently, UST participated in the Sinag Festival with other publishers from the country’s top universities.

Being in BDAP, Parfan said that they “will also give the UST Publishing House a voice in influencing policies concerning the publishing industry.

“As trustees, our participation in BDAP will also open doors to the university as regards major international book events and organizations. We’re also planning collaborative events where we can launch books from different publishers in one venue to provide more interactions among authors and readers,” he added.