FRANKFURT, Germany — “It was not arms the colonizers feared most, but ideas,” declared Senator Loren Legarda as she opened the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair on 14 October, where the Philippines takes the global spotlight as guest of honor for the first time.

Legarda’s keynote speech traced Dr. Jose Rizal’s revolutionary journey through Germany — his studies in Heidelberg, his quiet reflections along the Neckar River, and the completion of Noli Me Tangere in Wilhelmsfeld — reminding the world how a Filipino’s words once awakened a nation.

“If one book written by a Filipino on German soil awakened a nation thousands of miles away, imagine what we, together, can awaken today,” Legarda said, her voice echoing across the packed hall of publishers, authors, and readers from around the world.

Calling the moment both a literary homecoming and a cultural awakening, Legarda — the visionary behind the Philippines’ Guest of Honor program and chair of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts — said the milestone fulfills a dream she imagined a decade ago.

“Ten years ago, I imagined this moment, knowing what I have always believed — that Filipino voices belong among the world’s greatest literatures.”

This year’s theme, “The imagination peoples the air,” taken from Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere, captures the spirit of the Philippine showcase — a celebration of how stories provoke, liberate and connect.

The Philippine delegation — composed of over 400 writers, artists, and publishers — is presenting hundreds of titles, performances and installations throughout the weeklong fair, which runs until 19 October.

The country’s presence is spread across three vibrant spaces: the Guest of Honor Pavilion in Forum 1 for literature and cultural programs; the Philippine Stand and Asia Stage in Hall 5.1 for rights sharing and co-publishing; and the Comics Stand in Hall 6.1 showcasing the power of Filipino visual storytelling.

Legarda also used the moment to speak about the power of words in confronting injustice and indifference.