SAN FERNANDO, La Union – The most-awaited international floating book fair, MV Doulos Hope, is currently docked at the Poro Point Freeport Zone here from March 7 -24, 2024. It’s known for selling great books at affordable prices and connecting with communities to make reading more fun.
The MV Doulos Hope was a former cruise ship that became a floating book fair owned by the non-profit organization GBA Ships. It is smaller than its big sister ship, MV Logos Hope, and only has a length of 85.5 meters and a width of 14 meters. It is the fifth vessel of the organization that serves hope by spreading literacy, education, and cross-cultural collaboration across Southeast Asia.
According to Jessica Tanton, an MV Doulos Hope staff member, their mission is not just to sell books but, most significantly, to spread hope through them. “Wherever we go, we love to share knowledge, help, and hope. So, knowledge through the books that we have on board. And we’re an international crew, so we love to exchange cultures as well. We also like to share practical help in the different ports we go to and the hope we have, and we would love to share that.”
There are over 100 staff members on board, who are made up of over 25 different nationalities. They are all volunteers worldwide, driven by their love to sail across the globe and serve different countries through books.
The book fair offers a vast collection of over 2,000 titles from children’s books, novels, bibles, and educational materials. This only shows that it caters to readers of all ages and interests. Aside from having different choices, each with high-quality content, the books are at their most affordable prices, which range from 40 to 500 pesos.
As the MV Doulos Hope remains docked at San Fernando City, it opens from Tuesdays to Sundays from 2 to 9 pm. There is a P50 entrance fee per person and free entry for kids under 12 and seniors over 60. Priority is also given to online bookings; links can be found on their Facebook page. It contains the scheduled time and date you prefer to visit. The online bookings are also immediately fully booked, and booking schedules are updated every Sunday.
Furthermore, the ship is set to sail and dock in Manila from March 28 to April 23, followed by Batangas City from April 16 to 28.
In a world where access to books and educational resources can be limited, MV Doulos Hope stands as a beacon of hope and opportunity, offering a pathway to knowledge and inspiration. It fosters a brighter future for those who love reading and for all the generations to come. By Hazel Rose N. Infante
