With the theme “Bekët Panitikan: Para sa Katwiran at Kalikasan,” this year’s observance draws from the indigenous concept of bekët, a term from the Agutaynën people of Palawan that signifies unity and collective strength. The celebration highlights the power of literature to bring communities together, weaving shared narratives that shape the nation’s imagination, memory, and intellectual growth.

Anchored on the call for pagkakaisa, the subtheme emphasizes the role of literature in advancing both katwiran and kalikasan. It echoes the enduring ideals championed by Filipino writers and thinkers, while encouraging greater awareness of our responsibility to protect the environment as part of our collective future.

As the celebration continues to gain momentum since the issuance of Proclamation No. 968 in 2015, it renews the call to value and enrich Philippine literature: an enduring reflection of our identity as a diverse yet interconnected archipelago of languages and stories.

May this year’s National Literature Month inspire the University community to read, write, and engage more deeply with the literary traditions that bind us together as one people, while contributing to a culture that values both reason and responsibility toward our shared environment.

For more details on the activities lined up for this month’s celebration, visit: https://ncca.gov.ph/nlm-2026/

#NLM2026 #BeketPanitikan