Nanay Fely’s nook keeps the love for reading alive in Naga City

I wasn’t expecting this post to gain so much attention, but I’m grateful it did.

What led me to the second floor of the Naga City Public Market was a random post I saw on the subreddit r/Bicol.

Comment
byu/wanderboiy from discussion
inBicol

Someone was looking for a secondhand bookshop in Naga, and Redditor u/Puzzled-Protection56 suggested it. When I first saw the post, it didn’t even have an upvote. Even now, as I write this blog, it only has that single upvote, likely from u/Puzzled-Protection56 (if you’re not familiar with Reddit, that’s just how it works).

When I read the post, I had no idea there were book stalls at the public market. I even left a comment saying:

Comment
byu/wanderboiy from discussion
inBicol

When I went to Naga City for the first general assembly of the Bicol Association of Museums and to deliver books to Ma’am Chin (I sell books as well, by the way), I had plenty of time to spare. So, I decided to visit the second floor of the Naga City People’s Mall. It wasn’t hard to find. The first person I asked about the bookshops knew exactly where they were and pointed me in the right direction immediately.

I was looking for non-fiction books, and the store attendant knew exactly what to suggest. They handed me this book:

There are three bookshops on the second floor of the public market. The first store I visited and the store in the middle each rent two stalls, paying P1,000 per month (P500 per stall). The shop in the corner, run by Nanay Nelia Discaya, occupies a single stall. When I spoke to her, she was watching an afternoon drama while making paper art.

Her store, named “Ramon Books and Magazines” after her husband, extends to two sides due to its strategic corner location.

“I’ve been selling books here for three decades now,” she shared in her Central Bicol language. It must feel like a very long time, considering she couldn’t recall the exact year when a fire destroyed all her books during a ’90s market blaze.

“May I take photos of you, nanay?” I asked her.

“Ah, just like those vloggers,” she responded, continuing to roll a strip of magazine onto a stick. I didn’t bother asking her about the artwork she was doing, but I had seen similar techniques before. Later, when I Googled it, the results pointed to “quilling,” but the images were different. I regret not asking Nanay Fely what she was working on.

I inquired whether selling books remained profitable. Surprisingly, she affirmed that it was still a lucrative venture. I had assumed that interest in reading had waned—that myself and my friends are an endangered species. I’m relieved to have been proven wrong.

She mentioned that on some days, however, she could only sell P100 worth of books (that’s cheaper than most books in commercial bookstores), and occasionally, none at all. So, not every day brings good fortune for secondhand booksellers like Nanay Fely and the owners of the adjacent stalls.

“There are still those who come to my store all the way from your hometown.” Prior to this, I have told her that I was from Guinobatan. “If there are no people selling books there, you should start your own bookshop.”

I thought to myself, “Nanay, if only you knew what my dream was,” but I chose to keep it unspoken. There is, in fact, a local bookseller here in Guinobatan, but not in a stall like Nanay Fely’s. I remember purchasing a copy of “Across the Nightingale Floor” and a Dune book from her once. I don’t often pass by the area at the public market where I encountered her, so I’m unsure whether she’s still selling books. I certainly hope she is.

As we conversed, a mother with her two children stopped by the store. The kids were enthusiastic about the books, and I couldn’t help but smile. I discreetly captured a photo of them from behind. That mom is doing parenting right!

I remembered my own mom who was of course the main reason why I love reading.

Some of the books in Nanay Fely’s stall cost P75—even the rare Agatha Christie ones, which I bought because a kababayan was looking for copies. She also had copies of New Scientist that she was selling for P50 each. She offered it to me for P100 for three, though.

Some of Nanay Fely’s customers said that some books can go as low as P5 and even shared that a P10-worth book had her emotion.

Some have expressed their fondness for the books available for purchase, including those from Wattpad.

I began this post with the admission, “I wasn’t expecting this post to gain so much attention,” and it’s true—I hadn’t anticipated it becoming a topic of discussion for some. I’m delighted that booksellers like Nanay Fely are still making the love for reading accessible and affordable.

Let’s talk about the local bookshops in your area. Send me a message through Facebook or via email at ra@ravstheworld.com.

Thank you!