With more and more interest going into the "nerdy" or "geek" culture, comic shops and hobby shops…read morehave arisen to provide specialty shop services to the growing population. So, where would one go for both? One option would be Filbar's, which manages to sell comic books, cards and figurines of superheroes and occasionally favorite fantasy characters from Japanese Anime as well. With these shops scattered all over, one can imagine a network of these subcultures managing to tell each other about the latest small place where one can pick up a comic or a toy or even a card game that caters to their hobbies and interests. This branch of Filbar's in particular is conveniently located inside a mall and looks more like an open stall than an enclosed store thus permitting even girls like me to get in on the trend. The layout and location of the store diminishes any sense of hesitation that uninitiated yet curious passersby may feel and the general interest magazines displayed in the front portion seems to be an effective ploy to get any mall-goer to do the first step: check out the store. With Filbar's around, we can be comfortable showing our curiosity and openness for this new culture.

Back in the good old days, people actually had to pay for printed material if they wanted the…read morelatest updates or stories. Newspapers were meant for general news. But if you had a hobby or special interest, you really had to invest in periodicals, like magazines or journals, that specifically tackled your interest. Magazine and periodical stores were nearly a dime a dozen back when I was young. There were so many of them that distinguishing one from the other was a bit difficult. Nowadays, many of them have fallen to the wayside, or simply gone out of business. These establishments are a dying breed. I'm actually surprised I still saw this place. Usually, the only stores like it that still survive tend to cater to a niche market. This place on the other hand, sells niche products, periodicals. They have magazines that will probably satisfy the hobbies or peculiarities of almost any kind of person.

As a commuter I dread going to the Manila City area, rarely ever go there on my own volition, and…read moreconsider my occasional Manila sojourn as a "day trip." But when I'm there I'm always sure to be visiting certain places without fail, and when I'm in the area the Booksale along Pedro Gil is one of them. I discovered the Booksale on accident looking for a training venue nearby, and to be honest, it took me by surprise. Sure, it's a populous area and UP Manila and Robinsons are just on the other side of Taft, but still it seemed so out-of-place among the chaos of Pedro Gil. Despite this, it's a pretty peaceful store inside, and it's a sizable Booksale at that. In most other branches you'd have to squeeze through people to get into aisles, and here, not so much! It's a great thing to be able to have all that space when you're browsing and digging through pits of books to find something worthwhile. I'm a big believer in finding good things in less accessible, offbeat places, and I do think that in this Booksale branch, you could do just that.

What I love about Booksale is getting that thrill of finding a random non-mainstream book that you…read morewon't get from the typical book stores in Manila. I love it when you discover new titles, series, and authors because of how random and chaoticly unorganized the books are in Booksale. What also makes these second hand books special is that you get random messages from old users such as dedications and other notes which tell you a whole different story. Not only that but these books were surely loved by their previous owners and they wanted to pass on the wonderful and magical experience they had. I also discovered my favourite short story writer named Etgar Keret when I randomly pulled out The Nimrod Flipout from the huge stack of unorganized books. It's so rare for me to instantly fall in love with a book by just reading the first page. I'm now on the hunt to see all Booksale branches in the metro to get his other books because you can't find them on other book shops. My best chances are, I'd find the rest of them on other Booksale branches.

Filbar's is as classic as the comic books that it sells. Even when I was a kid ths palce was…read morealready selling comic books and other similar materials to kids. I mean, I cannot recount the number of times that I have walkd into this store to look and salivate at all the comic books and comic related materials that I could find in his place. I basically had a nerdgasm every time I went here as a kid. It was just one of those really cool places that I had to go to when I found myself in SM Megamall. Many years have passed and yet, this place is still standing. It just goes to show that the comic book following in this country was strong then and still is now. I'm glad this place opened and is still open. Like I said, this place is a classic and deserves a lot of respect, love, and attention. Go and buy something here.

I consider myself as a major geek. At my age, I still read a lot of comic books and play trading…read morecard games. Filbar's provides me with almost everything I need to keep the geek in me alive and kicking. They also have an extensive selection of local and foreign magazines that caters to various fields and special interests. I was able to get my hands on some photography and fashion magazines when I was there even though I wasn't planning in getting any. Aside from selling old and and current issues of magazine titles, they also have toys and cards that collectors and hobbyists would find interesting. I go here occasionally to update my Magic: The Gathering decks and check on new expansion and booster packs available. They also have cards sold by the piece if you're looking for anything specific. Sales people may seem smug at times but they're not that annoying, get past that and they can actually be quite helpful.

I love this bookstore for the reason that it sells stuff, more than just books, that I can't get…read moreanywhere else. They have really cute trinkets that can be used in school or in the office. Place is usually not crowded and it really has the quiet library vibe, minus the irritable librarian. I also admire the sales people because they are very helpful and they always assist you in finding the book or magazine that you need. If you're the busy mom or the ate that doesn't want to be bugged by the kids while shopping, there is a small nook here where you can leave the little rascals and keep them occupied while you go around the mall. Just make sure they are old enough to stay by themselves or you can have yaya watch over them. Books are arranged neatly according to topic and field so you can easily locate the ones that you are interested in. So if you're the bookworm who loves to immerse himself in a lot of reading, this is definitely the place to go to.

Powerbooks is National Bookstore masquerading as a specialty bookstore to divert attention from the…read morefact that they hold the monopoly for the book business in the Philippines. In all fairness, when they were starting out, they did carry specialized titles that National Bookstore didn't have. As a bookstore freak, I remember nagging my parents to bring me to Powerbooks when they still had only one branch in Makati. I'd always come out with a smile on my face. I bought my Snoopy comics there and during the height of my Spice Girl fandom, I actually ordered their giant hardbound book. In hindsight, it was a humongous waste of money. I wonder why my parents even let me buy it. Anyway, that's not the point. Powerbooks is the place to go when you want to be surrounded by more books than supplies. Nowadays, I can hardly tell the difference between Powerbooks than National Bookstore.

Every Manileno pretty much knows that National Boookstore is THE place to get office and school…read moresupplies; that has been pretty much covered in all the other Yelpers' reviews so I won't go into that anymore. Instead, I would like to highlight National Bookstore's Project Aral, which is one of the back-to-school programs that I support every June. Project Aral aims to provide basic school supplies to children in public schools. Every summer, National Bookstore creates these packets which contain some notebooks, pencils and erasers and sells them for P25 each. Shoppers can purchase as many of these packets at the stores as they like, but instead of taking these home, you simply affix your name to each packet and leave it at the store. National Bookstore will keep all purchased packets and later, distribute them to sponsored public schools around the country. What I like about Project Aral is that it makes helping so accessible to so many people, who may not otherwise have the time or bigger resources to give.

Just In Magazine Corner is just a small kiosk found at the second floor of Promenade Mall in…read moreGreenhills. Even so, I still visit it whenever I'm at the mall. I always believe that there are hidden treasures in shops that sell pre-loved books. I have found many of my hard-to-find book collection this way. Indeed, this particular stall does not have a lot of titles. But they have a lot of Archie comic books. Actually, the main business of the stall is selling magazines, both local and international. I must admit that they have an impressive variety of imported magazines. I have seen publications about weddings, brides, guns, cars, travel, hobbies, sports, fashion, and showbiz. Nothing special, you say. But what if I tell you that the magazines, even if out-of-date, all look pristine and new? Somehow, this magazine corner knows how to preserve their inventory. The only thing that I don't like about this kiosk is that they don't have their own lighting. They rely on the mall's yellow lighting. The problem is they are located in a corner. So the shop can be dark and gloomy, especially for guys with poor eyesight just like me. I can't spend a lot of time at the kiosk browsing through what they have to offer.

While Robinsons Magnolia is a fine mall all around, there is a dearth in its variety of stores, I…read morefeel, and given its market, it is severely lacking in a proper bookstore. With the loss of Fully Booked in Gateway, Cubao (when will you be coming back?) there is no proper bookstore around except for the monopoly of National Book Stores (and the main branch is pretty okay) and probably a couple of secondhand bookstores in the area, counting Booksale. The National Book Store in Magnolia, which used to be in half of the ground level space where H&M is now, currently occupies a segment of the basement, beside the parking driveway and near the foodcourt and supermarket. While its location can certainly be advantageous, it's a sad bookstore in general. Nothing excites me to go into it, and they might as well just sell all office supplies, as their volume and selection of books in general are kinda disappointing. Bring a Bestsellers into the mall, why don't you?

I stumbled into the Lagusnilad underpass one rainy afternoon last month, dodging puddles and trying…read moreto cut through from Taft to City Hall. Wasn't even looking for books--just wanted dry feet--but there it was, this cozy little chaos of shelves tucked between the clothing stalls. The smell hit me first: old paper, a bit of dust, and that unmistakable comfort of a real secondhand bookstore. The guy behind the counter (think his name was Aj?) looked up, smiled like he'd been expecting me, and asked what I was in the mood for. No pressure, just genuine curiosity. I ended up spending almost an hour there, flipping through worn paperbacks and hardcovers that felt like they'd lived interesting lives. Found a beat-up but complete set of Garcia Marquez short stories for P250 and a pristine copy of "The Shadow of the Wind" that I'd been hunting forever. Prices were ridiculously fair--nothing over P400--and the selection is surprisingly deep for such a small space: classics, Filipino lit, sci-fi, even some niche non-fiction. They've got everything neatly sorted by genre now (huge improvement from the early days I've heard about), and if something's buried in the back, they'll dig it out without making you feel like you're inconveniencing them. What really sealed it for me was the conversation. We chatted about favorite authors, he recommended a couple of newer Filipino titles I hadn't heard of, and even held a book I wanted for a few days when I realized I didn't have enough cash. Super chill, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about books--not just selling them. I've been back twice since, and every time it feels like visiting an old friend who happens to run the best hidden bookstore in Manila. If you're anywhere near Intramuros or Taft, duck in--you won't regret it. Absolute gem. Five bright, dusty, book-scented stars.

I was commuting alone, on my way to San Agustin Church (Intramuros) to attend my very first school…read moresanctioned rally. From the LRT Central Terminal Station, I needed to cross Padre Burgos Avenue, so I instinctively followed the foot traffic that led me to the Lagusnilad underpass. Inside were a number of stalls selling clothes and other knickknacks. But something else caught my attention as I was passing by - a small secondhand bookstore! As a certified bookworm, I was pleasantly surprised. The makeshift shelves added character to the store. Some books were arranged by genre, while some were just randomly piled up one over the other. I imagined that getting one from the bottom would be like playing a game of Jenga. They have a wide selection of novels, textbooks and even some magazines that won't burn a hole in your pocket. I saw works by Oscar Wilde, Dan Brown, George R.R. Martin. Since I was in a middle of a commute and it wasn't practical to carry a heavy bag of books, I couldn't buy all the stuff I wanted. I settled for a Dual-language Book of French Stories (by the likes of Voltaire, Camus, etc.) for only P100. I later found out that this humble store had a Facebook page. They post their new acquisitions and even accept reservations. How neat is that? For me, I discovered a real hidden treasure when I literally found "Books from Underground" (that's the name of the book store).