I have this problem where I cannot walk into a bookstore and then walk out empty handed. I'm a big…read morebookworm and saying goodbye to an entire store filled with books without a book for myself is just unthinkable. That's like hiring a prostitute, giving her a hug, and then sending her away. Actually, it's worse than that. EXPLOIT THE OPPORTUNITY, methinks. This is especially hard when it comes to secondhand or cheap bookstores like Bookay-Ukay. This place is amazing. It is filled from ceiling to floor with books - and not the usual crap you see in chain bookstores, either. You can tell that these titles were handpicked by whoever manages this place, and you're sure to find something you like in this hole-in-the-wall. My girlfriend had to drag me away from these books. I wanted to buy the entire building.

Finally visited the store, saw one of my fave comic books and bought it. never knew that I could…read moreget one for a such a low-cost. I'll definitely visit the store again for sure.

Fully Booked Katip is a place I regularly pass by whenever I get picked up. My dad comes from the…read morenorth, so I chill at Regis Center while waiting for him. This particular branch is really fun to stay in, because it's hardly ever full. The staff are used to dealing with the "college kid" demographic, and know all the latest Young Adult or Romance hits, and are very responsive when you want to have one ordered from another branch to be picked up or to pre-order a book. It's especially nice to hole up in the back part of the branch or in the couch seat in one corner and just will the hours away. There's fancy stationary and pens available too, if you find yourself short of any. Another thing I love about it is how it's right next to a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf branch, where you can enjoy your latest book buy with some warm tea and pastries to keep you company.

Fully Booked is the heaven of book lovers! They have great selections of all sorts, and even a…read morego-to for comic books and graphic novels. The store gives a classy and comfortable vibe. Conveniently placed in Katipunan, students, teachers and even parents are the usual customers who drop by at this branch. I personally go to Fully Booked to buy quality art supplies that may not be found in other bookstores. I also find some of their items exclusive that's great for gift shopping. This particular branch may not be big enough to house the particular item(s) you're looking for, but the staff can help you find them at the other bigger branches in the metro. The downside for me is that their items can be pricey and buying from there can make your wallet cry :( However, the place for me can be a good treat-yourself once in a while. It will also help to avail their membership card if you're planning to buy books and supplies there regularly. I will surely drop by Fully Booked once in a while to update myself with cool art stuff and perhaps buy a book as well. :)

Looking for affordable, educational and still efficient books? Then head on to Booksale, a bookshop…read morethat has almost everything: from recipe books to children's books, medical references, comic books, fiction and non-fiction novels, magazines, etc. Most of their books are sold for a much lower price, since they're already second-hand books (don't worry, the pages are still intact for most of them and they still look good in terms of condition). Some of their books may be outdated, but still full of information which you could use in whatever you need.

This shop is at the second floor of the Ayala mall and easily caught our attention - very…read morebeautifully decorated, spacious and cozy. They sell second hand books - they have a lot of books on hand and they were stacked neatly for easier browsing. They also have cool items like scratch maps, globe stress ball, adventure banks, etc. Highly recommended for book and novelty item enthusiasts.

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).

From the founders of Bookay-Ukay, this small place full of books is quite similar to the original…read morestore, with a variety of books, from bestselling authors like Paulo Coelho to not-so-mainstream finds like Chocolat by Joanne Harris. They also have old books you won't find in National Bookstore or Powerbooks anymore, like Sweet Valley High and Nancy Drew. Those books certainly brought me down memory lane. The books are grouped according to categories, though there are no category titles. The books are slightly cheaper than the books you would find in mainstream bookstores, but still more expensive than those you would find in other secondhand bookstores like Booksale. But if you're just near BookFellas or Bookay-Ukay, why not buy from them if you find a book you like, also to support small local businesses like these? I remember buying hard-to-find books from Bookay-Ukay. I would do the same for BookFellas, should I find a book I really like. On my first visit, though, I was just happy browsing. BookFellas is located just beside two food places, Happy Kitchen and Abra Miki ni Nanay. So, when you get hungry after book browsing, you can conveniently eat at any of these places. In my case, I browsed books while waiting for my order.

Being in the field of education, I never really outgrew shopping for first day of classes…read more Nowadays, it seems hectic and such a struggle because of the crowd, but for me, tyempuhan lang. I love shopping for school supplies - fresh sharpies and white board markers, erasers, colored paper, gel pens, STAMPS. I am obsessed with them. But sometimes, school supply stores don't carry certain items, let alone cute ones. Since I live relatively near National's Bookstore along Katipunan, I feel lucky that I can easily access a wide range of books and materials. PROS: This store is huge and wide! One part for books and the other for school and office supplies - but equally gargantuan in space. This means so much choices and variety;O of the things I like about National Bookstore is that a lot of their wares are affordable. You may get to spend a fortune only after filling up your cart or maybe buying book sets. CONS: It's on the older side so it's not as modernly designed as, say, the Trinoma branch; The attendants are a bit grumpy. We all have our bad days, I guess. TL;DR: I am loyal and a fervent customer of National Bookstore, and this branch cements my devotion to the store.

National Book Store is one of the largest and most popular bookstore chains out there. Despite the…read moreincrease of trendier bookstores in the Philippines like Power Books and Fully Booked, National Book Store still remains on top. Unlike its counterparts, National Book Store sells books and supplies at very affordable prices. They have a wide selection of cheap and premium items and they are always complete. I have been to other bookstores trying to look for supplies I needed in school, but they are always incomplete. I just hope that other bookstores would finally start offering things that people actually need, rather than selling cute and expensive key chains and stuffed toys that are completely unnecessary. I also like the National Book Store branch in Katip, because it's so big. It has two floors and it will literally take you half an hour to explore the whole place. National Book Store also sells popular bestselling novels. You can pre-order any book online.

As I've said on my Yelp profile, I am a self proclaimed book worm. I just said that because I don't…read moreknow what the basis or what qualifies you to be exactly but from what I gather, I am. I grew up in the comfort of books, whenever I'd feel sad or confused I would spend hours in a book store just browsing and buying the ones on my list. C&E is more of an educational book store? Like a lot of their books are used it classes, textbooks. And it might not really count as a recreational activity to read one but it soothes me nonetheless. Bonus points for C&E is that they have a nice coffee shop / restaurant beside them where you can enjoy some peace and quiet while reading whatever it is you just bought. If you bought a textbook, you might want to check if there's a student discount or if your professor has one.

When I discovered the Popular Bookstore, I felt a bit like Ali Baba discovering the treasure trove…read moreof the Forty Thieves. I could feel the history and knowledge the BUILDING exuded, and I haven't even walked through the doors of the bookstore yet. Situated along Tomas Morato, this literary giant has obviously seen better days, but that is not to say it will stop fighting to survive. This is the best place for books published post-war, as well as limited edition titles and books by local authors. The best thing to do here is to just walk through the books and feel their connection to history because they, like this store, have seen history - and at an affordable price, you can bring them home (the books, not the store) and experience it for yourself.

I remember as a nerdy kid, who would be excited by the thoughts of books and bookstores, being…read moretaken to Popular Bookstore and being unimpressed. Coming back a little older, I see that the place has a niche market all its own, that wasn't exactly meant to capture the silly little tyke I was back then. I remember Popular being a lot bigger than it was now. Going into Popular's stairway entrance and passing by the numerous framed quotes and paintings and photos along the way you see what you're getting into, and it can be a little intimidating. Contrary to its name, few popular titles would be found here. It's a bookstore for intellectuals and academics and is quite unapologetic about it. They carry a lot of hard-to-find literature and many local publishers, which can be had at likely less of a cost than you would in the bigger bookstores. Their second, "main" floor houses a lot of the books you'd end up getting, if any, though the third floor might be a little more interesting, with its bin of bargain books and a lot of other selections, among them beautiful, old hardbounds. With the more expansive space upstairs, they could probably stand to house workshops, or small zine and art collectives, or spoken word gatherings. Just a thought!