Solidaridad has been a special part of my life in Manila for more than two decades. Its presence is very unassuming and I was witness to all the changes to the establishments around it, but the bookstore stayed the same. I’m proud to have brought my friends there, and also former foreign co-workers who wanted to be introduced to Philippine literature. I spent countless hours in that bookstore waiting for the Faura-Bukid jeepney rush hour to wind down, getting a book or two, most of the time none, and I think they didn’t mind. Once, I ended up chatting with a man who turned out to be the author of the book I was holding the entire time!

I will always remember the store’s distinct chime when you open the door. My often huge purse was stored in a closet underneath the shelves when I dropped by. There’s no electronic cash register for most of my transactions, just a handwritten receipt, then the books I bought were placed in a white plastic bag.

Unlike the large bookstore chains that often relegate Filipiniana to a single shelf amidst countless foreign books, Solidaridad placed Filipino literature front and center. Its shelves were filled with works from and about the Philippines, published in Filipino, English, and other Filipino languages. I don’t think any other bookstore carried that many titles that are neither the actual university presses nor local publishing houses.

I left Manila in 2022, and one of the few books I brought with me was from Solidaridad (In Our Image by Stanley Karnow), bought after the national elections that year when talks were rife about historical revisionism.

Change is inevitable, as that cliche saying goes, but whatever happens next to Solidaridad, I hope it will still carry its mission to champion independent and Philippine literature. 

(Sharing a collection of photos of the store I took through the years and some memorable purchases.)

About the Writer:

Judie Octavo dreams of becoming a librarian someday but currently works as a management consultant to fund her bookish pursuits. She also dabbles in junk journaling, podcasting ,and crocheting. She has relocated to Northern Virginia but a huge chunk of her heart has remained in Manila. You can find her as @citizenjudie on Instagram, Threads, X, and YouTube.