Books have long been a beloved part of Filipino culture—and nowhere is this more evident than in the surge of visitors today to the MV Doulos Hope—a “floating bookstore” currently docked in Puerto Princesa City.
In an age dominated by digital content, it’s heartening to see that many still cherish the tangible experience of reading physical books, whether young or old. I thought this was no longer relevant since you can now buy digital books from platforms like Amazon Kindle Store, Apple Books, Google Play Books, and others.
I was also surprised that despite the intense heat, it seemed like everyone was heading to the ship, unfazed by the sweat, just to climb aboard and see its collection of affordable books and more.
The Doulos Hope, which previously visited Subic, Zambales, San Fernando, La Union, and Manila from March 28 to April 13, has returned to the country, now bringing its unique experience to Puerto Princesa City. The ship will stay in the city from September 26 to October 8 before heading to Cebu for its final Philippine stop, and then to Taiwan in December.
All hands on deck! What to expect
One of Doulos Hope’s main attractions, aside from being a bookstore on a ship, is its affordable prices. The sun was blazing, but my friends and I eagerly headed to Puerto Princesa Port. I regretted not bringing an umbrella or sunscreen, but the excitement of visiting the ship made it all worthwhile.
Upon arriving at the ticket booth, we presented our e-tickets and paid the ₱50 entrance fee for each of us, along with a ₱6 terminal fee and a ₱12 parking fee at the guardhouse. After a short walk along the pier, we reached the base of Doulos Hope. The crew informed us that the ship is not wheelchair-accessible, as boarding requires the use of stairs. We then made our way up the spiral staircase leading directly to the book fair.
While browsing the variety of books and knick-knacks offered on the ship, I noticed they use a unit system for pricing, where 100 units are equivalent to ₱120. Be sure to check the unit prices before making your purchase! They also offer other merchandise like pens, highlighters, lanyards, and journals.
The standout feature of the book fair is its vast selection of devotional literature, self-help books, children’s books, and general knowledge books. I especially appreciated the hardbound atlases, which provided a wealth of information on world history at prices below ₱1,000—much more affordable than similar books in bookstores.
After browsing through the book fair, we headed to a cozy dining area offering simple refreshments like soda, coffee, popcorn, and ice cream. I opted for some ice cream to cool down and took a moment to relax. Many other visitors were also there, enjoying snacks, taking in the view of Puerto Princesa Bay, savoring the salty sea breeze, and immersing themselves in their new books.
Sharing knowledge, help, and hope
The ship’s name, “Doulos Hope,” translates from Greek as “servant of hope.” It is owned by GBA Ships, or Gute Bücher für Alle (Good Books for All), a non-profit organization based in Germany. This floating library is not the first of its kind, nor is it the first that Palaweños have visited. The MV Logos Hope, another floating library operated by the same organization, visited Palawan in 2013 and is currently stationed in South Africa.
Built in 1988, the Doulos Hope originally served as a cruise ship under various names, such as Lady Sarah and Taipan, before being repurposed as a floating library in March 2023. Since then, it has welcomed over 269,973 visitors and sold 361,182 books during its visits to Malaysia, Singapore, Cambodia, Thailand, and the Philippines, according to the GBA Ships website.
A six-deck cruise ship, it may be small, but it houses a diverse crew of over a hundred volunteers from around 30 nations, including the Philippines.
Since 1970, GBA Ships’ vessels have traversed over 160 countries and territories, executing more than 1,600 port calls and receiving over 50 million tourists. The group seeks to advance literacy and education, foster cross-cultural collaboration, and enhance social consciousness, while disseminating knowledge, assistance, and optimism through its book fairs and alliances with local communities.
The Doulos Hope will be in Puerto Princesa from September 26 to October 8, and will be open to visitors from Tuesday to Sunday, between 1:00 pm and 8:30 pm (last entry at 8:00 pm).
Although online booking is not required, visitors who pre-book their tickets on the website are given priority. Time slots are available in one-hour intervals, and you can reserve your visit either at the beginning of the week or even last minute. The entrance fee is ₱50, but senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and children aged 12 and below can enter for free.
To secure your preferred time slot, visit their website at [Doulos Hope Booking] (https://gbaships.littleboxoffice.com/browse)
For more information, visit their Facebook page @DoulosHopeThePhilippines or their official website https://www.gbaships.org/en.
