FRANKFURT, Germany — Senator Loren Legarda underscored the power of storytelling to connect people and cultures during the Union Club International’s Literature Evening in Frankfurt on October 13, held in celebration of the Philippines’ role as Guest of Honour at the 77th Frankfurt Book Fair from October 15 to 19, 2025.

Addressing members of the international business and literary communities, Legarda described storytelling as a universal bridge that transcends borders and generations.

“What travels farther than any ship, reaches beyond all borders, and endures longer than a lifetime? A story,” Legarda said. “Stories cross seas, carry memory, awaken emotion, and find their way to places where language becomes a bridge, where words turn strangers into friends, differences into commonness, and apathy to familiarity.”

The evening also featured Filipino author Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr., whose novel Last Call, Manila—the German edition of Soledad’s Sister, shortlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize—was presented during the event. Legarda praised the novel for capturing the quiet strength of Filipinos and the realities of migration.

“We listen to the journeys of our people: those who leave to seek better lives, and those who remain to keep the light of home,” she said.

Legarda also reflected on the historical ties between the Philippines and Germany, recalling how national hero Dr. Jose Rizal once found refuge with Pastor Karl Ullmer in Wilhelmsfeld. She described the literary evening as a continuation of that shared history—one that honors art, empathy, and the Filipino spirit.

“The Filipino word for friend is ‘kaibigan,’ rooted in the word ‘ibig,’ meaning love or affection. Tonight, we meet new friends who prove that friendship, like art, is a language the heart always understands,” Legarda concluded.