Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya presents a set of books to Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia Director General Nafisah Ahmad. Also in this photo is Filipino Businessmen and Professional Caucus (FBPC) Chairperson Edna Encarnacion.

MANILA - The Philippine Embassy in Malaysia and the Filipino Businessmen and Professional Caucus (FBPC) donated a set of books to the Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia (PNM) or the Malaysian National Library.

Ambassador Eduardo Malaya and FBPC chair Edna Encarnacion personally turned over the copies of Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, and award-winning novels notably F. Sionil Jose's Viajero, Jessica Hagedorn's Dogeaters, and Miguel Syjuco's Illustrado.

Also part of the donation were books highlighting the rich heritage of Muslim Filipinos, notably the Children of the Ever Changing Moon, a collection of essay by Muslim Filipino writers edited by Gutierrez Mangansakan III, and the Masjid/Mosque Architecture: Jewels of Philippine Islamic Faith, a book on Muslim architecture published by the Philippine National Commission on Culture and the Arts.

PNM Director General Nafisah Ahmad conveyed the National Library’s appreciation for the donation of books and called it "timely". She said it will form part of the Library’s Exhibit on noted ASEAN works in April to June in line with Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship this year.

The ambassador also donated copies of the three books he wrote and/or edited—So Help Me God: the Presidents of the Philippines and their Inaugural Addresses; Frontlines of Diplomacy: Conversations with Philippine Ambassadors, an oral history of 37 Philippine ambassadors and three diplomatic spouses and, Philippines-Malaysia Agreements (1964-2014): Cornerstones of a Partnership, a compendium of Philippine-Malaysia agreements.

The PNM is under the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism and Culture and is currently undertaking three major activities: management of its current resources, developing its collections of Malaysia and international-related publications and other information materials for its users, and providing information to its clientele.