Bob Ong

Bob Ong is the pseudonym of a contemporary Filipino author known for using conversational writing technique to create humorous and reflective depictions of Philippine life.^[1][2] The author's actual name and identity is unknown.

Website

The pseudonym Bob Ong came about when the author was working as a web developer and a teacher, and he put up the Bobong Pinoy website in his spare time. The name roughly translates to "Dumb Filipino," used fondly as a pejorative term.^[3] "Although impressed," Bob Ong notes, "my boss would've fired me had he known I was the one behind it." When someone contacted him after mistaking him as an actual person named Bob Ong, his famous pseudonym was born.^[1] The site received a People's Choice Philippine Web Award for Weird/Humor in 1998, but was taken down after former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada was ousted after the Second People Power Revolution.^[4]

Pseudonym

There have been occasional confusions between Bob Ong and Chinese-Filipino author Charlson Ong. However, Bob Ong himself refutes this in his account in Stainless Longganisa, saying his surname is not "Ong" and neither is he even Filipino-Chinese. The family name was instead derived from wordplay on the name of his website.^[1]

The poet Paolo Manalo has also been put forward as Ong, but he has denied this.^[1]

Published works

Acclaim

The six books he has published thus far have surpassed a quarter of a million copies.^[1] One reviewer notes (translated from vernacular Filipino):

" Filipinos really patronize Bob Ong's works because, while most of his books may have an element of comedy in them, this is presented in a manner that replicates Filipino culture and traditions. This is likely the reason why his first book - and those that followed it, can be considered true Pinoy classics."^[5]

References