doc, di pa tapos

“Do not read what is written here!”This is the first line in Bob Ong’s book, “Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino”. It also serves as a warning for pragmatic Filipinos who cannot take the hurtful truth about our race. If you cannot be proud of Filipinos being bureaucratic, corrupt, unprincipled, and a hundred other negative things, do not read this book. If you cannot take the negative perceptions of foreigners about our race, may they be true, exaggerated, or false, do not read this book.

A book can be viewed from two perspectives: the author’s and the reader’s. What the author’s perspective in this book is, we can only speculate, for writing this paper does not entail interviewing the author, lest the reader fail to have his own view of the book. Whether the author and the reader match in perspective is irrelevant. What’s important is the reader gets his own perspective from the book. For example, we can say Bob Ong writes deeply and philosophically in his book, or he writes shallowly but comprehensively.

nakoch doc! i'm so lost, really...
ang hirap nmn kasi magsulat kapag pinipilit. tsktsk...

Bob Ong (not his real name), considered to be the mass-market mystery man, a publishing phenomenon whose blockbuster book sales are equaled only by the anonymity he maintains. The most unusual best-selling Filipino author you’ve never met.

Here is what can be proven about the enigmatic Mr. Ong: he has written six books, “ABNKKBSNPLAko?!,” “Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro Ang Mga Pilipino?,” “Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas,” “Alamat ng Gubat,” “Stainless Longganisa,” and "MacArthur". All of which have a combined sales of almost a quarter million.

His defunct Bobong Pinoy website received a People’s Choice Philippine Web Award for Weird/Humor in 1998. His books are a favorite among Filipinos of all classes and among students—even if they’re not required reading. He has never appeared at any book launching, not even his own, nor on TV.