My love of books started with Bob Ong's "ABNKKBSNPLAko?". For more than two decades, no one knows who Bob Ong. Bob Ong is a pseudonym of Filipino author whose identity is a mystery. He created eleven books that depict Philippine life in satirical and humorous portrayals. His storytelling is relatable. When you are reading his book, you would agree with what he said. Bob Ong's "ABNKKBSNPLAko?" became a film in 2013, and "Lumayo Ka Na Sa Akin" in 2016. Two of Bob Ong's works became movies, and his "Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan" is going on the big screen soon.

Bob Ong's "Lumayo Ka Na Sa AKin" received criticism and appreciation. It is a peculiar book that incorporates a screenplay into a book. Bob Ong divided the book into three stories: action, horror, and romance. Each story portrays how most of the Filipino films are copy-cut from previous films. It has the same plot, which we can predict the ending and put a sour taste on the audience. "Bala Sa Bala, Kamao Sa Kamao, Satsat Sa Satsat" is the first story with an undetermined genre because it is a patch of action, drama, and comedy. Bob Ong's portrayal was accurate about how lazy the Filipino films are. Combat scenes were lame with a oneliner to make it comedic. We got some lazy protagonist and some shit repeatedly going on.

The second story is Skake Shaker Shakest, which depicts the overly used storyline in Filipino horror films, which comes full circle on the possession of evil spirits and mixes it with a drama and musical score. Voila! You have a horror film. The third part is "Asawa ni Marie." A typical Filipino story of finding success and love. It shows the common thread in telenovelas in the 90s, wherein we follow the character's struggles growing up until she gets her revenge. Like most Filipino films, she marries his childhood sweetheart at the end. Bob Ong's "Lumayo Ka Na Sa AKin" criticized for being poorly written. Also, It is somewhat copy-cut to the antics of the other authors. But for me, Bob Ong is pure genius in this book. The book is a satirical depiction of how Filipino films are copycats, yet his book is somewhat a copycat. It plays a good metaphor for the copy-cut culture in Filipino films.

There are two Bob Ong books that I can't wait to see in films. These are McArthur and Si. When I first got Bob Ong's McArthur, I asked: "Why McArthur?". I know I had to be patient and uncover it as I read the story. Bob Ong's McArthur reveals the sad truth and tragedy of being underprivileged. It is a story of four friends, Noel, Cyrus, Voltron, and Jim, who lives in the slums. Noel is a typical college student who needs to stop because of financial troubles in his family. Cyrus is the youngest of the group who opts to steal to meet ends and feed his ailing grandfather. Voltron is a skinny kid who suffers a terrible fate in the book. Jim is a 23-year-old who has a wife and son to feed. Each has a unique character, but everyone shares the same tragedy, poverty.

The characters find peace with illegal drugs to lessen the burden and struggles they all felt. They used drugs to relieve and temporarily forget their unfortunate circumstances. It shows the dynamics of an underprivileged Filipino household. McArthur rubs more salt to the wounds of our society. Bob Ong takes the issue of poverty, graft, and corruption in an unexpected turn of events in the story. The story is vulgar, dark, and sad. It earns the readers sympathy as most can't relate to the tragedy the characters undergone. Bob Ong shows us that some people never want to do criminality, but they left without an option. The protagonist's criminal acts are out of desperation and necessity.

At first glance, the book title may not relate to what the story is, but I found out that McArthur fits well. The book is a metaphor for what General Douglas McArthur said in 1942 as he left the Philippines. "I shall return." General McArthur's statement resonates with how Noel returns to his family at the end. It was like a modern story of a Prodigal Son. The book captures the audience because it is sad but heartwarming. It vividly depicts the abuses and exploitation of authorities due to the frailty of their situation. I am not an emotional person, but reading McArthur, I felt tears in my eyes. Oh shit! McArthur hits differently.

Bob Ong's Si is his tenth book. When I had the book, I read few pages, and I think Bob Ong lose his signature antics. It's a bit different from his satire writing. I have to say that backward storytelling is genius. Whether you read it upfront to back or in reverse, it gives a different outlook of the story. It is the first time Bob Ong talks about love in his books. Bob Ong's Si is poetic and heartfelt, which depicts Ong's maturity. It tells the love story of two-person who constantly fall in love with one another. They remain the same despite the challenges they faced.

In the story, the narrator's name is a mystery, but some speculate it as Si. What we know was his surname, Trinidad. He narrates how he falls in love with his wife, Victoria, and still falling in love every day. The story is in reverse chronology, which starts from the recent events to him being an infant. It gives us a feeling of meeting new people for the first time. It depicts different realities of love and loss, which has vividly described in the story.

Mr. Tirinida talked about how he fell in love with Victoria at first glance. He shares how he love and lose his two children. His oldest, Julieno, died after stabbed by robbers when she helped a pregnant woman. Julieno has an undying love for his fellow men, which he spends a lot of his time as a charity worker and volunteer. His second child, Lourdes, has poor lungs at birth. The couple spends the time cherishing their helpless little girl. Sadly, Lourdes dies, and they wept. It shows how unconditional their love was for Loudes.

Bob Ong's Si depicts love in different stages. Lorenzo, who is Mr. Trinidad's third child, learns love is not about receiving but giving more than what you can have. Veronica, the youngest, ended up pregnant at an early age. She left home thinking her parents despite her. Veronica carries his child despite the mistakes she committed and did not abort it. It shows how undying a mother's love is. Bob Ong creates a debate as to what was the story is.

In the ending, I was in shock. Bob Ong built up the main character's life that meant something in retrospect to the narrative. I read the book in both ways. I was in awe when I discover the premise of the story. In one part, Bo Ong talks about the snow that falling from the sky. It is impossible to have snow in the Philippines; hence it is a tropical country. Inferring, it could mean the narrator's mother chose to abort him. The story was a wish of an unborn child. Bob Ong's Si teaches us to know what love, and how it works. Although the ending is the start, we can create a different interpretation. I know it was Bob Ong's intention to left the story's ending open. Si is not a typical Bob Ong book.

Bob Ong's McArthur and Si are the books I want to see in the film. I want to watch the critical theme of McArthur and the ingenious storyline of Si. McArthur's story depict what was happening in society. On the other hand, I want to see a different portrayal of love and loss, which is relatable to everyone.