A Collection of Bob Ong Quotes

2009-09-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

Who is Bob Ong? If you are not a native of the Philippines, have not gone to a "National Bookstore" shop, have not tried reading Tagalog books (with the exception of Precious Hearts Romance Novels), have no forbearance in reading (you lazy cow!) or any of the reasons pertained here, then you are forgiven for not knowing who he is.

Roberto "Bob" Ong is one of the most prolific writers of contemporary Filipino literature. It is because of him that thousands of adolescent Filipinos have gone back into reading "Pinoy-made" books long forgotten by the Americanised locals. Bob Ong's caricature-like humour, sardonic and seemingly apathetic tone riddled with evasive yet noticeable political innuendos give his books a local touch, a "Tatak-Pinoy"seal of approval that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. His style of writing relates to all, appealing especially to Filipinos looking for contemporary humour, wit with a touch of wisdom.

The first Bob Ong book I have ever read was "Bakit baliktad magbasa ang mga Pilipino?" (Why do Filipinos read upside down?) in First Year High School, which my friend lent me for a night. Since then, I have become an avid fan of his works, inspecting the local bookstore of Bob Ong literature. I fell in love with the funny stories, the witty collection of anecdotes, the oh-so-true life experiences and the knowledgeable advices the author gives from time to time. So far, I have three in my possession: ABNKKBSNPLAko?", "Mac Arthur" (Bought in 2006 when I went for vacation in Manila) and "Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas". The only thing preventing me from owning more of his works is my location: I am no longer in the Philippines. But even though I am in college, and have transferred to another part of the world, It still doesn't stop me from scouting for more of his works when I go for holidays in my country. Thank God for planes.

Here are some of my favourite quotes from his books, most of them "acquitted" from the Internet.

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"Gamitin ang puso para alagaan ang taong malapit sa yo. Gamitin ang utak para alagaan ang sarili mo."

"Use your heart to care of the person closest to you. Use your brain to take care of yourself.

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"Parang elevator lang yan eh, bakit mo pagsisiksikan yung sarili mo kung walang pwesto para sayo. Eh meron namang hagdan, ayaw mo lang pansinin"

"It's like taking the lift. Why would you try and cram yourself in when you know there's no room for you? There's always the stairs, you just don't like to acknowledge it."

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"Hikayatin mo lahat ng kakilala mo na magkaroon ng kahit isa man lang paboritong libro sa buhay nila. Dahil wala nang mas kawawa pa sa mga taong literado pero hindi nagbabasa"

"Encourage everyone you know to have at least one favourite book in their life. Because there is no one more unfortunate than a person who is literate, but do not read."

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"Ano ang talino kung walang disiplina?"

"What is intelligence with no discipline?"

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“Ang tenga kapag pinagdikit, korteng puso… Extension ng puso ang tenga, kaya kapag marunog kang makinig, marunong kang magmahal.”

"If both ears are put together, it forms a heart shape. The ears are an extension of the heart, so if you know how to listen, you know how to love"

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"Mangarap ka at abutin mo. Wag mong sisihin ang sira mong pamilya, palpak mong syota, pilay mong tuta, o mga lumilipad na ipis. Kung may pagkukulang sa'yo mga magulang mo, pwede kang manisi at maging rebelde. Tumigil ka sa pag-aaral, mag-asawa ka, mag-drugs ka, magpakulay ka ng buhok sa kili-kili. Sa banding huli, ikaw din ang biktima. Rebeldeng walang napatunayan at bait sa sarili."

"Dream, and reach for it. Don't put the blame on your broken family, your failed significant other, your crippled pet dog or flying cockroaches. If there ever were lapses done to you by your parents, you can blame them and become a rebel. You can stop going to school, marry young, do drugs, even dye your armpit hair. In the end, you can only be the victim. A rebel who proved nothing and has never done good to himself."

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"Obligasyon kong maglayag, karapatan kong pumunta sa kung saan ko gusto, responsibilidad ko ang buhay ko."

"It is my obligation to travel, my right to go places where I want to go, my life is my responsibility."

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"Mas mabuting mabigo sa paggawa ng isang bagay kesa magtagumpay sa paggawa ng wala."

"It is better to fail at doing something than achieve in doing nothing.

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"Iba ang informal gramar sa mali!"

"Informal grammar is different from wrong grammar! "(translated by wackyista)

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"Mahirap pumapel sa buhay ng tao. Lalo na kung hindi ikaw yung bida sa script na pinili nya."

It's hard to land a role in a person's life, especially if you are not the protagonist in the script he/she chose

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"Alam mo ba kung gaano kalayo ang pagitan ng dalawang tao pag nagtalikuran na sila? Kailangan mong libutin ang buong mundo para lang makaharap ulit ang taong tinalikuran mo."

"Do you know the distance between two people if they've turned their backs on each other? You have to go around the whole world just to face that person again whom you have given up.

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"Kung nagmahal ka ng taong di dapat at nasaktan ka, wag mong sisihin ang puso mo. Tumitibok lang yan para mag-supply ng dugo sa katawan mo. Ngayon, kung magaling ka sa anatomy at ang sisisihin mo naman ay ang hypothalamus mo na kumokontrol ng emotions mo, mali ka pa rin! Bakit? Utang na loob! Wag mong isisi sa body organs mo ang mga sama ng loob mo sa buhay! Tandaan mo: magiging masaya ka lang kung matututo kang tanggapin na hindi ang puso, utak, atay o bituka mo ang may kasalanan sa lahat ng nangyari sayo, kundi IKAW mismo!"

"If you've loved a person you shouldn't have loved and you got hurt, in the process, don't blame your heart. It only throbs to supply blood for your body. Now, if you are good at anatomy and you blame your hypothalamus, which controls your emotions, you're still wrong. Why? For God's sake! Don't put the blame on your body organs for all the hurt you've felt in your life! Remember this: you will only be happy if you learn to accept that it is not your heart, brain, liver or intestines that did you wrong on all the things that happened to you, but YOU yourself!"

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"Nakabalik ako sa lugar, pero hindi ko naibalik ang panahon."

I was able to return to the place, but I wasn't able to bring back the time.

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"Wala namang masama sa pangingibang-bayan. Walang masama kung gusto mong lisanin ang barkong sa tingin mo’y papalubog na. Basta’t wag mo lang hahagisan ng anumang pabigat ang barko habang pinagsusumikapan itong isalba ng ibang tao."

There's nothing wrong with going abroad. There is nothing wrong if you wish to abandon a ship that you think is already sinking. Just don't throw anything burdensome on it while others are persevering to salvage the ship.

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A great thanks to Pin(k)oy for helping with the translation. And thanks to Bob Ong for being such an inspiration.

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A Collection of Bob Ong Quotes