I've lived here for 20 years and so far, only 4 writers have impressed me. Patricia Evangelista, Jim Paredes, Bob Ong and Jessica Zafra. They do not deliver the news, they deliver opinions about the news or about the Phulippines. And I love writers who are not afraid to speak out and do something about it. They are not only great thinkers but also part of our society's movers and shakers because they communicated it to us throught the written word.
I first saw Patricia Evangelista on TV. When she was being interviewed by Boy Abunda for winning a Public Speaking competition abroad. The title of her winning piece made an impression on my mind, Blonde and Blue Eyes. That piece talked about the Filipino's unexplainable desire for Americanization, it's as if we look up to them like they are the most beautiful, and we are ugly. That piece was wonderful, and the way she spoke about it made you know that she feels it too, she empathizes because she once felt that way. Not anymore. Because she found beauty in being herself, and she wants the rest of us to feel that way too.
BOB ONG. I looked and looked for his website but alas, I could not find it anymore. But I do have the physical evidences of his existence; his books! He writes in tagalog, with all the jejemon and slang terms you could hear spoken by the ordinary folk. He has no inhibitions of being somewhat superior than us, he is one of us, he could be that lasenggero in the corner store, that DOTA guy in the internet cafe, he could be anyone and through his writing, he has become a representation of every Filipino. his writings has a sardonic taste to it, it's like being jabbed in the side, our culture as Filipino's expressed in the written word and in our mother language. He makes us laugh, but with that a realization that yeah, we are like this, but we should be PROUD of it because that makes us Filipinos. We are UNIQUE.
Jim Paredes, on the other hand, I've known for his songs. I didn't realize he could write as well as he could sing, if even better. He had that eye opening approach to writing which I loved reading because his thoughts expressed exactly how I felt (in a non-violent way heheh) about the recent Philippine issues. He is also part of a movement called the Artists' revolution calling for a change within ourselves.
Now, another author whose books I've been trying to collect (but our bookstores seem to have limited supply of her books) and read is Jessica Zafra. Rawr. She is that lady in black glasses. I love her work because she writes so well, her pieces are all witty and entertaining and I think that it's such a great talent to have that because wit in writing is so scarce nowadays.
I look up to these people, I hope I get to be like them someday.
