Bob Ong is a bestselling Filipino author best known for his humor, with works spanning multiple genres and recognized as modern classics. Some of his books have been selected as required reading in schools, translated for a global audience, and adapted for film, stage, and even a game. Widely read and warmly received, he has been invited to judge in writing competitions and collaborate in talks and workshops. His mission, as he often puts it, is “to enlighten, to entertain, or both,” a goal reflected in the wide appeal of his work. His book, 56, won the Best Book of Essays at the National Book Awards in 2019 and the Filipino Readers’ Choice Award for Nonfiction in 2022. His website earned him a Philippine Webby Award in 1998, an early accolade that helped establish his reputation.