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56

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300 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2018

165 people are currently reading
1552 people want to read

About the author

Bob Ong

14 books2,373 followers
Bob Ong, or Roberto Ong, is the pseudonym of a Filipino contemporary author known for using conversational Filipino to create humorous and reflective depictions of life as a Filipino.

The six books he has published thus far have surpassed a quarter of a million copies.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
Profile Image for Neil Franz.
1,089 reviews851 followers
September 23, 2018
Bakit 56 ang titulo ng librong ito? Dahil ba 56 na si Bob Ong? O ito ang paboritong Pokemon ni Bob Ong?

A, basta. Ang preachy ng librong ito. Hindi ko pa nababasa ang ibang mga libro n'ya pero hindi ko naramdaman ang ganitong ka-preachy-han sa Stainless Longganisa at Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas. Maski sa Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin, hindi naman ganon ang dating. (I stand corrected. Sinabi ko palang preachy ang librong 'to sa review ko hahahaha)

Pero ano pa nga ba ang magagawa natin? Ang gusto lang naman ni Bob Ong ay ang mapag-isip tayo at mabuksan ang isipan sa mga usaping nabanggit n'ya sa librong ito. So pwede na rin siguro.

Besides, nakakatawa pa rin ang mga hirit ni Bob Ong sa mga pangangaral n'ya rito sa 56. Saka napapanahon at relevant naman ang mga topic na kanyang binigyang pansin. Tamang-tama talaga para sa millenials.

Worth it pa rin!
Profile Image for Alxis.
16 reviews1 follower
June 26, 2018
Ang librong ito tingin ko ay isang mahabang pagtugon ni Bob Ong sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng kaisipan ng maraming tao na nasa kalawakan ng internet.

Hindi ko alam kung angkop ba ang librong ito sa mga wala pa sa kolehiyo (kahit na puno sila ng potential), pero sobrang swak nito sa mga bagong graduate, recently grumaduate, at mas matanda pa sa mga taong ito.

Ang galing na nasiksik ni Bob Ong sa isang maikling libro (300 pahina) ang napakaraming paksa tungkol sa buhay natin ngayong bugbog ng maraming kaisipan at opinyon galing sa magkakaibang tao na nakatira sa magkakaibang panig ng bansa at mundo. Mga usapin tungkol sa magkakaibang yugto ng buhay, sa mga magkakaibang uri ng fallacies, sa estado ng pag-iisip ng nakararami, sa usapang pera pagmamahal at pamilya, sa mga suliranin na kaharap ng bayan, etc etc..

Ang galing na hindi lang umikot tungkol sa "lifehacks" at "payo" sa magkakaibang seasons ng buhay ang libro.. Na hindi lang lovelife at kalokohan at katatawanan ang inikutan ng librong 'to..

Ilang beses ko tiningnan ang mga huling pahina ng libro para makitaan sana ng reference ang mga impormasyon na nasabi ni Bob Ong sa libro, pero nakasulat naman pala sa pangalawa sa huling hati ng huling kabanata na hindi niya yun binalak gawin.
3 reviews
June 4, 2018
nagsimula sa pagiging negatibo.
hanggang sa nagiging positibo.

napapanahon.
sana'y hindi na umakma para sa susunod na henerasyon.

Isang aklat na makikipagkwentuhan lang. Maaaring may maitulong, maituro, o mabago sa buhay mo.
May ipapaalala, may hindi mo maramdaman kasi hindi mo kapanahunan, may bago, may luma, may hindi pambata, may pangmatanda na nanatiling bata, at maraming bagay na para sa mga kabataan.
Profile Image for Maria Ella.
560 reviews102 followers
shelf-item
June 19, 2018
Bob, pagod nako sa pagiging preachy mo kasi hindi ako ang dapat sermunan mo, kundi yung mga jejes hindi umabot sa ABNKKBSNPLAko years / hanashes mo. So bye, next time kita basahin
Profile Image for Mark.
303 reviews7 followers
June 8, 2018
Originally posted on my book blog: https://bongbongbooks.wordpress.com

"Mas mabuti na ang librong maraming gustong sabihin kumpara sa librong walang sinasabi." - Bob Ong, 56

So where will I start? Prior to finishing this book, I said to myself that this is the type of book that had to be immediately reviewed after finishing it but after I finished it, I realized that I have a lot of things to say about this book and I should probably take a day off and reflect first before finally start typing on my laptop. And so here I am, days after I finished this book and I still don't know where to start. I'm still confused how and what will I tackle first. Still aimlessly resolving an internal conflict as to what needs to be discussed first. This book has more stuff that what I expected it to be.


Bob Ong is a pseudonym of a yet to be identified Filipino writer. He’s been writing for over a decade now and it’s still a mystery as to who he really is and he's identity is still clouded with anonymity. Despite his anonymity, his books sells like hotcakes and whenever a new book of him comes out, its always on every bestseller's lists. The subjects in his books mostly cover slice of life of a typical Filipino. His books mirrors reality, a reflection how a typical Filipino lives and adapts. He is a common Filipino who experiences common Filipino problems like traffic, pollution, problems in public transportations, red tapes in government agencies and one who experiences social media fatigue and I believe that's the reason why Filipinos enjoy his books because it became relatable to them. His books also does not shy away from societal and political commentaries targeting the inefficiency of the government and the inability of us Filipinos to make a stand and act on certain issues. He has this knack of highlighting simple things, acts and attitudes which a typical normal Filipno would not normally take notice, but which has a great impact to the whole society, brought about by his keen observation about the Philippines and its people. The reason why his books are also popular, I believe, is because his books have something for everyone regardless of what generation they belong which allows him to cater to a much larger audience. 56 is Bob Ong's 11th book.


"Asar ako sa mga "book lovers" na laging sinusukat ang ikinahihigit nila sa sa sangkatauhan base sa dami at uri ng mga librong nabasa nila. Dahil kung tutuusin, pagsisiwalat lang nila ito ng sariling kaignoratehan dahil hindi mo sila nababanaagan ng kabutihan sa kapwa at mas malalim na pagkaunawa sa mundo. Palabasa ka nga, pain in the ass ka naman." - Bob Ong, 56



This new book by Bob Ong just came to my knowledge around the last week of May. And by that time, pre-orders of the book is already available. With that in mind, I already made a mental note that it's most likely that this book will be available in bookstores around mid-to-late June so I already made adjustments with my TBR pile. I was planning to read Si (another book by Bob Ong) first, which I have in possession for almost three years now (I got it during the 2015 Manila International Book Fair), before 56. And so I was quite surprised when I saw a Facebook friend having her won copy. I messaged her and she informed me where she got her copy which was at Filbar's. The next day my plans of originally deciding to immediately go straight to the bus terminal as I planned to go home to the province that day changed because I could no longer contain my excitement and decided to dropped by at the Filbar's branch that I was advised of selling the new book by Bob Ong. After having the said book finally in my hand, I was actually amazed with having it physically in my hand. The title and the author of the book is embossed. Surely the amount of effort put into making this cover really paid off as it is so aesthetically pleasing. I have copies of all of Bob Ong's books and for me this is the most beautiful. With both Si and 56 in my hands, the temptation to read 56 became harder to resist (56's quirky blurb closed the deal;)). I started reading the book at the bus terminal and finished it a day after I left our home in the province. It was a ride I never expected to be in.


In the opening part of the book, he mentioned that this book is for the youth. He divided this book into six sections which according to the author describes the youth's role in this world based on his age. The first section is PAL (PAL-amunin) which includes discussions about the growth of social media, its effects to the youth and how to be a responsible netizen among others; Registered voter, which includes the responsibilites that came with being a 18-year old Filipino citizen like being an intelligent voter and processing different IDs among others; Laborer which includes a financial literacy manual among others; Housemate, which discusses independence, living alone to eventually starting a family and settling down among others; Alipin which includes discussion about fatherhood and child-rearing among others; Historian where the author reminisced things and parts of the past and reflected on where he is now among others; and Chapter 7 X 8 which includes random things from spiritual life, smart shaming, book and movie recommendations, AIDS, environmental and current issues like phasing out jeepneys and other outlandish random trivias. This book is quite different from all the books that I read from Bob Ong so far. The last book I read from Bob Ong was Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan which I read last 2016.


"Masarap man ang pagmamahal na kayang patunayan, ang wagas na pagmamahal, walang patunay na kailangan." - Bob Ong, 56


What I also noticed about this book is it's probably his most personal book to date. In this book, I was able to get to know Bob Ong more not only as an author but on a more personal level. The author contemplates his life growing up and responsibilites that came with it, his family, his education, his decisions growing up, his lovelife, being a student, being a bachelor, being in a relationship, being a married man and being a father and being an adult. He even opened up and mentioned about the voices in his head that sort of like in the Disney movie Inside Out which guides him in his decision making which most of the times turns out riotous and his spiritual life which he referes to as "his charging station". This book became like a no-holds-barred account of him growing up to eventually becoming who he is now sharing everyone the saddest parts (heart-tugging moments where the author shares what he felt when his father and a child of him died) to the happiest moments of his life.


This book turned out to be like a self help book about adapting to being a youth and eventually adulting. It includes what to expect and how to react when one is already an adult. In this book he did not only became a family counselor offering practical tips about what worked for him being a husband and a father but also a financial guru (though putting a disclaimer that he's not one) offering tips on how to handle finances.


Why I like about Bob Ong is that he knows how to adapt to the current tide, he knows about the current trends and he's aware of the current issues. For this book, Bob Ong also tackled the proliferation of fake news and how we, as citizens, can educate ourselves how not to become a victim of one. The best part of this book for me is how it became a book about "netiquettes" or rules on how to behave and act properly in the internet community specifically on social media sites. Here's two that stood out for me:


"4. Huwag mang-spoil ng kuwento ng libro o pelikula o magsabi ng mga nangyari sa kabanata ng teleserye o palabas na una kang nakapanuod. Huwag agawin ang saya ng sorpresa ng anumang kinapapanabikan nila."

"14. Ipagpaalam muna kung mag-a-upload ng litrato ng iba o ita-tag mo sila sa litrato, lalo na kung mukha pa silang galing sa pre-Jurassic era sa lumang litrato na ipapakita mo sa mundo." - Bob Ong, 56

This book also became like sort of a manual on how to become intelligent netizens. The book acknowledged how social media became the new mental playground for Filipinos. The author mentioned that social media sites became a platform where the rich and the poor can interact without any borders in discussing current issues. Though recognizing the benefits of social media sites, this book also adressed the negative effects of such particulary discussing cyberbullying, online trolling, commenting without reading and understanding an online article, and spreading fake news as mentioned previously. With almost everything now on our fingertips, everyone should be cautious with what they read and believe before voicing out their opinions. The book even went further by identifying fallacies in logic and educating its readers about it before forming an opinion.


"Hindi ko nasiguro at hindi ko kailangan maniguro. Pinili ko ang maybahay ko dahil siya ang taong gusto kong makasama sa mundong walang kasiguruhan." - Bob Ong, 56


It also mentioned how some people now define themselves by the number of likes, shares , retweets and reactions that they get on their posts, even calling it as "the new opium". It became an approval indicator, a tool to measure acceptance and a criteria for validation that feeds the ego of people.


What I also like about this book is that despite being another typical Bob Ong book that gives commentaries about the Philippines, its people and its government, it does that trick by being modest in his writing. It points out the wrong and recommends solutions not in a preachy and intimidating way allowing its influence to infiltrate both the rich and the poor. I believe that what worked well in this book and all the other books by Bob Ong is its ability to connect to its readers, the readers understand what the current situation is, his book's acknowledge each and everyone's capability to grasp and understand a certain issue and the author eventually using his wit and whim to convey his message.


The author knows when to catch the attention of his readers. I like how the book became spontaneous and injects attention catching topics (i.e. sex and lovelife) when needed be. The book became this piece for spontaneous ideas for the young and old, spontaneous exploration of the past and the present and spontaneous reflection of what happened and what could have been. There is indeed no dullmoment when reading a Bob Ong book.


This book offered a more in depth study of the inefficacies and inefficiences of the not only the Philippine government but also of us, the people, in developing solutions about issues that continues to haunt us. In this book, Bob Ong cited, that the real cause of our continouos struggle is our sometimes lack of common sense in our decision making making us not to see the real cause of these issues.


Moreover, his book talks about being sensitive to others and to our country. No one is expected to help this country aside from its people. No one will expected to work for this country other than its people. Because at the end of the day no one is expected to enjoy the benefits of a progressive country other than its people. This bookprovides a good reflection of what we can do and what we are capable of doing if we are just to change our old ways. The book believes that its about time that we remove the masks that blinds us all in seeing the real issues and problems that this country have. For it is only by doing that we can see the change that everyone hopes about and wants to see but seem very far from grasp.


"Banatin mo ang iyong mundo. At maglaan ka ng oras, kung hindi man araw o buhay, para sa kapwa mo. Gumawa ka ng hindi lang para sa sarili. Dahil alam mong kaya mo, gusto mo, at dapat." - Bob Ong, 56


Though this book still have that unconventional approach of employing jokes with his analyses, that is balancing humor and serious discussions, while reading this book, I noticed that compared to his other nonfiction books, this has a more serious tone to it. The way he reminds the youth to not focus on more trivial things such as love quotes that he injected in this book, I believe, signifies that Bob Ong wants its readers to be more to be more focused with what's what's happening around them. I guess like how most people feel, the author believes that the country needs us more than ever. The author wanted its readers to learn from this book aside from the love quotes that has been the usual takeaway from most of his books.


Overall, I enjoyed this book. It's another thought-provoking and an eye-opener by Bob Ong. It became like a compendium of random things. My most favorite part would is his tips on how to have a better reading experience. Going back and thinking about it, those random and simple things that I learned from this book, when applied by many, could indeed make a difference. This book encourages people to be more understanding and be patient but when know when to resist. This book shows that Bob Ong really love the Philippines. He disregards negativity and he's full of optimism as to what is ahead. He believes in each and every Filipino's capability to change: change our attitude, change that way we act and change our outlook. He encourages people to try and to not be afraid of failing.


And in case you're wondering where did the author get the title, of course, I won't tell it to you. *Wink Clue: The author mentioned some of his previous books in this book (Stainless Longganisa, Alamat ng Gubat, ABNKKBSNPLAko?! and Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas) and one story in one of these books became the reference why this book was titled 56.


Other Bob Ong books that I read and reviewed:

My Thoughts About MacArthur by Bob Ong (Book Review #53)
My Thoughts About Alamat ng Gubat by Bob Ong (Book Review #60)
My Thoughts About Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin by Bob Ong (Book Review #82)
My Thoughts About Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan by Bob Ong (Book Review #114)
Profile Image for anj.
45 reviews18 followers
August 21, 2022
Hindi ko alam kung matanda na ba ako para kay Bob Ong, o ayaw ko lang talaga ng mga self-help books (kung self-help book nga ba itong matatawag), o sadyang hindi lang ako nasa isip nyang mambabasa habang sinusulat nya to.

Natawa pa din naman ako sa iba nyang punch line, pero mas maraming beses kong nilunok na lang ang mga linya, wala nang nguya nguya.

Magbabasa pa din naman ako ng mga libro nya, pero baka hindi na ung mga manwal kung paano maging tao.
Profile Image for Honeypie.
787 reviews61 followers
June 29, 2024
Para sakin, walang kupas pa rin magsulat (at magturo) si Bob Ong.

Initially, I thought this book was geared towards the younger generation (or maybe it is really), but late 30s na ko, pero bat sobrang relate ako!? Hahaha

Anyway. Okay yung pa-life lessons at tips & tricks. Marami na sigurong similar books or articles or videos katulad ng theme ng librong to. So I'd say just take in what works best for you. Reading really works for me, and BO's way of conveying these topics works for me too, so for me this is a good read.

---

Ayaw ko ang makakapal na libro na wala namang saysay. At lalong ayaw ko ang makakapal na tao na walang kwenta, walang saysay, at walang silbi sa buhay. Asar ako sa mga "book lovers" na laging sinusukat ang ikinahihigit nila sa sangkatauhan base sa dami at uri ng mga librong nabasa nila. Dahil kung tutuusin, pagsisiwalat lang nila ito ng sariling kaignorantehan dahil hindi mo sila nababanaagan ng kabutihan sa kapwa at mas malalim na pagkakaunawa sa mundo. Palabasa ka nga, pain in the ass ka naman.


Hindi obligasyo ng sinuman kilalang tao o anumang sikat na social media account ang public service, pero responsibilidad ng sinumang pinakikinggan at pinaniniwalaan ang mag-ambag ng positibong impluwensiya sa mga nakikinig sa kaniya.... Minsan man lang. Kahit pasundot-sundot lang. Turuan mo ang mga taong mag-isip. Tulungan mo ang kapwa mong maging maalam. Dahil ang matalino, kung hindi magbabahagi ng kaalaman, ay wala ring pinagkaiba sa bobo.


Kung tumitigil ang awa mo pag wala ka nang nakikita, at nababagabag ka lang pag nasasaksihan sa telebisyon ang mga biktima ng sakuna, reaksiyon lang ang ibinibigay mo, hindi aksiyon. Totoong masarap makatulong sa mga nangangailangan, pero mahalagang malaman ang pagkakaiba ng pagtulong para sa resulta at pagtulong para sa sarili. Posibleng makatulong ka nang malaki nang hindi mo nararamdaman, o guminhawa ang pakiramdam mo nang wala ka naman pala talagang natulungan.
Profile Image for Mac Dubista Keso The Bibliobibuli v(=∩_∩=).
546 reviews70 followers
August 24, 2020
❝ᴍɪɴsᴀɴ ᴍᴀɴ ʟᴀɴɢ. ᴋᴀʜɪᴛ ᴘᴀsᴜɴᴅᴏᴛ-sᴜɴᴅᴏᴛ ʟᴀɴɢ. ᴛᴜʀᴜᴀɴ ᴍᴏ ᴀɴɢ ᴍɢᴀ ᴛᴀᴏɴɢ ᴍᴀɢ-ɪsɪᴘ. ᴅᴀʜɪʟ ᴀɴɢ ᴍᴀᴛᴀʟɪɴᴏ, ᴋᴜɴɢ ʜɪɴᴅɪ ᴍᴀɢʙᴀʙᴀʜᴀɢɪ ɴɢ ᴋᴀᴀʟᴀᴍᴀɴ, ᴀʏ ᴡᴀʟᴀ ʀɪɴɢ ᴘɪɴᴀɢᴋᴀɪʙᴀ sᴀ ʙᴏʙᴏ.❞

¸.• Pang-limang libro para sa buwan ng wika.ü

¸.• Nagulat ako sa librong ito. Napakaganda. Masasabi kong ito na ang pinakapaborito kong libro na sinulat ni Bob Ong. Isa ito sa pinakamagandang librong nabasa ko ngayong taon.

❝sᴀ ᴘᴀɴᴀʜᴏɴ ɴɢ ɪᴍᴘᴏʀᴍᴀsʏᴏɴ ᴋᴜɴɢ ᴋᴀɪʟᴀɴ ᴀɴɢ ᴋᴀᴀʟᴀᴍᴀɴ ᴀʏ ɴᴀsᴀ ᴅᴜʟᴏ ɴᴀ ɴɢ ᴅᴀʟɪʀɪ, ᴀɴɢ ᴋᴀᴍᴀɴɢᴍᴀɴɢᴀɴ ᴀʏ ᴍᴀʟɪɴᴀᴡ ɴᴀ ᴋᴀᴘᴀʙᴀʏᴀᴀɴ ɴᴀ ʟᴀɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴅᴇsɪsʏᴏɴ ɴɢ ᴋᴀᴛᴀᴍᴀʀᴀɴ.❞

¸.• Sa dami ng gusto kong sabihin, bago ko matapos ang librong ito, hindi ko alam saan sisimulan.

¸.• Marami kang matututunan sa librong ito. Isang gabay sa pagtanda, or pagdedesisyon mo sa buhay. Sa mga nakalipas na taon, hindi maitatangging, nakakatuwa ang mga libro ni Bob Ong. Ang iba pa ay nagsasabing panay kalokohan. Pero dito mo mas makikilala si Ong. Makikita mo pa din ang kiliti sa bawat salita niya, pero mas seryoso ang mga tinatalakay dito.

❝ᴋᴀʙɪʟᴀɴɢ ᴛᴀʏᴏ ʟᴀɢɪ sᴀ "ɪʙᴀ" ɴᴀ ʜɪɴᴀʜᴀɴᴀᴘᴀɴ ɴᴀᴛɪɴ ɴɢ ᴅɪsɪᴘʟɪɴᴀ.❞

¸.• Masasabi kong magagamit mo itong inspirasyon. At sa palagay ko, sana lahat ng kabataan, o matanda, ay magkaroon ng oras para basahin ang librong ito. Hindi masasayang ang oras mo. 😊

❝ᴍᴀs ᴍᴀʙᴜᴛɪ ɴᴀ ᴀɴɢ ʟɪʙʀᴏɴɢ ᴍᴀʀᴀᴍɪɴɢ ɢᴜsᴛᴏɴɢ sᴀʙɪʜɪɴ ᴋᴜᴍᴘᴀʀᴀ sᴀ ʟɪʙʀᴏɴɢ ᴡᴀʟᴀɴɢ sɪɴᴀsᴀʙɪ.❞
Profile Image for Dale.
183 reviews1 follower
April 11, 2020
"Asar ako sa mga "book lovers" na laging sinusukat ang ikinahihigit nila sa sangkatauhan base sa dami at uri ng mga librong nabasa nila. Dahil kung tutuusin, pagsisiwalat lang nila ito ng sariling kaignorantehan dahil hindi mo sila nababanaagan ng kabutihan sa kapwa at mas malalim na pagkakaunawq sa mundo.


4.5 stars para sa librong ito. Kung papipiliin ako ng isang libro na gusto ko ipabasa sa LAHAT ng kapwa ko Pilipino, ano mang edad mapa bata o matanda, eto na siguro ang gusto ko. Sobrang daming learnings. Nahahati ang libro base sa stage ng buhay ng tao. Nagustuhan ko lahat ng ideas nya, personal na experiences, mga malulungkot na pagkakataon sa buhay, mga aral na natutunan nya, mga rekomendasyon na libro, pelikula, o musika, at random na kapupulutan ng aral. I highly recommend. Basahin mo na!
Profile Image for Joanna Aira.
21 reviews
February 19, 2020
Tulad ng mga nauna pang akda ni Bob Ong, patok 'to sa kahit anong age group.
Pero maganda 'tong basahin ng mga kabataan lalo na 'yung mga gusto nang sumilip sa "Adulting" life.
May mga insights kasi sa susunod na yugto ng buhay.
Balanse 'yung pagkaseryoso at humor.

Bagay na bagay 'tong basahin ng mga taong medyo nakukulangan sa general knowledge.

At, nakatulong 'to na mai-ahon ako sa reading slump ko na 4 years na ata. Hahaha!
Profile Image for Ray Hansel.
28 reviews4 followers
February 5, 2019
Adulting tips para sa mga kabataan ng kasalukuyang henerasyon. Libro na magpapalawak ng ating imahinasyon at para magkaroon ng proper conviction sa buhay. Magbibigay kagutuman at uhaw sa ating kaisipan hanggang sa huling sandali ng buhay natin. Nagbibigay tips sa pang araw araw na pamumuhay sa abot ng kaalaman ni Bob Ong. Forever fan ako ni Bob Ong. Sana hindi totoo ang tsismis na ang "Bob Ong" ay grupo ng mga manunulat at magpakita na sana siya sa atin ng personal kung totoong tao siya.lol
Profile Image for Reymart Llagas.
13 reviews1 follower
May 6, 2020
Makabuluhan, malinamnam na impormasyon sa napapanahong sitwasyon ng ating inang bansang Pilipinas at ang bayang kailangang imulat sa kamalayan ng tamang impormasyon at aksyon.
Profile Image for chimmy.
79 reviews3 followers
March 21, 2021
Ang gusto ko sa mga non-fiction books ni Bob Ong, 'yung pakiramdam na para lang kayong nagku-kuwentuhan.

Ang 56 ay kuwentuhan ng mga praktikal na bagay, isang unofficial guidebook na magagamit mo pagtuntong ng 18yo. Wais nga yung kakilala ko, ginawa 'tong grad gift sa mga kaibigan niya. Solid.

Kung katulad mo akong 23 na rin, huwag mag-alala dahil hindi pa naman huli ang lahat. Sa totoo lang, kung nangangapa ka pa rin sa adulting life, sakto 'to para sa 'yo.
Profile Image for Bem Blacano.
12 reviews
February 20, 2023
Ang librong maraming gustong sabihin. Dun tayo sa tama!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lau Reese.
10 reviews
September 23, 2024
Sa dami ng aral, payo, bilin, utos, paalala at maging mga random quotes sa librong 'to ni Bob Ong, isa lang natutunan ko, matutong mag-annotate ng libro 🥹
Profile Image for V,  The Reading Turtle.
351 reviews12 followers
August 13, 2021
Ngayong binasa ko 'to sa ikalawang pagkakataon, may mga bago uli akong natutunan (halimbawa, kapag may batang ayaw sa iniregalo mo sa kanya, bigay mo na lang 'yung regalo sa ibang bata, at 'yung batang maarte na 'yon ay regaluhan na lang ng isang kilong okra). At malamang meron uli kapag binasa ko pa nang ikatlong beses.

Malaking tulong ang librong ito sa 'kin at siguradong pati sa ibang kabataan dahil talagang napapanahon ang mga napag-usapan dito. Gusto ko kung paano pinasilip ni Bob Ong ang buhay ng isang matanda at pamilyado. Nakakalibang at may punto ang mga sinasabi niya. Siguro kapag nasa gano'ng edad na 'ko, babalikan ko 'tong libro na 'to (maliban na lang kung magiging marupok ako at ipapahiram ko 'tong libro sa iba at akala nila maganda rin sa mukha ang hardbound kaya hindi na nila isasauli). Sa libro ring ito ko pa lalong nakilala si Bob Ong. Tingin ko sapat na ang pagbabasa ko ng mga libro niya para makilala ko siya. Ewan ko ba kung ano'ng trip ng iba't gustong-gusto nilang malaman ang totoong identity ni Bob Ong. Basta hindi siya si Eros Atalia. Si Eros Atalia ay si Batman, siya na rin ang may sabi. Pero kung trip n'yo, bahala kayo. Good luck. lol.

Hindi ko ugaling magbasa ng mga ganitong uri ng libro. May exception lang kapag si Bob Ong ang nagsulat (alam ko hindi siya matutuwa sa 'kin sa ugali kong 'to. lol) .
Profile Image for Percival Buncab.
Author 4 books38 followers
November 23, 2018
Classic Bob Ong = (nostalgic stories + punchlines + pasimpleng panenermon) x colloquialism

Nasa 56 ang Bob Ong na nakilala’t minahal natin. Ang premise ng libro: titong nagtuturo ng adulting starter pack sa kanyang younger millennial na pamangkin.

Si Bob Ong ang dahilan kung bakit ako nakatawid papunta sa pagbabasa ng Phil lit. Napakadaling niyang magustuhan lalo na ng mga nagsisismula pa lang magbasa.

Pero dahil nakatawid na nga ako sa “mas mataas” na panitikan, hindi ko na ganoon na-enjoy ang 56. Hindi ibig sabihin n’on ay ‘yung libro mismo ang problema. Gaya ng laging paalala ni Bob Ong sa mga nonfiction niya, hindi ito definitive guide, kundi modest introduction lang sa mga isyung dapat nating kamulatan. Naging tapat si Bob Ong sa lugar na tinahak niya, na tingin ko ay wala nang ibang makakaangkin—at least sa ngayon.

Nakaka-disappoint lang talaga ang napakaraming style inconsistencies, na kayang-kaya namang isalba ng proofreading. Mukha tuloy minadali ang long-awaited next book ni Bob Ong.

Sa kabuuan, na-fulfill naman ng libro ang goal nito.
Profile Image for Airen.
22 reviews
November 5, 2018
May mga parte ng libro na nagustuhan ko, ngunit ito ang konklusyon ko: gaya ng sabi ni Bob Ong, marahil ay hindi para sa akin ang librong ito. Siguro kung bata-bata pa ako ay magugustuhan ko ito nang husto. Sa pagkakataong ito, ito ang mga masasabi ko:

1. Sa edad kong ito, hindi na ubra sakin kapag sinabi mo sakin ang gagawin. "Basahin mo ang..." "Panoorin mo ang..." "Alagaan mo ang spiritual blah..." Nope, too preachy for me.

2. May mga parte na ang hirap basahin pero pinush ko kasi ayokong i-review ang libro nang hindi tinatapos 'to.

3. Bakit ramdam ko ang generation gap namin ni Bob Ong?

4. Ramdam ko rin ang bias nya kahit sabihin nyang hindi sya biased.

5. Sa kabila ng lahat, di ako nanghinayang sa pinambili ko ng libro dahil #SupportLocal
Profile Image for Niev.
13 reviews
July 5, 2019
Maybe it's just me or my preferences had changed. I didn't get to see the Bob Ong who I grew up reading to. Or it could be that this book wasn't for me. It is informative, actually and the info is laid out in a digestible way. I'm deeply sorry for not being able to see the appeal.
Profile Image for Sai theengineerisreading.
612 reviews101 followers
October 6, 2019
Preach.

H'wag kang masyadong nega o tamad at simulan mo nang basahin ang pinakabagong libro ni Bob Ong (kahit inabot din ako ng halos isang taon bago nabuklat ang aking kopya,) dahil ang aklat na ito (oo, 56) ang magpapamulat sa 'woke' pero nagbubulag-bulagang mata ng bawat Pilipino (kabilang na ako.)

Masyadong mahaba kung sasabihin ko ang bawat aspeto ng aklat na aking nagustuhan at talaga namang tumatak sa aking isipan. Pero oo, ang aklat na itong may lasang self-help ang literal na tutulong sa ating mga sarili para malaman at matutunan ang mga nangyari, nangyayari, at mga maaari pang mangyari sa buhay mo, sa buhay ko, sa buhay natin.

Ayon sa pabalat ng aklat, ang 56 ay ang librong pangmatanda para sa mga bata o ang official manual ng mga kabataang Pilipino o mga kwentong awkward para sa henerasyong awkward. Hitik ang 56 sa mga kwentong Bob Ong na naglalaman ng mga sanaysay mula sa kanyang buhay, karanasan, obserbasyon, o pananaliksik na talaga namang informative, entertaining, at minsan sa madalas, satirical. 56 ang librong dapat gawing required reading sa high school.

Kahit na kalimitan ay may mga punchline na bigla ka na lang mapapangisi kahit na mag-isa ka lang naman sa kwarto o siksikan kayo sa bus, marami talagang mapupulot na aral sa librong ito. Pinakagusto ko ang social media etiquette at ang epekto ng social media sa henerasyong ito. Swak na swak ang pagkakabato ng bawat pangungusap sa kabanata kaya naman magalit na ang matatamaan ng bato-bato mula sa langit pero legit, napakaraming troll at kahit mga kilalang tao na dumepende sa false dichotomy o ad hominem o sweeping generalization pagdating sa keyboard war.

Napaka-insightful din ng mga payo, paalala, babala, at rekomendasyon ni Bob pagdating sa simpleng crush at mga Pokémon at pagsapit sa legal na gulang hanggang sa pag-aasawa at pagkakaroon ng anak at pagtanda. Magiging nostalgic pihado kapag babasahin ko ito mga dalawang dekada mula ngayon at titingnan kung ano na ang nagbago sa akin at kung may pinakinggan man lang ba ako sa nga parinig ng librong ito.

At syempre, gusto ko rin 'yung matalinong paglalahad ng mga lokal at internasyonal na suliraning kinakaharap ng mundo ngayon. Mula sa di-mahapayang Marcos-Aquino feud at korapsyon sa Pilipinas hanggang sa climate change at plastic usage at territory wars, mapupuno at mag-uumapaw ang iyong utak sa mga impormasyon maaaring ngayon mo lang malaman o ngayong mas naging malinaw. Pero syempre, hindi sapat ang paglalatag lang ng problema kung wala namang inihahaing mungkahi o solusyon. Gustong-gusto ko 'yung mga ganito, 'yung hindi lang basta nagtuturo ng daliri sa kung sino dapat sisihin bagkus bukas palad na iniaabot ang kamay para tumulong sa paglutas ng problema.

RATING: Limang nangangalit na Boy Regla
Profile Image for JeLo Guevara.
134 reviews8 followers
May 27, 2019
Ang librong pangmatanda para sa mga bata...

Ang pahina nang bawat henerasyon na napagdaanan ng isa sa aking paboritong manunulat at ang mga aral na napulot niya sa paghimpil dito. Isang rak en rol na manual on how to be a grownup.

Simple, walang dyahe at swabeng pagkukwento. Light at nakakatawa as always na may biglang turn into serious thoughts, pero hindi yung awkward. Parang siya tulad nang dati at siya na nagbago na (yun tipong "same old brand new"). Sa matagal kong pagbabasang kanyang mga aklat, napansin ko yung pagbabago ng thoughts niya. Siguro dahil na rin sa pag-usad niya sa daloy ng panahon at paglawak ng kaisipan niya. 23 pa lang habang sinusulat ko ito at masasabi kong hilaw pa ako sa maraming bagay sa mundo. Ngunit matagumpay niyang naiparatingang mensahing nais niyang ipabatid.

Ang librong ito ay ukol sa mga napagdaanan niya sa buhay, point of view niya sa maraming bagay at pasilip sa kanyang personal na buhay (pag-ibig, pamilya and stuff). Dito ko na-realise na andami na ngang nagbago in terms na parang dati siya yung barkada mo na masarap kakuwentuhan pero ngayon para siyang barkada/tatay/tito na maraming baong payo. Ganito yung naramdaman ko habang binabasa ko ito, tapos may mga reaction sa akong "may ganito", "may ganyan" na siya. Nakakatuwa lang.

Maraming topic ang napagusapan, mga ideolohiyang tinalakay. May mga pagkakataon na agree pero meron ding hindi. But I don't resent it but respct and acknowledge it instead. Gaya nga ng nais niya iparating, hindi niya nais hilahin ang isang tao sa paniniwala niya sa politika, relihiyon mga pananaw at iba pa. Nais lamang niyang mag-ambag ng kaunting kaalaman upang lumawak ang pag-iisip. Kung duda ka daw sa kulay ng kuwento niya, ito ay dahil sa iyong personal bias at idolatry o sobrang paghanga. Ang tunay na pagpapalawak ng kaisipan ay hindi nasusukat sa pag-ko-confirm ng mga bagay na iyo lamang pinaniniwalaan dahil dito ka komportable. Ito ay ang pagtanggap sa iba't-ibang panig, pagtimbang-timbangin, unawain at irespeto.

Ang masasabi kong pinakafavorite part ng libro (halos lahat oks sakin) ay ang huling part: mga pabaon, hints & tips, life hacks na pwede nating magamit sa ating pagtahak sa landas na atin pa lamang tatahakin. Nakakatuwa, nakakainspire at ewan - basta ang sarap mag-look forward sa kung ano man ang haharapin ko sa hinaharap na walang kasiguraduhan.

P. S.
Maganda yung mga love quotes niya. Legit - hindi yung galing sa fake FB page niya.
Profile Image for Gianna.
113 reviews
June 5, 2023
A 3.7. It was all over the place at the start (he even 'attacked' certain types of readers) but I eventually got used to his style and humor as it progressed.

I might've appreciated this more if I read it as a teenager. Ong vividly describes what to expect as one grows old and goes through life. His pieces of advice and fair warnings were funny yet generally applicable. To someone who's experienced some of the truth bombs and mistakes he referenced throughout, it was nostalgic.

Registered Voter was my favorite chapter especially since good governance is a topic that I care about. I agreed with a lot of his points on how to choose a candidate that I actually want to distribute that whole section to all voters out there! Plus, the driver license renewal tangents were also too accurate and absurdly frustrating.

As a 30-year old, working, single woman, I still found myself enjoying the other chapters like Alipin even though it's about parenthood. The whole book is just quite funny and I even chuckled out loud at some points. I also liked that Ong referenced other books, movies, music, series and more to further drive his points across. I now have multiple RRLs to get through. 😅

While I can't say I learned something new, it definitely reinforced some principles that I have on topics like social media, climate change and idolatry. It also made me rethink things about religion and faith in general. Ong was also very much self-aware and questions the book's very existence. I think one of his earlier passages encapsulated what he was trying to do and what he hopes anyone with influence does:

"Turuan mo ang mga taong mag-isip. Tulungan mo ang kapwa mong maging maalam. Dahil ang matalino, kung hindi magbabahagi ng kaalaman, ay wala ring pinagkaiba sa bobo."

I recommend for teenagers who are in for a quick, funny and surprisingly educational read.
Profile Image for Bianca Nagac.
64 reviews6 followers
November 15, 2018
As posted on my blog: https://biancaswall.wordpress.com/201...

The book tackles the stages of life we encounter at some point in our journey as individuals. He sequences the book beginning from our curiosity as a child up to the time when we build our own families. Despite some of his advices are the usual things we heard from our parents and from others, his humorous knack sparks the interest of his readers.

Style of writing

The way he speaks to his readers remains the same – informal and relatable. However, there are certain instances that I didn’t feel the humour in his past books. Itis understood that each book he has written has a different point of view to present. There are also times when his words give me the impression that it is written by a different person. I admit that I skipped some pages on the latter part because I knew what is coming ahead.

Yet, he is able to redeem himself (at least for me) on the last chapter of this book. It gives you a bigger glimpse of his personal life. It is as if you are reading his diary he kept all these years.

Why I recommend this book

What I particularly like in this book is how Bob Ong points out the smallest details in our lives that we often miss. Some examples are his discussions about the right way of helping people and being a wise voter. Bob Ong writes in such a way that is less intimidating for others, who are discouraged to read books because they are not able to fully grasp the message of particular writers.

I recommend this book because it serves as a life primer – regardless of our age and what we already experienced in life.
Profile Image for Reign.
220 reviews28 followers
September 30, 2018
"Mas mabuti na ang librong maraming gustong sabihin kumpara sa librong walang sinasabi."

Bilang ito ang ikaapat kong libro na nabasa mula kay Bob O. (ABNKKBSNPLAko?!, Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan, at Stainless Longganisa), maaaring itong tugon na 'to ay hango na rin sa kinalasipikang opinyon sa realidad ng mapanuring pag-iisip ng mga tao sa makabobong henerasyon.

Ito na rin maaari ang pinakamahabang librong naisulat at nailathala ni Bob O. (kung nagawan ng paraan sa font size at spacing 'yung ibang nailimbag na mga libro, maaaring ito na 'yun).

Isang punto lang sa mga magbabasa at makikiusong Pokémon, tingnan mo 'to.

Magbasa ka ng libro.

'Wag mong gayahin ang manunulat na itago natin sa pangalang "Thirdy". Sinong hunghang ang maniniwalang sa karanasan lang mismo makukuha ang pagsulat ng libro? Masamang pangitain 'yan kung hindi ka man lang nagbasa ng mahiwagang bagay na mas matanda pa sa'yo, Thirdy.

Ito na marahil ang sasangguni sa lahat ng hinaing na iniinda ni Pilipinas. Pero dahil halos nahinuha sa sariling karanasan ni Bob O. ito, maaaring magbago ang tingin mo sa lahat ng bagay. Depende na lang din 'yan kung may prinsipyo kang sinusunod. Irerespeto ka ng librong 'to.

*inserts Bata, Dahan-Dahan! by IV of Spades dahil akma sa pinupunto ng kabuuan ng librong ito*

P. S. Lahat ng mga Bob O. na libro, puro ipinahiram sa akin sa isang magandang dahilan. Malaya ang pagsulat ni Bobo.
15 reviews
July 27, 2024
As advertised. Ayon sa mga nakasulat sa likod ng libro na nais ilarawan ang nilalaman nito, ang “56” raw ni Bob Ong ay “life according to ong,” “ang librong pangmatanda para sa mga bata,” “ang official manual ng kabataang pilipino,” “mga kwentong awkward para sa henerasyong awkward,” at sa palagay ko ay tamang tama ang mga paglalarawang ito. Palagay ko ay kahit balik-balikan ko ang librong ito sa kahit ano mang parte ng buhay ko, ay mayroon pa rin akong mapupulot na aral, at maaaliw pa rin akong basahin ito.


Nagawa ni Ong ang magsulat ng isang libro na kapupulutan ng napakaraming aral, hindi lamang para sa kabataan, ngunit para na rin sa mga matatanda mula sa iba’t ibang henerasyon. Pero nagawa niya ito sa paraang totoong nakakaaliw, at sobrang casual, na para ngang kausap mo lang ang isang tropa.


Hindi ko inasahang ganito ang magiging kalalabasan ng librong ito, ngunit nakakasigurado akong ang mga aral na napulot ko rito ay mananatili sa akin nang matagal na panahon. Lubos kong ineenganyo ang mga makakakita ng critique na ito na subukan ninyong basahin ang “56” ni Bob Ong. Pramis, ang ganda.
Profile Image for Jonn Louie Lim.
20 reviews10 followers
July 3, 2018
As Bob Ong as it gets. When I first read Bob Ong I was in secondary. I could laugh at the way he wrote about Philippine society in "Bakit Baligtad..", but a lot of the ideas went over my head. This book hit areas of thought that were relevant to myself at this point in life, and hopefully I understood it better. He also talks of topics relevant to the happenings of today.
Bob Ong writes with that familiar writing voice like that of a friend, a peer. The sense of a relationship is strengthened by narrative of experiences which themselves feel familiar, if not almost like they were shared. When you do come to a point in the book where you may disagree, it will challenge you just enough to get you to think about it. And it's at that point where the setting of the conversation shifts as if a thoughtful elder or a caring parent would speak to you of difficult issues lived and learned that one may find hard to understand or accept. Read through to the end.
Overall another great book from Bob Ong. 5/5, would recommend (and lend if you want to read it).
Profile Image for Lerry John.
29 reviews1 follower
December 7, 2018
56 BOB ONG | or, Life according to Ong, divided in 7 chapters (stages of life?): PAL, REGISTERED VOTER, LABORER, HOUSEMATE, ALIPIN, HISTORIAN, and Chapter 7X8, which contains anecdotes leading to the mystery behind the title. Hmmm. 🤔

Here’s the writer I’d often think as one of my closest buddies. I’d definitely wanna know what BO thinks of different aspects of society, even the most awkward ones, as somebody who’s been-there-done-that and has an open mind to discuss things. This book carries the ‘kwentuhan’ type reminiscent of ABNKKBSNPLAko? but someone more experienced in the passing of time.

Makes me think of the time when I’ll be 56, what kind of legacy will I contribute to the world. That will be exactly 30 years from now, and within this time and that, will we ever get to see who Bob Ong really is? 🤔

May there be more stories to tell, wisdom to share, and questions to provoke the mind.

IG: one.leroy
Profile Image for Razi.
136 reviews11 followers
February 14, 2020
Humorous. Heartwarming. HGenuine.

Tito Ong sits us down and shares his opinions and advice for teenagers, young adults, and not so young adults. Students, workers, citizens, and parents. Netiquette, driving, relationships, parenting, and lumpia.

He has you chortling about Procorfino, then fighting back tears as he writes about death.

It's your parents' wisdom condensed into a neat and beautifully covered book.

I agreed with most of it, not as much with tiny parts of it; but I understand that Mr. Ong is a reasonable individual. His advice, which I think most Filipinos still need to read, stems from experience filtered through reason.

His 56 little paragraphs of advice at the end of the book are a particularly nice touch as it mentions contemporary issues as global warming, ocean acidification, and antibiotic resistance; issues that the Filipino youth ought to know.
Profile Image for Myzha Mishaa Cadiz.
6 reviews1 follower
August 28, 2019
I was skeptical at first to continue reading this book. I thought "Oh, same style with how he wrote Stainless Longganisa". What I did, I randomly choose a few pages to read and read some on a next time.

I grew up reading Bob Ong books. Well, not really grew up since his first book release was when I was in college already. I love Bob Ong and how he writes. Years back, I felt like I was reading something an older brother could have written for me. Now, I am an adult and maybe I think a little bit differently from how I used to. This made me think 56 is more for the younger generation or the Gen Z. If read by them, they will probably can not relate on some scenarios.

I am looking forward to edit this review once I am done with the book.

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