(Clockwise, from left) Ong's "ABNKKBSNPLAko?!" Atalia's "Ligo Na U, Lapit Na Me," and Zafra's "The 500 People You Meet in Hell" are popular among today's youth

MANILA, Philippines – Centuries have passed since the first book was printed in the Philippines, but things stay relatively the same today: people still devour the written word – whether in traditional or digital form – in between shuffling songs on their iPods and web surfing.

Unfortunately, most of us get to encounter classic Filipino reads such as those by acclaimed authors N. V. M. Gonzales, Nick Joaquin, F. Sionil Jose and Genoveva Edroza-Matute in school once or twice, unfortunately never to be read again mainly due to the arrival of famous book series by foreign fantasy story authors such as J. K. Rowling, Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins, and George R. R. Martin. While they did help in making the kids drop their game consoles and peel their eyes away from the screen even for a bit, they unwittingly took their attention from the countless books written by Filipino authors.

However, in recent years, it can be observed that there is a renewed interest in Philippine literature. There are more new genres such as flash fiction (stories that are often less than 500 words) and speculative fiction (stories that combine science fiction with fantasy and horror), and more brilliant authors who have yet to get recognition from the reading public.

From the roster of numerous modern Filipino writers, three have managed to rise above the rest due to their witty, humorous and often sarcastic and unapologetic works that only Filipinos could get: Bob Ong, Eros Atalia and Jessica Zafra. Arguably, they are the most popular Filipino authors today, specifically to the college kids and yuppies.

The first thing one would learn upon doing a quick Google search on Bob Ong is that the mystery of his true identity remains unsolved even by his avid followers. But that doesn't matter much, because his books remain popular and in print even though some of them were published as early as 2001. Some of his bestsellers are “ABNKKBSNPLAko?!” “Bakit Baligtad Magbasa ng Libro ang mga Pilipino?” “Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas,” and “Stainless Longganisa.” On the other hand, his newer works include “Ang Mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan” and “Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin.”

Eros Atalia gained popularity after his novel, “Ligo Na U, Lapit Na Me,” was turned into Cinemalaya’s first book-to-movie adaptation last year. Aside from “Ligo Na U,” he wrote “Peksman (Mamatay Ka Man) Nagsisinungaling Ako (at iba pang Kuwentong Kasinungalingan na di pa dapat paniwalaan)” and “’Wag Lang ‘Di Makaraos.” His first book, “Taguan Pung at Manwal ng Napapagal,” was deemed controversial because it contained a satirical suicide manual with extreme instructions.

She may be the “rose among the thorns,” but make no mistake; Jessica Zafra is just as bold as the two authors abovementioned. More, she has published her books and written newspaper columns long before they even started. Her most popular works are the “Twisted” series, while her non-“Twisted” books include compilations, “Manananggal Terrorizes Manila and Other Short Stories” and “Womenagerie and Other Tales from the Front.” Her latest book, “The 500 People You Meet in Hell,” lists down the people you, the reader, might actually encounter in hell… assuming there is one. What makes this one a hit is its inclusion of people one encounters in real life – such as “the yaya who said that if you didn’t stop crying the aswang/bumbay/inchik would eat you” and “the taxi driver who refuses to drive you to the most important appointment of your life for which you are running late” – with their “appropriate” punishments, Dante Alighieri-style, printed on the page right across each entry.