Juan dela Cruz is the national personification of the
Philippines, often used to represent the "Filipino everyman". He is
usually depicted wearing the native salakot hat, Barong Tagalog, long pants,
and slippers.
History
The term was coined by Scottish-born journalist Robert
McCulloch Dick, who worked as a court reporter for the Manila Times in the
early 1900s. He did so after discovering it was the most common name in police
reports.
Usage
Activists often portray Juan dela Cruz as a victim of
American imperialism, especially since many editorial cartoons of the American
period often depicted him alongside Uncle Sam. In modern times, he is shown
independently as a venue for the common Filipino's commentary on governmental
and social issues.
The term, sometimes shortened to "Juan", also
refers to the collective Filipino psyche.
The name (Spanish for "John of the Cross") is
often used as a placeholder name for an anonymous individual, roughly the
equivalent of the American John Doe. The feminine placeholder is usually María
dela Cruz, which like Juan is a common —albeit mostly legal and colloquially
rare— first name amongst Filipino women.
