The term was popularized by Philippine national hero Dr. José Rizal. In his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo , Rizal used “Juan dela Cruz” to represent the suffering and silent resilience of the Filipino people under oppressive colonial rule. Over time, the name transitioned from a generic placeholder to a national personification.
McCulloch-Dick began writing verses about the character in the Philippines Free Press (which he founded in 1908), initially using the name to represent common men involved in petty crimes. who is juan dela cruz
In political cartoons, he has been portrayed as a victim of imperialism or a critic of government policy, reflecting the collective mood of the nation [18, 22]. The term was popularized by Philippine national hero Dr
