When Weng Weng became the highest-exported film of its time

How a 2-foot-9 Filipino action star stunned global audiences and outsold prestige films at an international festival.

Long before modern international streaming hits, the most exported, globally recognized star in Philippine cinema history was not FPJ, Dolphy, or Nora Aunor. It was a man who stood exactly 2 feet, 9 inches tall, clad in a dapper white tuxedo, jumping off buildings, kicking towering henchmen in the shins, and charming the most glamorous leading ladies of the 1980s. 

This is the story of Ernesto de la Cruz, known to the world as Weng Weng—the ultimate pint-sized action hero.

Born in Baclaran, Parañaque, in 1957 and diagnosed with primordial dwarfism, Ernesto grew up in a deeply religious household. To celebrate his unique stature, his mother dressed him up as the Santo Niño (the Holy Child) for the annual Baclaran parades, turning him into a cherished local icon long before he ever hit the silver screen.

Driven by a passion for cinema, Ernesto obsessed over action movies, studied karate, and fiercely mastered his own physical limitations.

His big break came when comedy king Dolphy discovered him, casting the charismatic actor as a miniature sidekick in films like “The Quick Brown Fox” (1980). However, his life changed forever when producers Peter and Cora Caballes of Liliw Productions decided he was ready to be a leading man. 

In 1981, they released “For Y’ur Height Only,” a hyper-stylized James Bond parody starring Weng Weng as Agent 00, a top-tier secret agent tasked with defeating a criminal mastermind named Mr. Giant.

When First Lady Imelda Marcos launched the inaugural Manila International Film Festival (MIFF) in 1982 to showcase artistic Filipino masterpieces to European critics, it was Weng Weng who blindsided the industry. Western distributors went absolutely wild for him, making him the undisputed darling of the festival.  

“For Y’ur Height Only” quickly became one of the most successful international cult exports in Philippine history, outselling prestige art films and securing massive distribution rights across the US, Europe, and Asia. It spawned a hit sequel, “The Impossible Kid (1982),” and the Western comedy “D’Wild Wild Weng” (1982), making him a temporary household name from Indonesia to Italy.

Beneath the campy B-movie façade of the “midgetsploitation” era, Weng Weng was a fiercely committed martial artist. Sadly, his meteoric rise was met with a devastating decline. As the novelty of the genre waned in the mid-80s, the roles dried up. 

Having been paid very little of the massive international profits his films generated, Weng Weng returned to Baclaran. He spent his final years in poverty, cared for by his devoted family and a community that still remembered him as their Santo Niño.

In 1992, at just 34 years old, Ernesto de la Cruz passed away from a heart attack, leaving behind a legendary, permanent footprint on global pop culture.

Have you ever watched ‘For Y’ur Height Only’ on YouTube? Share his story to keep the memory of the Philippines’ most unique action hero alive!