Along with his contemporary, Muttathu Varkey, he was known for a genre of sentiment-filled romantic fiction known as painkili (janapriya) novel in Malayalam literature, written with the common man in mind.
Philip was born on 13 June 1926 as the son of Elavunkal Joseph in Kanam, a small village in Kottayam district of Kerala.
He returned to Kottayam after the military service and joined CMS Middle School Kanam, as a teacher.
Later he served as Malayalam Pandit in CMS schools of Mundakayam, Kumpalampoika, Punnavely and Kottayam.
Philip quit teaching and joined the popular Malayalam Weekly Malayala Manorama as a journalist.