Isagani R. Cruz
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Born in 1945, Isagani R. Cruz is a multi-awarded and prolific poet, playwright, short-story writer, critic, educator, publisher, advocate, and Filipino. Cruz earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Santo Tomas and completed an unlikely Bachelor of Science in Physics for a writer like him on 1965. After completing this however, he enrolled in the Ateneo De Manila and earned his M.A. in Loyola fpr English Literature (1970) and later on went abroad for a Ph.D. also in English Literature from the University of Maryland (1976). In 1984 Cruz was also known to have been given a Fulbright grant.
As a writer, he has received a tremendous amount of recognition for his many contributions to Philippine literature having written at least twelve books. Nonetheless among these achievements include winning the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature numerous times and was eventually chosen to be in the prestigious Palanca Hall of Fame in 2004 for his noted plays, essays, and short stories either written in Filipino or English. He also won the SEAWRITE Award in 1991, the Centennial Literary Contest Award in 1998, and the Gawad Balagtas Award in 1999.
He has represented the Philippines in international conferences held in Canada, Hong Kong, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, and many others.
Moreover, Cruz’s scholarly articles and studies have also been published in both the Philippines and in the United States. He also served as the editor of Loyola Studies, Palabas, Interlock, and Malay. On the other hand, Cruz also worked for periodicals and contributed regularly to Times Journal, TV Times, Modern Romances, Bulaklak, WHO, Parade, Observer, Panorama, Ms. Ellaneous and regionally he also wrote for Asiaweek. Aside from his awards for creative writing, Cruz is also well-known for his film and drama reviews.
As an educator, Cruz continues to work with the biggest universities in his country. He is known to be the Alfredo E. Litiatco Professor of Literature at the De La Salle University where he heads the Department of Literature and Philippine Languages. He is also the publisher of the De La Salle University Press. In De La Salle he taught a quite a variety of courses including Science Fiction, Advanced Writing, The Teaching of Literature, Rizal, and Bridge. Currently he is also teaching in the Ateneo De Manila University for Philippine Literature in English.
Finally as an advocate Cruz is a member of many groups and institutions in the Philippines that promote Philippine literature and artistry. He is a member of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, member and founding chair of the Manila Critics Circle, the Philippine Television Reviewers Association, the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino, head of the Philippine Studies Association of the Philippines, the University of the Philippines Writers Club, the Cultural Research Association of the Philippines, American Studies Association of the Philippines, Philippine Contract Bridge League, National Research Council of the Philippines, and is also the Philippine bibliographer of Modern Languages Association of America.
