13. Virgilio S. Almario

Virgilio S. Alma is better known as his pen name, Rio Alma, is an award winning poet and critic and also a outsatnding translator, editor, teacher and cultural manager.

Alma was born on March 4, 1944 and grew up in Camias, San Migueal de Mayumo, Bulacan in a rural subsistence farming community. From this humble begining, he co
mpleted his degree in A.B Political Science at the UNiversity of the Philippines.

His poet career started in the summer of 1963 where he succesfully started Filipino modernist movemnet in peotry alongside Rogelio Antonio Lamberto. In 1967, he came out with hus first collectio of poetry and peoplas and some Makinasyon. Ten more collections followed including bilingual selected peoms from 1968-1985. His poetry was then  published by the UP press in 1998 in a two volume collection titled My First Millenium.

Besides being a prolific writer and advocate for literature, he is also a devoted educator. Begining his teaching career at lagao Central Elementary  from 1969-1972. In 2003, he was appointed Dean of College of Arts and Letters at the University of the Philippines. He also provides workshops of Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA) which is an organization of peots who write in Filipino.

List of Notable Awards

Philippines National Artist
University if the Philiipines Centennial Award
Amado V. Hernandez Award
Balagtas Award for Poetry and Essay
Palanca Award for Poetry
Poet of the Year by the Commision the Filipino
Southeast Asia Write Award
Bulakeno Honor Award of Fold (1993)
Gawad Guide Arts (1992)


Poetry Collections 

Kung Bakit Kailangan Ang Himala
(University  of the Philippines Press, 2007)

Tatlong Pasyon Para sa Ating Panahon
(University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, 2007)








External Links
http://www.upd.edu.ph/~updinfo/octnovdec08/articles/almario.html
http://tagaloglang.com/Philippine-Literature/Filipino-Poets/virgilio-almario.html