Virgilio Almario | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Almario at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2025 | |
| Born | Virgilio Senadrin Almario (1944-03-09)March 9, 1944 (age 81) |
| Pen name | Rio Alma |
| Occupation |
|
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines Diliman(BA,MA) University of the East |
| Literary movement | PhilippineModernism |
| Notable awards | Order of National Artists of the Philippines University of the Philippines Centennial Award, Amado V. Hernandez Award, Balagtas Award for Poetry and Essay |
| Spouse | Emelina B. Soriano |
| Children | Asa Victoria, Ani Rosa, Agno Virgilio, Alan Ortiz |
 Literature portal | |
Virgilio Senadren Almario (born March 9, 1944), better known by hispen nameRio Alma, is aFilipino author, poet, critic, translator, editor, teacher, and cultural manager.[1] He is aNational Artist of the Philippines. He formerly served as the chairman of theKomisyon sa Wikang Filipino, the government agency mandated to promote and standardize the use of theFilipino language. On January 5, 2017, Almario was also elected as the chairman of theNational Commission for Culture and the Arts.[2]
Growing up inBulacan, Almario sought his education at theCity of Manila and completed his degree in A.B. Political Science at theUniversity of the Philippines Diliman.
His life as a poet started when he took master's units in education at theUniversity of the East where he became associated withRogelio G. Mangahas andLamberto E. Antonio. He did not finish the program.[3]
He only took his M.A. in Filipino in 1974 at theUniversity of the Philippines Diliman.
A prolific writer, he spearheaded the second successful modernist movement in Filipino poetry together with Mangahas and Antonio. His earliest pieces of literary criticism were collected inAng Makata sa Panahon ng Makina (1972), now considered the first book of literary criticism in Filipino. Later, in the years of martial law, he set aside modernism and formalism and took interest in nationalism, politics and activist movement. As a critic, his critical works deal with the issue ofnational language.
Almario campaigned against the usage and proliferation ofsiyokoy words in the Filipino language, which according to him were improperly derived from English and Spanish.[4] He also advocated the use ofFilipinas as the Philippines official name in both Filipino and English languages.[5]
Aside from being a critic, Almario engaged in translating and editing. He has translated the best contemporary poets of the world. He has also translated for theater production the plays ofNick Joaquin,Bertolt Brecht,Euripides andMaxim Gorki. Other important translations include the famous works of thePhilippines' national hero,José Rizal, namelyNoli Me Tangere andEl filibusterismo. For these two, he was awarded the 1999 award for translation by theManila Critics Circle.[6][7]
Almario has been a recipient of numerous awards such as severalPalanca Awards, two grand prizes from theCultural Center of the Philippines, theMakata ng Taon of theKomisyon sa Wikang Filipino, the TOYM for literature, and theSoutheast Asia Write Award ofBangkok.
He was an instructor at the Lagao Central Elementary School from 1969 to 1972. In 2003, he was appointed Dean of the College of Arts and Letters at theUniversity of the Philippines Diliman. On June 25 of the same year, he was proclaimed National Artist for Literature.[8]
Almario is also the founder and workshop director of the Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo, an organization of poets who write in Filipino.[9] Award-winning writers and poets such as Roberto and Rebecca Añonuevo, Romulo Baquiran Jr., Michael Coroza, Jerry Gracio, and Vim Nadera are some of the products of that organization's workshop.
He was a founding member of the Gallan sa Arte at Tula, along with fellow poetsTeo Antonio andMike Bigornia.
Media related toVirgilio Almario at Wikimedia Commons| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
