Virgilio Senadrin Almario (born March 9, 1944), better known by his
pen name Rio Alma, is a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
visual artist, author, poet, critic, translator, editor, teacher, and cultural manager.
[UP Newsletter; 4 April 2008; Volume xxviii Number 03]
/ref> He is a National Artist of the Philippines
The Order of National Artists of the Philippines (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas'') is an Order (distinction), order bestowed by the Philippines on Filipino people, Filipinos who have made s ...
. He formerly served as the chairman of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino
, logo =
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, seal = Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF).svg
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, formed = 1937 (first formation)1991 (reformed)
, preceding1 ...
(KWF), the government agency mandated to promote and standardize the use of the Filipino language
Filipino (; , ) is an Austronesian language. It is the national language ( / ) of the Philippines, and one of the two official languages of the country, with English. It is a standardized variety of Tagalog based on the native dialect, sp ...
. On January 5, 2017, Almario was also elected as the chairman of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines ( fil, Pambansang Komisyon para sa Kultura at mga Sining, ceb, Nasodnong Komisyon alang sa Budaya ug mga Arte) is the official government agency for culture in the Philippines. ...
(NCCA).
Early life and education
Growing up in Bulacan
Bulacan, officially the Province of Bulacan ( tl, Lalawigan ng Bulacan), is a province in the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Its capital is the city of Malolos. Bulacan was established on August 15, 1578, and part of the Me ...
among peasants, Almario sought his education at the City of Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
and completed his degree in A.B. Political Science at the University of the Philippines Diliman
, image = University of The Philippines seal.svg
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, caption = Official Logo of UP Diliman
, motto = Honor and Excellence
, established = February 12, 194 ...
.
His life as a poet started when he took master's units in education at the University of the East
The University of the East ( fil, Pamantasan ng Silangan), also known as UE, is a leading private university located in Manila, Philippines. Founded in 1946, business tycoon Lucio Tan acquired the university in 1990. UE was once labeled as the ...
where he became associated with Rogelio G. Mangahas and Lamberto E. Antonio. He did not finish the program.
He only took his M.A. in Filipino in 1974 at the University of the Philippines Diliman
, image = University of The Philippines seal.svg
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, caption = Official Logo of UP Diliman
, motto = Honor and Excellence
, established = February 12, 194 ...
.
Career
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 in ''Ang 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 of national language
A national language is a language (or language variant, e.g. dialect) that has some connection—de facto or de jure—with a nation. There is little consistency in the use of this term. One or more languages spoken as first languages in the te ...
.
Almario campaigned against the usage and proliferation of '' siyokoy'' words in the Filipino language, which according to him were improperly derived from English and Spanish. He also advocated the use of ''Filipinas'' as the Philippines official name in both Filipino and English languages.
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 of Nick Joaquin
Nicomedes "Nick" Marquez Joaquin (; May 4, 1917 – April 29, 2004) was a Filipino writer and journalist best known for his short stories and novels in the English language. He also wrote using the pen name Quijano de Manila. Joaquin was conferr ...
, Bertolt Brecht, Euripides
Euripides (; grc, Εὐριπίδης, Eurīpídēs, ; ) was a tragedian of classical Athens. Along with Aeschylus and Sophocles, he is one of the three ancient Greek tragedians for whom any plays have survived in full. Some ancient scholars a ...
and Maxim Gorki
Alexei Maximovich Peshkov (russian: link=no, Алексе́й Макси́мович Пешко́в; – 18 June 1936), popularly known as Maxim Gorky (russian: Макси́м Го́рький, link=no), was a Russian writer and sociali ...
. Other important translations include the famous works of the Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
' national hero, José Rizal, namely '' Noli Me Tangere'' and '' El filibusterismo''. For these two, he was awarded the 1999 award for translation by the Manila Critics Circle.
Almario has been a recipient of numerous awards such as several Palanca Awards
The Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, popularly known as the Palanca Awards, are a set of literary awards for Philippine writers. Usually referred to as the "Pulitzer Prize of the Philippines", it is the country's highest literary ...
, two grand prizes from the Cultural Center of the Philippines
The Cultural Center of the Philippines ( fil, Sentrong Pangkultura ng Pilipinas, or CCP) is a government-owned and controlled corporation established to preserve, develop and promote arts and culture in the Philippines.Presidential Decree No. ...
, the ''Makata ng Taon'' of the ''Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino'', the TOYM for literature, and the Southeast Asia Write Award of Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
.
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 the University of the Philippines Diliman
, image = University of The Philippines seal.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = Official Logo of UP Diliman
, motto = Honor and Excellence
, established = February 12, 194 ...
. On June 25 of the same year, he was proclaimed National Artist for Literature.
Almario is also the founder and workshop director of the Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA), an organization of poets who write in Filipino. Award-winning writers and poets such as Roberto and Rebecca Añonuevo, Romulo Baquiran Jr., Michael Coroza, Jerry Gracio, and Vim Nadera are but some of the products of the LIRA workshop.
He was a founding member of the Gallan sa Arte at Tula (GAT), along with fellow poets Teo Antonio and Mike Bigornia Mike Bigornia (born 16 May 1950 in Bangued, Abra, Philippines) is a Filipino poet, editor, fictionist and translator. Bigornia was educated at the University of the East
The University of the East ( fil, Pamantasan ng Silangan), also known as ...
.
Works
Poetry collections
*''Mga Retrato at Rekwerdo'' (1984)
*''Palipad-Hangin''. (1985)
*''Katon Para sa Limang Pandama''. (1987)
*''Sentimental''. (2004)
*''Estremelenggoles''. (2004)
*''Memo Mulang Gimokudan''. (2005)
*''Dust Devils''. (2005)
*''Sonetos Postumos'', book of poems with translation by Marne Kilates and paintings by National Artist Ang Kiukok. (2006)
*''Tatlong Pasyon sa Ating Panahon'', poems for children with illustrations by Mark Justiniani, Neil Doloricon, Ferdinand Doctolero. (2006)
*''Buwan, Buwang, Bulawan''. (2009)
*''UP Diksyunaryong Filipino''
*''Kulo at Kolorum''
*''Baklang Kolorum''
Filmography
''Sariling Gunita'' (2022)
a documentary film directed by Mark Daniel De Castro.
References
External links
Image of Virgilio S. Almario
The Official website of Rio Alma
{{DEFAULTSORT:Almario, Virgilio S.
1944 births
Living people
Ateneo de Manila University faculty
Benigno Aquino III administration personnel
Chairpersons of the Commission on the Filipino Language
Duterte administration personnel
Filipino writers
National Artists of the Philippines
People from San Miguel, Bulacan
University of the East alumni
University of the Philippines alumni
University of the Philippines faculty
Writers from Bulacan
Tagalog-language writers