Virgilio S.

Almario
-born March 9, 1944
- better known by his pen name, Rio Alma, is a Filipino artist, poet, critic, translator, editor, teacher, and
cultural manager. He is a National Artist (of Literature) of the Philippines.
Growing up in Bulacan among peasants, Almario sought his education in Manila and completed his
degree in A.B. Political Science at the University of the Philippines. A prolific writer, he spearheaded the
second successful modernist movement in Filipino poetry together with Rogelio G. Mangahas and
Lamberto E. 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 critic, his critical works deal with the issue of national language.
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,
Bertolt Brecht, Euripedes and Maxim Gorki. Other important translations include the famous works of the
Philippines' national hero, Jos Rizal, namely Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo. It was deemed as
the best translation by the Manila Critics Circle.
Almario has been a recipient of numerous awards such as several Palanca Awards, two grand prizes from
the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Makata ng Taon of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, the
TOYM for literature, and the Southeast Asia Write Award of Bangkok.
He was an instructor at the Ateneo de Manila University from 1969-1972. He only took his M.A. in
Filipino in 1974 in the University of the Philippines. In (June 25) 2003, he was appointed Dean of the
College of Arts and Letters in the said university. In 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 Aonuevo, Romulo Baquiran Jr., Michael Coroza, Jerry Gracio, and Vim Nadera are but some of
the products of the LIRA workshop.
Virgilio Almario, also known as Rio Alma, is a poet, literary historian and critic, who has revived and
reinvented traditional Filipino poetic forms, even as he championed modernist poetics. In 34 years, he has
published 12 books of poetry, which include the seminal Makinasyon and Peregrinasyon, and the
landmark trilogy Doktrinang Anakpawis, Mga Retrato at Rekwerdo and Muli, Sa Kandungan ng
Lupa. He also has 10 books of criticisms and anthologies, among which are Ang Makata sa Panahon ng
Makina, Balagtasismo versus Modernismo, Walong Dekada ng Makabagong Tula Pilipino,
Mutyang Dilim and Barlaan at Josaphat.