Isagani R. Cruz
Encyclopedia
Education
Cruz earned his undergraduate degree from the University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
in 1965. He later enrolled at the Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
to earn an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
Literature in 1970. He also earned a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in English Literature from the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
in 1976. In 1972 and 2003, Cruz received a Fulbright grant that allowed him to study in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Career
As a writer, Cruz has received recognition for his contributions to Philippine literature. He had written more than thirty books. He is a Don Carlos Palanca Memorial awardee for Literature. As a result he became a member of the Palanca Hall of Fame in 2004 for his plays, essays, and short stories in FilipinoFilipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
and English. He also won the SEAWRITE Award in 1991, the Centennial Literary Contest Award in 1998, and the Gawad Balagtas Award in 1999. Cruz represented the Philippines in several international conferences in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Malaysia, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. Cruz’s scholastic articles were published in the Philippines and in the United States. In the Philippines, Cruz served as editor for Loyola Studies, Palabas, Interlock, and Malay publications. Cruz is also a regular contributor for Philippine periodicals such as the Times Journal, the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the TV Times, Modern Romances, Bulaklak, WHO, Parade, Observer, Panorama, Ms. Ellaneous, and Asiaweek
Asiaweek
Asiaweek, the English edition, was a news magazine focusing on Asia, published weekly by Asiaweek Limited, a subsidiary of Time Inc. Based in Hong Kong, it was established in 1975, and ceased publication with its December 7, 2001 issue due to a "downturn in the advertising market," according to...
magazine. Apart from creative writing, Cruz is also a known film and drama reviewer.
As an educator, Cruz worked with prominent Philippine universities. Prior to his official retirement, he held the Alfredo E. Litiatco Lectures at the De La Salle University
De La Salle University
De La Salle University is a private Lasallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director...
, where he chaired for the Department of Literature and Philippine Languages. He also became a publisher at the De La Salle University Press. While at the De La Salle University, he taught a variety of subjects which included Science Fiction, Advanced Writing, The Teaching of Literature, and Computer Literacy. He also taught Literature at the Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
and at the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
. He was an Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
in Diliman
University of the Philippines, Diliman
The University of the Philippines Diliman , is a coeducational and public research university located in Quezon City, Philippines. It is the flagship university, seat of administration, and the fourth oldest constituent university of the University of the Philippines System...
, Quezon City and a director of the Teachers Academy at Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University
Far Eastern University in the University Belt area, West Sampaloc, City of Manila, is a nonsectarian, private university in the Philippines. Created by the merger of Far Eastern College and the Institute of Accounts, Business and Finance, FEU became a university in 1934 under the guidance of...
. He also became a professor at universities in the United States, Japan, and Taiwan. He became a Visiting Fellow at St Antony's College at Oxford University.
As an advocate of Philippine culture, Cruz was a member of groups and institutions that promote Philippine literature and art. He was a member and founding chair of the Manila Critics Circle, the Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Philippine Film Critics), a former head of the Philippine Studies Association of the Philippines, the University of the Philippines Writers Club, the Cultural Research Association of the Philippines, the American Studies Association of the Philippines, the Philippine Tournament Bridge Association, and the National Research Council of the Philippines. Cruz was also the Philippine bibliographer of the Modern Languages Association of America. He was the president of the Philippine Fulbright Scholars Association
Fulbright Program
The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright-Hays Program, is a program of competitive, merit-based grants for international educational exchange for students, scholars, teachers, professionals, scientists and artists, founded by United States Senator J. William Fulbright in 1946. Under the...
.