Lamberto E. Antonio was born in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija on 9 November 1946. He is a poet, fictionist and a movie scriptwriter. He finished BA Political Science in University of the East in 1969. He was editor-in-chief of the Dawn, UE’s official publication, and was president of KADIPAN. He was editor of the Aklat Adarna Project of the Children’s Communication Center.

A modernist, Antonio’s poems usually carry messages sympathetic to the poor and oppressed peasants he knew in his youth. Swept by the tide of radicalism in the 1970’s, he has consistently tackled societal issues in his works. His poems are collected in Dalawampung Tula, 1971; Hagkis ng Talahib, 1980 and Pagsalubong sa Habagat, 1986. His poems have also been anthologized in books like Manlilikha, Talaang Ginto sa tula, Parnasong Tagalog and New Poems in Pilipino. His essays and short stories are compiled in Rebanse, 1991. He co-wrote one of the best films of the 1970’s, Insiang, with Mario O’ Hara. It was the first Filipino film invited to the Cannes Film Festival.

Antonio’s poems and short stories won in KADIPAN literary contest, Palanca Awards, Talaang Ginto and CCP Literary Contest. For his poetry collection Dugo’t Dalit sa Pagdaralita, he won the first prize and the title Makata ng Taon. His Pagsalubong sa Habagat received the National Book Award for poetry from the Manila Critics Circle in 1985.

Written by EL Gatchalian and ML Maniquis from CCP Encyclopedia (volume 9)

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