Rustica C. Carpio has distinguished herself as academician, performing artist of stage-film-television, writer, and translator. She is a respected authority in drama and theater. An alumna of the former Philippine College of Commerce (now
Polytechnic University of the Philippines ) where she finished Associate in Commercial Science with honor, she holds an A. B. major in English, magna cum laude, from Manuel L. Quezon University; M. A. in Education, major in Speech Education, from New York University, USA, as Fulbright grantee and International House scholar; and a Ph. D. major in Literature, meritissimus, from the University of Santo Tomas. She was a Unesco fellow in Dramatic Arts at the National School of Drama and Asian Theatre Institute in India.

In 1983, she was leader, director, and principal actress in Sining Silanganan Drama Group’s performance tour of the People’s Republic of China, and in 1984, she was in Russia for work-experience in theater.

Thrice a dean (Student Affairs at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (University of the City of Manila), College of Languages and Mass Communications at PUP, and later of the Graduate School also at PUP), Dr. Carpio has represented the Philippines in international conferences. To her credit are over two hundred fifty (250) articles, critiques, reviews, poems, plays, and short stories published here and abroad, and over a dozen books on literature, speech,
and communication. She was holder of the Emilio T. Yap professorial chair in Journalism at the PUP Graduate School . A board member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) in 1996 to 1998 and a board member of the Videogram Regulatory Board (1998 to 2000), she was a member of the Movie Committee on Appeals. In 2001, she was also at the MTRCB.

Dr. Carpio’s over fifty national and international honors and awards include: One of the Ten Outstanding Women of the Philippines for 1968 from Federacion Internacional de Abogadas (FIDA Phil.) for invaluable achievements in the field of performing arts.

Woman of Distinction as educator, writer, and performing artist and cited in The World Who’s of Women, Vol. 6, 1982 published in England by International Biographical Centre; Most Outstanding Faculty Member of the College of Arts and Sciences at PLM for 1983-1984; Outsanding Thomasian in Literature for 1983-1984; One of the Twelve Outstanding Bulakenyos as Professional for 1991; included in the Encyclopedia of Philippine Arts, Vol. 7 - - Theater -- published by the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1994; Green and Gold Artist awardee of the Far Eastern University on its 70th founding anniversary in 1998 for outstanding achievements in performing arts; Gawad Parangal sa Natatanging Guro ng Pangmadlang Komunikasyon para sa 1999 from Pampalikulang Samahan ng mga Dalubguro (PASADO). Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan sa Larangan ng Tanghalan/Dulaan - given by the City of Manila on its 432nd Founding Anniversary on June 20, 2003; Award of Merit for Outstanding Achievements in the field of Humanities - given by the National Research Council of the Philippines on its 71st Founding Anniversary on March 13, 2004; Centennial Award for Services rendered as former president of the PUP Alumni Association - given by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines on its Centennial Celebration on October 12, 2004; Parangal ng Bayan for Outstanding Achievements in Arts and Culture - given by Parangal ng Bayan Foundation on April 2, 2005; Pama-As: Gintong Bai Award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement in Theater - given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts on July 7, 2005 - as one of 31 Outstanding Filipino Artists and Cultural Leaders - given in connection with the 2005 Centennial celebration of the Feminist Movement in the Philippines;

Dr. Carpio organized PUP’s Department of Mass Communication in 1987, and became its first chairperson and first dean of the College of Languages and Mass Communications. At the PUP Graduate School, she was founder of the Master in Mass Communications in 1990. She was proponent for the building of PUP’s Claro M. Recto Auditorium, and in 1998, she conceptualized the establishment of the Mass Communication Center. During her stay at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, she founded the Bachelor in Mass Communication in 1968, and was co-framer of the Master in Mass Communication in 1972.

At present, Dr. Carpio has been lecturer at PUP, UST, and FEU. She was consultant in Arts and Culture at PUP and is Executive Director of the President's Committee on Culture at FEU. As one of America’s new songwriters, her poems have been set to music and are being recorded in the USA.

She first gained international notice when as a college student she became the youngest member and singer of the First Filipino Entertainment Troupe sent by the Philippine government to wartorn Korea in the winter of 1951 where she fought not with arms but with songs to bring Christmas cheers to the Philippine Expeditionary Forces to Korea (PEFTOK) and other United Nations armies. For her patriotism and bravery, “Rustie Hill,” adopted in the war maps of Korea, had been named in her honor.

E-mail Address: rcarpio@feu.edu.ph

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