Romulo P. Baquiran Jr. is a poet, essayist, and translator. Among his poetry collections are Mga Tula ng Paglusong (1992), Onyx (2003), Kung Nanaisin (2012), and Ibig: Mga Pili at Bagong Tula (2017), among others. In creative nonfiction, Baquiran’s books include Sagad sa Buto: Hospital Diary at Iba Pang Sanaysay (2010) and Aishete Imasu: Mga Dagling Sanaysay sa Danas-Japan (2022). His critical insights are compiled in Hiwatig: Pagsipat sa mga Tekstong Poetiko at Popular from 2014.
Baquiran has been recognized with numerous awards. In 1987, he received his first award from the University of the Philippines (UP) Creative Writing Center for “Disyembre A-Beinte Singko Atbp. Tula.” He also clinched five awards in the Filipino poetry category at the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and four National Book Awards from the Manila Critics Circle. His contributions also earned him the South East Asian Writers or SEA Write Award in 2011, the Ani ng Dangal Award for literary arts in 2012, and the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas in 2017. Baquiran studied at UP Diliman, where he obtained his bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees in Filipino. Presently, Baquiran is a professor at UP Diliman and serves as the director of the Likhaan: UP Institute of Creative Writing, a position that allows him to contribute to the flourishing of creative expression and literary arts.
He was born on February 9, 1962, in Santo Tomas, Isabela.