Professor 12
Department of English and Comparative Literature
College of Arts and Letters
University of the Philippines Diliman

Education

Ph.D. Literature, Screen and Theatre Studies (2009)
Division of Pacific and Asian History (PAH)
Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies (RSPAS)
Australian National University
Doctoral Advisors: Professors Emeriti Ben Kerkvliet and Brij K. Lal
Dissertation: Migrations and Mediations: The Emergence of Southeast Asian Diaspora Writers in Australia, 1972-2007
(Winner, 36th Philippine National Book Award for Literary History/Literary Criticism from the Manila Critics Circle and the National Book Development
Board, 2017)
*Migrations and Mediations (https://tvup.ph/?p=1694) brought about the collaborative session between the Southeast Asia/Southeast Asia Diasporic Forum and the American Association for Australasian Literary Studies (AAALS) at the January 2020 Modern Language Association (MLA) conference in Seattle (Gui & Machosky, 2020) 2019 / (https://www.cseashawaii.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/SEA_CFPs_MLA2020-...)
**The Southeast Asia/Southeast Asia Diasporic Forum and the American Association for Australasian Literary Studies (AAALS) session during the 2020 MLA Conference eventually led to the publication of a special issue of Antipodes, Journal of the American Association for Australasian Studies (AAALS) on the topic of Southeast Asian and Australian Literary and Cultural Connections. The issue was guest-edited by Weihsin Gui (University of California-Riverside) and Cheryl Narumi Naruse (Tulane University). (Gui W., 2019)
(https://muse.jhu.edu/article/780989 / https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/antipodes/vol33/iss2/)

MPhil Social Anthropology (1996)
Department of Social Anthropology
Faculty of Archaeology and Anthropology
At Clare Hall, University of Cambridge
Thesis: The Relocalisation of Japanese Immigrants in Davao, Southern Philippines

Diploma, Japanese Language, Culture and Affairs (1994)
International Center, University of Tokyo 
(renamed Japanese Language Education Division, Center for Global Education)                                                                                           
and Monbusho Research Scholar (1993-1995)
Department of Comparative Literature and Culture
University of Tokyo
Research: Japanese Immigrant Poetry                                                    

MA Comparative Literature (1993)
College of Arts and Letters
University of the Philippines Diliman
Thesis: Displacement and Reterritorialization in Philippine Expatriate Poetry in the United States, 1972-1992
(Winner, 46th Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for the Essay, 1996, revised and retitled as "Short Circuit: Expatriate Themes in Philippine Poetry in English")

BA Journalism (1988)
Faculty of Arts and Letters
University of Santo Tomas
Thesis: Philippine Literary Arts Council Political Poetry, 1983-1986

Academic Career Highlights

  • Thirty-seven years teaching over 20,000 students as a full-time faculty member at the Department of English and Comparative Literature (DECL), College of Arts and Letters (CAL), University of the Philippines Diliman: Instructor (1988-1993), Assistant Professor (1993-2005), Associate Professor (2005-2009) and Professor (2009-present). Previously, faculty affiliate at the UP Open University and the following UP Diliman units: Asian Center, College of Mass Communication, College of Science, Center for International Studies, and the Tri-College Philippine Studies Program.
  • Author of 8 books and over three hundred articles in the humanities and social sciences published across Asia, Europe, North America, and Australia.  (https://pages.upd.edu.ph/capili/publications )
  • Books: A Madness of Birds (poetry, University of the Philippines Press, 1998); Bloom and Memory: Essays on Literature, Culture, and Society (essays, the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, 2002), Mabuhay to Beauty! (Pop Culture, Milflores Publishing, 2003), From the Editors: Migrant Communities and Emerging Australian Community (Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, 2007), Salu-Salo: In Conversation with Filipinos (with John Cheeseman, Blacktown, and Liverpool, NSW: Blacktown Arts Centre and Casula Powerhouse, 2008). With John Jack Wigley, he translated and edited Lupito and the Circus Village (written by Rowald Almazar, artworks by Jose Santos III, Manila: University of Santo Tomas Publishing House, 2008). Migrations and Mediations: The Emergence of Southeast Asian Diaspora Writers in Australia (UP Press, 2016), his seventh book based on his Ph.D. dissertation, garnered the 36th Philippine National Book Award for Literary History/Literary Criticism from the Manila Critics Circle and the National Book Development Board (2017). Bridging Leadership by Example, his eighth book, co-authored with Timothy James Dimacali and Manuel de Vera, was published by the Asian Institute of Management in 2025.
  • Awards: Cultural Center of the Philippines Award (poetry, 1993), Carlos Palanca Memorial Award (Essay, 1996), National Book Development Board-Manila Critics Circle National Book Award (literary history/literary criticism, 2017), and the Department of Science & Technology-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) Achievement Award (Humanities, 2020).
  • Scholarships: Japanese Ministry of Education (Monbusho) Research Scholarship at the Department of Comparative Literature and Culture, University of Tokyo (1993-1995), Cambridge Trust Scholarship at the Department of Social Anthropology, and Clare Hall, the University of Cambridge (1995-1996), and the ANU Vice Chancellor's Ph.D. Scholarship at the Division of Pacific and Asian History, Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies (RSPAS, renamed College of Asia and the Pacific), Australian National University (2004-2007).
  • Fellowships and Grants: Korea Foundation Research Fellowship at Seoul National University and Yonsei University (1995), Waseda University Grant for the International Conference on Comparative Thought (1997), British Council Fellowship at Downing College, University of Cambridge (2000), Standard Chartered Bank Grant at the University of Hong Kong / 1st Hong Kong International Literary Festival (2001), Asia-Europe Institute Fellowship at the University of Malaya (2003), UM Cultural Centre Grant for Poetry at the University of Malaya (2003), The Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) Grant at the University of Sydney (2004), Arts New South Wales (Renamed Create New South Wales) Grant and publication grants from the city councils of Blacktown, Casula, and Fairfax, New South Wales, for the Sydney Writers Festival (2007, 2008), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) Grant for the 76th PEN International Conference in Waseda University (2010), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Grant for the Regional Conference on Higher Education-Community-Industry Engagement (2012), and a grant from Silpakorn University (Thailand) for the QS Totally Arts Summit (Art and Design, 2018).
  • Visiting Scholar at the Department of Chinese and Southeast Asian Studies, University of Sydney (2005), School of Creative Arts, and the School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Sciences, University of Melbourne (2005), Westerly Centre, University of Western Australia (2005), the Australian Studies Centre, University of Queensland (2005), and the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore (2005).
  • Keynote Lectures at the First International Conference on Multidisciplinary Filipino Studies in Hawai'i (2017), the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Humanities International Conference (UHHHIC, 2019), the International Multidisciplinary Academic Conference (IMAC) on "Embracing Teaching and Learning In The New Norm Education" in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia (2022) and the International Conference on Literature, Language, History, and Media (Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Jember, Indonesia, 2023).
  • One of the discussants during the Roundtable Session in Honor of the Scholarship of Australian National University Professor Emeritus Benedict J. Tria Kerkvliet at the Association for Asian Studies Conference (Virtual/Boston, 2023). The session was sponsored by the AAS Southeast Asia Council (SEAC).
  • A Life Member of Clare Hall, University of Cambridge, and a Member of the Association for Asian Studies (AAS) for 2024, funded by generous donors. He also sits on the International Advisory Board of the Hawai'i Journal of the Humanities & 3L: Language, Linguistics, Literature®️ The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and the Editorial Committee of Chinese Creative Writing Studies (中國創意寫作研究), published by Springer Nature and a peer-reviewed collaboration between the Chinese Creative Writing Centre at Shanghai University, the School of Humanities at Wenzhou University, and the Tin Ka Ping Centre of Chinese Culture at Hong Kong Metropolitan University.
  • UP awards and grants: UP System Outstanding Student Artist (1989), the UP Carlos P. Romulo Professorial Chair (1998-1999, 2000-2001), the UP Diliman Gawad Chancellor (1998), the UP International Publication Award (2001), the UP System Creative Writing Grant (2003-2004), the UP Centennial Professorial Chair (2008-2009, 2009-2010, 2010-2011, 2016-2017), the UP Centennial Faculty Grant (2021-2022, 2022-2023, 2023-2024). the One UP Professorial Chair for Teaching and Research (2016-2017, 2017-2018, 2018-2019, 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022) and the One UP Professorial Chair for Teaching and Creative Work (2022-2023, 2023-2024). Named UP Artist I (2021-2023) under the UP Arts Productivity System during the 1390th Meeting of the UP Board of Regents on 31 May 2024.  
  • Poems, reviews, creative/critical essays, newspaper articles, translations and academic papers published in Australia, Austria, China, England, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and the United States, including Banwa at Layag:Antolohiya ng mga Kuwentong Paglalakbay ng mga Pilipino sa Ibayong Dagat (Manila: Limbagang Pangkasaysayan, 2023), The Achieve Of, The Mastery: Filipino Poetry and Verse from English, mid-'90s to 2016 (UP Press, 2018), Amihan, Ang Aklat Likhaan ng Tula at Maikling Kuwento, Anagram (Johns Hopkins University), Ang Pagiging Babae Ay Pamumuhay Sa Panahon ng Digma (translation of poems by Joi Barrios, Babaylan Women's Publishing Collective, 1990), Ani (Cultural Center of the Philippines), Asian Studies: Journal of Critical Perspectives on Asia, At Home in Unhomeliness: The Philippine PEN Anthology of Postcolonial Poetry in English (The Philippine PEN Poetry Anthology, 2007), Budhi (Ateneo de Manila University), Bukal, Bulawan (National Commission on Culture and the Arts), Business Mirror, Caracoa, Carillon, Dadaanin (Anvil/De la Salle University), Daluyan, Dapitan, Diliman Review, Dyaryo Filipino, Environment and Literature (Tokyo), Evening Paper, Filipino Magazin, The Filipino Reporter (New York), Flame, Flippin': Filipinos on America (New York: Asian-America Writers' Workshop, 1996), Get Luckier (Poetry Festival Singapore, 2022), ITJ (Tokyo), A Habit of Shores (UP Press, 1998), Heritage and History of the University of Santo Tomas (2012), HanPil (Occasional Papers on Korean and Philippine Studies), Katipunan (Journal ng mga Pag‐aaral sa Wika, Panitikan, Sining at Kulturang Filipino, Ateneo de Manila University), Korea Herald, Korea Times, Le Spirit D’Aujourd'hui (Tokyo:Shibundo Co. Ltd., 1999), Likhaan Anthology of Poetry and Fiction, Literary Review (Farleigh Dickinson University), Look Japan, Love Gathers All: Philippine-Singapore Poetry (Singapore: Ethos Press, 2002), Mabuhay (Philippine Air Lines), Manila Bulletin, Manila Chronicle, Mantala (NCCA), Mirror, Mr. & Ms., Nation and Culture (Solidaridad Publishing House, 2012), National Midweek, Panitikang Filipino, 100 Love Poems: Philippine Love Poetry since 1905 (UP Press, 2004), Paramita: Historical Studies Journal (Universitas Negeri Semarang and Indonesian Historical Society, 2023), Philippine Collegian, Philippine Daily Globe, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, The Philippines Free Press, Philippines Graphic, Philippines Graphic Reader, Philippine Panorama, Philippine Studies (Ateneo de Manila University), Poet's Voice (University of Salzburg, Austria), Saligan, Sa Madaling Salita (UP Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, 2019), Sands and Coral (Silliman University), Sansiglong Mahigit ng Makabagong Tula sa Filipinas (One Hundred Years of Modernist Poetry in the Philippines, Anvil, 2006), Sarilaysay: Danas at Dalumat ng Lalaking Manunulat sa Filipino (UP Press, 2004), Second Genesis (India), Social Science Diliman, Solidarity (Southeast Asian Magazine of Ideas, Culture and the Arts), Southeast Asian Review of English (Malaysia), Starweek, Sunday Inquirer Magazine, The Lives of a Filipino/a High School Student (UST Publishing House, 2022), Tinig, Tomas, 21st Century Literature, Under the Storm, UPdate, UP Forum, Varsitarian, Varsity (University of Cambridge), Westerly (University of Western Australia), World Poetry Yearbook (China), Writ Hop (NCCA, 2005), Writing to the Future: Poetika at Politika ng Malikhaing Pagsulat (NCCA, 2008), 環境と文学:言葉で何ができるか?(Japan PEN), 東京大学国際センターニュース (University of Tokyo), 東部研究の国際会議のトランザクション ( 東京:東方学会) and 詩のアンソロジー (Japan PEN).
  • Presentations at conferences and festivals, including the Cambridge Seminar on the Contemporary Writer (2000), the 1st Hong Kong International Literary Festival (2001), Sydney Writers' Festival (2007, 2008), The 76th PEN International Conference (Tokyo, 2010), Poetry Festival Singapore (2022) & the 1st International Conference on Multidisciplinary Filipino Studies (Hawaiʻi, 2017), where he was Keynote Speaker. He also delivered the Keynote Address at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Humanities International Conference (UHHHIC, 2019), the International Multidisciplinary Academic Conference (IMAC) on "Embracing Teaching and Learning In The New Norm Education" (Kota Kinabalu, 2022) and the International Conference on Literature, Language, History, and Media (Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Jember, Indonesia, 2023).
  • Policymaking: "Unlocking The Power of Research for Informed Policymaking in the Arts and Humanities," delivered at the Department of Science and Technology-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) Legislative Capacity for Research in Evidence-Informed Policymaking" (C-REIP), on 24 May 2024 and 26 March 2025, at the Conference Hall, Athletics Stadium, New Clark City, Tarlac. Organized by the DOST-NRCP in partnership with the Senate of the Philippines, the House of Representatives, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).
  • Honorary: Inducted into the International Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Chapter 045 (2014); Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Professorial Chair in Literature (2021, 2022); Inducted into Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in Social Sciences, Philippine Alpha Chapter (2024).
  • Governing Board: Elected to the Department of Science and Technology-National Research Council of the Philippines (DOST-NRCP) Governing Board as Member-at-Large for 2024-2026
  • Inducted: As Chairperson, Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Panel for Literature for 2025-2028
  • Interviewed by the BBC, CNN, CCTV (China), CNA (Singapore), Agencia EFE (Spain), eldiario.es (Spain), El Pais (Spain), KENH-14 (Vietnam), Madame Figaro (France), Nong Nghiep (Vietnam), SBS (Australia), South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), Strait Times (Singapore), Telemundo (Latin America), Nation (Thailand) & Voice TV (Thailand), for his insights on creative writing, higher education, literature, migration, & pop culture.

 

University Administration Highlights

  • Served 6 University of the Philippines Presidents, 6 University Vice Presidents, 4 UP Diliman (UPD) College of Arts and Letters (CAL) Deans and 2 UPD Chancellors
  • Founding Editorial Board member, Daluyan: Journal ng Wikang Filipino - 1990 (Vol. 1, Nos. 1-3) and 1991 (Vol. 2, No. 1, 2-6)
  • Program Development Associate to UPD Chancellors Claro T. Llaguno and Emerlinda R. Roman (1997-2001)
  • Associate Dean to UPD CAL Deans (Professor Emerita) Rosario Torres Yu, (Professor Emeritus and National Artist for Literature) Virgilio S. Almario, (Professor Emerita) Elena R. Mirano (2000-2009), and (Professor) Jimmiel C. Naval.
  • Under UPD CAL Dean and Professor Emerita Rosario Torres Yu, led a campaign to raise more than PHP 120M to construct the new CAL classroom building and library from 2000 to 2003. The building was inaugurated in December 2003, during the term of Dean, Professor Emeritus, and National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario.
  • UPD CAL Graduate Studies Head (2007-2009)
  • Faculty Adviser of at least 17 UP Diliman student organizations between 1988 and 2024.
  • UP System Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs (2009-2023)
  • UP Diliman Faculty and REPS International Mobility Committee Member (FRIMC, 2010-2023)
  • UP System Office of Alumni Relations Director (2011-2017; 2018-2019)
  • UP System Information Office (Renamed UP Media and Public Relations Office) Director (2009-2011); OIC-Director (February-July 2017; 2020-2023)
  • UP System Bids and Award Committee [for Academic Goods and Services, Research and Development] Chair (2021-2023)
  • UP System Officer-in-Charge of the University (January 2023)
  • UP System Vice President for Public Affairs (February-September 2023)
  • UP Diliman CAL Associate Dean for Public Affairs (August 2024-present)

 

Interests:
As a scholar, artist, and teacher:
comparative migration cultures and societies (Japan, Australia, Southeast Asia), creative writing studies, creative writing (creative nonfiction, poetry), comparative literature, Philippine Literature in English, fan culture, popular culture (Australia, East, and Southeast Asia, United States)

As a university administrator:
public affairs (strategic communication, media, public relations, alumni relations), development (linkages, fundraising, planning), academic affairs, and administration

 

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