Alvin B. Cruz

Associate

English Professor/ Poet / Author

Muntinlupa, Metro Manila · FEU Alabang

21 Followers

Personal Information

Short Biography

Alvin B. Cruz is a renowned haiku poet who has won several awards in international haiku competitions. Among his notable awards are Robert Spiess Memorial Haiku Awards Honorable Mention in 2023,The Haiku Society of America Senryu Awards 2nd Place in 2021, the Kusamakura International Haiku Competition: 2nd Place, the Irish Haiku Society International Haiku Competition Honorable Mention in 2021, Maya Lyubenova International Haiku Contest, Commendation in 2022, the Classical Poets Society Haiku Contest Runner-Up in 2024, and more recently the 2025 John Bird Dreaming Award for Haiku Honorable Mention. His work has been featured in various haiku journals and anthologies, including Modern Haiku, Presence, Prune Juice, Hedgerow, Wales Haiku Journal, and Cold Moon Journal. He is the author of several books of poetry -- "Sunsets Are Sonnets and Other Poems," "Written on Water," "Paper Cranes," and his latest book of haiku "Under One Umbrella." Alvin currently teaches English at FEU-Alabang.

🛠️ Skills

Problem-Solving

Advanced (79%)

Time Management

Expert (81%)

Photography

Competent (70%)

Microsoft Excel

Advanced (80%)

Microsoft Word

Master (94%)

🎓 Educational Qualification

Masteral · Jun 2006 - Mar 2010

Master of Arts

Teaching English Language Arts · Philippine Normal University - Manila

Tertiary · Jun 1985 - Oct 1988

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Broadcast Communication · University of the Philippines Diliman - Diliman

👔 Work Experience

Full-time • Nov 2018 - Present (7 years and 5 months)

Faculty at FEU Alabang

General Education

Full-time • Oct 2017 - Sep 2018 (11 months)

Teacher at Amity

Part-time • Jun 2013 - Oct 2016 (3 years and 4 months)

College Instructor at Asian College

English Department

Part-time • Jun 2006 - Oct 2009 (3 years and 4 months)

College Instructor at Global City Innovative College

English Department

Part-time • Apr 2004 - Sep 2017 (13 years and 5 months)

Teacher at Manila Japanese School

English Department

🏆 Honors and Awards

With Honors

3rd John Bird Dreaming Award for Haiku (International Haiku Competition)

Issued by Australian Haiku Society on May 02, 2025

HIs haiku "air strikes" won Honorable Mention in the 3rd John Bird Dreaming Award for Haiku. For details, please visit https://australianhaikusociety.org/2025/05/02/results-of-the-3rd-john-bird-dreaming-award-for-haiku/#more-20537 Here is the commentary from one of the judges: air strikes a toddler points to the sky Alvin B. Cruz, Philippines "This short, topical haiku echoes the brevity and waste of life in times of war. As rockets rain down, a small child points to the sky: the reaction of a toddler who cannot yet comprehend danger. The poet does not offer an outcome, but one visualises a mother gathering up her child in panic, as she attempts to rush for shelter. The poem is structured so that its end words draw us to the sky, ground, then sky again. Sounds of war are emphasised in the long ‘i’ sound (strikes, sky), bringing to mind the whine of rockets. The poet then contrasts this by using sibilants (strikes, points, sky) to suggest the innocence of a tiny child..."

With Honors

Society of Classical Poets Haiku Competition 2024 (International Haiku Competition)

Issued by Society of Classical Poets on September 29, 2024

His haiku "waves unearthing shells" won Runner-Up in the 2024 Society of Classical Poets Haiku Competition. For details, visit https://classicalpoets.org/2024/09/the-best-of-haiku-of-2024-winners-of-the-2024-scp-haiku-competition/

2nd Runner-Up

27th Kusamakura International Haiku Competition (International Haiku Competition)

Issued by Kusamakura on September 01, 2023

His haiku "her first paper crane" won the Tokusen (Second Prize) in the 27th Kusamakura International Haiku Competition in Japan. For details, visit https://kusamakura-haiku.jp/backnumber/2022/english_e.html

3rd Runner-Up

Haiku Society of America Senryu Award (International Haiku Competition)

Issued by Haiku Society of America on September 01, 2023

His haiku "coastal clean-up" won 3rd Place in the 2023 Haiku Society of America Senryu Awards. For details, please visit https://www.hsa-haiku.org/senryuawards/2023-senryu.htm

With Honors

H. Gene Murtha Memorial Senryu Contest 2023 (International Haiku Competition)

Issued by Failed Haiku Journal and Prune Juice Journal on July 01, 2023

His haiku "reading it as eros" was higly commended in the 2023 H. Gene Murtha Memorial Senryu Contest 2023. For details, visit https://failedhaiku.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/murtha-contest-finals-2023.pdf