Tony Perez . . .

TONY PEREZ is a creative writer, playwright, poet, lyricist, psychic journalist, painter, and fiber artist. He is one of the 100 Filipino recipients of the 1898-1998 Centennial Artists Award of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. His other awards include the 13 Artists of the Philippines , four National Book Awards from Manila Critics Circle and the National Book Development Board, and the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas from the Writers Union of the Philippines .

While some of his works in Filipino have been translated into English, Tony Perez has had works written and published in English, as in Naomi Shihab Nye’s "This Same Sky." He was also featured in "Asian Enigma: Psychic Detectives" on National Geographic’s Discovery Channel, and in "The Chronicle of Higher Education." Among his works performed abroad are "Trip to The South" Off-Broadway in New York and in Singapore; "On The North Diversion Road" in Melbourne, Australia, and in Singapore; and a dramatic reading of his short story “Paskil,” translated by Matthew Cunningham as “The Poster” from the French translation “L’Annonce” by Heloise Magannon, during the "Documenta 12 Magazines Lectures" bienalle in Documenta Halle, Kassel, Germany on August 30, 2007.

His mentors in literature and drama were Onofre Pagsanghan, Rolando Tinio, Bienvenido Lumbera, Nicanor Tiongson, Virgilio Almario, Cecille Guidote, Nestor Torre, and Randy Ford. His plays for radio, television, and film were directed by Sonia Roco, Lino Brocka, Lupita Concio, Mitos Villareal, Nick Lizaso, Joey Gosiengfiao, Gil Portes, Maryo de los Reyes, Frank Rivera, and Anton Juan.

Tony Perez’s published books include "Albert N.: A Case Study" and the five volumes in the Cubao Series titled "Cubao 1980 at Iba Pang Mga Katha"; "Cubao Pagkagat Ng Dilim"; "Cubao Midnight Express"; "Eros, Thanatos, Cubao"; and "Cubao-Kalaw Kalaw-Cubao" by Cacho Publishing House. His Anvil Transpersonal Psychology Series includes "The Calling: A Transpersonal Adventure"; "Beings: Encounters of the Spirit Questors with Non-human Entities"; "The Departed: Encounters of the Spirit Questors with Spirits of the Deceased"; "A Young Man Cries for Justice beyond His Grave" (Volume I); "Stories of the Moon: Further Adventures of the Spirit Questors"; "Songs of Sunset: Incantations and Spells by the Spirit Questors"; "Mga Panibagong Kulam"; "Mga Panibagong Tawas"; "Mga Panibagong Orasyon"; "Mga Panibagong Orasyon Sa Magica Cantada"; "Mga Panibagong Ritwal Ng Wicca"; and "Mga Panibagong Kulam Sa Pag-ibig". His literary series for Anvil include "Maligayang Pagdating sa Sitio Catacutan" and "Malagim Ang Gabi Sa Sitio Catacutan".

Tony Perez’s artworks have been showcased in more than 20 individual and group art exhibits. Among his art teachers were Araceli Limcaco-Dans, Brenda Fajardo, Virginia Flor Agbayani and Ben-Hur Villanueva of University of the Philippines' College of Fine Arts, Florencio Concepcion and Fernando Sena of The Saturday Group, and Rafael del Casal.

Mr. Perez holds an A.B. in Communications and a Cand. M.A. in Clinical Psychology from Ateneo de Manila University, and an M.A. in Religious Studies, magna cum laude, from Maryhill School of Theology in New Manila. He taught as adjunct lecturer at Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Saint Scholastica’s College, Maryknoll College and the Philippine High School for the Arts. His master’s thesis, titled "Pagsubok sa Ilang: Ikaapat na Mukha ni Satanas", was published by Anvil Publishing, Inc. in 2005.

Mr. Perez has two sons, Nelson I. Miranda (a dentist) and Chito I. Miranda (a licensed mortician), and three granddaughters, Angelique Pearl Miranda, Nielsen Tegelan, and Aubrey Rose Miranda. His daughters-in-law are Agnes Tegelan and Ivy Vercacion. They live in Cubao, Quezon City, where Mr. Perez has resided since 1955.