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He was a Filipino poet, short story writer, and novelist. Three of his novels have been published by Ateneo de Manila Press – Piling Nobela : Lakandula, Halimuyak, Ang Bungo (1997). Three novels that present the causes of the people’s misery. Written by the notable multi-awarded fictionist during the American Occupation.
Soledad S. Reyes of Ateneo de Manila University wrote: “The interconnectedness between the past and the present was a theme familiar to many Filipino writers who, in a variety of ways, argued the need to remember the past. Francisco Laksamana, Faustino Aguilar, Lazaro Francisco, Alberto Segismundo Cruz, Macario Pineda, and even Fausto Galauran, among others, constructed narratives enjoining the readers not to be dazzled by the present, but to remember the heroic and noble past of their forefathers.”
Born in Sta Cruz, Manila, Philippines, he wrote for Bulaklak, Liwayway, Silahis, Kislap, Tagumpay – the country’s leading weekly magazines during his time. Was Poet Laureate of the Republic of the Philippines in 1947. Won the Commonwealth
literary awards in the 1940s and the Rizal Centennial Literary Awards in 1961. His contemporaries were Amado V. Hernandez , Fausto Galauran, Simeon Mercado, Nemesio Caravana and Liwayway Arceo, among others. He was one of the best 50 writers of the Philippines .
He finished high school at the Manila North High School, now Arellano High School, in Sta. Cruz, Manila. He was in the same class (1922) as Lorenzo Sumulong, revered Philippine senator. He went to the University of the Philippines and National University, where he obtained his A.A. degree from the latter. He finished his law studies at the Philippine Law School and became a member of the Philippine Bar in 1939.
His literary and journalism career. As a newsman and writer, he was a member of the pre-war TVT Publication (Taliba-La Vanguardia-Tribune). He covered Malacanang, the Philippine Presidential Palace, the Senate and Congress. He contributed countless articles, features, short stories to the newspapers and magazines of his time. He was one of the few prolific writers in both English and Filipino.
Holder of the Literary Award Record in short story and poetry in the pre-war Taliba and Liwayway
Winner, Commonwealth Literary Contest (1940)
Novelist of the Republic for his novel “Muling Pagsilang” (1942), adjudged by a juror headed by the illustrious senator and writer, Claro M. Recto
Poet Laureate of the Republic (1947), with Simeon Mercado
Winner, book-essay, Rizal National Centennial Commission (1961), with Leopoldo Yabes
Winner, poetry, Rizal National Centennial Commission (1961)
1975 Palanca Awards – “Sino ang Bulag at Iba Pang Tula”
As a lawyer, he was associated with Atty. M. V. Roxas and Sen. Francisco Soc Rodrigo. He was in the Press Relations Division and also the Legal Division of the Office of the President of the Commonwealth from February 10, 1939 till December 31, 1941.
He was corrector of style and professor in Filipino and translation technique at the National Assembly (1942). He was Inspector General of the National Land Settlement Administration from March 24, 1948 to December 31, 1949.
He was appointed Justice of the Peace for Indang-Inopacan, Leyte on August 16, 1951, but did not serve due to his commitments in the country’s capital, Manila.
He was special attorney and legislative researcher at the Philippine Senate from March 1, 1951 until he retired from government service in 1961.
Service to the government and country. As the first accredited vernacular newsman in Malacanang, he was the first newspaperman welcomed by President Manuel L. Quezon to write and translate his speeches, addresses and pronouncements into the National Language, making it possible to bring the message of the Chief Executive and make it better understood by the people. To-be-president Diosdado Macapagal was in the same press relations office in Malacanang, at that time.
As a lawyer of the Tondo Foreshore Residents’ Association, he was instrumental in the preparation of a bill that granted the right to thousands of poor bonafide occupants of the Tondo foreshore area to purchase the lots they had occupied since Liberation on an installment plan basis. He argued for them in the hearings until the bill became Republic Act 559, benefiting thousands of families in the Tondo foreshore area.
Inspired by the late Claro M. Recto and Jose P. Laurel, he initiated together with Jose Villa Panganiban, who became Director of the Institute of National Language, the project to translate into Filipino all acts and resolutions of the Congress of the Philippines in order that the people may understand better their rights and obligations as citizens.
Alberto immigrated to the United States in the mid-1960s to be with his children and grandchildren. His last work was “SarilingParnaso”, a collection of poems. He had ten children, who all immigrated to the United States .