Irene Sarmiento

About Irene Sarmiento

Irene Sarmiento is the author of two illustrated children’s books with Anvil Publishing. Her award-winning Tabon Girl (2012) discusses gender roles and expectations through concepts in archaeology and Philippine history. Her short stories have received accolades from The Palanca Memorial Foundation, Philippines Free Press, Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards, and Stories to Change the World. She contributes opinion pieces to Rappler about issues concerning migration, race, and healthcare, which are a blend of personal histories, research, and analyses of current events. These are based on her experiences as an occupational therapist and former
Overseas Filipino Worker (O.F.W.).

Irene is publishing her first novel, Stray Cats, with Ateneo de Manila University Press, forthcoming in 2023. This work of young adult literature highlights the heroism of girls growing up in Manila, where economic inequity and human exploitation form the undercurrents of
everyday life.