▁journalist , ▁film maker , ▁script writer , ▁music ian ▁and ▁actor . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁ ▁Al tat is ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Que zon ▁City , ▁Metro ▁Man ila , ▁Philippines , ▁but ▁he ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁B agu io ▁City . ▁He ▁belongs ▁to ▁the ▁Ig or ot ▁tribe . ▁He ▁went ▁to ▁B agu io ▁City ▁National ▁High ▁School ▁and ▁graduated ▁from ▁Beng uet ▁State ▁University ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Second ary ▁Education ▁degree , ▁major ▁in ▁English . ▁He ▁is ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁veter an ▁actor ▁Sol iman ▁Cruz . ▁ ▁Fil mm aking , ▁writing ▁and ▁acting ▁career ▁ ▁Among ▁the ▁earlier ▁works ▁of ▁Al tat is ▁as ▁a ▁film maker ▁are ▁the ▁short ▁films ▁" K ul is " ▁and ▁" St raw berry ▁Girl ." ▁The ▁films ▁were ▁shown ▁in ▁the ▁install ments ▁of ▁Cinema ▁Re hi y on ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁and ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁respectively . ▁His ▁short ▁films ▁" Bo ys ' ▁To ys " ▁and ▁" G ah i ▁Ka ' g ▁U lo " ▁( You ' re ▁Hard ▁He aded ) ▁were ▁screen ed ▁at ▁the ▁S weet ▁As ▁Film ▁Festival ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁in ▁Quebec , ▁Canada , ▁in ▁the ▁non - comp et ition ▁category . ▁ ▁Al tat is ▁was ▁also ▁ment ored ▁as ▁a ▁music ian ▁by ▁Gary ▁Gran ada , ▁as ▁a ▁literary ▁writer ▁by ▁V im ▁Nad era , ▁the ▁late ▁Francis ▁C .