Rej Cruz started his career as an engineer but the desire to be involved in culture propelled him to take graduate degree in Anthropology at the Department. Now he is a full time faculty with interests in Deaf culture, traditional arts and music in the Philippines, folklore and heritage conservation. He was a board member of the Ugnayang Pang-Agham Tao (UGAT), the national organization of the Philippines from 2008-2011, and current board member of the Aliguyon UP Folklorists since 2019. He continues to study traditional arts and music such as the kulintang, and started learning kutyapi as well, and shares it with others through performing, teaching and collaborating with other artists.