Romeo Villalva Tabuena was a Filipino painter whose career bridged the artistic traditions of the Philippines and Mexico. Born in Iloilo in 1921, he studied at the University of the Philippines College of Fine Arts after beginning his education in architecture at the Mapúa Institute of Technology. He later continued his artistic training at the Art Students League of New York and the Académie de la Grande Chaumière in Paris, where he expanded his understanding of modern painting.

In the 1950s, Tabuena relocated to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, after receiving a scholarship to study at the Instituto Allende. Inspired by the town's vibrant culture, architecture, and landscape, he made it his permanent home while maintaining close ties with the Philippines throughout his life. His paintings, characterised by simplified forms, earthy palettes, and expressive brushwork, often depict rural life, markets, landscapes, and everyday scenes, reflecting the influence of both Mexican modernism and his Filipino heritage.

Tabuena exhibited extensively in the Philippines, Mexico, Europe, and the United States, and represented the Philippines at the 8th São Paulo Biennial in 1965. Widely recognised for his contribution to modern art, his works are held in important public and private collections across Asia and the Americas. Today, he is regarded as one of the most significant Filipino artists of the twentieth century, celebrated for a practice that brought together two rich artistic cultures through a deeply personal visual language.