His career spans three generations of filmmakers. His 1976 film "Ganito Kami Noon…Paano Kayo Ngayon?," set at the turn of the century during the revolution against the Spaniards and, later, the American colonizers, follows a naïve peasant through his leap of faith to become a member of an imagined community.
"Agila" situates a family’s story against the backdrop of the country’s history.
"Kamakalawa" explores the folklore of prehistoric Philippines.
"Banta ng Kahapon," his 'small' political film, is set against the turmoil of the late 1960s, tracing the connection of the underworld to the corrupt halls of politics.
His 13-part series of "Noli Me Tangere" brings Philippine national hero Jose Rizal’s novel to a new generation of viewers.
Romero's films, the National Artist citation states, "are delivered in an utterly simple style – minimalist, but never empty, always calculated, precise and functional, but never predictable."