This official statement from our Negrense friends (GuhitPinoy founder Edbon Sevilleno and other concerned artists from Negros) is the closest I find to my personal sentiments regarding this brouhaha about the "National Artists' Award." I am posting this bearing in mind that it was not the "artists" or the recipient of the awards that I am questioning but the manner in which they were "used" or should I say "let themselves be used" for corruption, and the lack of "delicadeza" or complete absence of it, that this government is practicing.
I also find the government inadequate particularly the "President" in figuring out and choosing who deserves to be awarded this esteemed recognition for the Arts. Thus in addition to this statement, I am pledging my allegiance with the other voices asking for the complete removal of this ominous Presidential prerogative, and just let the bodies concerned particularly the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) have the final verdict.
The Official Statement...
"In moments when our community is in crisis or in jubilation or in reflection, do we not point to the task of creation and name our artists as the vanguards of society’s soul? Art can become profitable, but rarely without a conscience. It is coming from this philosophy that we ask… if the recognition as National Artist of the Philippines can suffer from arbitrary politics, is there then nothing left that is held sacred in this country anymore?
We in the regions are profoundly disturbed by recent events and have decided as a body to likewise express our indignation over Malacañang’s indiscretion in choosing the country’s National Artist awardees and to support the clamor reminding Malacanang to uphold this public’s trust.
We understand that the title National Artist of the Philippines has managed to become a measure held in high affectionate esteem of the potential of artistry realized in a lifetime of pursuit of the ideals of human aesthetics. It is considered to be the highest recognition given to a Filipino who has made significant contributions to the development of Philippine art, the kind of art that will be taught to our youth as realization of artistic ideals that should be emulated.
We share in the outrage that more than half of the seven new National Artists awardees were named so because the President has the prerogative to directly recommend although they were not on the list given by both CCP and the NCCA, entities supposedly empowered to be people-oriented and democratic in nature and the two sole agencies tasked by law to recommend National Artists awardees understandably because they are in the position to be in the know as far as the fields considered are concerned.
We support that the NCCA and CCP are rightly affronted by the grave presidential indiscretion after they went through a rigorous selection process! This is an assault not only to the highest state awards conferred to Filipino artists but to the public funds that such recognition carries, money that is coming from our taxes. To award undeserving and politically-chosen recipients such huge amount of public funds is plain and simple corruption.
It may be true that there are elitist influences among some artists as Caparas claimed, but it is a slap to our faces to say that the art we honor is an art that embraces the Filipino as dim-wits dependent on supernatural forces. If art is the soul of the Filipino then these have to imbue the Filipino’s discerning nature and fighting spirit.
We particularly detest the designation of Presidential Adviser on Culture Cecille Guidote-Alvarez as National Artist as bespeaking of the worst conflict of interest possible in this situation, given that she is currently NCCA chair and heads the secretariat for the National Artists awards. We ask that Cecille Guidote-Alvarez and Vilma Labrador resign their posts in the NCCA!
We stand beside the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, alongside every Filipino artist and cultural workers, professionals and advocates in verbalizing our sentiment as we justly detest this latest outrageous act of the present administration.
There is only so much a nation’s heart can take. To taint the one symbol for soul with corruption of culture and the culture of corruption is doing our Philippines a great disservice."
BLACK ARTISTS IN ASIA ASSOCIATION, INC. Charlie Co
NCCA CVA WESTERN VISAYAS Manny Montelibano
BSIDES ART INITIATIVES Edmund Bacia
PRODUKSYON TRAMONTINA, INC. Manny Montelibano
PERFORMANCE LABORATORY Tanya Lopez
KALINGAW REPERTORY
Team Namits Bacolod Hilario Campos III
Pagba Lunang- La Carlota Art Group Susanito Sarnate
Orange Peel- Artists in Residence Gwen Decena
Pintor Kulapol-Fabrica Sagay Art Group Bogie Alvarado
Puwersa Pintura Tristram Miravalles
TUKIB- Cadiz City art group Santiago Onatin
3RD EYE Rodney Martinez / Edbon Sevilleno
SUGA (Silay United Group of Artists) Ian Valladarez
ANIMO- Puppetry Production Dioning De la Cruz
Bugkos Inocentes Cristales
Arte Negrense Mario Stephen G. Regollo
Babayi Artists Group
ARFIEN Forever Arch. UbaldoRamos &nbs p;
Guhit Pinoy Edbon Sevilleno
We in the regions are profoundly disturbed by recent events and have decided as a body to likewise express our indignation over Malacañang’s indiscretion in choosing the country’s National Artist awardees and to support the clamor reminding Malacanang to uphold this public’s trust.
We understand that the title National Artist of the Philippines has managed to become a measure held in high affectionate esteem of the potential of artistry realized in a lifetime of pursuit of the ideals of human aesthetics. It is considered to be the highest recognition given to a Filipino who has made significant contributions to the development of Philippine art, the kind of art that will be taught to our youth as realization of artistic ideals that should be emulated.
We share in the outrage that more than half of the seven new National Artists awardees were named so because the President has the prerogative to directly recommend although they were not on the list given by both CCP and the NCCA, entities supposedly empowered to be people-oriented and democratic in nature and the two sole agencies tasked by law to recommend National Artists awardees understandably because they are in the position to be in the know as far as the fields considered are concerned.
We support that the NCCA and CCP are rightly affronted by the grave presidential indiscretion after they went through a rigorous selection process! This is an assault not only to the highest state awards conferred to Filipino artists but to the public funds that such recognition carries, money that is coming from our taxes. To award undeserving and politically-chosen recipients such huge amount of public funds is plain and simple corruption.
It may be true that there are elitist influences among some artists as Caparas claimed, but it is a slap to our faces to say that the art we honor is an art that embraces the Filipino as dim-wits dependent on supernatural forces. If art is the soul of the Filipino then these have to imbue the Filipino’s discerning nature and fighting spirit.
We particularly detest the designation of Presidential Adviser on Culture Cecille Guidote-Alvarez as National Artist as bespeaking of the worst conflict of interest possible in this situation, given that she is currently NCCA chair and heads the secretariat for the National Artists awards. We ask that Cecille Guidote-Alvarez and Vilma Labrador resign their posts in the NCCA!
We stand beside the Concerned Artists of the Philippines, alongside every Filipino artist and cultural workers, professionals and advocates in verbalizing our sentiment as we justly detest this latest outrageous act of the present administration.
There is only so much a nation’s heart can take. To taint the one symbol for soul with corruption of culture and the culture of corruption is doing our Philippines a great disservice."
BLACK ARTISTS IN ASIA ASSOCIATION, INC. Charlie Co
NCCA CVA WESTERN VISAYAS Manny Montelibano
BSIDES ART INITIATIVES Edmund Bacia
PRODUKSYON TRAMONTINA, INC. Manny Montelibano
PERFORMANCE LABORATORY Tanya Lopez
KALINGAW REPERTORY
Team Namits Bacolod Hilario Campos III
Pagba Lunang- La Carlota Art Group Susanito Sarnate
Orange Peel- Artists in Residence Gwen Decena
Pintor Kulapol-Fabrica Sagay Art Group Bogie Alvarado
Puwersa Pintura Tristram Miravalles
TUKIB- Cadiz City art group Santiago Onatin
3RD EYE Rodney Martinez / Edbon Sevilleno
SUGA (Silay United Group of Artists) Ian Valladarez
ANIMO- Puppetry Production Dioning De la Cruz
Bugkos Inocentes Cristales
Arte Negrense Mario Stephen G. Regollo
Babayi Artists Group
ARFIEN Forever Arch. UbaldoRamos &nbs p;
Guhit Pinoy Edbon Sevilleno
GuhitPinoy UAE - MYKE TURDA
USLS Students Art Group Ms. Ellen Carmona
USLS Students Art Group Ms. Ellen Carmona
