Garapalan

[explorer]

from: www.inquirer.net

CCP deplores Arroyo’s National Artist picks

Tetch Torres
INQUIRER.net
August 04, 2009

MANILA, Philippines — The Cultural Center of the Philippines has deplored Malacañang’s disregard of “established process” in choosing the country’s National Artist awardees.

"While we respect the President's prerogative to name her choices, we deplore the disregard of the established process whereby our National Artists are chosen," Emily Abrera, chair of the CCP Board of Trustees said Tuesday.

This as she denied the CCP was consulted on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s final picks of inductees, at least one of them is deemed ineligible to be conferred membership in the Order of National Artists.

"We wish to clarify that we were never consulted about these final choices, nor have we been officially informed about them to this day," Emily Abrera, chair of the CCP Board of Trustees said Tuesday.

Presidential Political Adviser Gabrial Claudio on Saturday defended Arroyo’s choice of inductees, saying it was a result of consultation with the CCP and the National Center for Culture and Arts.

The title National Artist of the Philippines is given to a Filipino who has been given the highest recognition for having made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts. The selection committee is composed of representatives from the CCP and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

This year’s inductees are Magno Jose Carlo Caparas (visual arts and films), Jose Pitoy Moreno (fashion design), Cecille Guidote-Alvarez (theater), Francisco Bobby Mañosa (architecture), Lazaro Francisco (posthumous award for literature), Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (visual arts, paintings, sculpture and mixed media), and Manuel Conde.

But Abrera said only Francisco, Conde and Alcuaz had gone through two years of rigorous screening.

At the same time, she said musician Ramon Santos, who got the most number of votes from the selection committee, was dropped from the list by Malacañang. The selection committee is composed of representatives from the CCP and the NCCA.

Meanwhile, the CCP board in a statement said Caparas failed to pass the first phase of the screening process while Alvarez, an Arroyo ally, was not even among the nominees.

"She had not even been nominated, did not go through the selection process and she was a significant part of as the head of NCCA," Behn Cervantes, member of the CCP Board said.


Alvarez is head of the NCCA.

The four on the shortlist of the selection committee are Santos, Francisco, Conde, Aguilar and Alcuaz.

"We are saddened by these turn of events and regret the furor all this has caused," Abrera said.

"Throughout the history of the National Artist Awards, Presidents of the Philippines have exercised the privilege of adding their choices to the final list of National Artists Awardees,” said Abrera. “But never was there an instance when the name of a person deemed truly deserving and who went through the rigorous process of selection was struck off the list."

National Artist for Theater and Design (2003) Salvador Bernal said Malacanang's act "is not only a sly but an insult to a whole body of people."

"We are appalled by the brazenness act of Malacañang," National Artist for Literature (2001) F. Sionol Jose said.

[SecretShop]

Di na ko nagtataka kung bakit ginawa yan ng Malacanang

[Horsepower]

I'm not surprised Bobby Mañosa was declared a National Artist.

He's one of the GREATEST FILIPINO ARCHITECTS of our time. Although admittedly, only artists and architects/architecture students would know that. His design philosophy revolves around the Bahay Kubo. He walks the talk too as his own house at Ayala Alabang is a gigantic Bahay Kubo with sections exhibiting the artistry of the whole country. One of his landmark projects is the Aman Pulo International resort down south.

[KERSMcRae]

Agree ako Horsepower.

My classmate in college wanted to be an apprentice of the Manosa's because he likes his works and design principles. I also kept broadsheet articles featuring some of his finest works.

Carlo Caparas? No offense to him and to his fans pero yung mga works nya ay hindi naman talaga "original". Kung si Pol Medina Jr. pwede pa.