Fury over Arroyo’s choice of national artists

Artists are protesting President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s decision to confer the national artist award to an official of the agency that screens the nominees for the prestigious title, and a movie director whose nomination had been rejected twice.

Critics said Cecile Guidote Alvarez should have had the delicadeza to refuse because she is the executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), which administers the award together with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Alvarez heads the NCAA secretariat that receives nominations for national artists.

“She should have not allowed herself to be named as national artist. She’s close to the President. Nobody in the committee thought that she deserved to be named," national artist for literature Bienvenido Lumbera told GMANews.TV. Lumbera is the chairman of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines.

Mrs. Arroyo recently conferred the award to seven individuals: Manuel Conde for cinema; Federico Aguilar Alcuaz for visual arts; Lazaro Francisco for literature; Francisco “Bobby" Mañoza for architecture; Jose "Pitoy" Moreno for literature; Magno Jose Carlo Caparas for visual arts and film; and Alvarez for theater.

Lumbera said Caparas’ nomination was twice rejected by two NCAA panels. “He (Caparas) was first proposed as a nominee for literature, but the committee rejected him. He was again proposed as nominee for visual artist but the panel again turned him down."

He said the title conferred to Caparas “appeared to have duplicated" that of Conde.

Film Academy of the Philippines director general Leo Martinez was also surprised how Caparas landed on the elite list.

"He was obviously added by Malacañang," Martinez said on Spot.ph. Caparas, a comics writer who later turned to film making, is known to be a vocal supporter of Mrs. Arroyo.

Not in shortlist

According to Lumbera, who is a member of the “final selection committee" of the NCAA, they, did not include Alvarez in the shortlist of nominees that was submitted to President Arroyo last May.

Guidelines in the nominations for national artists state that “NCCA and CCP Board members and consultants and NCCA and CCP officers and staff are automatically disqualified from being nominated."

Lumbera said President Arroyo had “no respect for established processes for selecting national artists…why would she name someone who heads the commission that administers the selection of candidates for national artists?"

But Alvarez said she was entitled to the award. “Before you make a judgment, read my achievements first as an artist. Was I an idiot before I became a national artist?" Alvarez told GMANews.TV.

Alvarez said her recognition included the Ramon Magsaysay public service award for the arts that she received in 1972, the CCP Gawad Sining Award for Literature, and the Outstanding Women in the Nation's Services for her contributions in promoting Philippine art and culture.

She denied lobbying for the award, saying President Arroyo “never talked to me about it." Alvarez said the President has the prerogative to pick other national artists not included in the NCCA and CCP shortlist.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Alvarez “didn’t deliberate on herself…She was chosen."

Lumbera said the NCAA and CCP panel only submitted four names to Mrs. Arroyo: Conde, Alcuaz, Lazaro, and Ramon Santos, who was nominated as national artist for music. Santos was not included in Mrs. Arroyo’s list of awardees.

Boycott

National artist for visual arts Benedicto Reyes Cabrera agreed with Lumbera. He said the four additional awardees “did not go through deliberation."

“There used to be prestige. Well, since the presidency of Ramos there has been an understanding that the President can add one choice … there was Carlos Quirino (historical literature) , Alejandro " Anding ‘ Roces (literature) , Abdulmari Asia Imao (visual arts). But this time (Mrs. Arroyo) added four," said Cabrera in an interview with Spot online magazine.

“They might as well just appoint (their own choices) and not go through the whole process. I will boycott the awards. I will not march. I will not mention any names but we heard that there was one very influential person who helped manipulate the results," Cabrera said.

"Sabi nga ng mga artists, it won’t be a 'parangal' kundi 'pagdadalamhati' (Artists are saying it is not a tribute but a time for mourning). It’s sad. The awards have been debased. One can just lobby for anyone. Hindi na ‘yung peers ang nagde-decide (It’s no longer the peers who decide). Our opinion doesn’t mean anything," he added.

National artists receive lifetime benefits including a monthly pension, medical and life insurance, arrangement for a state funeral, a place of honor at national state functions, and recognition at cultural events. — GMANews.TV