New national artists to be awarded after Cory burial - Palace

Malacañang is likely to push through with the conferment of the Order of National Artists this month despite protests from some sectors. Acting executive secretary and presidential political adviser Gabriel Claudio said the awarding may take place after the 10-day mourning for former President Corazon Aquino, who succumbed to colon cancer before dawn Saturday. "Siguro palilipasin natin ang period of mourning kay former President Aquino (We'll let the period of mourning for former President Aquino pass first, then go on with the awarding). We would like Filipinos to have the time and occasion to focus and be able to observe in solemnity the passing of President Cory," Claudio said on government-run dzRB radio. Excerpts of the interview were posted Sunday evening on the Office of the Press Secretary Web site. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had earlier signed a proclamation honoring seven individuals who made substantial contributions to the development of Philippine art. These include are Manuel Urbano (posthumous award in the field of film and broadcast arts); Lazaro Francisco (posthumous award for literature); Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (visual arts, paintings, sculpture and mixed media); Cecille Guidote-Alvarez (theater); Magno Jose Carlo Caparas (visual arts and films); Francisco Bobby Manosa (architecture); and Jose Pitoy Moreno (fashion design). Artists however protested President Arroyo’s decision to confer the national artist award to Alvarez, an official of the agency that screens the nominees for the prestigious title; and Caparas, a movie director whose nomination had been rejected twice. Alvarez 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). She 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," said national artist for literature Bienvenido Lumbera, chairman of the Concerned Artists of the Philippines. He accused President Arroyo of having "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?" he said. Lumbera, a member of the “final selection committee" of the NCAA, said they did not include Alvarez in the shortlist of nominees that was submitted to President Arroyo last May. Lumbera also noted that 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 Order of National Artists is the highest national recognition given to Filipino artists. - GMANews.TV