'Mr. Shooli': My dad did not covet National Artist award

The son of actor-director Manuel Conde cried foul over the Supreme Court decision to postpone the conferment of this year's National Artist Award, saying his father underwent the process and deserved to be included in the elite list. "Ang masasabi ko lang (All I can say is), four people, including my father, were initially chosen and underwent strict scrutiny. On why other people were added to the list, ayoko nang makialam diyan (I do not want to meddle with that anymore)," Conde's eldest son Manuel "Jun" Urbano Jr. in a phone interview Wednesday. Urbano, better known as the comedian "Mr. Shooli," rose to fame in the late '80s to early '90s as the Genghis Khan-like host of "Mongolian Barbecue." His father has directed almost 40 films since the 1939. Most notable of these films are his Juan Tamad series and Genghis Khan, which was widely acclaimed at an international film festival in Venice, Italy. "Nadamay na kami, nadamay na lahat. Pati 'yung mga dati nang nabigyan ng award nadamay na dahil nagulo na ang buong proseso (We have already been dragged into this controversy along with everyone else. Even those who were conferred the award before have already been dragged into this issue because the entire selection process has been messed up)," Urbano said.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday stopped President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo from conferring the National Artist title to seven personalities after artists and cultural workers questioned Arroyo’s inclusion of four names into the roster of awardees not shortlisted by the selection committee. [See: Supreme Court blocks National Artist conferment] For this year, the National Commission on Culture and Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) boards shortlisted Conde (posthumous for film and broadcast), Lazaro Francisco (posthumous for literature), Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (visual arts, painting, sculpture, and mixed media), and Ramon Santos (music). But Malacañang dropped Santos from the list and inserted in his place Cecile Guidote Alvarez (theater), Magno Jose Carlo Caparas (visual arts and film), Jose 'Pitoy' Moreno (fashion design), and Francisco 'Bobby' Mañosa (architecture). According to the petition filed by former National Artist awardees, President Arroyo gravely abused her discretion in disregarding the results of the rigorous selection process. "Masalimuot na talaga. Wala na tayong magagawa dahil nahaluan na ng kontrobersya ang entire selection process. Bahala na lang sila (The controversy is already very complex. We can’t do anything now since the entire selection process has been marred by controversy. I leave it all to the Supreme Court)," Urbano said. Urbano added that it is up to the public to decide whether or not his father is deserving of the National Artist title. "Basta ang alam ko, hindi trinabaho ng tatay ko ang maging National Artist (All I know is that my father did not move to get this award)," he said. “You do not crown yourself the award. It is given to you." National Artists are given medallions and citations. They also receive a lifetime emolument and material and physical benefits like cash award, a monthly pension, medical and hospitalization benefits. The awardees will likewise receive life insurance coverage, arrangement and expenses for a state funeral, a place of honor at national state functions, and recognition at cultural events. - GMANews.TV