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Furor over Arroyo’s debasement of National Artists Award

Update: F. Sionil Jose, Arturo Luz, Bienvenido Lumbera, Virgilio Almario, Bancab will lead artists and community in a Necrological Service and Funeral march for the National Artists Awards on Friday, Aug. 7, 2 pm at CCP.

Last Wednesday, Malacañang released the names of the latest batch of National Artists, the most prestigious award for Filipino artists. They are:

Cecile Guidote-Alvarez (Theater)
Manuel Urbano aka Manuel Conde (Film and Broadcast Arts)
Magno Jose “Carlo” Caparas (Visual Arts and Film)
Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (Visual Arts, Painting)
Lazaro Francisco (Literature)
Francisco Mañosa (Architecture)
Jose “Pitoy” Moreno (Fashion)

The Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP) issued the following statement:

Moribund, decadent politics behind this year’s selection of National Artists

The Concerned Artists of the Philippines joins much of the Filipino arts and cultural community in expressing indignation over the unprecedented brazen use by the Arroyo regime of the National Artists awards for its moribund, decadent politics.

We are outraged that Arroyo has transformed the National Artists awards as her own largesse for doling out political favors. More than half of the seven new National Artists awardees were Arroyo’s direct recommendees that were not on the list given by the both the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the sole agencies tasked by law to recommend National Artists awardees.

We particularly detest the designation of Presidential Adviser on Culture Cecille Guidote-Alvarez as National Artist as reeking of the worst kind of patronage politics the Filipino people would have long been far better off without. Alvarez’s designation speaks of the worst conflict of interest possible in this situation, given that she is currently NCCA executive director and heads the secretariat for the National Artists awards! How is it possible that such an award can be seen in any good light, and that the awardee would accept it in all good faith and honesty?

We cannot but see Alvarez’s being named National Artist as Arroyo’s way of returning political favors after Alvarez’s consistent whitewashing of her regime’s corruption and repression. As well, we see this as a spectacular condonation of various reported anomalies at the NCCA committed by Alvarez all these past years.

It gets worse. Malacañang is vainly covering up for its wanton presidential abuse by contending that it just dispatched its “purely ministerial” duties in naming this year’s National Artist awardees. This is a brazen lie that is easily shown by a simple inquiry into the entire process, and by those from both the NCCA and CCP who were affronted by the grave presidential indiscretion after they went through a rigorous selection process!

We find this action by Arroyo as being consistent with her longstanding deceit of the Filipino people, capped recently by her last State of the Nation Address, the worst farewell SONA in our country’s history. It is consistent with her overall disdain for all public accountability throughout her rule, as she engaged in massive cheating, corruption, brutal and bloody suppression of consistent critics to her criminal reign, puppetry to corrupt foreign interests, wholesale subversion of the constitution she vowed to uphold and protect, and sabotage of fully urgent and legitimate impeachment moves against her all these years.

Arroyo’s virtual subversion of the National Artists awards process highlights as well her regime’s deliberate exacerbation of the longstanding severe crisis in Philippine cultiure and the arts. Her regime will long be infamous for worsening colonial, feudal, fascist and commercial culture, shown by (1) its unabashed promotion of English as official language of instruction, commerce and government; (2) unprecedented opening up of the economy to foreign cultural goods and services, leading to the virtual decimation of the local cultural economy; (3) annihilation of native and minority cultures brought by unrivalled disruption of the agriculture- based livelihoods of Filipino cultural minorities and native communities; (4) the brazen bastardization and commercialization of Filipino native cultures and customs through promotion of tourism attuned to neoliberal globalization; and (5) its brazen suppression of the constitutionally- guaranteed freedom of expression by censoring numerous films with social commentary that have in fact been recipients of many international and local awards, and its world-class annihilation of journalism and journalists.

CAP will be alongside Filipino cultural workers, professionals and advocates in taking immediate direct actions to justly detest this latest outrageous act of the Arroyo regime. We enjoin all other freedom-loving Filipinos to do likewise. Philippine arts and culture deserve no less.

Sobra Na! Tama Na! Patalsikin si Gloria!

Published inArts and Culture

78 Comments

  1. Maraming sumama ang loob sa hindi pagsama ni Dolphy. Siyempre mas masama ang loob ni Dolphy. Dolphy is already an institution. What do they want? Give him that recognition when he’s already dead?

    Pero si Lani Mercado na asawa ni Sen. Bong Revilla, ginawang Board Director ng San Miguel. The government has a spot in the company’s Board of Directors. Anong kapalit? Is this a political move. Is Malacanang wooing Bong to agree to something…like Con-Ass? Reports are Malacanang’s allies in Congress are wooing some Senators including from the opposition.

  2. Rose Rose

    On behalf of my late sister, who was a classmate and a friend of Cecile, Congrtulations! I have no doubts that she is intelligent and capable. However, hindi maalis sa isip ko na may subtle political intention and purpose si pygmy..Cecile is the wife of Heherson Alvarez..I don’t know kung contra or pavor si Heherson kay Pygmy but nandiyan pa din ang politica..cabalen rin pala ng mga Guidote..kamaganakan ni Sen Puyat..Mrs. Puyat is a Guidote…oh well…ang sabi seguro ni Pygmy what am I in power for..

  3. Rose Rose

    Buhay pa pala si Pitoy Moreno..kasi high school palang ako kilalang fashioner na siya (I think at that time ang kalaban lang niya ay si Valera)..retired na ako siya pa rin? ang dami naman na fashion designers sa atin na kilala internationally…oh well…it pays to know the right person ang sabi nga..

  4. From National Artist Rio Almario:

    Saddened to inform you of the death of the National Artist Awards. Date and time for the necrological service to be announced. Pagdadalamhati sa kamatayan ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining.

  5. kabkab kabkab

    Wala na bang magawang tama ang unanong ito?????????

  6. Rose, ano ba naman. Just because Cecile is a classmate of your sister doesn’t make the irregular and unethical manner that she was named national artist less condemnable.

    Para mo namang sinabi na never mind is she is corrupt, friend ko naman siya. Congratulations.

  7. For your information, Heherzon Alvarez is a toady of Arroyo. Silang mag-asawa. Just because you know her to be “intelligent and capable”, she deserves to be National Artist over more qualified ones.

  8. kabkab kabkab

    Si Dolphy kasi ay pro-Erap at FPJ. Yon lang ang dahilan …. mababaw talaga ang kaligayahan ng unanong yan. Talo inis.

  9. Mike Mike

    Ellen, isn’t it there was a suggestion before from some quarters that FPJ should be included in the short list of National Artist award? I think that was suggested the year he died. Anong balita tungkol diyan? Thanks.

  10. Mike, from what I can remember, Susan didn’t accept it. She didn’t want it coming from Gloria Arroyo.

    Remember it was Cecile Alvarez who went to St. Luke’s (or was it Sto. Domingo church) to give the award to FPJ?

  11. kabkab kabkab

    Ang buhay daw ni dating Pangulong Cory ay isang magandang aralin o asignatura (subject) sa paaralan. Wala itong kaduda-duda. Pero di kaya mas magandang gawin asignatura ang buhay ni Glorya dahil sa galing niyang magsinungaling, magnakaw, at kumitil ng buhay. Kita niyo lahat na malalapit sa kanya natuto sa mga gawaing katiwalian.

  12. kabkab kabkab

    Ooooops .. nawala ako sa topic .. sori

  13. From Facebook of the the Philippine Graphic Campus Journalists Club:

    National Artist for Visual Arts Ben Cab speaks on the National Artist fiasco

    “I feel bad. It’s a mockery of the system. 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.

    Sabi nga ng mga artists, it won’t be a “parangal” kundi “pagdadalamhati.” It’s sad. The awards have been debased. One can just lobby for anyone. Hindi na ‘yung peers ang nag-de-decide. Our opinion doesn’t mean anything.

    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 GMA added four!

    About these four, they didn’t go through the deliberation, there was no presentation. There are 22 of us National Artists. We were bypassed. It was a sudden announcement just before the President left for the US. The results were supposed to be announced before June 12. We were asking. ‘Why the delay?’

    My message to my fellow artists: We should make a statement, particularly the writers who are more articulate. Why should it be like this?

    Now everybody can be a National Artist. They keep adding categories: Landscape Art, Fashion Design, what’s next, hairdressers? They should stick to the seven arts: Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts.

    Carlo J. Caparas won the award for visual arts because he draws comics daw. They wanted to put him in Literature because he writes scripts daw.

    (According to a comment on SPOT by ‘Gerry Alanguilan’, comic book writer, licensed architect and illsutrator for a variety of comics including Wolverine, X-men and own creations Timawa and Humanis Rex!: “The puzzling thing is, CJC is NOT an illustrator. He has never drawn any of this comic book stories, least of all his most popular creations. Panday and Pieta were drawn by Steve Gan. Bakekang was drawn by Mar Santana. How can someone who is NOT a visual artist get the National Artist title for Visual Arts?

    It is illogical, it is ridiculous, and it is insulting to every visual artist out there, including those who deserve it so much more, like Francisco V. Coching and Larry Alcala, who should have been awarded this title long ago.”—Ed.)

    ***BenCab , Arturo Luz and Napoleon Abueva have decided to boycott the awards ceremony on (according to NCCA Public Affairs, no date has been announced yet.)

  14. Mike Mike

    Maybe Gloria should include the National Artist for Aesthetic Arts and appoint/ choose the doctor who did her fake boobs for that award. 😛

  15. carlos j p carlos j p

    More power to you, i hope you make enough of a stink to shame these people into not receiving the awards. Right or wrong, there is too much controversy to leave any room for credibility.

    I hate to get personal, but this is what i’ve heard: both Cecile and Pitoy are ill. Therefore there is an element of humanitarian pity involved here. Let’s give them the awards, they are ill. Bet you that’s where a lot of this is coming from…in the name of humanitarian efforts!

    Shameful! And by the way, to answer Rose: yes, Pitoy is still alive. And no, he was not the real competitor of Valera. He was not in Valera’s league. In fact, there is a well documented incident wherein Valera apparently screamed at him in public to stop copying him!

    Pitoy is a fraud.

  16. Mike Mike

    @ Ellen: “Mike, from what I can remember, Susan didn’t accept it. She didn’t want it coming from Gloria Arroyo.

    Remember it was Cecile Alvarez who went to St. Luke’s (or was it Sto. Domingo church) to give the award to FPJ?”

    Thanks for that info Ellen. BTW, it is only proper for Ms. Susan not to accept anything from the fake president.

  17. No wonder walang pilipinong talagang sumisikat at nakikilala sa ibang bansa. Pati ba naman sa mga award-award, uso pa rin ang sipsipan? Yuck!

  18. carlos j p carlos j p

    Hey Mike, baka Gloria should also include yung mga mayor at city officials na mahilig sa mga colorful street lamps…siguro sa isip nila, art din yan! Hindi nila nakikita ang kabaduyan! Sinisira nila ang manila sa kabaduyan nila!

  19. Mike Mike

    How about the art of making “illegal” money? Pwede kaya yun? 🙂

  20. carlos j p carlos j p

    Maganda yan! Pero let’s call it The Art of CREATIVELY making illegal money! Kasi sa tingin nila Mayor Lim at Bayani, creative sila. Hindi lang nila alam na wala silang aesthetic credentials!

  21. As far as I know, Cecile is on remission. I mean she has been cured of her cancer.

    Besides, one’s illness has nothing to do with his or her qualifications to be a national artist.

  22. carlos j p carlos j p

    I agree. Pero my point was, maybe this humanitarian aspect was used, albeit indiscriminately. By both Cecile and Pitoy. Maybe there was an element of humanitarian pity, that’s why they were named.

    Because at the end of the day, as you said, there is severe conflict of interest in the case of Cecile. And a lack of credibility with Pitoy. So what then pushed this home run?

  23. carlos j p carlos j p

    As you said, si Cecile ang nagpunta sa ospital to give FPJ his award. Remember, those who have been ill have some kind of solidarity.

    But you are right. Illness should have nothing to do with qualifications.

    Easier to pass up the nominees who are dead: no humanitarian angle needed there. They can’t be hurt, they are no longer with us. Might as well pander to those who are.

  24. CJP, I bet they did use this “humanitarian aspect.”

    So what then pushed this home run? I believe it boils down to Arroyo’s impunity: her disrespect of what is right if it doesn’t serve her interest. Her giving more value to loyalty and patronage over substance and what is just.

  25. anonymous na lang anonymous na lang

    Saddened to inform you of the death of the National Artist Awards. Date and time for the necrological service to be announced. Pagdadalamhati sa kamatayan ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining.

    I agree. Cecille Alvarez should have had enough delicadeza NOT to take the award.. ah.. she awarded herself nga pala! tsk!tsk!tsk! Ellen magkano ba budget ng NCCA? alam mo raming grants sa UNESCO na na take-advantage ni cecille… super corrupt yan!

  26. anonymous na lang anonymous na lang

    usapan rin yan sa twitter eh, ang sama talaga eh! paano naman si dolphy or nora who is obviously more deserving? nakakainis!

  27. carlos j p carlos j p

    Ellen, please keep this debate going. We can’t forever use generalisations about Arroyo to answer everything. We have to get specific. Let’s debate these artists she named. There are many people out there, like yourself, who are more qualified to judge who should be a National Artist. You are right about her impunity, but I think it’s not enough of an argument.

  28. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Nominations for National Artist of the Philippines are based on a broad criteria, as set forth by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts:

    1. Living artists who have been Filipino citizens for the last ten years prior to nomination as well as those who have died after the establishment of the award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens at the time of their death;

    2. Artists who have helped build a Filipino sense of nationhood through the content and form of their works;

    3. Artists who have distinguished themselves by pioneering in a mode of creative expression or style, making an impact on succeeding generations of artists;

    4. Artists who have created a significant body of works and/or have consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art form, enriching artistic expression or style; and

    5. Artists who enjoy broad acceptance through prestigious national and/or international recognition, awards in prestigious national and/or international events, critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works, and/or respect and esteem from peers within an artistic discipline.
    (wikipedia)

    Note Item 4.

    So can somebody give us the “body of works” of Cecille Guidote Alvarez?

    This is the problem when form is exalted over substance. Pekeng pangulo, pekeng award, pekeng body of works, attained by pekeng loyalty.

    Yang mag-asawang Alvarez na yan ay mga political na haliparot. Anti-Macoy kuno si Hehe, then Coryista, ngayon, Pidalista.

    Humanitarian motivation? Dahil matetepok? Ano ang kapalit? Pinatay ang prestige ng award.

    Note na kahit gawa yan ng Proclamation ni Macoy, under the CCP ng Imeldific, hindi nabahiran ng Marcos sipsips ang ningning ng award. Tunay na mga dalubhasa ang dating awardee. Ngayon, dalubhasa na lang sa sipsip.

    Bakit hindi isama yung speechwriter ng Glue, sa Literature awards, for fiction writing? Puwede rin sa fiction writing yung nag-do-doctor ng economic stats. Although, mas angkop siya sa Nobel Prize for Physics, under Refinements to the Theory of Relativity. Relative to the observant, the Philippine economy is improving (sa kurakot) or deteriorating (mga botante ni Erap).

    Now everybody can be a National Artist. They keep adding categories: Landscape Art, Fashion Design, what’s next, hairdressers?

    How about cosmetic surgery? It is both visual art, magic, and fiction (telling your client, ang ganda mo). I nominate Conan the Beautician (not Schwarzenegger, but Hayden Kho).

  29. Iisa lang ang paraan para mawala na ang mga kapalpakan ni Imp. Tumigil na sa pagsusulat si Ellen! Kapag wala na tayong mabasa, hindi na kukulo ang dugo natin.

  30. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Knighted na si Dracula (Christopher Lee) na kilala ng mga bata bilang si Saruman sa Lord of the Rings.

    Hindi pa ba napapanahon ang National Award ni Pidol? Mas laganap ba ang influence ni Christopher Lee sa lipunang Brit kaysa sa influence ni Pidol sa lipunang Pinoy?

    Mas malawak ba ang “body of works” ni Cecille Guidote Alvarez sa Teatro, o ang “body of works” ni Carlo J. Caparas kaysa kay Pidol?

  31. The Alvarez couple are Cory loyalists but now very much pro-GMA. Honestly, I don’t respect them.

    Marami pa ang dapat bigyan ng karangalan hindi lang si Dolphy.
    Kung minsan tuloy di na ako naniniwala sa mga award na ganyan.
    Kasi may palakasan din. Anyone can buy an award.

  32. Rose Rose

    Based on the criteria as stated above #8 sino sino na ba ang nabigyan ng award na ito since 1972?

  33. chi chi

    Ano ba ito at binaboy na ng husto ni Gloria pati ang National Artists….

    Why Cecile Guidote-Alvarez? Ano ba ang qualification ng babaeng yan except suprema sipsip kung sino ang nasa power! Ang asawa na si Hehe ay ganun din! If she had real exceptional contributions to Philippine theater ay ayos lang kahit sycophant s’ya kaya lang ay wala akong nakikita/nababasa.

    I’m not familiar with the works of Carlo Caparaz so I can’t comment, and alam ko lang ay tuta sya ni Gloria Arroyo.

    Next year kung nandyan pa ang unana ay si Vicky Belo at Hayden(?) ang bibigyan ng national artists awards. Walang matinong ginagawa ang animal na Gloria!

  34. saxnviolins saxnviolins

    Based on the criteria as stated above #8 sino sino na ba ang nabigyan ng award na ito since 1972?

    Among others:

    Fernando C. Amorsolo – Painting

    Vicente S. Manansala Painting

    Benedicto Cabrera (“Bencab”) Painting

    Ang Kiukok – Painting (From Davao; magaling. I saw some of his works. Kapitbahay namin sa QC)

    Music

    Levi Celerio
    Felipe De Leon
    Lucretia Kasilag
    Lucio San Pedro

    Literature

    NIck Joaquin
    Jose Garcia Villa
    F Sionil Jose

    Film

    Lino Brocka
    Ishmael Bernal
    Manuel Conde

  35. taga-ilog taga-ilog

    Dahan-dahan kayo ng pagsasalita, si gloria ay isang santa!!!!
    Santa siya ng mga rapist….murderer….drug dealers!! Natatandaan pa ba niyo ang mga pinalaya niya sa mga kasong nabanggit?

    Ngayon naman ay pinakialaman ang National Artist. Bastos talaga! Pati na nga ang Bar Council ay ibig pakialaman!

  36. chi chi

    Ex-Philippines leader Corazon Aquino dies at 76

    By HRVOJE HRANJSKI, Associated Press Writer Hrvoje Hranjski, Associated Press Writer – 2 mins ago

    MANILA, Philippines – Former President Corazon Aquino, who swept away a dictator with a “people power” revolt and then sustained democracy by fighting off seven coup attempts in six years, died on Saturday, her son said. She was 76. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/as_obit_corazon_aquino

  37. chi chi

    Goodbye, Tita Cory….and thank you.

  38. My condolences to a heroine for building democracy.

    Trivia: Gerardo “Manong” de Leon (1913-1981) was posthumously commended as a National Artist for Cinema in 1982. He is the most awarded director in the history of the FAMAS Awards.

    Carlos V. Francisco (1912-1969) was also posthumously commended as a National Artist for Visual Arts (in the year 1973). He was involved in art direction for Gerardo de Leon’s film adaptations of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, and carved twelve large panels depicting Philippine history for the 1964 World’s Fair held in New York City.

    The National Artists Award should continue indefinitely as it is the highest achievement to any Filipino for the development of Filipino arts.

  39. I, as a citizen of the Republic of the Philippines, strongly condemn what our President and her allies have done to the National Artists Awards! Why did they do this to our people? Whyyyy???

    Oh no! They could be on the verge of commending Manny Pacquiao, Precious Lara Quigaman, and Marian Rivera as National Artists just because of their popularity in Filipino entertainment!

  40. parasabayan parasabayan

    What else is new? All our insttutions are prostituted by this pygmy prostitute calling herself a “leader”. Leader of the thieves, liars and murderers, baka pa!

  41. andres andres

    That is GMA for you, lahat na lang pinambabayad ng utang, pati na ang Bayan!!!

  42. jocjoc jocjoc

    Sana mula ngayon wala na munang award award, galing o recommended by the fake president. Just pause it and resume it after Gloria regime. Decline muna ng lahat ng awardees dapat. Gusto ba nila na may kakabit na ‘from fake president’ ang awards nila.

  43. Yes Sir Jocjoc. Serves the Palpatine right!

  44. Offtopic: (Palpatine was head of the Galactic Empire in Star Wars.) The word “Palpatine” in my context does not specify a person, but a generic description for a corrupt head of state.

  45. mbw mbw

    oh please do! I beg all those National Artists en masse boycott the awarding ceremonies to make a strong statement! I am one of the many cultural workers hoping that the institution of the Arts and Culture stay away from political bastardazation! I, for one, find the awarding of Visual Arts to Caparas a total massacre—walang personalan pero talagang it cannot do!

  46. Boyner Boyner

    The presidential spokesman Golez in response to initial criticism on the selection process said that Malacanang’s role was only ministerial. This alien looking liar was refuted by a member of the panel which deliberated and finally submitted the 4 recommendees for the National Artist Award. In the original list was Dr. Ramon Santos who was removed. Adding insult to injury, two or was it three other names were inserted and one of these is Cecil Guidote Alvarez who happens to be the presidential adviser on Culture at same time executive director of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, a government agency. It is shameful that the evil bitch stole the recognition Dr. Santos deserves. This sociopath has added the National Artists Awards to the list of institutions that she had corrupted and bastardized.

    By the way, Heherson Alvarez if I’m not mistaken is the presidential adviser on environment and he was one of the 5 people allowed to accompany the evil bitch inside the Oval office of Obama.

  47. What are the achievements of Dr. Ramon Santos?

  48. habib habib

    Ano ba ang alam ni Lola Dapangdede sa arts maliban sa art of lying?

    Kung ‘yung mukha nga niya isa ng malaking kasinungalingan, eh. ‘Yun pa kayang pagiging presidente niya?

    Bakit ba patuloy ninyo siyang tinatagurian at tinatawag na pangulo gayung wala naman siyang tunay na mandato mula sa taong bayan?

    Sa totoo lang, walang tunay na oposisyon kaya nandiyan pa rin siya. Sa konggreso? Sa senado? Walang oposisyon diyan.

    Ang tunay na oposisyon ay nagmumula sa ating hanay, tayong mamamayang tuwirang apektado’t nagpapasan ng bunga ng pag-abuso ng mga nasa kapangyarihan. Tayong mga pinaiikot lamang nila upang makuha ang tiwala’t suporta para sa kanilang pansariling laban.

    Walang sino man sa kanila ang tunay nating karamay sa paghihikahos at kagutuman. Kung nandiyan man sila, hanggang pangkodak at balita lamang.

  49. Boyner Boyner

    As for the achievements of Dr. Santos, just go to web search and type Dr. Ramon Santos and you will be amazed of his works and the international recognitions accorded to him.
    He is presently a Professor Emeritus at the UP College of Music.

  50. Boyner Boyner

    Tama si Habib kaya ako evil bitch at sociopath ang bansag ko kasi hindi niya lehitimong pangulo. Illegitimate na immoral pa! Ni pangalan niya nakakasuklam banggitin dahil sa ginawa niya sa bayan natin, sa paghihirap ng mga nakakarami nating mga kababayan at sa pagkakalayo ng mga OFW sa kanilang mga mahal sa buhay.

  51. iwatcher2010 iwatcher2010

    ano pa ba bago sa mga appointments at selection ni gloria…puro kaduda-duda, pati national artists di na pinatawad at binaboy pa rin

    cecil guidote alvarez? patron of the philippine arts and culture???? ano nga bang kakaibang nagawa niya upang iangat ang sining at kultura????

    kaya nagmukha lang katawa-tawa mga papuri ni gloria sa mga nasabing sepsep at kaalyado kasi walang dating, di mo puedeng ipagyabang…manny pacquiao di ba ambassador of peace??? bong villafuerte anti-crime???? chavit singson deputy sec national secretary????

    haay gloria…sana nga isang taon ka na lang…

    NO TO TRAPOS 2010!

  52. iwatcher2010 iwatcher2010

    correction…chavit deputy sec national security

  53. kalbo kalbo

    BABUYAN NA LANG BA SA PAGIGING NATIONAL ARTIST BA KANYO! BIGYAN NG AWARD SI MIKE ARROYO – GALING NIYANG ARTISTA.

  54. noell noell

    Dapat lang dagdagan ni unano mga bagong kategorya sa National Artist Award!…gaya ng:

    1. Landscape Sculpture Design (pangunguna sa pagtatayo ng
    ‘male urinals’ sa mga kalye!)
    2. Lighting Design (pangunguna sa palamuti at makulay na
    kalye/daanan at tulay!)
    3. Performance Art (pangunguna sa walang katapusang
    bungkalan sa kalye!)
    4. Collaborative Installation Art (pangunguna sa pagkakalat
    ng advertising billboards at posters sa
    kahabaan ng highways at daanan!)
    5. Graffiti Art (sa pinaka-baduy na mural painting at mga
    ‘binasang’ modelo sa relief
    wall art ng MMDA!)
    6. Urban Space Art (nangunguna sa pagtatayo ng pinaka-
    maraming malls at conversion ng
    agricultural lands sa commercial space!)
    7. Modern Calligraphy Art (sa pangunguna sa ‘pink line’
    movement!)
    8. Ephemeral Art (pangunguna sa proyektong paglalagay
    ng mga lamp post na madaling mapundi,
    pagsesemento ng kalye at sidewalk na
    sirain,at pinaka-bahaing kalye. Maging
    ang pangunguna sa pagnanakaw ng mga
    pre-paid load sa cellphones!)
    9. Floral Display Art (matindi sa paggawa ng ‘korona’ at
    bulaklak sa patay, anniversaries at
    mga celebrations!)
    10. Cosmetic Design (nangunguna na beautician at
    hairdresser ng mga buhay at patay)
    11. Monumental Art (sa paggawa ng estetikong ‘welcome sign’
    para sa barangay, bayan, lungsod,
    lalawigan at villages)
    12. Hoax Art (pinaka-sinungaling na lider politiko
    na may pekeng boobs!)
    13. Plastic Art and Mixed Media Art (dalubhasaan sa plastic
    surgery, body sculpture at cosmetic
    surgery!)

  55. ricardo ricardo

    ellen,

    aside from the foul stench of guidote’s conferment, the choice of caparas, without his long-time illustrator, MAR SANTANA, is incomplete and a grave injustice. caparas was chosen for his comics authorship (ang thank God, not for his awful filmaking), so santana is also deserving of the citation.

  56. ami ami

    that guidote is a loud, pompous, self-righteous b__ch, with no proven talent. absolutely!

  57. Expatriot Expatriot

    I feel bad for the legitimate and deserving artists in this year’s National Artist Awards who must now share the stage with the political awardees. Manuel Conde, especially, deserves all the recognition for his pioneering work in Philippine films. What area of Philippine life will this president not degrade and sully?

  58. (Dito pala dapat yung comment ko sa blog title “Babuyan na Talaga”. I am reposting it here.)

    Isa pang nakakaburyong na isyu ay yang sa National Artist. Ang National Artist ay isang title, hindi yan award lang. Para iyang National Hero, o isang Medal of Valor, o yung Order of Sikatuna, lahat yan merong stipends, monthly allowances, health and other benefits at kung anik-anik pa, habambuhay.

    Isa ako sa unang mga sumabog ang galit sa Facebook ng mabasa kong si Alvarez at Caparas ay napiling mga National Artists. Apat ang pangalang isinumite sa Malakanyang ng selection committee na pinamumunuan mismo ni Alvarez bilang Exec. Dir. ng NCCA. Alam na ng ibang miyembro ng committee na malamang madagdag-bawas na naman pag dating sa Malakanyang kaya inunahan nila si Pandak at nag-publish sila ng pangalan ng mga nominees sa mga diyaryo. Pero kahit na nai-publish hindi napigilan ang makakapal na mukha ni Arroyo at Alvarez na siya mismong presidential adviser ni Arroyo on Culture. Sa apat na pangalan, isa ang nabawas, apat ang nadagdag. Mas marami pa ang ginawaran ni Arroyo kesa sa scholarly-selected nominees. Bakit pa nagtalaga ng selection process?

    Kalat ang balitang ini-lobby ni Manoling Morato sa kaibigang Alvarez na “maisingit” si Carlo Caparas na nag-iisang pumatol sa “massacre genre” na ipino-promote ng pamunuan ni Morato noon sa MTRCB kapalit ng “pene” films na pareho namang walang taste ang pagkakagawa at mediocre ang approach na sa bandang huli ay wala ring redeeming value dahil hindi niya pinangangalanan ang mga suspect sa takot na mabuweltahan. Lalo’t yung pelikulang rape story ng kapartner ni Manoling na si Maggie Dela Riva ay siya rin ang nag-direk.

    Nakakatawang naisingit si Caparas sa larangan ng visual arts samantalang siya ay isang writer, hindi cartoonist o dibuhista. Oo, sa komiks siya sumikat, pero hindi sa visual arts kundi sa storya at mga karakter na pinasikat niya. Siguradong hindi naman siya mananalo sa literature lalo na’t titignan natin kung sinu-sino ang mga nakapilang mga magagaling na manunulat. Bukod sa visual arts ay nagawaran din siya sa larangan ng Film. Teka, diba’t sa batch na ito’y meron nang nanalo sa Cinema na si Manuel Conde? Ano ang kaibahan niyan sa Film?

    Halatang ipinilit lamang yan para disimulado ang pinaka-kapalmus na singit – si Alvarez nga. Wala akong problema dun sa dalawang naisingit din, si Pitoy Moreno sa Fashion Design at si Bobby Mañoza sa Architecture. Parehong may “k” pero dapat ay idinaan sa proseso.

  59. JP Go JP Go

    grabe, sobrang kapal ng mukha ng Alvarez na yan. so absolutely shameful what she did. and the most shameful part of it is that she would be brandising that award oh so proudly to her amigas and relatives thinking that she soooo deserves it. OMG! how can you be proud of something you do not deserve?? pwede ba! alam mo at alam ng buong mundo that you are not on a par with the true national artists of our land! disgusting!

  60. Tess C. Loidas Tess C. Loidas

    Mrs. Cecil Guidote-Alvarez, ang kapal ng mukha mo.

  61. @Boyner:
    In a related note, there is already a petition to protest the non-inclusion of Dr. Santos in this year’s ranks of National Artists… please sign here: http://rsantos.epetitions.net/ and help spread the word… 😉 thanks…

  62. DPR DPR

    From an objective point of view, most comments here sound like sour-graping… why not instead of complaining and destroying the reputation of other people, (not just GMA), why not do something about it. You all look like old ladies yakking but not even lifting a finger to do something about it. Nothing constructive about voicing your opinions about people who will never know what you all keep on saying… Isn’t it unfair to keep on yakking about other people when they are not there to defend themselves… and you talk about being fair? tsk tsk tsk…

  63. mav mav

    Ellen, Bravo! Your sharp comments on the National Artists Awards sting!!!!

  64. mav mav

    Ellen, Bravo! Your sharp comments on the 2009 National Artists Awards sting!!!!

  65. Boyner Boyner

    @Pedro Parkero: I already signed in the petition. i hope the rest of the group will do the same.

    @MKDL Studios: You did not react to the information I provided you about Dr. Santos, now you want us to sign your petition to have Francis Magalona get the award for Music.
    Why do you think Francis is more desrving than Dr. Santos?

  66. Boyner Boyner

    @DPR: Do something about it? Tsk, tsk, tsk! You poor soul! what money can really do to people like you.

  67. @Boyner: I did researched about Dr. Santos’ achievements. He and Francis M. are both deserving for being National Artists on the same level.

  68. @Pedro Parkero: I signed your petition!

  69. carlos j p carlos j p

    Check out the blogs flying on spot.ph about this BROUHAHA. They rock!

  70. john porter john porter

    i’m ashamed enraged disgusted and filled with anger and hatred at how the arroyo government manipulates every facet of filipino society by shoving down our throats their crap, their will, their arrogance, and their bad taste AD NAUSEAM…SHAME ON YOU CARLO CAPARAS! THAT HONOR IS RESERVED FOR PERSONS MORE DESERVING THAN YOURSELF! IF YOU HAD ANY INTEGRITY, IF THERE WAS ANY TRUTH IN YOU, YOU WOULD NOT ACCEPT THIS SHAM! SHAME ON YOU GLORIA ARROYO!!! FOR PERPETRATING YET ANOTHER SHAM!!! VOX POPULI VOX DEI! NOT GLORIA ARROYOS!!! SIC SEMPER TYRANUS!!!

  71. Bambi Beltran Bambi Beltran

    Cebuano artists will also be holding a necrological service and vigil on August 7 at the Turtle’s Nest @ 7pm. It is an insult to all the Filipino artists that the National Artist Awards has turned into a BIG JOKE.

    Mrs. Alvarez should learn from the late President Aquino’s humility and delicadeza and Carlo Caparaz should bury his head in the sand.

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