Art Broken
Ignored masters could have been decorated this year, their achievements chronicled and recognized—officially—by the Philippine government. Instead, vulgar 2009-style politics has secured their consignment to history’s trivia
Where to begin?
Do I start the story with that first incredulous text message I got on the afternoon that Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita announced the seven names, where at the end of the information the sender typed: True???; and to which I, used to the scuttlebutt that litters my cellphone inbox, replied calmly: Maybe not, it sounds like a joke.
It still does to this day.
A few minutes and a couple of phone calls later, it became clear that, indeed, an official announcement had been made, at a press conference, at the airport, shortly before a presidential journey abroad, and that the Cultural Center of the Philippines (C.C.P.) had received no communication whatsoever from the Palace about the matter. This despite our repeated inquiries about the final approval and proclamation of the four names that had been chosen by the joint boards of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (N.C.C.A.) and the C.C.P., which had been submitted in early May. It was hard to believe that four new names had been added to the selection, and one had been removed, without explanation or justification.
An unusual amount of time had elapsed since the letter was sent, and this had given us concern; we had monitored in the local press several articles that smelled of lobbying (for artists whose qualifications were extolled beyond their true worth), and besides, the four final names had begun to be mentioned in columns, coaxed and cajoled from unmentionable but “reliable sources.” While this sort of thing has happened during past National Artist Awards seasons, never had it taken this long for the final announcement to be made.
The award is an honor bestowed on the deserving by no less than their peers. To come by it in any other way is blatantly shameful, period. But shame is in short supply these days.
After a few days had elapsed, when it seemed like the C.C.P. had been intentionally left out of the loop, and because statements from Palace spokespersons were being made about how the final seven had been chosen “in consultation with the C.C.P.,” we decided to break our silence and hold our own press conference, to clarify our stance. Simply put, we stood squarely behind the rigorous selection process that had been respected and adhered to for years, disavowing any knowledge or participation in any other.
The process itself perhaps needs no further detailing; it has been explained to death in the mass media and on the Web in these past three months. The title of National Artist is the highest recognition the country gives to outstanding individuals whose creative work is beyond question, having helped in the shaping of our national cultural identity. The process must be respected and defended for it is the process that imbues the title with prestige and stature. No matter how accomplished they may be, artists do not compete for this. It is an honor bestowed on the deserving by no less than their peers. To come by it in any other way is blatantly shameful, period. But shame is in short supply these days.
Who can blame the Concerned Artists of the Philippines and the current National Artists for their actions thus far? There was a Mourning Ritual, Pagdadalamhati, held where many rallies had taken place in the past—at the front entrance of the C.C.P.—and in the course of a Friday afternoon, disillusionment and anger found passionate artistic expression in drama, poetry, theater, and music. What a civilized way to protest! Afterwards, the procession continued, all the way to the N.C.C.A. offices in Intramuros, Manila, where tempers flared momentarily, but were distracted soon enough by the surprise solo performances. Artists are natural peacemakers. No one got hurt; all were entertained; the point was made.
It’s not commonly known, but among the artists are some brilliant legal minds. They, too, went to work, seeking the support of friends and sympathetic associates. A week later, they took their case to the Supreme Court. The arguments are sound. As far as the National Artist Awards are concerned, it is obvious that things were done differently this year.
The following events happened, for the first time in the history of the NAAW:
The proclamations were unduly delayed, by weeks.
The C.C.P. was neither informed on time, nor did we make the announcements (as we had done in the past).
The Palace chose to make the announcements to the press on their own.
An Honors Committee met and revised the selections.
