Eyebrows have been raised over some names included in the new list of the country’s National Artists. Named National Artist for Theater was Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, incidentally the executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), which oversees the selection process of the National Artist Awards together with the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Alvarez is also the presidential adviser on culture.
According to a report by Newsbreak, it is a ’shameless’ selection. Alvarez runs the the awards secretariat, and advises Malacañang on matters that concern the sector for which the award is intended. Says the report, “Actually, [some artists] also feared that President Arroyo would do dagdag-bawas on the list of awardees that the Council of Experts submitted. That, Gng. Gloria also did. She inserted not just 1 name but 4.”
Carlo J. Caparas was also named National Artist for Visual Arts and Film along with the late Manuel Conde (whose production of his self-starring Genghis Khan made waves at the 1952 Venice Film Festival) for cinema, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz for visual arts, Lazaro Franciso for literature, Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa for architecture, and Jose “Pitoy” Moreno for fashion design.
Spot.ph wants to know what you think!
Click here to read SPOT.ph blogger Lourd de Veyra’s alternative list for the National Artists Awards.
Click here to read Part 2 of Lourd de Veyra’s Alternative National Artist List.
Sorry, disagree. It isn’t just about delicadeza. It’s far more than that. The achievements or contributions of these “artists” should be debated and discussed and explored and studied, before conferring any such award on them. Alvarez is by no means an artist, she is a self-serving, egotistical political animal, and a corrupt one at that. Jose Pitoy Moreno is not an artist either. Anyone who is well versed in fashion will agree. He deserves credit as a master promoter of fashion, but he is by no means a gifted designer. He probably makes GMA’s gowns, or her family’s.
Carlo Caparas, a National Artist? WTF? He does not deserve to be one. It is so obvious that this award was given to him because he is an apple-polisher of GMA? This most prestigious award is now tainted because of mediocre awardees.
Wait…let me go to the bathroom to retch….
ARGHKKGHHHH…BRAWKKKKKK….
whether credentials or delicadeza, Cecile Guidote Alvarez and Carlo J Caparas should not have been named as National Artists. period.
agree. alvarez, caparas and moreno should absolutely, positively have not been named. exclamation mark! they are not the best representations of the fields they were awarded for. instead, they prove that fame is more noteworthy than real achievement or talent.
For me and my family, ”DOLPHY” Rodolfo Quizon in real life has been overdue for that award. What’s going on with this award giving body? After being away from Philippines for 20 years, walang nabago sa mga sipsipan diyan sa Pilipinas kaya ayaw umasenso ng bayan natin eh.
Please think people and give awards to deserving
individual! Kakawalang gana kayo.
kung kayo . yun,e hindi nga kayo yun e, kayo yung maraming satsat , dakdak, very filipino pero walang GAWA.Bakit di kayo pumunta sa Malacanang at mag protesta, ang tanong ko lang bakit kaya nio bang tapatan ang achievements ng mga nabanggit na winners?Yun lang, ang tanong me achievements ba kayo para sa larangan ng SINING, tanungin nio na lang ang sarili nio, at me contribution ba kayo sa bansa ?o wag na lang sa bansa , sa inyo na lang mga baranggay…isa lang naman ang laman ng ,mga utak nio ang kumontra at punahin ang mali ng iba pero sarili nio dio muna punahin , humarap na lang kayo sa salamin , at tanungin ang sarili , me naiamabag ba ako sa bansa? o puro lang ako comment at dakdak , satsat?
Mikee Arroyo for National Artist.
Yes, Dolphy should be National Artist. No question about that … at least as far as you and me are concerned.
But do you know why the great scholars from the NCCA and CCP will not confer upon him that honor (even if we were to assume that they be given exclusivity to do so)?
Because his movies did not get to compete in any international film festival; Because he’s no product of a prestigious art school; Because his humor is too “masa”; Because he’s not part of that fraternity of elites from either the NCCA and CCP; Because he IS NOT one of them.
And if this President or any President for that matter names him National Artist, they will complain as they do now. They will cry “mockery of the process” again.
It is not the process they defend, but their turf.
You cannot “politicize” what is already an overtly political set-up. These zealots are just as hypocritical as every other politician they criticize.
Ouch.
@ glorybe: And why are the artists not rising up in arms? Ok lang ba sa kanila? - THE ARTISTS ARE ACTUALLY PLANNING TO BOYCOTT EVERYTHING. WE ARE CURRENTLY MOURNING THE DEATH OF NA
LARRY ALCALA AND FRANCISCO COCHING SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN THE AWARD FOR VA, NOT CARLO CAPARAS. HE’S NOT EVEN COMPARABLE TO ANY OF THE TWO MENTIONED ARTISTS.
PITOY MORENO DESERVES TO BE GIVEN AN AWARD. HE HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR THE COUNTRY. RESEARCH ABOUT HIM. HE DESERVES NA.
And yep! i agree. dapat si dolphy ang mabigyan ng award din sa film. not carlo. si gloria wala na talagang ginawang matino. ano na ang nangyayari sa pilipinas?