Several National Artists led a rally from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) to the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Thursday where they offered a symbolic wreath during what they called “necrological services for the death of the National Artist Awards.” National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera (literature) Frankie Sionil Jose (literature) and Salvador Bernal (Theater and Design) were appalled at the “brazenness” of Malacañang – adding four individuals and dropping composer Ramon Santos from the original list of the four endorsed through a rigorous selection process. The four endorsed by the joint committees were Santos, painter Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, the late Tagalog novelist Lazaro Francisco, and the late filmmaker Manuel Conde. Malacañang added Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, presidential adviser on culture and the arts, komiks writer and movie director Carlo J. Caparas, fashion designer Jose Moreno, and architect Francisco Manosa. The National Artists and the CCP board described this as a “death knell” of the process as the nomination procedure clearly states that NCCA and CCP board members, consultants, officers, and staff are automatically disqualified. This means that Cecile Alvarez (who, in my assessment, is deserving of the award), cannot be nominated as she is executive director of NCCA.

Earlier, CCP officials led by Abrera and outgoing President Nestor Jardin paid tribute to the late President Cory Aquino for “maintaining the integrity of the process” and shielding it from politics and lobbying. Aquino never added or subtracted from the list endorsed to her, Jardin noted. The process involves pre-screening by the secretariat, verification and evaluation by a research group, short-listing by the first deliberation panel (Council of Experts), and review and ranking by a second deliberation panel before the final list is submitted to the President for confirmation, proclamation, and conferral.

According to Abrera, CCP was never consulted before the proclamation of the four additional artists. It was the first time in history that the president did not confirm somebody elected by the selection committees, the first time a President had proclaimed four artists who did not pass through the process. Past presidents had named only one by presidential fiat to add to the list.

The Order of National Artists (Orden ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is the highest national recognition given to Filipinos who have made significant contribution to the development of Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts. It recognizes individuals who have dedicated their lives in forging new paths and are helping create a national cultural identity, who have created a substantial and significant body of works and who have consistently displayed excellence. They enjoy broad acceptance through prestigious national and/ or international recognition, critical acclaim, and respect and esteem from peers. Of the fifty seven who had been conferred the award from 1972-2006, only 14 are still living – Napoleon Abueva, Arturo Luz, Daisy Avellana, Edith Tiempo, Andrea Veneracion, F. Sionil Jose, Virgilio S. Almario, Salvador F. Bernal, Alejandro Roces, Eddie S. Romero, Benedicto Cabrera, Abdulmari Asia Imao, Bienvenido Lumbera, and Ildefonso Santos, Jr. The first award was conferred posthumously on Fernando Amorsolo. It is given every three years and carries with it a cash award (P100,000 for living awardees; P75,000 for the posthumous), a monthly stipend of P24,000, medical and hospitalization benefits, life insurance, a state funeral at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, and a P1 M project grant.

National artists occupy a place of honor at state functions.

National Artist Eddie Romero who was with our first panel of peers that deliberated on the film and broadcast arts category, notes that this controversy had certainly diminished the prestige of the award. There is talk of a boycott of the ceremony by members of the art community. Perhaps the best way of honoring the late President Cory is to use this lesson in improving the process and finding ways of settling conflict through our practice of the revered cultural values that Cory personifies – “delicadeza,” correctness, sensitivity, empathy, civility, fairness, and strict adherence to rules and laws. Perhaps the best legacy that a National Artist can hand down to us is what is also used to describe President Cory – “nobility in character.” My e-mail is florangel.braid@gmail.com.