Agung Vol. XVIII No. 6 Nov-Dec 2015

Volume XVIII • Number 6 • 2015 • For Artists and Cultural Workers • ISSN 0119-5948

Renewing the Creative Vigor Official Newsletter of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts

message from the Chairman Public Art: Art for All

P

ublic or people’s art flourishes best among rural and urban populations whose education is more or less synonymous with the life process in the community rather than with the artificially structured, essentially theoretical and mental learning that occurs in a formal set-up such as a school. It is an art acquired in concrete life situations, an art integrated—in myriad ways—with everyday concerns, interests, functions and activities.

An Ifugao child learning his society’s dances by imitating his elders is not acquiring a skill in the abstract.

He is simultaneously absorbing the ways of his community and the human and social values implicit in them. A young girl learning how to sing the pasyon by participating in the ritual during the Lenten season is at the same time imbibing the religious, social, economic, and musical practices of her community. Such integration of values does not favor the concept of art as a highly specialized activity—art as a separate reality, an art that serves no other value but the artistic, an “art for art’s sake.”

People’s art is an art integrated with everyday life and not regarded as a separate activity. This integration works for a characteristic unity of the arts. The balitaw of Cebu, subli of Batangas, pagsindil of Sulu, salubong of Angono, and many others are all living contemporary examples of poetry, music, dance and visual arts all woven into one. A kulintang musical performance among the Maranaw is inseparable from the splendor of their visual arts, attires and dance. The basic assumption underlying the integration of values and merging of the arts is that the human being is a being of many levels—physical, sensuous, emotional, mental, psychic, and spiritual— whose survival and sense of fulfillment depends on the successful integration of these levels.

Thus, one of the most important features of people’s art is the equality of opportunity for participation in the process of artistic creation, performance and experience. Nobody is barred from these activities, no matter how ordinary his artistic ability may be. Even if individuals with talent, skill, or expertise—in singing, dancing, musical invention, carving, acting, poetic image, story telling, and so on—are recognized in the community, this does not pose an obstacle for others less endowed to contribute their share, however modest. There are relatively no “superstars”. The spirit, and the fact, is one of collective participation. The outcome is an endless variety of designs, forms and styles that mass-produced, consumerist art cannot equal.

All over the country, an infinite, though subtle variability of pattern and design may be seen in the mats, hats, baskets, weavings, okir, brassware, furniture, pottery, sculptures as well as in the art of moryonan, salubong, palaspas, carrozas, Lenten processions and Christmas celebrations, such as the San Fernando Lantern Festival and maytinis of Kawit.

The best representatives of our people’s arts have never succumbed to the error of dichotomizing art and life and the narrowness of serving art at the expense of communal creativity or individual wholeness. Our people’s art has always been a way of integrating oneself and of harmonizing with others, nature, life, and the Creator.

Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.

Vol. XVIII, No. 6 November-December 2015 ISSN 0119-5948

Felipe M. de Leon, Jr. chairman

About the cover Cover shows Mag-Ama (17 by 12 inches, watercolor on paper, 1999) by Angel Cacnio, one of the works exhibited at “Angel of Art” at the NCCA Gallery

ADELINA M. SUEMITH oic-executive director Marlene ruth s. sanchez, mnsa deputy executive director Rene Sanchez Napeñas editor-in-chief

The agung is a knobbed metal gong of the Philippines used in various communal rituals.

Suspended in the air by rope or metal chains, the musical instrument is also employed by some indigenous groups as a means to announce community events, and as an indicator of the passage of time.

Agung is published bimonthly by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Roel Hoang Manipon managing editor Mervin Concepcion Vergara art director Maria Glaiza Lee writer

Marvin Alcaraz photographer Leihdee Anne Cabrera Manny Arawe Alinor Maqueda May Corre Tuazon Roezielle Joy Iglesia Francisco del Rosario III paio staff Emilie V. Tiongco editorial consultant

Back cover: Cacnio’s Unang Supling (21 by 14 inches, watercolor on paper, 1996) Facing page: The Philippine delegation to the ASEAN Youth Camp, composed of Maria Cristina Orante, 23; Don Jason Marco Hilotina, 26; Kurt Alalag, 19; and Edgar Sabang, 25. /Photo by Ian Felix Alquiros

As the government arm for culture and the arts, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is the overall policy-making, coordinating, and grants-giving agency for the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture; and executing agency for the policies it formulates; and an agency tasked to administer the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA). The NCCA traces its roots to the Presidential Commission for Culture and the Arts (PCCA), which was created when President Corazon Aquino signed Executive Order No. 118 on January 30, 1987, “mindful of the fact that there is a need for a national body to articulate a national policy on culture, to conserve and promote national heritage, and to guarantee a climate of freedom, support and dissemination for all forms of artistic and cultural expression.”

On April 3, 1992, President Aquino signed Republic Act No. 7356 creating the NCCA and establishing the NEFCA, a result of over two years of legislative consultations among government and private sector representatives.

The bill was sponsored by senators Edgardo J. Angara, Leticia RamosShahani, Heherson T. Alvarez and congressman Carlos Padilla.

The NCCA Secretariat, headed by the executive director and headquartered at the historic district of Intramuros, provides administrative and technical support to the NCCA and other units, and delivers assistance to the culture and arts community and the public.

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The Powers to Make Wood and Metal Sing Young Musicians Converge in Sagada for the ASEAN Youth Camp 2015

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“M

usic is the international language,” declared Nguyen Mai Thi Ngoc from Hanoi, Vietnam, before launching into a short repertoire of Vietnamese traditional music. She was accompanied by Nguyen Thao Duc, Thu Dang Thi Hoai, Pham Ton Xuan and Vi Thu Thi, all young musicians and music students, playing the bamboo flutes; the t’rung, a bamboo xylophone; zithers; and other traditional Vietnamese instruments, themselves also objects of attraction and fascination as the musicians coaxed from them haunting sounds that merged with the cold mist of Sagada, floating over the performers and audience, wispy as the gauze-like textile of the ao dai and ao gam.

The audience, mostly locals and tourists, listened in rapt attention at the

All the delegates gathered together for the culminating concert, premiering National Artist for music Dr. Ramon Santos’s Kawgongan, specially composed for the ASEAN Youth Camp. /Photo by Marvin Alcaraz

small open-air auditorium at the heart of this upland tourist destination at the western edge of Mountain Province in northern Philippines. The darkness had already dissolved the nearby Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, a landmark in this largely Anglican town, and the surrounding mountains bristling with pine trees and cradling clusters of houses and huts of the indigenous Kankanaey, the largest ethnic group that calls Sagada home, as well as of the Bontoc.

For five days, Sagada, 275 kilometers north of Manila, saw and heard a celebration of Southeast Asian musics, as the ASEAN Youth Camp (AYC) Cycle 2: Gongs and Bamboo Music Camp and Festival was held here.

Organized by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the AYC is in keeping with the provisions of the Declaration on ASEAN Unity in Cultural Diversity: Towards Strengthening ASEAN Community, signed at the 19th ASEAN Summit in Bali, Indonesia, which promotes the understanding that cultural traditions are an integral part of Southeast Asia’s heritage and an effective means of bringing together Southeast Asian peoples to recognize their regional identity and relatedness.

The Philippines was the host of the first AYC in 1998 with the project Nature Hug: Honoring Nature through the Arts. The last host/ implementer of the annual event, the 10th instalment, is Singapore.

Because of the success of the first

2015 • Number 6 • Agung 5 cycle, the Philippines proposed a second.

With the support of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the NCCA through its International Affairs Office, the 2015 youth camp chose to feature traditional instruments common among the ASEAN member states—gongs and bamboo—while at the same time, gathering a select group of alumni (participant of the first cycle) from the same field of expertise (traditional music), to serve as adult leaders for their respective youth delegations.

ASEAN member nations—the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam—have a diverse yet common tradition of music played on gongs and bamboo instruments.

This music camp and festival aimed to celebrate the dynamic presence of gongs

and bamboo music traditions that have ancient beginnings and yet remain strong to this day, as practiced in communities all over Southeast Asia.

NCCA chairman Felipe M. De Leon Jr., who is a respected music artist and academician, said, “This music of gongs and bamboo has always been connected with people’s harmonious ways with nature and their belief in invisible things, ever enhancing their spiritual and moral strengths as individuals and communities.”

On the other hand, National Artist for music and leading musicologist Dr. Ramon P. Santos, who served as camp director, said, “Gongs and bamboo [music and instruments] unite us Southeast Asians. Gongs and bamboo represent our heritage.”

Santos had been conducting several

gongs and bamboo music festivals and performances around the country, and helped propose the idea to the ASEAN for the youth camp. “[We possess a] commonality of gongs and bamboo [music] and yet it is very diverse. Many of them (the delegates) are hearing other sounds for the first time. That’s important. It is our legacy, our heritage. We have to learn it,” he said.

AYC gathered forty delegates, all musicians and music students 19 to 30 years old, accompanied by ten leaders. The Philippine delegation was composed of Maria Cristina Orante, 23 years old; Don Jason Marco Hilotina, 26; Kurt Alalag, 19; and Edgar Sabang, 25. They represent the different ethnic groups of the Philippines.

Two are from the Cordilleras in Luzon Island, while one is Maguindanao and an-

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National Artist for music Dr. Ramon P. Santos finalizing his own composition Kawgongan /Photo by Hatch Ideas

Hongta Keomanysouk from Laos playing the Lao flute khoui /Photo by Marvin Alcaraz

Creative Multimedia

other a T’boli, both from Mindanao. They play different traditional instruments such as the kulintang, paldong, tongali, gangsa, kulitong, bongos, nose flutes, dizi flute, gongs, kumbing, sludoy (bamboo zither), sloli (flute) and hegelung (two-stringed lute). They were headed by Gian Mari Gianan, a Bachelor of Music in Composition graduate of the University of the Philippines who plays the kulintang, gangsa and nose flute, among others.

The Brunei Darussalam delegates were Mohd Abdoh Damit, Mohd Norakmal bin Hj Metussin, Mohammad Noor Hafizam bin Rapian, Mohammad Izwandy bin Haji Hamjah and Nabil Fikri bin Zakaria, while the Cambodian were Rithyravuth Hang, Chamroeun Phan, Phally Soun, Sovannary Chhorn and Sophea Sin. Indonesia fielded Sigit Setiyawan, Agus Cahyadi, Pande Gde Eka Mardiana, Ni Nyoman Srayamurtikanti and Ida Ayu Wayan Prihandari; and Lao People’s Democratic Republic had participants

Khampheng Thammavongsa, Somphan Thomtha, Phosavanh Syhabout, Vilasack Laisoulivong and Hongta Keomanysouk.

From Malaysia came Suzilawati Shuhaimi, Nur Asrul, Amirah Kamarul Zaman, Muhammad Anas Syafuan Nor Latiff and Norhadi Dollah; and from Myanmar, Lwin Mi Htun, Khin Myat Mon, Phyu Hnin Khine, Paing Thet Hein and Zaw Min Maung.

Singapore had Ismahairie Putra Ishak, Muhammad Azfar Syafiq Abdol Ghafar, Swee Kiat Soh, Qing Lun Tan and Kim San Marvin Seah; while Thailand had Weerawat Kaewpila, Prachaya Nantachai, Kammathep Theeralertrat, Tontrakul Kaewyong and Tawan Toiem. “[I was] amazed at their extraordinary ability to learn and absorb these musics, and astounded by the talents,” Dr. Santos revealed.

The AYC was filled with music sharing sessions, workshops, collaborations and performances, exploring and bringing together a variety of resonance from gongs and bamboo instruments harnessing both ancient and modern repertoires. A tour of Sagada, according to Dr. Santos, enabled the delegates to “see the context of the music and the significance of gongs and bamboo music in life in a village.”

Delegates were able to learn traditional Philippine musics through workshops. They were divided into three groups, one under the tutelage of Benny Sokkong to learn Cordillera music, one under Aga Mayo Butocan

Delegates from Brunei Darussalam Nabie (seated) and Awang playing the gongs /Photo by Marvin Alcaraz

to learn Maguindanao music, and another under Linda Weaver for Tiboli music. They performed these musics in one of the nightly gala performances to the delight of their teachers and the audience.

Each delegation also performed their own traditional musics, many of which were accompanied by dances, during the nightly concerts, resplendent in their own traditional attires. During the day, they talked about their own gongs and bamboo instruments. Musician Diwa de Leon, an AYC alumnus, came in to talk about marketing music through YouTube as well as served as a guest performer.

“We came to appreciate gongs and bamboo music more in our cultural heritage,” Dr. Santos said.

The closing concert on November 29 culminated with the debut of “Kawgongan” (a portmanteau for kawayan, Filipino for “bamboo,” and gong), which Dr. Santos composed especially for the music camp, incorporating different Southeast Asian musical styles and employing different Southeast Asian traditional instruments.

In that fraction of time, enveloped in the cold haze of Sagada, different cultures became one, colorful in the garbs, both diverse and unified, creating sounds that were both weird and wonderful, a music that is both ancient and new, bounding them together in a moment that will be embedded in their hearts forever, burning with honor and pride for this part of a shared cultural heritage and identity. — Roel Hoang Manipon

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A workshop on Cordilleran music under Benny Sokkong /Photo by Hatch Ideas Creative Multimedia

Delegate Chamroeun Phan of Cambodia practicing with the kloy, Khmer bamboo flute /Photo by Hatch Ideas Creative Multimedia

The delegation from Vietnam composed of Nguyen Mai Thi Ngoc, Nguyen Thao Duc, Thu Dang Thi Hoai, Pham Ton Xuan and Vi Thu Thi /Photo by Marvin Alcaraz

AYC delegates rehearsing for the culminating concert /Photo by Hatch Ideas Creative Multimedia

8 Agung • Number 6 • 2015

Entering the Future, Remembering the Past National Youth Forum on Heritage Held in Mount Makiling

By Maria Glaiza Lee • Photos by Marvin Alcaraz

The delegates of the 2015 National Youth Forum on Heritage from Luzon (including the National Capital Region)

“A

Filipino youth aware of his or her identity by appreciating, conserving and promoting the nation’s past, culture and natural resources and drawing inspirations from these which lead to action.”—This was the vision the 2015 National Youth Forum on Heritage espoused. The organizing committee, led by its presiding officer Ian Christopher B. Alfonso, believes that if the youth treasures everything that constitutes the nation’s soul (culture), inherent beauty (nature) and spirit (history), he or she will be committed to their conservation and promotion.

It actually took about four years before the youth forum became a reality since it was conceptualized and proposed to stakeholders of Filipino heritage. The initial idea was created during the first Alumni Formation Program of The Outstanding Students of the Philippines Region 3 Alumni Community Heroes (TOSP R3ACH) held at Estrada, Tarlac City, in 2011.

Noorain S. Sabdulla, a TOSP alumna, shared her dream of initiating a one-stop exposition on Central Luzon to Alfonso, who helped lay out the details. They called it Timyas: First Central Luzon Heritage Expo.

In the original idea, Alfonso wanted to hold a Filipino heritage youth forum. When it was adopted, the concept got bigger and became the Philippine Youth Convention on Heritage, with an objective to gather various young heritage advocates and cultural workers in Central Luzon.

The idea was adopted by TOSP R3ACH as one of its heritage programs in 2012 and was proposed for the 2013 competitive grants of the NCCA. Although the cultural agency approved the proposal,

the project was cancelled due to lack of counterpart funding.

In March 2014, the idea was revived. Alvin Alcid from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) helped Alfonso propose the project to NCCA again. It was received with much enthusiasm by the NCCA Subcommission on Cultural Heritage head Rev. Fr. Harold Rentoria, O.S.A. The new TOSP R3ACH executive committee, under engineer Lawrence Charlemagne David, also showed great interest in the endeavor.

Finally, the National Youth Forum on Heritage (NYFH) was held from November 11 to 14, 2015, at the Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) on Mount Makiling in Laguna. Dr. Vim Nadera, the school’s director, welcomed the 80 delegates (57 regional delegates and 23 sectoral delegates)— which had been selected from the 238 applications received from all over the country—into the bosom of the panoramic Mount Makiling.

The heritage forum focused on youth participation in nationbuilding through safeguarding heritage in all its forms, and on heritage education anchored on awareness and capacity-building of the youth. It also aimed to educate the youth and the community on heritage-related laws, as well as integrate heritage in various youth programs and initiatives, regardless of professional background and field.

The four-day forum commenced with an opening program at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) on November 11, with a briefing for the participants and a team-building activity to develop a strong camaraderie among the delegates.

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First Bamboo Instruments and Gongs TrainingWorkshop Held in Samar Mindanao delegates

After the opening ceremony, the delegates traveled to Calamba, Laguna, for the wreath-laying ceremonies at the Bantayog ni Pepe (Rizal Shrine), since the NYFH itself is linked to Jose Rizal in multiple ways. The theme, “Entering the Future, Remembering the Past,” echoed Rizal’s epigraph in his 1880 award-winning play El Consejo de los Dioses, which stated “Con el recuerdo del pasado entro en el porvenir.” (I enter the future remembering the past) The wreath-laying rites were followed by a short tour inside the Museo ni Rizal. Calamba City mayor Justin Marc S.B. Chipeco gave a short welcoming message. Then, the delegates proceeded to PHSA where they did pares-parehan (offering by pairs), a tradition at the PHSA for lodging visitors in which they have to make an offering to Maria Makiling, the guardian deity of the ancient Tagalog, and ask for her guidance during their stay at the mystical mountain.

The next three days were filled with various forums and breakout sessions on heritage contexts, integrative youth initiatives, sustainable development, research and documentation of Philippine heritage, among others.

Through the forum, youth advocates and scholars agreed that heritage pertains to one’s broad patrimony and inheritance from the past. Unfortunately, there are some people who have a narrow understanding about it, hence, through the forum, the delegates were able to widen the range of discussions. There were sessions that explored different solutions, including funding opportunities and financial strategies, to current challenges of Philippine heritage such as protection of local heritage.

The delegates also discussed undertaking comprehensive survey and mapping of heritage resources and about how cultural sensitivity can be integrated into tourism, as well as the intellectual property rights for native designs and arts and crafts.

On the last day, the delegates had the chance to visit the Museo ni Apolinario Mabini in Tanauan, Batangas. The highlight of the tour was the premiere screening of NHCP’s new documentary on Apolinario Mabini, Apolinario Mabini: Talino at Paninindigan. The documentary was one of the projects for Mabini’s 150th birth anniversary in 2013.

They proceeded to the Museum of the Filipino People and the National Art Gallery of the National Museum of the Philippines. The home of the Filipino soul and identity, the National Museum is a repository of natural and cultural heritage of the country. The NYFH ended with Rizal, as it was started, with the delegates visiting the Rizal Monument at the Rizal Park in Manila.

Visayas delegates

DepEd teachers, SUC faculty and LGU representatives with Prof. Frank Englis, multi-awarded conductor and musician, and Joel Emma, a traditional Higaonon musician, during the First Samar Bamboo and Gong Training Workshop at Northwest Samar State University.

The First Samar Bamboo and Gong Training Workshop was conducted from December 6 to 8, 2015, at the Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU) in Calbayog City, Samar, with two veteran and multi-awarded musicians, Prof. Francisco “Frank” Englis of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) and Dr. Christine Muyco of University of the Philippines (UP) College of Music serving as main resource persons.

Additionally, two local musicians, Alexander Lestojas of Sinidman, Calbayog City, and Joel Emma, a Higaonon musician from Iligan City, conducted demos on how to play Higaonon bamboo instruments and bamboo xylophone, respectively. The training-workshop was meant to enhance the awareness of students and music teachers in Samar on as well as engender appreciation for traditional music, especially, using bamboo and gong as musical instruments.

Spearheaded by the Office of the Arts, Social and Cultural Affairs of NwSSU, the training-workshop aimed to advance creativity and diversity of artistic expression; promote a strong sense of nationhood and pride in being Filipino through culture and arts; and rediscover our identity as Asians through ethnic musics.

Teachers and students from DepEd Calbayog City Division, Samar State University (SSU), Christ the King College (CKC) and NwSSU, as well as members of the local government of Capul and the City Arts and Culture Office of Calbayog participated in the event.

Samar, being the third largest island in the Philippines, is home to about one million Samarnons, who have a history of musical tradition and talent. This rich cultural tradition in music is manifested through folk songs, local compositions in Waray, and the presence of groups of musicians across the island. Fr. Francisco Alzina, a Jesuit friar, had documented a significant aspect of the musical tradition in this part of the Visayas in 1668, highlighting the use of bamboo and gong instruments.

“The History of Ethnomusicology in the Philippines” by Dr. Muyco was the opening lecture, followed by a lecture-demo on Kalinga musical instruments and western Visayan music and dance such as the binanog of the Panay Bukidnon. On the other hand, Englis conducted a lecture-demo on contemporary “soundscapes” of Indonesian, Malay and Thai music and the fusion of local and western instruments, underscoring the importance of agung and kulintang in Philippine music.

A recital highlighted the culmination of the two-day trainingworkshop at the Socio-Cultural Center, consisting of outputs of five groups of participants, presented to NwSSU physical education students. This activity was jointly sponsored by the NCCA, NwSSU and congressman Mel Senen Sarmiento, now Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary.

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Connecting Cultures through an Indigenous Youth Exchange Program

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n celebration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples and the International Youth Day, the Katutubo Exchange Philippines, led by its founder and president Dr. Edwin Antonio, organized and conducted the third Katutubo Exchange, which happened from August 6 to 13, 2015, around Metro Manila.

It carried the theme “Katutubong kabataan para sa kalinangan at kalikasan.” (Indigenous youth for heritage and the environment) The Katutubo Exchange program promotes traditional arts and the indigenous cultures of the country by inviting indigenous peoples groups to hold performance tours and lectures and at the same time providing the participants learning opportunities with art workshops, museum tours, a home-stay program, institutional visits and courtesy calls to heads of government agencies.

Antonio shared that “I consider this seven-day program a powerful tool in harnessing the potentials of the indigenous children and youth by giving them opportunities and exposures. It is also a way for them to learn and appreciate each other’s differences in culture, eventually fostering respect and mutual understanding.”

This year, thirty indigenous youths, with their respective adult leaders, from different ethnic groups of the Philippines were chosen to participate in this year’s exchange program. The participants were

Arlee JillesTiboldec, Ariel Ricardo, Leanne Hailey Aquiapao, Shania Mae Ventura, Paulo Busoy, Oscar Pil-es and Muller Bato, who are Ibaloy from Benguet; Bryan Sannadan, Joy Marie Purugganan and Erosbon Layugan-Sabedo, who are Tingguian from Abra; George David, Bernido Baclay, Joy Flores, Monica Vigilia and Sammy Paanan, who are Ayta of Zambales; Reychel Mae Lastrella, Denver Jhon Ontoy and Wılson Lastrılla, who are Panay Bukidnon from Iloilo; Kenneth Rudolf Onlos, Ralph Justine Castillon, Jessel Kıtt Dansıgan and Shiela Mae Castillon, who are Mansaka from Davao Del Norte; and Casper Lumbos, Alexander Tim, Aizel Praise Lacna, Renna Grace Ayao and Helen Lumbos, who are B’laan from Sarangani.

The participants had a briefing and a lecture about foreign service at the Department of Foreign Affairs and climate change at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and they showcased their traditional dances, songs and chants through the performance tours held at the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) Museum in Pasay City, National Commission for Culture and the Arts in Manila, Claret School in Quezon City and Saint Mary’s Academy in Pasay.

To better understand the city life and to share their cultures Katutubo Exchange participants and host families visit the National Museum of the Philippines

2015 • Number 6 • Agung 11

Katutubo Exchange participants have fun with an ice cream rolling stall at the Quezon City Circle (above). Panay Bukidnon children Denver and Reychel perform chants (right)

with their partner participants and foster families, they were hosted by Maria Victoria Langit, Florinda Vaflor, Conchita Santos, Ivy Theresa Sanchez, Joydespe Cullano and Shiera Rivera for a two-day home stay.

Furthermore, the katutubo participants underwent workshops in baybayin writing at the Museum of the Filipino People, ballet at the Ballet Manila, deaf sign language and drawing at the Tehno Arts Camp, yukata wearing at the Japanese embassy, and culinary and hotel management at Saint Peter Velle Technical Training Center while they visited National Museum, Malacañan Museum and the GSIS Museum.

A lecture on indigenous cultures, titled “Idadakay,” was held at the GSIS Museum, featuring ethnic groups Ivatan, Subanen and Tiboli with vice mayor Anastacia Viola from Batanes, Gauden Sireg from Zamboanga del Sur and Reden Ulo from South Cotabato as resource persons respectively.

The Third Katutubo Exchange was made possible through the support of Cebu Pacific Air, which flew in the participants to Metro Manila, the NCCA and GSIS with the active involvement of Rosinni Conwi, Orlando Abon, Dr. Isaias Alipio Jr, Josefina Alfonso, EJ Jacinto, Joan May Purugganan, Reisa Maas and Hail Adly Bin Haji Matali of Brunei Darussalam.

Sentro Rizal Phnom Penh Recognizes Pilot Filipino Language Program Graduates

Students of the Filipino language class in Sentro Rizal Phnom Penh, Cambodia, with dean Rosario Alonzo, project director of the Filipino language module; ambassador Christopher Montero; teacher Ruth Penano; consul Myca Fischer; and teacher Hershey Buencosejo.

T

wenty-four children, aged five to twelve, completed the “Masayang Matuto ng Wikang Filipino” module of the language program spearheaded by the NCCA through its Sentro Rizal in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The Moving Up Ceremony, which served as the class graduation, was held last December 5, 2015 at the Sentro Rizal Phnom Penh to celebrate the completion of the first module of the fourmonth long language program.

The Filipino children who completed the class showcased their proficiency in the language through literary, musical and dramatic performances and popular Filipino games such as Pinoy Henyo and Pera o Bayong. Jodie Davidson delivered a message in behalf of the class.

The commencement program was attended by Philippine ambassador to Cambodia Christopher Montero and dean Rosario Alonzo of the University of the Philippines, who drafted the module for the language program.

“Maganda ang naging pagtanggap ng mga kabataang kalahok at magulang sa programa sa wika ng NCCA. Sa katunayan, tinanong na ng mga magulang kung kailan sisimulan ang ikalawang modyul,” said Alonzo, who is currently working on the succeeding modules for the Sentro Rizal language program.

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CCA chairman Felipe M. de Leon, Jr. and Philippines’ ambassador to Indonesia Maria Lumen Isleta led the inauguration of the Sentro Rizal (SR) in Jakarta, Indonesia on November 22, 2015.

SR Jakarta is the second to be inaugurated this year following the launch of SR Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in June.

“Sentro Rizal normally is a library. In my mind, we should not confine it to that.

Sentro Rizal is anywhere and everywhere we make an effort to promote Philippine culture, arts and language,” Isleta said during the inauguration.

Isleta also encouraged the participation of the Filipino community in Jakarta in SRinitiated cultural activities such as lecture series, workshops on Philippine cuisines, language classes and storytelling sessions.

Sentro Rizal is an effort of NCCA to reach out to migrant Filipinos who wish to

NCCA chairman Felipe M. De Leon, Jr., and Philippine ambassador to Indonesia Maria Lumen Isleta unveil the bust of Dr. Jose Rizal during the inauguration of the Sentro Rizal in Jakarta.

NCCA Inaugurates Sentro Rizal in Jakarta, Indonesia learn and retrace their Filipino roots. Tracing its mandate from Repubic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 1999, SR serves as a repository of materials on Philippine arts, culture and language with resources ranging from publications, digital materials, films, magazines and the like.

There are currently 16 Sentro Rizals spread throughout the world, in countries and territories such as Hong Kong where there is a large number of Filipino overseas workers and migrant communities.

After the unveiling of the bust of hero

Jose Rizal, a wreath-laying ceremony was facilitated by young Filipinos Vernon Alexander Aquino and Denzel Magpile. De Leon conducted an inaugural lecture titled “What Makes Filipinos Filipino?” which noted and explained distinct Filipino identity and cultural values.

De Leon’s “Nusantara (Archipelago): The Shared Heritage of Archipelagic Southeast Asia” lecture was held at the University of Indonesia (UI) as part of the visit and SR inauguration. He noted the similarities among the cultures of Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam

and the Philippines, tracing these to the shared heritage of the insular region of the historic Javanese empire Majapahit of the thirteenth to fifteenth century. Attending the lecture were UI dean of Humanities Adrianus L.G. Waworuntu and professor Melda Ariadno Kamil, head of the International Affairs Office of UI. For more details on the services and projects of the Sentro Rizal, contact Maria Shaina Santiago of the Sentro Rizal main office through numbers (+63 2) 527-2192 local 605 or email sentrorizal@gmail.com.

UI dean of Humanities Adrianus L.G. Waworuntu, ambassador Maria Lumen Isleta, NCCA chairman Felipe M. De Leon and professor Melda Ariadno Kamil, head of the International Affairs Office of UI

2015 • Number 6 • Agung 13

Philippine Representative to First Participation at the Venice Architecture Biennale Revealed

The jurors who reviewed thirteen curatorial proposals and selected “Muhon: Place Markers in the Search for Emerging Identity” by architect Edgardo Ledesma, Jr. of the Leandro V. Locsin Partners firm as the official Philippine participation at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia: (from left) Jang Un Kim, a senior curator at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in South Korea; architect Dominic Galicia, president of the International Council on Monuments and Sites Philippines; Senator Loren Legarda, principal advocate of the project and visionary behind the Philippines’ return and yearly participation in the Venice Biennale; Prof. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr., chairman of the NCCA and the Philippine Pavilion commissioner; architect Minsuk Cho, commissioner and curator of the Korean Pavilion “Crow’s Eye View,” which won the Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion at the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale; and Shabbir Hussain Mustafa, senior curator at the National Gallery Singapore and curator of the Singapore Pavilion at the 56th Venice Art Biennale. The selection process was held on November 28, 2015, at the Senate of the Philippines.

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he NCCA and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), in partnership with the Office of Senator Loren Legarda, recently announced the selection of the curatorial proposal titled “Muhon: Place Markers in the Search for Emerging Identity” by architect Edgardo Ledesma, Jr. of the Leandro V. Locsin Partners firm as the country’s representative to the prestigious 15th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia.

“Muhon: Place Markers in the Search for Emerging Identity” was chosen by the panel from among thirteen submissions and the selection process was held on November 28, 2015, at the Senate of the Philippines.

The curatorial proposal was submitted by Ledesma, together with partners, architects Leandro Locsin, Jr. and Raul Locsin.

The selected proposal seeks to start a discussion on built environment and its relation to cultural identity, using the dense capital Metro Manila as its subject. It aims to explore the architect’s role in building or demolishing built heritage and its implications to “an adolescent city in flux.”

In the process of research and documentation of the city’s epochal structures, the exhibit will trace iconic buildings, uncovering their history and relevance or irrelevance in the formation of the nation’s collective identity, resulting in a proposition for their preservation, conservation or adaptive reuse.

The Curatorial Proposal Muhon is a Tagalog term for boundary stone or landmark. In the submitted curato-

rial concept, Ledesma envisioned the exhibit to “grapple with the meta-modern search for identity through built heritage within the context of an aggressively emerging mega city.

Using Metro Manila as a test case, it will explore the hypothesis that the rapid creation and destruction of a city’s built heritage precludes the formation of cultural identity.”

“The goal of the exhibition is to incite the discourse about the emergence and formation of a city’s pubescent identity more than to prescribe a fixed way of thinking about it,” the proposal says. The exhibit aims to “extract conjectures that reconcile the diametrically opposed vectors of progress and of permanence while confronting the dearth of signifiers for built heritage and the lack of social consciousness about this issue.”

14 Agung • Number 6 • 2015 In the proposal, Ledesma and his team will survey forty- to fifty-year-old buildings in Metro Manila to form a shortlist of buildings, which have architectural and cultural merit.

From this shortlist, nine buildings will be selected as case studies to further discern their potential as architectural heritage.

Artists and architects will be asked to collaborate with Ledesma’s team in analyzing the shortlist. There will be three sets of abstracted models built for each of the buildings corresponding to their original state, their current condition, and their projected future.

“The intent will be to abstract and distil the essence of these buildings in order to discover their value or lack thereof,” states the concept proposal.

The selected proposal will be mounted at the Palazzo Mora in Venice, Italy, which is the same venue as the recently concluded Philippine Pavilion at the 56th Venice Art Biennale.

For Ledesma’s “Muhon,” the three rooms of the pavilion will be categorized as “History,” “Modernity” and “Conjecture,” and the three abstractions of each building will be distributed as such. The artists and architects collaborating with Ledesma will be responsible for creating each building, and they will be free to interpret and model each building as they see fit.

“What is important is the critique that it generates about the significance of the building,” Ledesma wrote.

All the models will be organized on a three-by-three grid corresponding to their relative locations in the city. In order to contextualize all three aspects of the entire exhibit, a video projection screen in each room will be provided. There will be a documentary about the process and rationale of creating each model and supporting information about the building’s history, which will be shown using an application to be run on a tablet or projected interactively on screen.

Deliberation of Jurors The jurors who deliberated on the submitted proposals are renowned in their field and were chosen for their insight, knowledge and experience. The jury is composed of architect Dominic Galicia (Philippines), architect Minsuk Cho (South Korea), curator Shabbir Hussain Mustafa (Singapore), Jang Un Kim (South Korea), NCCA chairman and Philippine Pavilion commissioner Felipe M. de Leon, Jr., and Senator Loren Legarda, principal advocate of the project.

Galicia is the current president of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Philippines. Cho was the commissioner and curator of the Korean

Pavilion “Crow’s Eye View,” which won the Golden Lion for Best National Pavilion at the 14th Venice Biennale International Architecture Exhibition. Mustafa is senior curator at the National Gallery Singapore, where he researches on art from Singapore and Southeast Asia. Jang Un Kim is a senior curator at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in South Korea.

Each of the jurors was given copies of the thirteen proposals for review. The Coordinating Committee made sure that the documents did not reveal the name of the proponents to ensure neutrality and that the strength of the concept is the highlight of the deliberations.

By the afternoon of November 28, the six jurors revealed their top two proposals. Ledesma’s “Muhon: Place Markers in the Search for Emerging Identity” emerged as the selected exhibit for its contemporary approach.

“The idea of three rooms that are appropriated in the same way three by three grids, I found it very poetic,” stated Galicia.

Galicia also stated that the concept uses the Venice Biennale as a venue to propose solutions of reuse and adaptive reuse of Metro Manila’s old buildings.

Shabbir, curator of the Singapore Pavilion at the 56th Venice Biennale, said, “It gets interesting where the section of the intervention, it talks about architects complicit in the destruction as well. Someone has to build new buildings, another architect. It’s not just about preserving the old but it’s also about the sense of complicity.”

He stated, “I like that, there’s no good guy, there’s no bad guy. It’s just the way things are and we need to find solutions for it.”

“The proposal is enigmatic. It is thought-provoking. It is a strong concept, a proposal that is contemporary,” Legarda, the visionary of the project, stated.

Cho said that, as an architect, it would be an insightful discovery for people who have no background about the modern heritage of the Philippines. “The selection will draw interest and dialogue,” added Cho. “I congratulate the proponents who have submitted their proposals. There were several proposals here that are strong and have ensued an interesting debate among the panel.

In the end, everyone is satisfied because it went through a democratic process. We are ready for our historic first participation at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition in Venice,” said NCCA chairman De Leon.

The 15th Venice Architecture Biennale will run from May 28 to November 27, 2016.

Imagi

Philippine Visual Arts

Text and photos by Roezielle Joy Iglesia

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he Philippine Visual Arts Festival (PVAF) was held at the University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman, Quezon City, from December 12 to 14, 2015, with the theme “Sining Biswal at Pambansang Pagunlad” (Visual arts and national development), aimed at heightening awareness among artists themselves on the role of visual arts in raising the consciousness of Filipinos.

The opening ceremony was held at the Palma Hall lobby of the College of Social Science and Philosophy, fittingly with the backdrop of National Artist Vicente Manansala’s mural The Arts and Sciences. UP College of Fine Arts dean Leonardo Rosete and NCCA’s National Committee on Visual Arts head Jose Alberto Tañedo welcomed more than thirty participants, composed of visual artists from different regions and practicing different disciplines such as painting, sculpture, graphic design, and photography. Aside from gathering visual artists to share ideas on art, PVAF also facilitated the building of connections and networks among them. Participants jammed to the beats of the cajon, guitars and traditional instruments until the opening program and the launch of the exhibit featuring works of the regional participants. Nicolas Aca of Cagayan de Oro mounted a piece of performance art at the Palma Hall entrance.

One of the main components of PVAF was the lecture series in the different practices of visual arts. Tañedo spearheaded the series with a lecture on photography as a mainstream visual art and documenter of culture and history, held on December 12 at the ASEAN Hall of the GT Toyota Asian Center. At the adjacent Japan Hall, a photo exhibit was opened and it featured the winning

2015 • Number 6 • Agung 15

gining the Nation

l Arts Festival Held at the University of the Philippines Diliman

Fallen 44 (acrylic on canvas, 16 by 16 inches, 2015) by Alex J. Amores (left); Overtime (acrylic, textile paint and clock on canvas; 15 by 15 inches, 2015) by Wyndelle C. Remonde (below); and performance art

by Nicolas Aca at the Palma Hall during th PVAF opening (bottom)

works of the three-tier national photo competition under the NCVA banner—Rio de Quingua for Luzon, Simbahan sa Sugbo for Visayas and the Mindanao National Photography contest.

PVAF’s second day was dedicated to lectures and workshops. Rosa Mirasol Melencio facilitated the workshop and lecture on pottery. The printmaking workshop was facilitated by architect-turned-visual artist Maria Victoria “Ambie” Abaño, who showcased her mastery of rubber-cut printing. Another group focused on the art of casting in the waste mold system, facilitated by Manolo Sicat. The final lecture, on December 14, was on mathematics of art and design by Institute of Mathematics professor Marian Roque.

Aside from the main activities, regional visual artists traveled to Angono, Rizal, touted as “the Art Capital of the Philippines,” for studio and gallery visits. The house of National Artist for visual arts Carlos “Botong” Francisco and the Nemiranda Art Gallery and Café were opened for the participants. They also had the chance to witness the Lantern Parade of UP. Called Dingas 2015, the Oblation was adorned with the works of Toym Imao, son of the late National Artist Abdulmari Asia Imao. The Kapulungan ng mga Manggagawa sa Sining Biswal was launched during the closing ceremony.

For several years, PVAF has been part of the Philippine Arts Festival, the NCCA’s flagship event for the National Arts Month.

16 Agung • Number 6 • 2015

Bringing Back the Glory

By Maria Glaiza Lee Photos by Alinor Maqueda

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uring its heyday, the Metropolitan Theater of Manila exuded with grandeur, an imposing figure at the Mehan Garden at the corner of Padre Burgos Avenue and Arroceros Street in Manila, earning the moniker, the Grand Dame of Philippine Theater.

People were drawn to her, admiring the stunning architecture and design. Gathering everyone into her Art Deco bosom, she was a gracious hostess, entertaining guests with drama productions, films, operas and zarzuelas. She welcomed international artists such as Ted Shawn, Jascha Heifetz, Amelita GalliCurci and Fritz Kreisler. She gave home to local shows such as Smiles of 1936, Querer

Ranchero, Luisa Fernando, and Vilma Variety Show, among others.

The Met, as she is fondly called, was designed by architect Juan M. Arellano. When the idea of constructing a theater in Manila was brought up during the American period, Arellano started working on the design and was even sent to the United States to learn more about theater design with Thomas W. Lamb of Shreve and Lamb.

When it was inaugurated on December 10, 1931, she was such an architectural masterpiece.

Excelsior magazine published an article about the project in 1930: “The Philippines needed a modern cultural center for operas,

concerts and plays. He planned to achieve a monumental one through dimensions, elevation and splendid decorations, and through its harmonious lines it would symbolize an organ or a cathedral.”

Its exterior “… crowned by a wall gently curved at the top, against which rose a series of pinnacles (interpreted as Muslim minarets by others). The entrance resembled a proscenium. On the lower half were doors with iron grills depicting stylized birds of paradise, and on the upper half was a large window of colored glass.” (CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, Volume 3) The façade included a stained glass window with the name Metropolitan. Colorful

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Student volunteers at work

NCCA OIC-executive director Adelina M. Suemith and NCCA SCH head Fr. Harold Rentoria, OSA, with German Moreno and John Nite with mainstays of their show Walang Tulugan

batik motifs and tiles decorated the façade.

Several sculptures by artist Francesco Riccardo Monti also adorned the exteriors, including the statues of women that stand guard at the side entrance.

Monti also created an Adam and Eve sculpture at the central lobby that welcomed guests. At the ends of the balcony, there were murals by National Artist for visual arts Fernando Amorsolo, The Dance and The History of Music.

Crystal lamps in the shape of bamboo stalks with nodes shined the way to the auditorium, which has a seating capacity of 1,670.

Inside the theater were lowered arches on the ceiling crafted using Philippine wood, bearing panels in brilliant tones. Looking up, one could see clusters of mangoes and bananas, craved in wood. They were designed by Juan M. Arellano’s brother, Arcadio.

But as time passed by, she was left to rot, the arched ceiling collapsing, the floors covered with dust, windows falling apart, the façade vandalized. It is now vacant, seemed to be eroding right before the very eyes. Despite these, its grand beauty has not faded.

During the Japanese occupation, the theater was still operational, even showing support to the guerilla underground movement. Once, there was a Manila Symphony Orchestra concert but it was cancelled because the performing musicians were so scared of the Japanese that they ran away.

After the World War II has ended, sacrilegious acts were done on her. She had been misused as a boxing arena, a low-quality motel, a gay bar, a basketball court and home for informal settlers. It wasn’t until the 1970s

when the restoration of the theater was initiated by then First Lady Imelda Marcos. The restoration was headed by Otilio, the nephew of Arellano.

After its restoration, the first show staged after a long time was Isang Munting Alamat, a presentation by Kabataang Barangay that traced the Filipino roots through poetry, song and dance.

That first show was followed by a series of events in the 1990s, including the musicals Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, both with music composed by Ryan Cayabyab and libretto by National Artist for literature Bienvenido Lumbera, among others.

But the Met fell again into despair and closed her doors in 1996 because of a conflict in her ownership between the city government of Manila and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS).

In 2010, former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo teamed up with former Manila mayor Alfredo Lim to revive the theater.

A year later, the theater has again opened its doors for the Wolfgang concert. But her stint, however, was short-lived.

“Today, the Metropolitan Theater continues to struggle for existence, a victim of scant public appreciation of our talented architects’ outstanding works and the lack of historical consciousness and aesthetics sense of some,” wrote Lourdes R. Montinola in the book Art Deco in the Philippines.

With the NCCA acquiring the Met from the GSIS for P270 million, hope shone anew for the Grand Dame. The cultural agency expects an additional budget of P270 million for the restoration.

Architect Gerard Lico, who will head the restoration team, said that it would take at least two years to fully restore the Met to its former glory. Right now, his team is assessing the damages, as well as what are needed to be done such as fixing the leaks and retrofitting the building, among others.

Although there have been several attempts to restore and rehabilitate the Grand Dame, they all seemed to fall short. NCCA OIC-executive director Adelina Suemith shared that there have been several instances when the cultural agency contributed to previous efforts to rehabilitate the Met. The NCCA has given funds to repair the roofing, which had been damaged during the war.

Two years after that, the agency donated a sound system but only to find out that the theater has no power supply.

“We have already addressed the water supply connection inside the theater. Our next project is to get the electricity back,” shared Suemith.

The restoration of the historical theater building kicked off with a clean-up drive on December 12, 2015. Called “METamorphosis,” the clean-up drive was one of the first steps the cultural agency will undertake to restore the Met. In the next two months, the NCCA will hold a clean-up drive every weekend with the help of the student volunteers. The call hopes for people to give back to the community by helping in the rehabilitation of the historical landmark. Every week, the NCCA hopes to get a group of 50 students to scrub and wash the theater’s facade.

Turn to page 34

18 Agung • Number 6 • 2015

Dedicated to Dance

Sayaw Pinoy Conference and Competition Held in Angeles City

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iscussions, workshops and competitions on dance were held for three days in the capital of Pampanga, Angeles City. From December 4 to 6, 2015, the NCCA’s National Committee on Dance (NCD) mounted Sayaw Pinoy 2015: National Dance Conference and Competition.

The Sayaw Pinoy opening ceremony at the Holy Angel University was graced

by Edgardo Pamintuan, mayor of Angeles City, who welcomed organizers and about one-hundred-sixty participants.

Josefina Guillen, head of NCCA National Committee on Dance (NCD), gave the opening remarks, while Marichu G. Tellano, chief of the Plan/ Policy Formulation and Programming Division (PPFPD) of the NCCA Secretariat delivered the keynote address. Peter Miguel and Shirley Halili-Cruz were given Plaques of Commendation.

The panel discussion that followed featured Marivic C. Tolitol, who talked on “Dance in the K-12 Curriculum;”

Tellano and Ronnie B. Mirabuena on “Dance in the Special Program in the Arts;” Dr. Larry A. Gabao on “Dance in the Higher Education;” Basilio Esteban S. Villaruz on “Scholarships in Dance;” Peter B. Miguel, Dr. Richard Daenos and Shirley Halili-Cruz on “Culture and Tourism;” Patricio Primor on “Artistic Value and Production;” and Victor Lim Hao Cuenco on “Movements and Choreography.”

Workshops in different dances were also conducted with almost 500 participants them. These were led by Franco Velas on Christian folk dance, Reden Ulo on ethnic dance, Victor Lim Hao Cuenco on ballroom dance, Anna Halili-Cruz Bueno on ballet, Peter Alcedo, Jr. on contemporary dance and Mary Cris Villoso on hip-hop dance.

After the conference, the dance competitions were held at the university and at a local mall. The first competition, the Folk Dance category, was held at the Plaza San Jose of the Holy Angel

University, where twenty-nine groups, representing different regions in the Philippines, competed. The category’s judges—Guillen, Cora Agustin, Manrique Cabaya, Rodel Fronda and Dr. Gabao—selected BulSU (Bulacan State University) Lahing Kayumanggi as the first place winner. They were followed

by Sanglahi Dance Troupe (second place), Ligliwa Dance Troupe (third), Kulturang Kayumanggi (fourth), and University of Santo Tomas Salinggawi Dance Troupe (fifth).

The following competitions were in the Contemporary Dance and Hip-Hop Dance categories, held at the MarQuee Mall. Twenty-four groups competed in Contemporary Dance, judged by Halili-Cruz, Robert Hayden, Jr., Mr. Steve Villaruz and Peter Alcedo Jr., while thirty-four groups competed in the elimination round, of which twenty groups went on to the finals. Lim Hao Cuenco, Odysso Oyales, Rebecca Nulud, Patricio Primor

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Yoga practioner Riza Lim, who owns the Om Suala Yoga in Angeles City, conducts a yoga session

Competiting groups in the Contemporary Dance and Hip-Hop Dance categories /Photos by Marvin Alcaraz

and Mary Cris Villoso served as judges for the Hip-Hop. The UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe topped the Contemporary Dance competition, trailed by Teatro Baile de Cavite (second place), Hiyas ng Pilipinas Dance Troupe (third), Tanghalang Bagong Sibol (fourth) and Chameleon Dance Theatre (fifth).

On the other hand, the Nocturnal Dance Company bagged the first place in the Hip-Hop category. Completing the roster of winners were A Nova Difino (second), FOS 417 (third), Next to Innocence (fourth) and Ground Zero (fifth).

Held since 2009, the Sayaw Pinoy is an effort to promote dance in its various forms and to promote artistic excellence in the spirit of friendly competition.

This is beside from the Sayaw Pinoy touring dance concert, which brought dance to different part of the Philippines for several years as part of the Philippine Arts Festival.

20 Agung • Number 6 • 2015

Three Generations in Music

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he Felipe Padilla de Leon Foundation, Inc. and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) celebrated the music of three generations of Felipes in the De Leon family through a first and onenight only concert called “Tatlong Ipe: Isang Konsiyerto” (Three Felipes: One Concert) on December 4, 2015, from 6:30 to 8:30 in the evening at the CCP’s Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino.

The concert featured the creations of National Artist for music Felipe Padilla de Leon, NCCA chair and Humanities professor Felipe Mendoza de Leon, and multiawarded composer and arranger Diwa Felipe de Leon.

The three Felipes have given musical expressions to Filipino ideals, aesthetic values, intellectual life, and cultural history for three generations now. The changes in musical style and ideas from the father to son to grandson reflect the changes in taste and sensibility from the post-war era to the second half of the twentieth century to the contemporary period.

The music of National Artist De Leon represents a period of intense nationalism, when the identity of the Filipino had to be defined and his dignity asserted. Felipe Sr. gave musical forms inherited from Europe such as art songs, habaneras, Christmas carols a Filipino content. He established a classical tradition based on folk musical forms

such as the kundiman.

In the music of Felipe Jr. this strain of nationalism continues. But having witnessed the political repression and abuses that characterized the period before and during martial law, he became active in the movement particularly through his music. His long career as a humanities professor also developed in him a more cosmopolitan perspective.

Diwa Felipe III grew up in a period when composers already had access to the inexhaustible wealth of indigenous musical concepts and forms that our diverse ethnicities offered. He utilized the instrumental and musical resources of the T’boli and integrated them with the current youth’s fascination with Afro-American rhythms and world music ideas.

“Tatlong Ipe: Isang Konsiyerto” showcased the National Artist’s “Kay Selya” (lyrics by Francisco Balagtas); “Sapagkat Mahal Kita” (lyrics by Eduardo P. de Leon); “Harana for Violin and Piano;” “Kundiman;” “Kapritso;” “Pasko na Naman;” (lyrics by Levi Celerio); “Noche Buena” (lyrics by Levi Celerio); and “Payapang Daigdig” (lyrics

by Brigido C. Batungbakal and Eduardo P. de Leon). Performed also were the NCCA chairman’s “Praise be this Morning of Love” (lyrics by Bayani Mendoza de Leon); “Noseflute” (lyrics by Eric Torres); “Prelude to a Rainbow” (lyrics by Eric Torres); “Lumuha Ka Aking Bayan” (lyrics by Amado V. Her-

nandez); “Ayon kay Darwin” (lyrics by Amado V. Hernandez); “Diwang Filipino;” “Angking Talino Ialay sa Bayan;” “Kay Tamis ng Buhay” (lyrics by Jose Rizal); and “Sidhaya.”

Diwa’s “Improvisations;” “Makiling #1;” “Daluyan;” “Panorama;” and “Balse T’boli” were presented.

Featured performers included CCP president and pianist Dr. Raul Sunico, tenor Ronan Ferrer, Musikeros of the University of Santo Tomas, soprano Nenen Espina, pianist Jed Balsamo, soprano Stefanie Quintin, flutist Ray Sison, guitarist Adrian Aaron Vocalan, soprano Rica Nepomuceno, violinist Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata, percussionist JP Hernandez, soprano Becky Demetillo, guitarist Lester Demetillo, Novo Concertante Manila with conductor Arwin Tan, Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir with conductor Maria Theresa Vizconde Roldan, flutist Jojo del Rosario, cellist Beatriz Ricana, violinist Regina Borja, violinist Annela Salva, pianist Jeremiah Valenzuela and Makiling, with assisting pianist Agot Espino. Diwa played the guitar and the hegalong.

Presenting the music of three generations of Felipe can encourage other families to look at their artistic lineage and make this known to the nation as an inspiration to the next generation, a way of fostering artistic creativity and affirming Filipino musical heritage.

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Performers in the concert included CCP president and pianist Dr. Raul Sunico, tenor Ronan Ferrer, Musikeros of the University of Santo Tomas, soprano Nenen Espina, pianist Jed Balsamo, soprano Stefanie Quintin, flutist Ray Sison, guitarist Adrian Aaron Vocalan, soprano Rica Nepomuceno, violinist Alfonso “Coke” Bolipata, percussionist JP Hernandez, soprano Becky Demetillo, guitarist Lester Demetillo, Novo Concertante Manila with conductor Arwin Tan, Hail Mary the Queen Children’s Choir with conductor Maria Theresa Vizconde Roldan, flutist Jojo del Rosario, cellist Beatriz Ricana, violinist Regina Borja, violinist Annela Salva, pianist Jeremiah Valenzuela and Makiling, with assisting pianist Agot Espino. /Photos by Marvin Alcaraz

22 Agung • Number 6 • 2015

Dreaming the Writing in Eastern Visayas 12th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop Held in Baybay City, Leyte

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he 12th Lamiraw Creative Writing Workshop was held from December 2 to 4, 2015, at the research and resort university of the Visayas State University (VSU) in Baybay City, Leyte. It was spearheaded by Katig Writers Network Inc. and jointly sponsored by the NCCA and VSU. Dr. Edgardo E. Tulin, the newly appointed university president, was the guest of honor during the opening ceremonies. Lamiraw, a Waray term which means “waking dream,” is a workshop on literary writing in Eastern Visayas, which started way back in 2004 at the Northwest Samar State University (NwSSU) in Calbayog City, Samar.

Twelve fellows from Samar and Leyte and guest fellows from other parts of the country were selected to participate in the workshop.

For the Cebuano category, the fellows were Lota Lleve, a student of VSU, taking up AB Communication Arts; Salvador Catre, a faculty member of the Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences at VSU, who hails from Macrohon, Southern Leyte; Josua Eras, a graduate of Marine Engineering (2015) at the University of Cebu Maritime Education and Training Center; Jessrel Gilbuena, who finished his AB English-Language Program from Cebu Normal University (2012) from Santa Fe, Cebu; and Manuel Avenido, Jr. a graduate of AB Mass Communication from the University of San Jose Recoletos (2009), who is presently finishing his Doctor of Arts in Literature and Communication at the Cebu Normal University.

For the Inabaknon category, the fellow was Dr. Rogelio Banagbanag, who finished

The panelists and fellows during the 12th Lamiraw Workshop at Visayas State University, Baybay City, Leyte

his AB Communication Arts at the Ateneo de Davao and presently teaching at the University of Eastern Philippines (UEP).

For the English category, the fellows were Lloyd Cabasag, a student of the University of the Philippines (UP), Diliman; and Ela Mae Salazar, a student from Leyte Normal University (LNU) taking up AB Communication, who hails from Basey, Samar.

For the Filipino category, the fellow was John Leihmar C. Toledo, a graduated of Bachelor of Arts in English Studies: Anglo-American Literature (2013) from UP Diliman; and for the Waray category, the fellows were Arjay Babon, a BSED student majoring in Social Science from LNU; Precious Elaine Tubigan, a student of VSU taking up Secondary Education, majoring in English; and Byron Mahilum, a students of NwSSU taking up Secondary Education, majoring in English.

VSU had been selected as the host in 2015 because it has state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, and it offers a charming ambiance

Fellows, auditors and panelists enjoy the picturesque coastal campus of VSU in Baybay City, Leyte

with the beautiful Mount Pangasugan providing backdrop in the east and the stunning view of Camotes Sea in the west. Writers were enthralled by the lush vegetation of the campus and the well-planned school infrastructure development. VSU was indeed a conducive haven for writers, stimulating their creativity in writing poetry, fiction, play and non-fiction.

The workshop was graced by seasoned panelists, namely, Merlie Alunan, multi-awarded poet, fictionist and essayist; Jose Victor Peñaranda, UMPIL awardee; Jerry Gracio, SEAWrite awardee; Antonino S. De Veyra, literary critic who teaches at UP Davao; Januar Yap, a multi-awarded writer who teaches at UP Cebu; Michael Villas, editor and literary critic who teaches at VSU; and Phil Harold L. Mercurio, Waray poet and cultural worker.

Lamiraw has been a spawning ground for young writers of Samar and Leyte for over a decade now advocating for the revival of the literatures in Waray, Cebuano and Inabaknon.

It affirms the centrality of writings coming from the regions as the building-blocks in the formation of the “national literature” of the Philippines.

The workshop’s success was attributed to the unwavering support of the NCCA, VSU, Katig Writers Network Inc., CALAO Writers Inc. and ALAG Writers Inc. Eugenio “Boy” Abunda, congressman now DILG Secretary Mel Sarmiento, congressman Neil Benedict Montejo of An Waray Partylist, and congressman Martin Romualdez of the first district of Leyte had also extended financial assistance to the workshop.

The workshop was run by Mercurio, project director; Dr. Jesusito Lim, project coordinator; Anecita Marzol, ALAG adviser; Dr. Anie Gravoso, secretariat/chair, Department of Liberal Arts and Behavioral Sciences of VSU; Jett Quebec; Rhodora Bande and Jetrho Monares of VSU-DLABS; John Mercader of NwSSU; and Dr. Rey Garrido of Naval State University, documentation team.

Maytinis

AN Ever Renewing Tradition and Spectacle in Kawit, Cavite Text and photos by Roel Hoang Manipon

24 Agung • Number 6 • 2015

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n the early afternoon, a day before Christmas, the whirlwind of decorating, events, shopping, reunions, rituals, and whatnot, especially in urbanized areas such as Metro Manila, had relatively calmed down. The Christmas season has been a most cherished by Filipinos through the years, characterized by a flurry of activities since the start of December and culminating in a relative quiet on Christmas Eve, reserved for intimate gatherings of family and friends and time-honored traditions, but the air is still anticipatory and crisp.

About 25 kilometers south of Manila, in the town of Kawit in Cavite, the streets were almost empty and the quiet were intermittently broken by marching bands, which gathered one by one at the old Saint Mary Magdalene Parish Church and had come already performing.

Just before dusk, a few blocks away, at the Freedom Park, the cluster of makeshift food stalls and tiangge had all opened, and people were strolling around, meeting up, chattering, eating and playing around the monument of the town’s most famous son, General Emilio Aguinaldo, the first president of the First Republic of the Philippines.

The park nestles in the shadows of the Aguinaldo Shrine, the handsome ancestral mansion of Aguinaldo, first built in 1845 and reconstructed in 1849, where he declared the independence of the Philippines on June 12, 1898. Yearly, Kawit figures prominently in the celebration of the Independence Day, a most significant commemoration in the nation. But Christmas is a more festive occasion, bringing people together and lovely memories, and in Kawit the Christmas Eve celebration can be grand.

As the dark settled, the predominantlywhite Aguinaldo Shrine was bathed in the brightest of colors, changing to the accompaniment of Christmas music. People gathered to watch and at the same time waited for the traditional float parade to pass by.

Kawiteños celebrate Christmas Eve with the panunuluyan, and their version of the panunuluyan, called maytinis, differ from all else in the country by, for one, showiness.

The floats they were anticipating had gathered in Binakayan Kanluran. The barangay is near an area often called Junction, where traffic is usually busy being a main thoroughfare of cars going to Metro Manila and to other parts Cavite, and a makeshift amusement park, the perya, had been set up at one corner for the season.

At the Aguinaldo Shrine and on the main street, the crowds had become thicker, their eyes fixed on a bright moving spot at the end of the street. The parade had started, and the crowds became restless as it neared the shrine. Marshalls on motorcycles asked the spectators to give way, followed by men in gorilla and monster costumes, scaring and amusing the crowd, taking place of the payaso or clowns of yesteryears.

The floats came, one after another, richly decorated and bearing persons playing Biblical characters. Pulled by small vans and jeeps and brightly lit to show the costumes and sets, they depicted select scenes and characters from the Bible—from Adam and Eve of the Old Testament to the announcement of Jesus Christ’s birth in the New Testament. Each float was followed by a band of children called pastores, literally “shepherds,” costumed accordingly. Marching bands from all over the province were placed in between,

The floats “Adan at Eba” (Adam and Eve); “Inang Pilipinas” (Mother Philippines); and “Pagbati” (Annunciation)

playing Christmas tunes.

The floats made a brief stopped at the shrine, where from the balcony a person read the stories and meanings of each float; and proceeded to go around parts of the town, ending at the church. Along the way, the parade got stalled and slowed down by crowds getting too near them, and by the float of Mary and Joseph, the most important, reenacting the search for lodging—stopping by three to four houses, asking for a place to stay and being turned away by the innkeepers, their exchanges all chanted with music from a marching band.

The origin of this fusion of pageantry and religious dramatization is unknown, but locals generally believe that the maytinis has been practiced for about three centuries now, starting with the establishment of the Saint Mary Magdalene Church, promulgated by Spanish missionaries stationed there to celebrate Christmas as well as to employ an effective way of evangelization.

Christianization of the Philippines started with the first European contact and then colonization in the sixteenth century, resulting in the predominance of Christianity, particularly Catholicism, in the country with about ninety percent of the present population professing to be Christians.

The spread of Christianity in Cavite started in a settlement now known as Kawit, being the first anchorage of the Spaniards in the province. It was then given the name Cavite el Viejo and was changed to Kawit in 1907. Franciscan friars are said to be the first missionaries to administer Kawit, and these included Spanish friar Pedro Bautista or Peter Baptist Blasquez, who came to the Philippines in 1583 after being in Mexico.

2015 • Number 6 • Agung 25

The float “Ang Pangako ng Diyos kay Zacarias” (God’s Promise to Zacariah)

He spent nine years in the Spanish colony, where he built a hospital in 1591 in the seaport in Cavite, most likely, Kawit. He was then sent to Japan, where he was crucified with twenty-six others. They would eventually be known as the Martyrs of Japan, canonized as saints in 1862.

In 1624, Manila Archbishop Miguel Garcia Serrano commended Cavite el Viejo to the supervision of the Jesuits, who established the parish with Saint Maria Magdalena as patron saint, chosen, as anecdotes tell, because the seaport area had become known for prostitution. The Jesuits also built the first church, which was made of wood, in 1638 with the help of six Filipino families from the towns of Silang and Maragondon.

The present stone church was built in 1737.

They Jesuits administered the parish until 1768, after which the secular clergy took over. Then the church was place under the Recollects in 1849.

Along the way, most likely in the early years of Kawit’s Christianization, Christian celebrations, such as Christmas, were also

brought in, and the celebrations were also made avenues for Christian education of the locals, employing different mediums that have become part of local culture.

“Spanish colonization brought with it, along with all the other cultural changes, Spanish drama forms. The earliest to establish itself was the religious drama, an obvious and powerful way to teach religion, being aural, visual, and participatory,” wrote the late food writer, cultural researcher and professor Doreen G. Fernandez in her book Palabas: Essays on Philippine Theater History (Ateneo de Manila University Press, Quezon City, 1996). “Soon, the Filipino’s year came to follow the liturgical calendar, marked by osana, sinakulo, salubong, and the like at Holy Week; in May by santakrusan and tibag to celebrate the finding of the Holy Cross, and Flores de Mayo and other similar observances to honor the feasts or attributes of Mary; by pangangaluluwa on All Souls’ Day in November; and by panunuluyan and pastores and tatlong hari at Christmastime; and by various other dramas and dramatizations

designed by parish priests and their assistants or by the fertile folk imagination.”

Fernandez classified these religious dramatizations into two, according to length: The full-length dramas that include the sinakulo, and the short dramatizations like the salubong and panunuluyan.

The panunuluyan (literally, “search for shelter”), also called panuluyan, pananawagan and pananapatan, is most known to be held by the Tagalogs of Central and Southern Luzon but in recent years has mostly vanished, especially in urbanized communities.

Several parts of the Bicol Region in southeastern Luzon Island have a similar practice called kagharong or kagharong-harong.

“The Panunuluyan is the Philippine version of a Mexican Christmas tradition that dates back to the 16th century,” explained writer Alejandro R. Roces in “Panunuluyan: A Mexican Christmas in the Philippines,” part of his column “Roses and Thorns” in The Philippine Star (December, 18, 2007).

“The las posadas, meaning ‘the inns,’ was first conceived by St. John of the Cross in 1580

26 Agung • Number 6 • 2015

The “Pagbabalita ng Anghel” (Tidings of the Angel) float

The altar portion of the Kawit Church transformed into a nativity scene for the maytinis culmination

The floats of Samson and Delilah, and Queen Esther

as a processional version of the Holy Family’s journey to Bethlehem and subsequent search for lodging. Seven years later it was introduced in Mexico by Roman Catholic missionaries. From there, it rapidly spread through Latin America, and even to the Philippines via the galleon trade.”

The Mexican tradition is held for nine nights. “A candle-lit procession of neighborhood children and adults will journey to three pre-selected homes (representing inns) seeking shelter for Joseph and Mary,” Roces described.

“The Holy Couple is usually represented by either two small statues or children. At the first two homes, the heartfelt request of Joseph for shelter is rejected; but at the third home the request is accepted, the doors to the home are flung open and the pilgrims are greeted by a table laid out with traditional Christmas fare.

A communal celebration ensues, including a star-shaped piñata for the children and a hot beverage called ponche for adults. Each night this ritual is performed with the procession ending in different homes. On the ninth night, or noche buena, the pilgrims re-enact the birth of Christ in the final home.”

“In the Philippines, the Panunuluyan, meaning ‘looking for lodging,’ is celebrated on Christmas Eve,” he further wrote. “To begin the event, images of Mary and Joseph are wheeled from the church courtyard, usually accompanied by two singers. They journey to three or four homes that represent inns, sing their plight and request for shelter. The innkeepers, played by a choir, inform them that the inn is full. In the end, the Holy Couple returns to the Church for the Nativity and at the stroke of midnight appear at the altar amid great rejoicing.”

Kawiteños have transformed this simple ritual into a spectacle that is the maytinis.

The origin of the name maytinis is also cannot be ascertained but it is assumed that it came from the Latin matins, evening prayers or nocturnal liturgy that ends at dawn. There are other Christmas Eve traditions that are also called maytinis. The maytinis of some towns and cities of Pampanga—San Fernando, Magalang, Mabalacat and Mexico— consists of a procession of images of saints, accompanied by colorful lanterns, some in the shape of a fish, the symbol of Jesus Christ and singing choirs. The Kawit maytinis is different by having live people on floats, instead of religious images on carrozas, performing and accompanying the panunuluyan reenactment.

The maytinis is organized and overseen by the Confradia de Sagrada Familia in coordination with the parish church. The religious lay organization chooses an Ama and an Ina (literally, “father and mother”) for the

2015 • Number 6 • Agung 27 event, equivalent to the hermano mayor and hermana mayor of Philippine fiestas, who financially support and oversee the event.

In early December 2015, the Ama and Ina of the maytinis of the previous year bade farewell and new ones were proclaimed, most likely, signaling the start of the Christmas season in Kawit. Like the rest of the country, the Misa de Gallo (literally, Mass of the Rooster) or simbang gabi, the dawn masses, were celebrated for nine days, from December 16 to 24.

On December 24, marching bands assembled by the church by two in the afternoon, rehearsing and doing exhibitions before parading around the town. This signalled the start of the maytinis the way the diana signals the start of a fiesta celebration in some parts of the Philippines.

By four, the floats were assembled in Binakayan Kanluran. Usually, the float parade starts at the church, with Liturgy of the Word and readings from the Bible officiated by the parish priest, but sometimes it also starts at the resident barangay of the current Ama or Ina. An hour later, the bands and the pastores gathered in Marulas. As the sun began to set, streaking the sky with vermillion and tangerine, the maytinis procession readied itself and began at seven in the evening. From Binakayan Kanluran, it went to Marulas, Kaingen, Wakas, Poblacion and the church.

There were sixteen floats for this year, each one sponsored and created by the town’s barangays, civic organizations or private companies. A barangay can be designated the same float for several years.

As a whole, the floats depict the Christian salvation history starting from the commission of the Original Sin by Adam and Eve to the birth of Jesus Christ, who is promised to save mankind from sin.

At the head of the parade was surprisingly a non-religious float called “Inang Pilipinas” (Mother Philippines), which in previous years concluded the parade, an obviously recent and local addition. This emphasized the fact that the Philippines is the only predominantly Catholic nation in Asia, which is interpreted as having a special role in world salvation as expressed in its slogan “Ang Pilipinas ang Diyos ang pumili/Bansang Asya, kaligtasa’y ibahagi” (The Philippines God has chosen/To Asia, salvation is imparted). This is the only non-Biblical float this year. Other non-Biblical floats in maytinis history included the EDSA People’s Power Revolution-inspired one in 1986.

The following floats were inspired by the Bible, starting with “Adan at Eba” (Adam and Eve) with a fake tree lade with

“La Purisima Concepcion” float

Infanta Judith with the severed head of Holofernes

shiny red apples, showing the temptation and the entry of sin. “La Purisima Concepcion” (Conception Most Pure) told about the prophecy that a virgin birth will save the world from sin. Other floats were “Si Noe at ang Baha” (Noah and the Flood), showing a small model on the ark atop a mountain; Moises (Moses), holding the tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments; “Haring David (King David), with his wives; Haring Solomon (King Solomon); Si Ruth at si Noemi (Ruth and Naomi), emphasizing respect for parents; “Samson at Delilah” (Samson and Delilah); “Infanta Judith,” a Deuterocanonical character in gladiator dress and bearing the severed head of Holofornes; “Reyna Ester” (Queen Esther); “Pagbati” (Annuncia-

Moses

tion), showing the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary; “Pagdalaw” (Visitation), enacting Mary’s visit to cousin Elizabeth; “Panuluyan (Search for Inn), with Mary riding a donkey and Joseph; “Pagbabalita ng Anghel (Tidings of the Angel), with an angel appearing to kids dressed as shepherds and bearing a banner saying “Gloria in Excelsis Deo” to announce the birth of Jesus Christ; and “Ang Pangako ng Diyos kay Zacarias” (God’s Promise to Zacariah),with an angel appearing to Zacariah to tell the news that he and his Elizabeth will have a child.

Through the years, at least in the recent years, the number of floats averages from fifteen to seventeen. The exclusion and addition of floats are caused by a number of fac-

28 Agung • Number 6 • 2015 tors—from float sponsors not able to meet deadline to the desire to add new ideas. Additional floats can be non-religious. In 1986, a float was included inspired by the EDSA People Power revolution, which may have inspired the idea of having a fixed “patriotic” float such as the “Inang Pilipinas.” The floats on Abraham and Amos were absent in 2015. Some floats also changed the tableau of a character. The Moses float, for example, was previously depicted as “Ang Pagliligtas sa Sangggol na si Moises” (The Saving of Baby Moses) and the King David float was “David and Goliath.” In this process, the parade has grown to be bigger.

Writer Marla Yotoko Chorengel related in the book Pasko!: The Philippine Christmas (National Bookstore and Anvil Publishing, Pasig City, 1998) that the traditional floats were “Talang Maliwanag (Brilliant Star), Divina Pastora (Divine Shepherdess), Siete Archangeles (Seven Archangels) and Rosa Mistica (Mystic Rose).”

“In the late ‘70s, these were eliminated and replaced by Prophet Amos, Abraham, Infanta Judith and Queen Esther,” she wrote. “Changes met with objections, resentment and controversy amongst the

The maytinis parade ends at the centuriesold Saint Mary Magdalene Church

residents, but in time, lectures and seminars on why the move was made enlightened the people. Dissenters finally accepted the loss of the well-loved familiar images and welcomed the new participants and their relevance to the present Maytinis.”

With the number of floats, the designs of the floats and the costumes have of course changed, getting more elaborate or showier to excite the people.

Being folk endeavors, the depictions in the floats are not entirely historically accurate but stylized according to folk sensibilities and popular culture, and thus riddled with anachronistic elements. The tableaux are a curious melange of designs and motifs culled from movies and illustrated books of Biblical stories, other folk dramatizations such as the sinakulo, and the people’s imagination and perception of a culture thousands of miles away and thousands of years in the past.

Tableaux of outdoors are filled with hills and mountains made of wood and paper, and lots of potted plants, while the indoors have Grecian and Neoclassical pillars and urns. The costumes also tend to be gaudy, especially on characters of royalty such as Queen Esther and King Solomon, not far from the santacruzan, a

popular parade about the finding of the True Cross that has assumed the look of pageantry.

Often, as much as the floats, the persons playing the roles of the Biblical characters are also a source of spectacle. Traditionally, the players were picked from the townspeople. While this is still done, picking the good-looking ones, the organizers have also recently been getting models from the outside of the town.

More the noticeable are the attractive boys, who play Adam, angels and kings, often in costumes that, in crafty ways show, their beauty. Often marginalized in main church affairs, gay expressions manifest in events that blend show and ceremony such as the maytinis and santacruzan, etc. and the more “creative” aspect of church operations such as choir management, and dressing and care of images. The eye-catching maytinis players have become a continuous source of delight and, to others, a distraction from the religiousness of the affair. While it is still overwhelming Hispanic-Filipino religious in nature, the event has become interesting and even charming with the blend of Filipino folk creative sensibilities and articulations of

Turn to page 32

THE NCCA GALLERY 2015 • Number 6 • Agung 29 Reporma (41 by 64 inches, oil on canvas, 1971)

In the Presence of Angel S

By Maria Glaiza Lee

itting in one of the small benches inside the NCCA Gallery, he seemed like just another old man. Upon closer look, a pair of smiling eyes revealed his wisened years—as if life’s experiences had gently honed him.

Words of wisdom came punctuated with words like “Awa ng Diyos,” followed by a little jovial laughter. Guests flocked around him; they basked in his presence, asking for a photo here, an autograph there. He could be a rock star—certainly, he is in his field.

Angel Cacnio is a Filipino artist who ranks among the Philippines’ most distinguished visual artists. He is known for his artworks that depict social realism in vivid colors and spontaneous brush strokes, interplaying to create a sense of movement and give depth.

“Collectors and colleagues, old and young, are awed by the artist’s mastery of both oil and watercolor. Patrons and newbie followers of Philippine art are beguiled by his meticulous choice of colors, hues and tones, revealing complexity, intricacy and intensity all at once. His obras are brim-

ming with Filipino values, culture, heritage, tradition, life, resilience, hope,” wrote NCCA’s National Committee on Art Galleries vice-head Delan Lopez Robillos in the exhibit souvenir program.

His retrospective exhibit features his works from the 1950s to 2000s. His artworks capture a strong nationalism and focus on Filipino traditions and festivities.

His nationalistic inclination can also be seen in his pieces on the Hispanic dances, as well as the indigenous dances of the Ifugao and Tiboli peoples. Filipino traditional clothes—from Ifugao and Tiboli attires to baro’t saya—have been prominently featured in his paintings.

Through his art, he speaks his mind on contemporary social issues—Reporma (1971) and Pagtikas sa Taal—and touches on the Philippine history in Unang Misa (1987) and Tambuli ng Kalayaan. His works are chronicles of the Philippines, its history, traditions and cultures.

In some of his paintings such as Tupada, Ulutan and Apat na Sabungero, he

painted the scenes inside the sabungan (cockpit). He also paid homage to fishermen and farmers, as well as their beasts of burden and their natural environs.

While he has used oil, most of his works are in watercolor, a challenging medium, but one that Cacnio has mastered. The artist uses the fluidity of watercolor to his advantage, letting the pigments run their own course on the canvas before employing gentle strokes to render forms and figures.

The “Angel Cacnio: Angel of Art”exhibit, which runs December 8, 2015, to January 28, 2016, at the NCCA Gallery, is a fitting tribute to the man whose art career spans to over 60 years. Born in Malabon in 1931, Cacnio was the youngest of the eight children of Flaviano Cacnio and Telespora Cruz. He was married to the late Amelia Reyes-Cacnio, with whom he has four children: Ferdinand, Mabini, Michelle Pillar and Michael Allen. He lives in Malabon to this day.

During the artist’s reception for his retrospective exhibit, the veteran artist shared

30 Agung • Number 6 • 2015 THE NCCA GALLERY that his creative inclination manifested at a young age. Back then, he was so sickly that he could not help his father in fishing, their family’s bread and butter.

Left at home, he would play with mud, which he would mould into various shapes.

Drawing inspiration from the life, scenery and the fishing industry of Malabon, Cacnio then pursued his artistic talent, graduating with a degree in fine arts at the University of the Philippines in 1954. During his college days, his contemporaries were Salvador Cabrera and National Artist for visual arts Federico Aguilar Alcuaz. He studied arts under the tutelage of Toribio Herrera.

A year before his graduation, he won the first place at the Third Shell National Students Art Competition for his watercolor painting Tatlong Sabungero. In 1964, his painting The Capture of Mabini won the Apolinario Centennial Art Competition.

He also joined the coin design contest of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP); his winning designs were used for the 25 and 50-centavo coins circulated from 1982 Unang Misa (12 by 17 inches, watercolor on paper, 1987)

to 1983. His designs also made their way to the one-centavo coin, depicting LapuLapu, and the five-centavo coin with the face of Tandang Sora.

He was also the man behind the designs of the 20- and 100-peso bills which have stopped circulation recently. His design for the Php100 bill was subject of some controversy when some people raised objections to its release, questioning the presence of the American flag on the Philippine legal tender.

Looking from a different vantage point, however, the bill design (with McNutt lowering the American flag, while the Philippine flag was being raised) was symbolic, with the artist showing his strong pride for his country.

His son Ferdinand shared that his father likes to paint every day. “He would paint in the morning. He would play some music, probably a kundiman or any Filipino classic songs. Para siyang nagsasayaw sa pagpipinta. In a year, he would finish at least 100 to 200 pieces,” said Ferdinand, who has followed in his father’s footsteps.

But if one notices the exhibit, according to Ferdinand, finding an Angel Cacnio painting dating between 1969 and 1975 is rare. These years were the time when Mang Angel put his art on the shelf. In 1969, Cacnio started focusing on his business. Back then, he was peddling kerosene before managing a gasoline station in 1972.

It was his friend Florencio Concepcion who urged Cacnio to pick up the brush and paint again.

“Every day, he would come to the house and tell my father to paint again,” shared the son.

In 1976, his father made a comeback through a group exhibit.

When asked about the common misconception on starving artist, Mang Angel shared: “Mahigit 80 na ako. (Sa) awa ng Diyos, patuloy pa rin ang dating ng pera. Kung naging lawyer, doctor or ibang career, kapag umabot ng 70, mahirap na ang pagkita ng pera. Hindi naman marangya ang aming angkan, pero sa awa ng Diyos, hindi naman kami hirap kumita ng pera.”

THE NCCA GALLERY 2015 • Number 6 • Agung 31

Expressions from Batanes The exhibit “Vuya Ku, Vuya Mu?” (I saw, did you?) was mounted at the NCCA Gallery from September 15 to October 2, 2015 featuring 14 artists from Yaru Nu Artes Ivatan, including Xavier Abelador, Leslie Joy Marina, Javier Ponce, Jaypee Portez, Gerald Gonzales, Michelle Balanoba, Marrel Pajanil, Rhodelyn Come, Lerma Pajanil, Gabriel Rareza and Sammy Vargas.

Yaru Nu Artes Ivatan is an artists’ group formed in February 2007 in the province of Batanes and members have been using art for self-expression, widening perspectives, and creating socio-political and cultural awareness. This exhibit highlighted issues concerning Batanes.

Mandad Chirin (acrylic on canvas, 24 by 36 inches) by Xavier Abelador

Dreaming in Coffee

Holding On (coffee on paper, 20 by 30 inches, 2014)

Bumubungang Tingin (coffee on paper, 20 by 30 inches, 2014)

Shown from October 1 to 15, 2015, “Coffee Musings on Paper” was a visual diary of finding one’s voice during solitude. The artist, Abigail Doromal Albino, finds comfort, resolution and enlightenment in using coffee as a medium for painting. With every work, she finds herself connecting to her roots in Mindanao.

Most of the paintings used instant coffee on buffered paper.

Others used ground coffee beans sourced from different plantations in Mindanao. The exhibit started as a thesis about coffee art in communities, social media and art market in 2014 at the University of the Philippines’ Open University. It also told how the artist battled depression, struggled as an artist in southern Mindanao and fell in love with the Mindanaoan spirit.

Twenty-five-year-old Albino lives southwest of Davao and discovered coffee as a medium for painting during a Humanities class in college in 2007. She continued exploring the art of coffee painting over the years and created her first major coffee painting exhibit “Cuna del Cristianismo” in March 2010.

The creation of the NCCA Gallery dedicated to contemporary arts was a joint initiative of the National Committee on Visual Arts (NCVA) and the National Committee on Art Galleries (NCAG). Through the establishment of the gallery, both committees envision to help young artists get their much needed exposure without hampering their zest to explore new tendencies on the edge of current art making. The new gallery is outfitted to accommodate video works and movable panels for installation pieces. Contemporary artists are welcome to submit their exhibit concept along with their portfolio should they wish to exhibit at the gallery. The NCCA Gallery is at the ground floor of the NCCA Building, 633 General Luna Street, Intramuros, Manila. It is open 9 A.M. to 5 P.M., Monday to Friday. Visits on weekends and holidays are by appointment. For details, contact 527-2192 loc. 512 and look for Bryan Llapitan or Mimi Santos; or email nccagallery09@gmail.com.

32 Agung • Number 6 • 2015

Maytinis...

From page 28

NCCA deputy executive director Marlene Ruth Sanchez and NCCA GFPS technical working group head by Bibsy Cadiz with the winners of the first NCCA GADTimpalak

NCCA Holds First Gender and Development Contest

T

he first NCCA GADTimpalak, a gender and development contest and project of the NCCA Gender Focal Point System (NCCA-GFPS), honored its roster of winners in an awarding ceremony held on December 10, 2015, at the NCCA lobby.

This inaugural edition of the contest had documentary film, photography and essay writing as categories with the theme “Filipino Women as Culture Bearers (as nurturers, as healers, as weavers…)” Twelve winners were announced, one winner per category and per island cluster, including NCR. Each winner received P15,000 in cash prize.

For the essay writing category, the winners were Ersela Carillo (NCR) for her “Kolektibong Tinig at Mapagpalayang Tindig”; Ingold Faye Arribe (Luzon) for “Pilipina: Lundyan Ka, Dakila Ka!” and Jessa Amarille (Visayas) for “The Unspoken Valor of Apoy Sana.”

For the film category, the grand winner WAS Annalaine Denise Magas for “Magtatahi Nakura,” while the first runner-up was Jethro Aaron Jamon for “Gloria” and second runner-up Jandiane Esteban for “Li-

yang Dreams.”

The winners in the photography category were Angelo Asuncion (NCR) for “Dreamweavers,” Ysabel Victoriano (Luzon) for “Abel Weaving,” Henri Candelario (Visayas) for “Crops for a Living” and Gershon Carlo Alanza (Mindanao) for “Culture Bearer.”

After the awarding ceremonies, an exhibit on the winning works was opened, and a showing of winning films was held at the Leandro Locsin Auditorium.

The NCCA received a total of 104 entries for the three categories (Sixty in essay writing, thirty-three in photography and twelve in film/documentary). The deliberation of entries was held on November 21, 2015, with selected experts acting as jurors for each of the categories.

The NCCA GFPS came up with GADTimpalak in order to encourage the participation of cultural workers, artists and cultural organizations in promoting gender equality, with the approval and endorsement of the Philippine Commission on Women.

The NCCA GFPS technical working group was headed by Bibsy Cadiz.

NCCA deputy executive director Marlene Ruth Sanchez and NCCA Secretariat’s Administrative and Finance Division chief Susan Dayao led the opening of the GADTimpalak exhibit at the NCCA lobby

gay desire.

While the parade was going around the town, the church was in total dark, as if a theater readying for a show, but already brimming with people. The aged façade, relatively austere in its locally modified Baroque design and its palitada chipped off over the years to show bricks and stones, and the bell tower were outlined with Christmas lights.

As Mary and Joseph entered the church by past ten in the evening, after being refused by “innkeepers” and their entourage of floats had drifted away to their keepers, the lights were switched on. Little angels and shepherds sang as they walked towards the altar, transformed into the belen, the Nativity scene. The church was festooned with pine branches and other Christmas decorations. The domed ceiling at the altar was painted cerulean with twinkling stars.

Where the elaborate baroque retablo was placed was now a cave. As shepherds sang “Vamos a Belen,” angels led the couple to the cave, to the manger, and the curtains were drawn down. The curtains were drawn up to reveal the life-size statues of the Holy Family.

The choir burst into songs, announcing the birth of Jesus Christ. The Misa de Aguinaldo (Mass of the Gift) then commenced, ending with churchgoers queuing up to pay respect to the infant Jesus, many kissing His feet.

Outside the church, food stalls were steaming to make puto bumbong and bibingka, most popular Filipino Christmas fares, particularly among the Tagalog and Pampangan. After the mass, parishioners went home for the traditional Noche Buena feast, shared among family members, friends or neighbors.

The maytinis have been much loved by many Kawiteños that they even brought the tradition with them. Kawiteños who have migrated to the United States, specifically in Southern California, yearly hold maytinis float parades in San Diego with a program of music and entertainment for about forty years now.

In Cavite, being just adjacent to Metro Manila, urbanization has been spreading, bringing along its myriad of influences, good and bad, and there are pockets of old traditions that are still in place even though changing with the times.

“The Philippine Christmas..is still very much rooted in religion and faith in spite of growing materialism and commercialism, and diminishing religious zeal,” noted Chorengel.

NEWS BRIEFS 2015 • Number 6 • Agung 33 The Cordillera Cultural Workshop in Baguio City Hapiyoh Mi Culture and Arts Center held the Cordillera Summer Cultural Workshop from May 7 to 11, 2015, at the Baguio Museum and DoT-CAR (Department of Toursim Cordillera Administrative Region) Building in Baguio City.

The workshop aimed to provide a glimpse of the geography, history and the people in the Cordillera region, as well as showcase the different cultures and traditions of the region.

It also hoped to sustain the interest of young Cordillerans on their native music and dances.

Over 80 young participants from different provinces of the region were trained on Cordillera songs, dances, traditional bamboo instruments and theater production. Lectures on history, geography, peoples, traditional attire and current issues confronting the region were also conducted. Among the speakers were Maria Catbagan-Aplaten, founder and president of Hapiyoh Mi Culture and Arts Center and one of CAR’s Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines in 1995; Dan Rommel Riopay, artistic director of Tanghalang SLU (St. Louis University); Lynette Aclopen Fichang, a member of Hapiyoh; and Albert Balawing Lanigan, musician and dancer.

Catbagan-Aplaten lectured on the Cordillera region, making her talk understandable to younger participants, aged four to twelve years old. She also shared origin stories of the Igorots and how these relate to the younger generation.

The participants also learned about the Cordillera textiles and attire. Aplaten explained the differences, common designs and patterns found in Cordilleran clothing, mentioning the tapis (lower garments), headdress, g-strings, blouses and accessories of the Tingguian, Isnag, Gaddang, Ibaloi, Kankana-ey, Kalanguya, Karao, Bontoc, Ifugao and Applai, among others.

Lanigan taught the participants the different songs and dances of the CAR provinces and allowed them to play brass and bamboo instruments such as gong, tiktik, flute, kulipao or abistong, widwid or unnat, kuliteng, tabangkaw, bin-e, tambi, tallak, bangibang, pakipak, solibao and kimbal. The student participants were also taught how to make bamboo musical instruments such as sugaypo, tungatung pakgong or bilbil and patangguk. They were also tasked to create their own songs and chants.

The participants also learned about Cordilleran dances such as the baliwos, tadek lablabaan, donglala from Abra; talip and taddok from Apayao; bendiyan, tayao and tallak of Benguet; and dinuy-a, paggadut, bangibang ballangbang, pattong, sakuting, palakis, turay-

an, ina-aninit, tupay-ya and boogie-boogie of Mountain Province.

Riopay conducted a theater workshop, in which the participants learned about the different aspects of theater production including performing, directing, theater space, designs and script. At the end of the four-day workshop, a mini-production was mounted by the participants who were divided into five groups.—John Paul T. Orallo The J. Elizalde Navarro National Workshop on the Criticism of the Arts and Cultural Heritage Studies The UST Research and Endowment Foundation, headed by its director Rev. Fr. Rolando V. de la Rosa, O.P. and executive assistant Levine Andro H. Lao, along with The Varsitarian staff, led by its publications adviser Joselito Zulueta, conducted the J. Elizalde Navarro National Workshop at Baguio Burnham Suites from June 28 to July 2, 2015.

The JEN Workshop started in 2009 by The Varsitarian, the official student paper of the University of Santo Tomas, to address the lack of workshops or short-term semi-academic programs on critical writing in the arts and cultural studies. Since then, the workshop has chosen its fellows from among the top universities in the country and has invited respected local and international scholars on arts and cultural studies. The panelists come from leading academic institutions here and abroad.

In April, the project began with an invitation to critics, culture writers and scholars to submit papers that tackle issues oncultural heritage such as the effects of the earthquake on the churches in Bohol, the aftermath of typhoon Haiyan in the Visayas, heritage structures being demolished to give way to high-rise condominiums and commercial developments, and neglect of cultural heritage and indigenous traditions.

Among the submitted entries, organizers chose 12 fellows to join the workshop. They included Tilde Acuña, a contributing writer/ graphic artist for the University of the Philippines Information Systems, who narrated the friendship of Mahamut the Egret and Inodactu, a Malay child, and how their story mirrors the relationship of indios and their colonizers in “Pagtaya sa Puting Pag-ibig: Ang Pagbihag ni Mahamut kay Ino-Dactu”; Ateneo de Manila University part-time instructor in English Vic Bautista, who talked on the issues that surround the reconstruction of heritage sites in the Žižekian Marxist point of view in “A Heritage of Partial Objects: Ideology and the Case of Guian Church”; and Carla Gamalinda, a teacher at the Far Eastern University and College of the Holy Spirit in

Manila, who expounded on the apathy of Filipinos towards cultural heritage and heritage conservation and the reasons behind this in “Addressing Apathy Towards Heritage Conservation through a Marketing Standpoint.”

Also included were Amado Guinto, Jr., who deconstructed the Maranao epic hero Bantugan of Darangen using folklore and postmodern theater theories in his essay “Distilling Bantugan: Towards the Theater of the Maranao Epic Hero”; Jay Nathan Jore, who wrote “What Do Francia’s Demons Want?” which delves into the iconography and the meaning behind the religious icons painted on the ceilings of colonial churches; UP Cebu faculty member Gregg S. Lloren, whose “Cebu City’s Colon Street: Curating Frames of Antinomies, from a Cultural Heritage to a Culture of Indifference,” which discusses the struggles of cultural heritage preservation and the “culture of indifference” mindset; and UP Mindanao’s Jay Jomar F. Quintos, who submitted “An Bai, Babay, Bahi, Babaye sa Tubig: Isang Pag-aaral sa Tagpo ng mga Babae sa Tubig sa Panitikan,” an essay that explores the image of the Filipino woman juxtaposed by various bodies of water, from the pre-colonial to the colonial times, and attempts to create an overall history of this.

Rona Repancol, an instructor at the Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management, submitted “Wood Carving and the Art of Working on Wood,” which gives a history of wood carving in Central Luzon, while Catanduanes State University director for the research and development service Ramon Felipe Sarmiento discussed, in “The Heritage of Loss and Absence,” the loss of heritage in the churches in the country in light of “bringing Christianity into the modern world” and gave examples of artworks that are now gone because the Church wants the congregation to focus more on the cross on the altar.

Edgar Allan Sembrano, a freelance writer for The Philippine Daily Inquirer, hoped to rediscover and document the Spanish-era dams in the provinces of Laguna and Cavite in “Salak: A Study on Spanish Colonial Dams in the Provinces of Cavite and Laguna.” Also writing for PDI, William Todcor wrote “What Can an Ordinary Individual Do to Help Preserve a Cultural Heritage?” which tells the stories of indigenous peoples in northern Luzon and how some of them are forgetting and neglecting their heritage and points out the disparities in the current system. Embassy of Israel cultural officer Jeffrey Yap discussed the destruction of heritage sites in the city of Manila and explored the disconnection among the cultural agencies and the role of the city government in “Demolition of Art: A Critical Analysis of the Destruction of Avenue Hotel and Theater and Admiral Hotel in Manila.”

34 Agung • Number 6 • 2015 NEWS BRIEFS Critiquing the essays were 13 panelists—Analyn Salvador-Amores of the University of the Philippines Baguio; Dr. Rebecca T. Añonuevo; Dr. Nerissa S. Balce of the State University of New York; Oscar V. Campomanes of the Ateneo de Manila University; Fidelito Cortes; Gary C. Devilles of AdMU; Regalado Trota Jose of the University of Santo Tomas; Priscelina Latajo-Legasto of the University of the Philippines Diliman; Ferdinand M. Lopez of UST; Dr. Rosario CruzLucero; Lucille Karen Malilong-Isberto and John Delan Robillos of NCCA; Dr. Macario D. Tiu of AdMU; and Joselito B. Zulueta of The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

As part of the workshop, the participants had a field exposure in Baguio City where they visited the Tam-awan Artissts’ Village and Casa Vallejo on July 2 to get firsthand experience on what cultural heritage is all about.

They had discussions on local heritage issues such as ancestral domain, cultural sensitivity especially towards indigenous peoples and adaptive reuse of heritage sites. The fellows were assigned to write about their experiences and thoughts about the field exposure which they presented during the closing ceremonies.

In recent years, the workshop tried focus on the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage, especially now that many historic sites and cultural heritage structures have been destroyed or compromised. The workshop hopes to become an effective means to prepare the next generation of art critics and writers on Philippine arts and humanities as well as raise public awareness and concern on heritage issues.— Carolle Adrianne Manalastas The First Mindanao National Photography Competition In GENeral SANtos city The Mindanao State University in General Santos City held the first Mindanao National Photography Competition, from March 9 to May 29, 2015, with the theme, “Celebrating Mindanao’s Indomitable Spirit.”

The two-month event was held at the Veranda Activity Center in General Santos City.

Originally, the competition hoped to highlight the cultural icons of Mindanao and the indigenous arts of the communities of the region. However, when the Mamasapano incident happened on January 25, 2015, the organizers, headed by MSU chancellor Abdurrahman T. Canacan and project coordinator Vanessa Almeria, felt the need to empathize and support the victims, especially their fellow Mindanaoans. They aimed to emphasize the innate resilience of the people amidst the social and political turmoil in the region.

Part of the tripartite national program for photography competition initiated by the

NCCA’s National Committee on Visual Arts (NCVA), the photo competition searched for photographs that best represented the indomitable spirit of Mindanao. Aside from creating a venue for Mindanao-based photographers to showcase their artistry and creativity, the competition was also a way to promote the rich heritage of Mindanao and educate the public about Mindanao.

The competition officially opened with a photo-walk activity on April 19, 2015, at the Queen Tuna Park, where 27 participants gathered for the registration and began their photo shoot; the General Santos Public Market, where they were exposed to people in motion for photographing; at the J. Catlico Avenue with its old and new buildings; and at the Novitate, where NCVA committee member Al-Nezzar Ali talked about project.

The judges—Abraham Garcia Jr., Rogelio Jun Cayas Jr., Leonardo Cariño, Joey Tañedo and Al-Nezzar Ali—selected 30 finalists among the 180 entries. From the finalists, they selected the top three winners and other special prize winners.

Eden Jhan Licayan brought home the first prize with his “Kalindugan Festival,” while Alfred John Michael Yap won second place with his “Labor of Survival.” William Chin bagged third place with “Towards a Common Goal.”

Jury Prize winners were Tito Santillana for “Facing the Challenges in Life” and Jayruh Dela Cruz for “River of Resiliency.”

Special citations went to Charwin Acebuche for “Bountiful Harvest,” Danny Pelaez for “Handyman,” Katrina Tagaloguin for “Mindanaoans Be Like,” Stanley Aguilar for “Golden Hour, Our Gold Mine” and Shem Longakit for “Pundok sa Kadagkuan.” Special Non-Jury Choice awardee was Russel Delvo for “Kinabuhing Bagol.” Other awards given were Best Photo for Photo-Walk Event and Best for Local Mindanao Advocacy.

During the awarding ceremony on May 24 at the Veranza Mall, Abdurrahman Canacan asserted that “the project is more than just a contest among photographers. It is a brainchild to show to the world that the Mindanaoans have strength and resiliency amidst problems and chaos. Let’s see how at least the best photographers from all parts of Mindanao go with their crafts and see through their lenses what Mindanao is and who the true Mindanaoans are. Then show to the whole world that they are made of courage, hope, and the spirit of the people living here.”

The formal opening of the photo exhibit was led by Abdurrahman, together with Tañedo and Dr. Mary Lynn Abiera. It featured the top 32 photos of the competition and ran until May 29 at the activity center of the Veranza Mall.—Mark Gregor P. Dela Cruz

Bringing...

From page 17 “We are happy with the support and response from the students from different universities and colleges. We have received emails inquiring how they can volunteer and help with this endeavor. We call on students because we want them to be more involved in the restoration, because it will help them connect with their historical and cultural heritage. They will also have a sense of ownership if they help in the restoration,” said Lico, who hopes that the activity will also benefit students who are planning to do an in-depth study or write a thesis about the architectural treasure.

Students from various universities such as Mapua Institute of Technology, De La Salle University’s College of Saint Benilde, University of the Philippines in Diliman, University of Santo Tomas, University of the East in Caloocan, National University, Technological University of the Philippines, Far Eastern University, Technological Institute of the Philippines, Bulacan State University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology, Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Centro Escolar University joined the clean-up drive.

Gracing the clean-up drive event was German “Kuya Germs” Moreno, his nephew John Nite and other artists who are under his management. In attendance were Suemith, Lico, NCCA’s Subcommission on Cultural Heritage head Fr. Harold Rentoria, OSA, and NCCA secretariat’s heritage section head Bernan Corpuz.

Argentinian tango dancers Pablo Etcheverry and Agustina Morbiducci, who were in Manila for a celebration of Dia del Tango, also participated in the clean-up drive.

“The theater is not just an important landmark, but it is a symbol of Manila. It was the premiere cultural venue during the pre-war. It is a survivor of World War II. While the buildings and other infrastructures around it have been torn down and bombed during the war, it remained intact except the damage on its roof,” shared Lico.

Indeed, the Met, declared a National Cultural Treasure, has given so much to and has inspired the community as well as to the whole nation. It is just right to bring her back to her former glory.

in memoriam

2015 • Number 6 • Agung 35

Dr. Florentino H. Hornedo

Scholar, Writer, Professor, Cultural Expert

E

steemed scholar, professor, social anthropologist, professor and researcher, Dr. Florentino H. Hornedo, passed away on December 9, 2015, in his home province of Batanes.

He was 77. He was laid to rest in Sabtang Island, his birthplace, in Batanes on December 14, 2015.

A cultural studies pioneer, Dr. Hornedo was widely considered an expert in philosophy and culture, as well as an authority in Ivatan culture. He was also a much sought-after speaker and lecturer. Hornedo studied Philippine ethnic traditions, precolonial and colonial history and contemporary society. An Ivatan and native of Sabtang, Batanes, he devoted much of his scholarly research to the Ivatan as well as the Bago-o people and Kankanay culture.

Dr. Hornedo was born on October 16, 1938, in Savidug, Sabtang, Batanes, and graduated from the University of Santo Tomas (UST) with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Education, cum laude, in 1961. He attended St. Louis University in Baguio City for graduate studies, earning two degrees, one in English Literature, cum laude (1966), and another in Philosophy, cum laude. He pursued a doctorate in Literature at UST, graduating in 1977 meritissimus. He also took a post doctorate degree in History and Political Science Training in Journalism and Anthropology (1985).

Dr. Hornedo had been a professor for numerous years, teaching philosophy, literature and Asian studies at the Ateneo de Manila University and UST, among others. He was also visiting professor to 29 universities in Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and the United States.

He has been a recipient of numerous awards including the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, the National Catholic Authors Award, the Pilak Award from the Cultural Center of the Philippines, National Book Awards from the Ateneo de Manila University, the Batanes Provincial Achievement Recognition for Cultural and Social Research, and the Recognition Award for Social Research from the UST College of Education Alumni Association, Inc. A CCP Gawad Para sa Sining awardee for Cultural Research in 2012, Hornedo was honored for his contributions to the development of the discipline of cultural studies in the Philippines. He was lauded for choosing “to take a prodigious path to inquire and theorize about the breadth, depth, and complexities of the Filipino mind and identity.”

He was a prolific writer, researcher and author of journal articles, monographs and books such as Laji: An Ivatan Folk Lyric Tradition (1979), Pagmamahal and Pagmumura:

Essays (1997), Culture and Community in the Philippine Fiesta and Other Celebrations (2000), Taming the Wind: Ethno-Cultural History on the Ivatan of the Batanes Isles (2000), The Glitter of Gold in Batanes Cultural Heritage (2000), The Favor of the Gods: Essays in Filipino Religious Thought and Behavior (2001), Ideas and Ideals: Essays in Filipino Cognitive History (2001), Pagpapakatao and Other Essays in Contemporary Philosophy and Literature of Ideas (2001) and Epics and Ballads of Lam-ang’s Land and People (Bag-o Traditional Literature of the Bakun and Amburayan River Valleys) (2006).

Dr. Hornedo was also a commissioner of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, commissioner for Ivatan language at the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (Commission on Filipino Language) and consultant to the Southeast Asian Arts and Culture project of the ASEAN and UNESCO Center for Asian Culture in Tokyo, Japan. He served as chair of the UNESCO International Committee that drafted the “Statement on International Intangible Heritage” at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. in 1999. He served as a member of the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Committee of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), first, from 2007 to 2011 and second, from 2011 up to his death.

Empowering the Filipino Imagination Send your comments and inquiries to The Editor, NCCA, Public Affairs and Information Office

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