Cebuano Artists Disgusted over Arroyo’s Nat’l Artists

By RITCHE T. SALGADO
Culture
(Bulatlat.com)

The lighting was subdued, the atmosphere somber; in front was a makeshift altar filled with wreaths and candles. A prayer was offered and then one by one, guests gave their eulogy to an accolade that for decades has pushed artists to excel in their discipline.

This was the scene at the artsy Turtle’s Nest Restaurant along Gorordo Avenue in Cebu City last Friday, Aug. 7, as different artists from Cebu gathered to pay their respects to the remnants of the National Artist Award. Turtle’s Nest is a popular hangout place for Cebu’s artists, both veteran and budding.

The tribute was not ordinary, it was a protest against the wilted laurel that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo chose to give to individuals of her choosing, a step which some artists would describe as an act of “political accommodation”.

“The loose organization of Cebuano artists is protesting the winners of this year’s National Artist award, especially Cecile Guidote-Alvarez and Carlo J. Caparas,” said painter and poet Bambi Beltran, expressing her disgust on how this year’s batch of national artists was chosen.

“(This is) a joke. It is unfair for the other artists who went through the proper screening,” she said. Beltran is one of the frontrunners of Bathalad, a literary group promoting the use of Cebuano in the literary arts.

Beltran revealed that since the history of the awards, no Cebuano had been recognized despite its roster of outstanding artists like Martino Abellana.

“(Arroyo) has been consistent in bastardizing every known rule and basic law of the land,” said poet and Bathalad sinew Vince Cinches.

“Basically, I think, history will not vindicate (Arroyo) but will condemn her for destroying everything sane in this country,” he said.

“It’s really a sham. For us artists struggling for many years, it’s a pain and I hope it won’t last long,” added University of the Philippines (UP)-Cebu fine arts professor Javey Villacin.

Villacin even went on asking if this is a “silent martial law.”

“Personally, I have no problem with the (persons) named National Artist(s) as long as they were declared based on the established procedure,” he said.

Production designer and theater artist Ron Heri Tan, concurred saying that there are established guidelines that must be followed. “These people have talent, but they should go through the process,” he said. “The process has been disrespected. This is an insult to us all artists. We should not allow this to continue.”

Beltran, on the other hand, added: “We have high regard for the National Artists. We see them as gods. But this year, we refuse to recognize those who were appointed by the President because they did not go through screening.”

“For now, the award is dead,” she declared.

“The artists will be one with the people in putting a stop to this barbarity espoused by an illegitimate presidency,” Cinches said.

“We hope that the next award would be credible,” Beltran concluded. (Bulatlat.com)