From the controversial proclamation of Director Carlos J. Caparas for the National Artist of the Philippines for the category of Visual Arts and Film in 2009, Malacañang once again faces questions from the Filipinos who are expecting that actress, singer and producer Nora Aunor will be included in the announcement of this year’s list. The National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera is one of those who expressed his disappointment on the said decision and asking Malacanang should explain to the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for disregarding Aunor as National Artist.
Meanwhile earlier today (June 22) NCCA chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. also shared his dismay to the decision of Malacanang and wanted them to explain what made their decision. Which he said that during the deliberation of NCCA board of commissioners at CCP board of trustees that Aunor gained high ratings for being artistic role model.
Rumors said that Aunor’s involvement to drugs was one of the reason why she was not considered by the Philippines. Which was defended by her three friends in the industry including the filmmaker Jose Javier Reyes who said that the appointment is for national artist and not for a saint. He also included that morality is not part of the criteria. This was also seconded by award winning filmmakers including Joel Lamangan and Gil Portes.
If ever, Aunor will be joining the late King of Philippine Cinema Fernando Poe Jr, Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, and Eddie Romero in the national artist for visual arts and film. Meanwhile the names that President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III proclaimed last Friday were Alice Reyes for dance, Francisco Coching (posthumous) for visual arts, Cirilo Bautista for literature, Francisco Feliciano and Ramon Santos for music and Jose Maria Zaragoza for architecture.
With the decision of Malacanang how will the entertainment industry react on this another national artist controversy?
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Photo courtesy of ffemagazine.com
