The unconstitutionality of DAP further worsened the woes of the Aquino administration already reeling from the firestorm created by President Noy’s rejection of Nora Aunor as National Artist citing morality as the reason. The nation is up in arms over this bizarre decision. The selection of National Artist is a rigorous five-step process jointly undertaken by the boards of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). Current national artists are also involved in the selection of the nominees. Aunor passed the severe and painstaking process. Culture and arts authorities in the country declared her deserving of the award. While the final authority to name the national artist rests on the president as provided by law, the process is entrusted to proper culture and arts bodies as the specialists and experts on the matter. A president brushing aside their recommendations is a grave insult to the process. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo did it when she added her own candidates even if they did not undergo the process. President Noy is doing the same, discarding the recommendations of the bodies tasked to do the selection. If this is the case, better do away with the process and just let the president declare whomever s/he wants to be national artist. But if this is allowed, this will destroy the concept of the national artist, mocking it and making it subject to political patronage. Presidential prerogative must be exercised with prudence and wisdom. President Noy failed to do this when he snubbed Nora Aunor as National Artist, an affront to the work of CCP and NCCA, the people involved in the exacting process of selecting the national artists and the general public. Morality is not an issue in the case of Nora Aunor. Her artistic achievements are more than enough for her to deserve the honor. Artists are judged not by how they live their private lives but by their body of works. President Noy better not play with the temper of the times. Popular support only stays as long as the leader is attuned to the mood and sentiment of the nation.
Posted on: Fri, 04 Jul 2014 23:52:35 +0000
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