Why National Artists Endorse Leni Robredo

National Artists from left: Ryan Cayabyab, Alice Reyes, VP Leni Robredo, Virgilio Almario and Ramon P Santos. Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

Written by

Jude Thaddeus L. Bautista

Artists are the gate keepers of truth. We are civilization’s radical voice.

— Paul Robeson

Paul Robeson was an African American pioneer in the field of theater and film being an actor and singer in the 1930s. He was speaking from experience. As an activist he fought for workers in Britain, the Republican faction in the Spanish Civil War and was a leading voice in the Council in African Affairs in the U.S.

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There’s a particular difficulty for Filipino artists to be granted adequate recognition most especially from the government. So those who have been granted the National Artist award are widely recognized as those who have reached the pinnacle of their creative fields and are worthy of the highest honor. There’s a professional, creative and certainly a moral prestige attached to the title of National Artist, as having contributed to the Filipino nation.

So when they speak their minds they are listened to, or at least should be held to a higher regard. When they do so collectively then there’s undeniable truth to their unanimity, dare I say… unity.

Celeste Legaspi; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

Last Valentine’s, February 14, 2022, an event titled “Pusuan ang Sining at Kultura; State of the HeART” was held at the Miriam College Covered Courts. This is where 5 National Artists: Benedicto Cabrera, ‘BenCab’ (Visual Arts), Alice G. Reyes (Dance), Ramon P. Santos and Ryan Cayabyab (Music), and Virgilio Almario, also known as Rio Alma (Literature) publicized their decision to endorse Robredo.

National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

In the same event, Virgilio Almario, revealed the launch of a new multisectoral organization from the cultural community called KKK 2022 (Katipunan sa Kultura at Kasaysayan). The organization also presented a decalogue which Vice President Leni Robredo adopted in her own platform.

To read the full decalogue and details of VP Leni’s thoughts on it please read: Leni Adopts Culture Kartilya

Honesty & Competence

There are several overarching themes that unite the National Artists in their endorsement: authenticity, competence, overall capabilities. Fans of Benedicto Cabrera refer to him as BenCab, “arguably the best selling painter of his generation of Filipino artists”.

National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto Cabrera – ‘Bencab’; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

In a video message BenCab described VP Leni, “She’s honest, she’s incorruptible. She’s hardworking. She’s intelligent. She’s dignified. She has integrity. She shows up, she gets things done. She knows what she’s doing. She’s lovely and pleasant to look at and listen to. She’s everything the current president is not. She’s the only hope for our country. Leni Robredo is my president.”

Incidentally, under Robredo’s leadership the Office of the Vice President (OVP) earned the highest audit rating from the Commission On Audit (COA). The grade is called UNQUALIFIED OPNION – for the fiscal years of 2018, 2019 and 2020. The OVP also garnered the ISO 9001: 2015 certification back in 2017 and most recently recertified, Feb 8, 2022. From [Inquirer.net] ISO certification is awarded by TÜV Rheinland; independent experts stand for quality and safety for people, technology and the environment in nearly all aspects of life.

National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

Radikal Magmahal

Perhaps the most well-known among the National Artists is Ryan Cayabyab. As composer and musical director for countless concerts and TV shows, the youth know him as Mr. C.

He said, “Si Leni ang president ko dahil siya lang ang makaka kumpas sa ating mga Pilipino. Hindi pa siya Presidente, tapat na magsilbi. Ang tono at gawa niya ay walang pagkukungwari. Matapang, hindi umuurong pero di bully. May galang at compassion sa kahit sinong tao. Na iintindihan niya na mahirap ang daan. Pero alam niya na mas radikal talaga ang magmahal. Kaya pinakakabig niya tayo sa kung saan ang tama.”

Patricia Prieto; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

Hope

Alice Reyes, is a groundbreaking dancer and choreographer since the 1970s. And helped establish the most prestigious ballet organization in the country: Ballet Philippines. She is hopeful about Robredo’s chances in this year’s elections, “Let us keep our focus on what happened six years ago, when Leni Robredo became Vice President against all odds. And she served brilliantly, quietly, steadily without any fanfare, as Vice President against all odds. And she has reminded us that we can do this. She needs us. We need her.”

National Artist for Dance Alice G Reyes; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

She went on to plead for support of every Filipino, “So tara mga kababayan, gawin nating lahat for the love of country. I am so grateful that she against all sanity has agreed to step back into this campaign, for us for our country. And I’m grateful to Senator Kiko for standing beside her. I’m grateful to her three daughters who have shared her with us. For love of country. As we say in theater: BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!”

National Artist for Dance Alice G Reyes; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

RAMAHARI

Reyes, was choreographer for the ballet and musical RAMAHARI originally staged 1980 (restaged in 2012- Christian and Karylle Excel in RAMAHARI)

RAMAHARI also boasts of the work of 5 National Artists: Bienvenido Lumbera wrote the librettos, Rolando S. Tinio translated Lumbera’s words to English (subtitles) and Salvador Bernal (for theater) designed both costumes and the set. It also marks the return of Ballet Philippines founder Alice Reyes while Ryan Cayabyab composed music.

Gary Valenciano; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

Lumbera passed away September 30, 2021. Although, he was not able to endorse VP Leni, his granddaughter Maxine Lumbera was in attendance during Pusuan ang Sining at Kultura; State of the HeART. Incidentally, Bien Lumbera was a victim of Martial Law, a distinction he shares with another National Artist awardee Resil B. Mojares.

Senatorial candidates from left: Teddy Baguilat, friend and Atty Chel Diokno. Photo from Atty Chel Diokno fb: https://www.facebook.com/cheldiokno/

Ramon P. Santos

Ramon P. Santos is a “composer, ethnomusicologist, and educator known for being the Philippines’ foremost living exponent of contemporary Filipino classical music, for work that expounds on ‘the aesthetic frameworks of Philippine and Southeast Asian artistic traditions’, and for finding new uses of indigenous Philippine instruments.” From wikiwand.

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Among Santos’ achievements is his establishment and guiding force in the International Rondalla Festival; a celebration of the Rondalla an instrument that has long been a part of Filipino tradition and history. Which happens to be shared with many countries around the world.

Direk Joel Lamangan; Photo from official kiko pangilinan fb:
https://www.facebook.com/officialkikopangilinan

International Rondalla Festival

During the VP Leni endorsement event in Miriam College, Santos shared the origins of the very first, seminal fest and how it came to be. They decided in 2004 to hold it in the Bicol region with several participating cities including Naga and Legazpi.

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They coordinated with local government leaders who initially gave their go signal for the fest. But some of them rescinded their financial support leaving Fest organizers in a bind. Santos was already thinking of cutting down the list of delegates, or worse canceling the event. Out of desperation Santos reached out to Naga Mayor Jesse Robredo (VP Leni’s husband). To his surprise, Jesse Robredo was able to make up for the P1 million peso shortfall, of the other LGU’s who backed out.

VP Leni at Miriam College. Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

The 2004 International Rondalla Festival as a result became an international sensation,

“it was very successful, the first successful Rondalla Festival. Dumating ang Mexico, dumating ang Israel, dumating ang Russia, ang U.S.A. at Australia. Kaya’t buhat noon, yan International Rondalla Festival ginawa na namin sa Dumaguete, sa Tagum, Taiwan, ay talaga. Anyway, it’s really an honor for me to be here. Maraming maraming Salamat. Talagang kailangan natin papanalunin ang ating Vice President. Sapagkat hindi ko malaman kung papano tayo kung yung isa yung lumabas.”

(16) National Artist for music Ramon P. Santos; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

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National Artist for Visual Arts Benedicto Cabrera – ‘Bencab’; Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH

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100 Pink Poems Publisher San Anselmo Publications rep Gay Ace Domingo with VP Leni Robredo. Photo from VPLeniRobredoPH fb: https://www.facebook.com/VPLeniRobredoPH