19th NATIONAL ARTS MONTH: NCAA to launch "Ani ng Sining"

CEBU, Philippines - It’s all systems go for the National Commission on Culture and Arts as it launches the 19th year in proclaiming the month of February as National Arts Month, said Cecile Guidote Alvarez, executive director of NCAA.

In a press conference yesterday, Alvarez, together with officers of the NCAA said that NCAA is launching “Ani ng Sining”, the Philippine International Arts Festival and it will be the womb for the hosting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Ministerial and Experts Meeting on Culture and Arts. 

She said that the month-long celebration will highlight series of activities across the country and will bring together thousands of artists to cultivate love for the arts and preserve culture in line with the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization observance of the International Year of the Rapprochement of Cultures.

Alvarez said that in touring seven art forms, the festival aims to raise awareness and to discover artists whose talents are left untapped because of the lack of venues.

The country under the leadership of President Gloria Arroyo, she said, holds the honor of being dubbed by ASEAN as the first cultural capital of ASEAN for 2010 and 2011; and that in 2007, the Philippines successfully hosted the heads of states summit at the Cebu International Convention Center.

She also credited Education Undersecretary and NCAA chairperson Vilma Labrador for bringing the “Ani ng Sining” celebrations to different agencies and institutions around the country since 2005 as an avenue for the application of culture as a force for education and a vehicle for social transformation.

Alvarez told reporters that the preparations for the month-long activity are underway with the committee heads lining up various seminars, workshops, exhibits, and performances.

Gerard Lico, vice head of the committee on architecture, said that they will hold touring exhibits of the Philippine architectural landscape as influenced by different colonial eras, photographs of Zamboanga by an American soldier, and a feature on famous architect and painter, Andres Luna de San Pedro.

In pursuing yet another dance concert tour, the committee on dance led by Shirley Halili-Cruz, will bring dance in all its diversity to all Filipinos to link mainstream and traditional dances and provide opportunity for the dance artists to exchange ideas and expertise.

Halili-Cruz gave choreography workshop for Sinulog choreographers and was a judge during the Sinulog grand parade.

Meanwhile, The FREEMAN’s Lifestyle editor Marlinda Angbetic-Tan, who is festival director of Taboan 2010, said that they will feature lineup of talks and fora by renowned writers. Topics include writing critical reviews to eco literature, historical writing, translation, alternative publishing, writing or living, writing ethnicity, and writers’ block, among others. — Marjun A. Baguio/MEEV   (FREEMAN NEWS)