Phl arts festival opens Feb. 6

MANILA, Philippines - The National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ (NCCA) Philippine Arts Festival (PAF) will open tomorrow, Feb. 6, 5 p.m. at the Marikina River Banks.

Since Presidential Proclamation 683 was signed in 1991 declaring February as National Arts Month, the NCCA has been the forefront of the month-long celebration with its flagship projects and activities. The PAF is mainly composed of the flagship projects of the seven committees of the NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts — architecture, cinema, dance, literature, music, theater and the visual arts.

PAF is guided by the theme Ani ng Sining and its sub-theme, Celebrating Icons. PAF will harvest the arts made by artists from all over the Philippines and will highlight the icons of Philippine arts. The festival is under the supervision of NCCA chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. and executive director Emelita Almosra, CESO IV.

University of the Philippines Los Baños will host this year’s Cinema Rehiyon, the flagship project of the National Committee on Cinema headed by Dr. Mike Rapatan. It will feature regional films and gather regional filmmakers and Filipino audience during the film festival starting today until Feb. 8. Aside from film viewing, it will also talk about regional cinema and the current issues of Philippine filmmaking.

The National Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts led by architect Gerard Lico will hold Archi[types/text] that features different exhibitions, book launches and film viewing about Philippine Architecture. An exhibit on mosques titled MASJID: Jewels of Filipino Islamic Faith Exhibit will be launched at the University of Santo Tomas Museum today. Also, the Filipino landscapes that witnessed the history of the Philippines will be exhibited through Hardin: Filipino Landscape Architecture in History tomorrow, Feb. 6 at Far Eastern University.

Archi[types/text] will also launch the book ISTILO: Guide to Architectural Styles in the Philippines in Negros Museum on Feb. 19. Also included in the roster of its events are conference on architectural research and education at Bicol University titled ACARE 12 from Feb. 7 to 8 and the film viewing and launch of the documentary Lunan: A History of Filipino Built Environments which is about the evolution of urban planning, interior design and landscape architecture in the Philippines. The film viewing will be on Feb. 18 at the University of the Philippines Theater and SM Iloilo, respectively. Contests will also be conducted such as Critical Architecture: the Honrado Fernandez Architectural.

Sayaw Pinoy will also be in Baguio City on Feb. 7 to 8; Zamboanga del Sur, Feb. 8 to 11; Ozamis City, Feb. 11 to 12; Saint Pedro Poveda, Feb. 13; and Dumaguete, Feb. 15 to  16. Then, it will go to Resorts World on Feb. 16; Roxas City, Capiz, Feb. 18 to 20; Medina and Ginggoog, Feb. 22; Butuan City, Feb. 23; Surigao, Feb. 24; Technological University of the Philippines, Feb. 18 to 22; Bohol, Feb. 25 to 27; and Adamson University, Feb. 27.  Sayaw Pinoy will hold performances in Luneta Park on Feb. 10 and 17. The dance festival is headed by Shirley Halili-Cruz.

Visayan literature will be the center of this year’s Taboan Literary Festival led by the National Committee on Literary Arts vice head Christine Godinez-Ortega. The festival will be held from Feb. 7 to 9 in Dumaguete City. Emerging and established writers, publishers and enthusiasts of the written word will gather for conferences, talks and book launches.

The Philippine Visual Arts Festival spearheaded by artist Nemesio Miranda will be in Pagadian City from Feb. 7 to 11. Artists will gather for a big exhibition of artworks, discussions and a big celebration for visual arts.

Gongs and bamboos will be emphasized in the festival installed by the National Committee on Music led by NCCA chairman de Leon. The first International Gongs and Bamboos Music Festival will be in Dipolog City from Feb. 16 to 21.

Tanghal, the flagship project of the National Committee on Dramatic Arts led by Lutgardo Labad, will unite regional and university-based theater organizations at Bicol University in Legazpi, Albay from Feb. 26 to 27 and Xavier University, Cagayan de Oro, Feb. 13 to 16. From Feb. 18 to 20, Tanghal will be witnessed in the National Capital Region and will then tour various places of Bohol from Feb.26 to 27.

There will also be an international gathering of people from the Dramatic Arts titled Likha ASYA 1 from Feb. 27 to March 2 in Bohol.