GMA attends Mass for national artist Maceda

President Arroyo attended yesterday a Holy Mass for the late National Artist Jose Maceda at the Parish of the Holy Sacrifice at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.

A daughter of the national artist, Medeleine said, on behalf of her family, "You honor us with your presence, Madam President."

A UP professor and composer of traditional music, Maceda died on May 5, 2004 at age 87.

According to his children, Maceda built up an archive of ethnomusicological research that includes hundreds of hours of field recordings from all over the Philippines, Southeast Asia and other parts of the world.

To ensure its preservation, the collection of field recordings has to be duplicated digitally, they said. For this reason, the Maceda family expresses its appreciation for donations to the UP College of Music to accomplish the task, they added.

After the Holy Mass, Maceda’s body was to be cremated in private.

Then a tribute for the late National Artist would be held at the Abelardo Hall Auditorium, UP College of Music.

A necrological service, known as "Pagdadalamhati," at the Main Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City is scheduled for tomorrow, May 13. Internment will follow immediately at the Himlayang Pilipino, Tandang Sora, Quezon City.