Artists and culture workers in anti-graft and corruption drive

The first thing we should do is to look into ourselves. Practice honesty and observe integrity. And transmit the same values to our children and immediate members of our families. Then, move on to influencing our neighbors. That’s the most effective way to help.

That was the common formula posited by the various groups which attended the three-day National Commission on Arts and Culture Summit at the Manila Pavilion which ended Wednesday afternoon.

And the most important component was the media and media practitioners, as gleaned from the various resolutions and opinions expressed by artists and cultural workers all throughout the various conferences.

But the summit hit a questionable level when new NCCOM chairman Ambet Ocampo pointed out that three-fourths of all grants and project funding were for Luzon and Metro Manila. That’s an indicator that the NCCOM, despite its years of existence, has not enticed people in the Visayas and Mindanao to join the campaign to generate more interest in Filipino culture and the arts.

Executive director and presidential adviser on culture Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, however, had to make a tear-jerking scene when some of the participating groups questioned the resolution to adopt as a nationwide program the staging of Culture Shock 2005 to forge a youth-oriented cultural revolution against corruption.

There was wide applause for the play, until it was discovered that it was the production of Cecille’s son and funded by more than a million pesos.

Worse, members of the cultural group committee that initially reviewed the proposal, voted unanimously to reject it. But they discovered only last Monday that the NCCOM board had approved it apparently on the basis of the producer of the performing group.

On Wednesday night, three groups drafted a manifesto questioning Culture Shock 2005. The manifesto was submitted to Ocampo who earlier had batted that henceforth, for purposes of democratization and transparency, the various committees should submit their respective proposals to the NCCOM for approval and funding.

Mrs. Alvarez had to defend the NCCOM decision, pointing out that she and her husband, former Sen. Heherson Alvarez, underwent 10 years of exile in fighting the Marcos dictatorship. And she tearfully added that she accepted her present position despite her advanced cancer.

The artist’s group, however, was unimpressed by that. They insisted on questioning Culture Shock in a manifesto.

Ironically, Culture Shock was supposed to be launched on June 18 to coincide with the country’s commemoration of June as month of independence, love and service to the nation in cooperation with the French Embassy’s Fete de la Musique.

This will be followed by a comprehensive media and integrated advocacy information and reformation campaign of the NCCA and the OPAC (Office of the Presidential Assistant on Culture) with other government agencies in support of President Arroyo’s 10-point agenda and initiative to end the culture of corruption in Philippine society.

The theme is "Awakening Nationalism in the Philippine Youth Toward a Timely Clamor Against the Ills of Corruption in Society and Government."

Undoubtedly, that will be a major bash. It aims to highlight the commitment of culture workers and various groups to the nationwide program against corruption. But the furor that Culture Shock 2005 triggered may undercut its credibility.

‘Credibility is bottomline’

And that focused the issue of "credibility" which GMA 7 top honcho Rod Cornejo stressed during the open forum.

Cornejo, former chairman of the communications committee, stressed that it does not only pose a challenge to the government, but also to the media and media practitioners.

In the case of mass media, the threats are bigger. "Once media loses credibility, people no longer know whom to depend on," he stressed.

While both the government and the media are corporations, both must address the problem of social responsibility and must focus on corruption and how it will affect the future generations.

But it all boils down to credibility. And that challenges the government to confront the truth no matter how ugly. But as earlier pointed out, Cornejo said, the credibility issue weighs more heavily on the media.

Fr. James Reuter, SJ

Graft and corruption, stressed Fr. James Reuter, SJ, the mentor of many of the country’s performing artists and mediamen, has the nation by the throat.

It has metastasized like cancer of the bone, like leukemia. It has induced something like urinary collapse and has triggered Alzheimer’s which compromises our capacity to survive.

Then he came up with an anecdote about a space rocket with three top leaders among its passengers — President Ronald Reagan, Premier Khruschev and Jaime Cardinal Sin.

When Reagan said they were over the United States, he was asked how he knew it. Then he mentioned that he felt it in his bones — the wave of freedom. Khruschev, for his part, stressed his feeling of discipline which made him aware that they were over Russia. When Cardinal Sin was asked how sure he was that the rocket was over the Philippines, the prelate answered: "Because I put out my arm and when I pulled it back, my watch was no longer there."

The 89-year-old priest, however, stressed that the battle can still be won. But it will require a lot of patience and perseverance. Not only are the people fed up with corruption, but even now there are indications that even the practitioners have gotten sick of it.

He adverted to the message of Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales of sharing, unity and reconciliation. He also cited the Gawad Kalinga program of the Couples for Christ which does not only address the problem of housing, but also changes the mindset of people toward the concept of community and sharing.

Fr. Reuter, however, emphasized that a new element has taken over as the strongest influence that could realign the situation — mass media. It is, he said, stronger than the school, the home, and the Church put together.

The problem is summed up by the obsession with money. This, he added, is the root of our problems. Money has become more important than people.

His message to the country’s political leaders: It’s better to be statesmen than politicians. The politician focuses on the next election; the statesman eyes the future generation.

What is important is happiness, the joy of living. And this boils down to giving of oneself. And this we can do, he stressed.

In short, he cited Christ’s Gospel about the Final Judgment when we shall be judged if we have helped "these little ones."

And this is the thing that we all must tell ourselves — What I am is God’s gift to me. What I will do is my gift to God.

And as we grow older, we ask God to guide our lives instead of us deciding what we intend to do with them. What is at stake is our future and that of the next generation. If we stop saying there is still hope, nothing can be done and nothing will be done.

But one thought-provoking thing is that so many people are devoting their time and energy in trying to come up with steps on how all of us can help in the campaign against corruption.

As one of the participants stressed: we must first live the values that we believe in, transmit them to our children by our own examples, then just infect others with them. Or, in the language of a priest-participant — evangelize.

* * *

ADDENDUM. The Fil-American Medical Group will conduct a medical mission in Sagay City on May 29 to June 5. The team leader is Dr. Ed Cabigao. The group’s 34 members will extend their medical outreach to the second congressional district and the Masonic District 22, according to Franklin Demonteverde, past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Philippines. Sagay Mayor Fortunato Javelosa said his city is honored to be the beneficiary of the free medical services of the group. Dr. Juanito Abastillas, chief of the Alfred E. Marañon Sr. Memorial District Hospital, has invited Sagaynons to avail themselves of the Fil-Am Memphis Medical Group’s services.