Protecting our heritage, remembering EDSA!

Amidst the crisis that our country and the world faces, the celebration of “Ani ng Sining” in February has provided the panorama of hope as it showcased the wealth of our country’s culture through artistic expressions in song, dance and instrumental renditions. The star-studded program generated a collective sense of pride of habitat, heritage, history and language besides reflecting the social conditions that we must confront in forging the spirit of unity and sacrifice to triumph over adversity. Significantly, in government centers, Arts Month is being observed hosted by the leaders of the country led by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the executive and in the legislative field and in other offices of public service. Local government leaders are participating actively in profiling their heritage sites within their provinces, cities and municipalities. Baler is commemorating the quadri-centennial founding of its town in the province of Aurora. A proclamation by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo provides a year-long impetus to animate, promote its talents, traditions, creative industry, agricultural products and tourist attractions. “Sayaw Pinoy” visited Baler but it was complemented by a demonstration of how out-of-school youth and students in public schools can be given a cultural care-giving poverty alleviation program instituted by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to reach out to vulnerable groups to develop their creative potential. The harvest in a few days workshop was applauded when the young kids showcased their achievement commensurate to the dedication of professional dance companies. As pointed out by the President, Baler becomes a focal point for underscoring Philippine-Spanish Friendship with a series of activities that provide a rediscovery and a bonding among Hispanic heritage-linked countries from Spain to South America. The Philippines provides a cultural gateway to ASEAN and serves to triangulate three continents – Europe, the Americas, and Asia – because of a common cultural and   historical experience distinctively built on our indigenous cultural traditions. It is serendipitous that this year-long demonstration of promoting culture and the arts occurs in Baler, Aurora, the hometown of Sen. Edgardo Angara who persevered in the passage of the Heritage Bill. This will certainly help in the defense of threatened historical and cultural sites in the altar of unbridled development.

Tomorrow, the country begins to celebrate the EDSA event where the Filipino’s courage in overthrowing peacefully the Marcos dictatorship has been admired globally. The President who will lead the wreath laying ceremony at Fort Bonifacio and a Jobs Fair at POEA issued Proclamation 1728 declaring Monday as a special holiday for all schools in observance of the 23rd anniversary of EDSA People Power revolution. It is a memory that has to be nourished to strengthen our resolve to overcome our difficulties. The Radyo Bandido broadcast directed from Xavier House with June Keithley’s voice that kept our people informed about EDSA has been enshrined in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Program. It is only appropriate to declare Xavier House in Sta. Ana, a Philippine cultural, historic site. During Martial Law, Xavier House was the haven for an underground press, “The Communicator”, which was closed down. Father James B. Reuter was held in trial for 8 days at Camp Crame and placed under house arrest. It was also a liaison center of communications with the exile leaders of the democratic opposition led by Heherson Alvarez and Raul Manglapus. For half a century it was the controlling center of the Catholic communication in the Philippines linked to the Vatican working through the 49 radio stations of the Philippine Federation of Catholic Broadcasters. For 50 years it was the residence of the Superior of the Jesuit Missions to the Philippines. It housed many men who made history in this country like Father Horacio de la Costa, S.J. The building itself is more than a hundred years old. It faces the Pasig River because when it was built the present “Pedro Gil” street was non existent. It was a cow path. The floors are narra, 12 to 14 wide, and more than one inch thick. It is a visible image of a Spanish-Philippine culture that is disappearing. Cecile Guidote-Alvarez the executive director of NCCA has described “destruction of heritage sites and non-protection of our intangible heritage as a crime for inflicting amnesia if not Alzheimer’s disease on a nation. We cannot merely focus on the wealth of the country as the amount of dollars in our banks. The spine of our wealth is in our natural resources which must be equitably enjoyed by all citizens and the creativity of our human resources which must be sensitively developed. “

To celebrate EDSA, NCCA with DepEd and EDSA People Power Commission is having an elocution contest at WOW Philippines on the 23rd of the month followed by a screening of anthology of films related to the legacy of EDSA. On the 24th NCCA with the Philippine ITI Earthsavers DREAMS Academy and Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino will offer a theatrical interpretation in poetry, music and dance of the freedom heritage of our country from Sultan Kudarat to Ninoy Aquino and all the heroes who offered their lives to restore democracy. The Battle of the Bands to win the freedom against drugs will be on the 25th. It is commendable that a unique visual arts backdrop at WOW Philippines is a legacy exhibit of fathers and their children involving national artists and distinguished painters coordinated by Egay Fernandez.

Another Heritage site, the Metropolitan Theatre will soon have a soft opening after a project inspection site by the President who has pushed for the tripartite agreement between GSIS, the City of Manila and NCCA to fast-track its reconstruction with a grant of P50 million.

The artists who have been reaping honors for our country in international competitions will be given a grand salute by the Office of the President and NCCA chaired by Dr. Vilma Labrador at the close of Arts Month in Manila Hotel on the 28th. The gesture to acknowledge partners to be led by Vice President Noli de Castro in promoting our heritage and creative genius amidst a rich bountiful harvest of caring artists is a time for rejoicing!