RP, Asean art festivals / Rotary sculpture exhibit

At a press conference, Mita Rufino, invoking love for the Filipino and pride in his cultural heritage, announced the coming Filipino Heritage Festival of which she is president. Bambi Harper, director, believing that “Nothing can break the Filipino faith”, outlined the events of the Festival now on its eighth year.

On April 30, at a Misa Baclayana in the Manila Cathedral, the Loboc Children’s Choir will sing. A photo exhibit-contest “Intramuros Is Forever” and a lecture by Prof. Felipe de Leon Jr. will follow.

From April 30 to May 4, The Society of Ecclesiastical Archivists will hold the Angat Kabataan Camp in Legaspi, Albay, with a workshop on the 33 churches declared by UNESCO “National Cultural Treasures”. Retablos will be on view May 8 to 14 at Greenbelt 3, Makati. Images of the Virgin Mary will be displayed May 20 at Palo, Leyte. On May 6, the Musikito String Orchestra, with musicians ages 11 to 16, will perform at the Nuestra Señora Church in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati.

Virtuoso Alfonso Bolipata and the youth ensemble “Pundaquit Virtuosi” will give a concert on May 13 at the Ramon Corpus Hall in San Miguel, Zambales.

The Ifugao epic Hudhud, declared by UNESCO “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity”, will be chanted and danced, as conceptualized and directed by Floy Quintos, choreographed by Gener Caringal, with musical direction by Jesse Lucas. At the presscon, UE students performed an Igorot dance which was choreographed by Gener and rehearsed in one day!

On May 12 at the Pope John Paul Center, Bacolod, Ilongo music, language and tradition will be celebrated.

Vicente Manansala’s birth centennial will be marked by exhibits of his works at the GSIS Museum May 18 to Oct. 30, the Met Museum May 20 to July 31, also at the Ateneo Gallery and Yuchengco Museum. Stamps of his masterpieces will be launched and sold on opening day.

From May 17 to 23, “Paypay: Atin Ito” consisting of Rachy Cuna’s imaginative fan designs will be displayed at Robinson’s, Malate. Rachy’s woven Mindanao wonders “Habi Natin” will be on view May 27 to 28 at Marco Polo Hotel, Davao. From May 20 to 21, modernized indigenous textiles will be on view at the National Museum. It will be followed by a concert of old and new bands: Palawan’s Sinika inter-acting with Sino Sikat?, Drip and Up Dharma Down.

The Festival ends May 28 to 30 with a tour of Honda Bay, a festival of unusual native delicacies and a re-enactment of war stories, with special participant Cesar Montano.

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Last March, at a meeting in Clark, Pampanga, the following was announced: The ASEAN Ministers and their partners — China, Japan, Korea — agreed to enhance ASEAN cooperation in culture and the arts.

The proposed Best of ASEAN Performing Arts series has almost met its objective to generate awareness of the ASEAN cultural heritage which should include theater, music, dance, arts and crafts.

China stressed cooperation between ASEAN and its three partners in “cultural industries, the development of cultural human resources and the formulation of China-ASEAN cultural cooperation program”. Japan stressed achieving a peaceful and prosperous East Asian Community through people to people exchanges, human resource development and protection of cultural heritage.

The ASEAN Festival of the Arts success fully showcased the best of the ten member nations in an “exchange of ideas among the artists”.

Declared the first ASEAN Culture Capital for 2010-2011, the Philippines aims to strengthen ASEAN identity and raise its profile, celebrate and promote ASEAN arts, culture and creative industries, and cultivate lasting friendships.

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Leading sculptors, under the auspice of Rotary Club Makati West, will exhibit their works in “Alay Sining” at Mandarin Oriental Hotel on April 20, 10 a.m. Proceeds will give free heart surgery, wheelchairs and prosthesis, and housing through Gawad Kalinga.

The sculptors are Nap Abueva, Adel Agabang, Fred and Wilson Baldemor, Michael Cacnio, Lor Calma, Ed Castrillo, Valeria Cavestany, Kylo Yu Chua, Seb Chua, Joe Datuin, Daniel dela Cruz, Merlito Gepte, Juan Imao, Tito Obor, Ramon Orlina, Carlos Ortega, Glen Ramasta Pagaduan, Antonio Raymundo, Ronel Roces, Mai Saporsantos, Rinald Sotto. Francisco Verano and Priscillano Vicalde Jr.