Honor for La Aunor!

Hers and present generations are fanatics of her movies. Reaping national and international awards one after the other, her movies were studied in film schools as benchmark for quality acting. She has given the Filipino people and the country memorable films such as "Himala", "Bona", "Flor Contemplacion Story", "Thy Womb", among other internationally recognized films. Morena and small in size, she broke the mestiza tradition for a movie star. They were mesmerized by her golden voice winning local and national singing contests. Her convoluted life story serves both as a lesson and inspiration for others.

Worthy of emulation and deserving for a national artist award , her followers and other local artists were so disappointed for her being excluded from this year's prestigious and highest award for Filipinos who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine art.

It can be recalled that in August 2009, the conferment of the Order of National Artists to seven individuals by former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo became controversial when it was revealed that musician Ramon Santos had been dropped from the list of nominees short-listed and that four other individuals had been nominated via "President's prerogative": Cecilla Guidote-Alvarez (Theater), Magno José "Carlo" Caparás (Visual Arts and Film), Francisco Mañosa (Architecture), and José "Pitoy" Moreno (Fashion Design). And only after five years after being dropped from the shortlist, Dr. Ramon Santos was finally conferred National Artist for Music by President Benigno S. Aquino III.

And now President Aquino dropped Ms. Nora Aunor from the list of seven recommended national artists.         

The Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts set forth broad criteria for the nominations for the National Artist of the Philippines. Very salient to these criteria, among others, the artists should have "created a significant body of works and/or have consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art form, enriching artistic expression or style and who enjoy broad acceptance through prestigious national and/or international recognition, awards in prestigious national and/or international events, critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works, and/or respect and esteem from peers within an artistic discipline."

Unconfirmed information said Malacañang was wary of proclaiming Nora Aunor as a National Artist because of her "morality" and previous involvement in a drug case in the United States.

To note, the drug case was dismissed by a Los Angeles court in 2007. As to "morality", it is not in the criteria for the selection of a National Artist.

According to Emily Abrera, chairman of the CCP board, they recognized the contributions of Aunor and the rest of the nominees. But she was likewise quoted as saying that the President's approval is an important part of the process of declaring a National Artist. She added that the artists they recommended are those whose contributions to the field of culture and the arts are genuinely outstanding and unassailable. While they had hoped that they would all be conferred the honor, the President's approval is part of the process, and ultimately the CCP respected it.

The NCCA and CCP, through its executive director, mentioned of considering Nora Aunor for the next deliberation after three years. But the question really is, why not this year? After three years not because of additional laurels are needed for Ms. Aunor to really get the President's nod or after three years when the next president is no longer Noynoy?

If indeed it is because of the morality issue then an understanding would be due to the President of acting conservative in a country that is predominantly Catholic. But then again the problem is that morality is not part of the criteria of the selection process. Forgiveness can readily be given for it has been committed but would form part of the person's past. After three years, the past remains unchanged. Do we wait for the time that morality would no longer be an issue and only then Ms. Aunor be conferred with the honor?

Yes there were national artists posthumously honored in the past but in Ms. Aunor's case, we are not canonizing her for sainthood.