CCP adds K-Pop to its playlist
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) has a newly minted president, a wife and mother of four who believes art “keeps our minds and souls alive.”
Businesswoman and philanthropist Kaye Tinga assumed recently the duties of the CCP presidency, taking responsibility for its operations with energy and excitement.
“I am very excited because I see this as the greatest opportunity, given the resources and reach of the CCP, to promote and support Filipino art and artists,” she told me when I congratulated her.
A Business Economics graduate from the University of the Philippines-Diliman, with an MBA from Fordham University, Kaye has always been passionate about arts and culture despite her business background.
“I wish I could put into words!” she says of her love for art, which includes musuems and heritage buildings.
“I think that’s what is amazing about art, right? I am drawn to different things for different reasons, the same way one work of art can draw many people in, all for different reasons as well.”
Kaye believes art is basic in a person’s life.
“Because art can appeal to us beyond our base needs to eat, to drink, to exercise. These are things that keep our bodies alive, while art keeps our minds and souls alive,” she elaborates.
And recognizing that art has no boundaries, and must embrace traditional and popular art in all mediums — visual to performing — the Cultural Center of the Philippines is mounting OST Symphony: K-Drama in Concert, on Saturday, June 29, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., at the Metropolitan Theater in Manila.
It is CCP’s collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), and the Korean Cultural Center Philippines in celebration of the 75thanniversary of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and South Korea. Oh my, are they going to play the OST, including But It’s Destiny, Flower and Here I am Again, of my all-time favorite Crash Landing on You?
Led by Maestro Herminigildo Ranera, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) will enchant audiences with unforgettable melodies from beloved South Korean and Filipino dramas, such as My Love from the Star, Descendants of the Sun, Crash Landing on You, as well as acclaimed South Korean films like A Tale of Two Sisters and Oldboy.
Kaye, a self-confessed K-drama fan, said the Korean OST Symphony is among the activities commemorating the 75th anniversary of Philippine-South Korean diplomatic relations. It is also one of the CCP’s efforts to “connect” with the people.
“One of my personal goals for the CCP is to be able to expand our audience — we have so many programs and events that the Filipino people would love,” shares Kaye.
She points out the obvious — how K-Pop is popular among Filipinos and is among the colorful threads of Pinoy pop culture. Hard to compete now with the Kim Soo Hyuns and Jungkooks idolized by this generation of Filipinos, young and old alike.
“Considering that the media, both the traditional and social media, is a prime agent for pop culture to be born, I can say K-Pop is part of Philippine pop culture now,” says my colleague Büm D. Tenorio Jr., who also teaches Philippine Pop Culture at St. Vincent College of Cabuyao.
“K-Pop is in the news, on social media feeds. With that, it’s inevitable that KPop seeps into the Filipino psyche, especially in the hearts and minds of the Gen Z,” he adds.
“K-Pop has proven to be very popular among Filipinos,” agrees Kaye. “The concert is free but it was immediately full when registration opened.”
This is not to say the CCP is completely going pop.
“The vision of the CCP is to promote and preserve the best of Filipino arts and culture. The world today makes this both easier and harder to do. Technology has made us all more connected, but is also creating the noise and distractions that make it difficult to get the right message across. If anyone can address this opportunity and this challenge, it is the CCP. We just need to find our voice, connect with our audience and inspire them,” says Kaye.
For now, while the CCP’s main theater is undergoing restoration and repair, the CCP uses the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez next to the main theater and also rents space from the Metropolitan Theater and Samsung. Unfortunately, she says, there is more structural work than originally expected.
From first lady to president
A former first lady of Taguig (husband Freddie was its mayor from 2001-2010), Kaye is a devoted wife and mother who looks like she has bottled the formula for work-life balance. When her children were younger and her youngest Kristian still a baby, Freddie (who was also Taguig representative from 2010 to 2013 before returning to the private sector) and Kaye would take them on long trips abroad without a nanny. They believed it was essential to get to know their kids and their needs, 24/7.
So, she goes from being a first lady, so to speak, to being “Madame President” of the CCP.
Kaye’s presidency was approved by the CCP Board of Trustees, following the election during the board meeting on May 15 this year. She became part of the board after her appointment from Malacañang in April 2024.
She replaced early childhood educator Michelle Nikki Junia, who acted as president ad interim from September 2023 to March 2024.
Championing Filipino design talents, Kaye is the co-founder and co-chairperson of the Red Charity Gala, a prestigious annual event that aims to celebrate local fashion through the works of renowned Filipino designers including Dennis Lustico, Furne One, Michael Cinco, Cary Santiago, Ezra Santos, Jojie Lloren, Lesley Mobo, Chito Vijandre, Joey Samson, Rajo Laurel, and Ivarluski Aseron. The gala also raises substantial funds for charitable causes, including the Philippine Red Cross.
Kaye is the co-founder and managing director of W/17, a home furnishing and accessories brand that collaborates with craftsmen from various regions across the Philippines, including from Cebu, Cavite, Pampanga, and Dumaguete. Through her leadership, her brand has been promoting local artisans, cultural skills preservation, and economic development.
Nurturing the next generation of creative talents, Kaye also serves as a board member of MINT College, a business and creative arts college and senior high school that provides an innovative learning experience and empowers young people through its pioneering programs such as music business management, multimedia arts, and film and video.
The CCP Board of Trustees is headed by Dr. Jaime C. Laya, with Margie Moran Floirendo and Carissa Oledan Coscolluela as vice chairpersons.
Completing the board are real estate magnate Isidro A. Consunji, award-winning conductor Jonathan Velasco, PR maven Junie del Mundo, master light designer Felix “Monino” Duque, lawyer Gizela M. Gonzalez, and entrepreneur Marivic del Pilar. *
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