PANSITLOVE: NATIONAL ARTIST 2009

Yesterday, I received a letter from Sec. Cecilia Guidote-Alvarez, Executive Director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, informing me about my late addition to the list of the names that will be given the title "Pambansang Alagad ng Sining" or the "National Artist Award"


















Kaya nga I was shocked. National Artist ako!

Maitanong ninyo kung ano ba yang nasyo-National Artist Award na yan, aber? Yun lang naman kaya ang pinakamataas na uri ng parangal na pwedeng ibigay sa isang Filipino Artist. Biruin mo yun, ako National Artist? Eh di ba may cash gift yun? Mababayaran ko na yung ibang mga utang ko!!!

The letter though was kinda insulting (ipangalandakan bang wala man lang daw akong naiambag na kabutihan sa larangan ng sining at kultura!? Marunong naman ako mag-Photoshop tsaka may socio-political cultural blog ako ha! Di ba, culture and arts yun?) but nonetheless, I AM A F*CKING NATIONAL ARTIST!!! BEAT THAT SH*T, YAH!

Dahil nga baon ako sa utang at wala akong pambili ng scanner, pinityuran ko na lang yung letter ni Sec. Alvarez:

















Oh, the letterhead reads NCCA, National Commission for Culture and the Arts, sa saling-Filipino, Pambansang Kumisyon para sa Kultura at Mga Sining. The letter was handwritten and was addressed to... ahem!... yours truly lang po naman.


















The first paragraph reads that Ms. Alvarez wanted to inform me that I was included in the list of National Artist Awardees dahil daw ako ay isang "BIGATEN". I don't know kung ang ibig sabihin niya ay pwede akong sumali sa Willie of Fortune sa Wowowee o talagang matabang mama na masiba kumain (which, pagnagkataon, is pretty offensive, ha!).

Sabi din niya na ako daw ay handpicked ng ating mahal na Pangulo. Dagdag pa niya if it wasn't too late at kung hindi "epal si Chiz at yung Supreme Court Chief Justice na nakalimutan ko ang pangalan", PGMA could have added me to the list of nominees for the next Supreme Court Justice to be submitted by the Judicial and Bar Council. Sayang!!! Masaya pa naman magsuot ng robe at maghahahataw nung martilyo ng martilyo dun sa Supreme Court! Order in the court! Order in the court!

But Sec. Alvarez apologized because we will be awarded together with the film director who massacred everyone in his films, Carlo J. Caparas daw. Kung bakit siya humingi ng pasensya, deins ko alam mga pare koy.
















(i-click nyo na lang yung pityur para mabasa yung letter maigi)

At siyempre, Sec. Alvarez signed the letter.

Moving ilong...

Ang alam ko, artists are nominated by their grassroots organization and peers. Nominees have to undergo a rigorous process with three (3) selection stages before the National Artists are named. There is this what they call a "Presidential Prerogative" na kung saan pwede magdagdag at bawas (kapag magaling magturo ang PUNO, matututo talaga ang bunga) ang ating Mahal na Pangulo ng mga names ng mga trips niyang artist. Sabi, si Mr. Manuel Conde (Film and Broadcast), si Prof. Lazaro Francisco (Literature) at si Maestro Alcuaz (Visual Arts, Painting, Sculpture and Mixed Media) eh mga dumaan sa process.

Yung iba, sinalimpusa na lang ni Madam. Hehehe! Pero kahit na di ba? Wala ng bawian. Touch-move!!!

Teka, sabi ko na nga, may katotohanan na sumali ang Ating Mahal na Pangulo sa aking PansitLove Fans' Club. Kaya siguro ako ginawang National Artist... Hmmm... Heto nga yung pityur (huling-huli sa camera!):


















Maybe that's the reason why CCP people make ngawa a lot. Transactional politics daw? Eh hindi naman nakipagtransact ang Ating Mahal na Pangulo sa akin. Member siya ng fans' club ko. And maybe the reason she joined was bilib siya sa pagiging ma-sining ko. Hindi ba ninyo naisip yon?! Mga pulpol na to!

Oh di ba! Kayo lang eh! Masyado kasi kayong elitista! Hindi ninyo kayang respetohin na kaya rin ng isang galing sa masa na magkaroon ng ganitong parangal. Wag ninyo kaming pagtawanan at alipustahin. Parepareho na tayong mga National Artist ngayon mga ulu... Di ba, Carlo J. Caparas?