National Arts Month

February celebrates Filipino arts and culture

By Earl D C. Bracamonte

The annual celebration of the National Arts Month in the month of February is mandated by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 683, signed into law in 1991. In 1992, Republic Act 7356 named six agencies to carry out the nation's arts and culture directives. These are the offices of the National Museum of the Philippines, the National Library of the Philippines, National Historical Institute, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Archives of the Philippines, and the Commission of the Filipino Language.

"Life continues in the new normal with the new challenges as well. Messages from the seven art disciplines - cinema, music, dance, dramatic arts, architecture & allied arts, literary, and visual arts - have remained to be steadfast. We are moving forward to a brighter direction. Padayon!" remarked NCCA executive director  Oscar S. Casaysay, during a recent virtual press briefing.

This year's theme revolves around the concept of "Sining ng Pag-asa."

"This year marks the 31st year from the 1991 mandate. February is celebrated annually as the month of nationalism and pride of being Filipino. It highlights the importance of arts in our lives as we safeguard, promote, conserve Philippine art all year long," enthused deputy executive director Marichu Tellano.

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray is the NCCA's current art ambassador while all-boy singing group SB19 is this year's youth and Sentro Rizal ambassadors. Sentro Rizal now has a center in New York City, the art capital of the world.

"Arts as source of hope, coupled with its healing power, is a continuous means to creation against the pandemic; as we continue our mission with the whole nation. This is the biggest flagship program to bring out a deep sense of respect towards our culture and traditions," intimated NCCA chairman Arsenio "Nick" Lizaso.

Art is essential to triumph over the pandemic. "The 14th Cinema Rehiyon garnered 300 submissions for consideration. Of those, 50 films, as well as four full-length feature films will be featured as 'Films with Social Commentary.' From Feb 25 to Mar 1, 160 films will be featured in the Asian Short Film festival on the Vimeo portal to awaken our cultural consciousness," apprized Dr, Rolando Tolentino, chairman of the National Commission on Cinema.

This year, creativity is harnessed as a catalyst for recovery. "Our webinar series, that began in 2021, is about spaces in the new normal and was rolled out in cooperation with various design councils. There is a need for creative solutions to existing problems," informed landscape architect Zenaida Dela Cruz Galingan, chairman of the National Commission for Architecture & Allied Arts.

The various dance forms - classical ballet, folk, hip-hop, and jazz - recognizes new perspectives to navigate during these trying times. Now, performances are done on mountain tops, caves, seas, heritage sites, rivers, and even in cemeteries. 

"During the height of the pandemic, many dance schools were closed and festivals were cancelled. So we had to discover innovative ways to present dance on the virtual space. 'Sayaw Pinoy' provides an online fora to more than 250 dance companies all over the Philippines. Every Saturday, starting Feb 5 until Mar 5, there will be no limit to one's terpsichorean creativity," intoned Dr. Shirley Halili Cruz, chairman of the National Commission for Dance.

Community-based theater is now on its 16th year. "The Tanghal 16 Festival combines theater techniques with technological advancements. You see, collaboration is the essence of theater work. With #Tanghal16, audiences can listen to the voices of the masses. There will be 71 participating groups from Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and the NCR with specific themes per week. And on Feb 26, an original work will be collaborated in by all participants as its culminating activity," said Dr. Felimon Blanco, chairman of the National Commission for Dramatic Arts.

On the literary front, pandemic experiences will be the subject matter of written rhetoric. "There will be an online conference on Mar 25-26. Our forthcoming book anthologies will delve on 'Himaya: Panitikan ng Pagbabanyuhay' and 'Hulagway (Image/Countenance). Himaya is translated as 'rapture' while banyuhay as 'metamosphosis,'" revealed Dr. Julieta Mallari, chairman of the National Commission for Literary Arts.

Music can unify our national consciousness. "There are eight musical cultures in this country, yet, only pop music is made available to the public. Our music festival will feature a collection of gems in contemporary music in different genres. National unity is as musical as much as any political task," stated Dr. Felipe de Leon Jr., chairman of the National Commission for Music.

All visual presentations for the various visual art disciplines will be shown on the NCCA Facebook page that will stream from Mar 8-12. "Bagong Biswal is a celebration of 30 to 40 artists and groups in various exhibitions. This visual arts ecosystem will unfold its collective presentation on Feb. 28," revealed Ms. Geraldine Araneta, chairman of the National Commission for Visual Arts.

The opening salvo, that unfolded on Feb. 4, showed an overview of the activities from the various committees. "It showed the essentiality of art in responding to social changes and in making art work for climate justice/action, as well as in highlighting culture as human right," said Edward Perez towards the event of the virtual confab.

The press briefing ended with a montage of the Metropolitan Theater's "The Grand Reveal" featuring Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray as Prima Ballerina, Opera Enchantress, Classic Thespian, Screen Siren, and Carnival Queen in and around the many areas of the newly refurbished theater.

For more information, simply visit the Web site, www.ncca.gov.ph.