THE FIL-AM PERSPECTIVE

The Next Philippine National Artist: Si Nora, si Vilma o si Dolphy?

By Gel Santos Relos 

 

 

 

Order of the National Artists. It is the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts. This award is conferred no more frequently than every three years, honoring:

 

Filipino artists who have made significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the country;

 

Filipino artistic accomplishment at its highest level and to promote creative expression as significant to the development of a national cultural identity;

 

Filipino artists who have dedicated their lives to their works to forge new paths and directions for future generations of Filipino artists.

 

This recognition has been raised to the level of a Cultural Order, ranking fourth in precedence among the orders and decorations that comprise the Honors of the Philippines, and considered equal in rank to the “Order of National Scientists” and the “Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan”.

 

 

The question on who should be given this highest honor has sparked passionate discussions among Filipinos worldwide when Bacolod City Representative Anthony Rolando Golez, Jr. filed House Resolution No.2317-- urging President Aquino, the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts to name actress Nora Aunor as National Artist of the Philippines,  for her “immense contributions” to Philippine arts and cinema.

 

 

The buzz echoed in the Senate as well, with Senators Francis Escudero, Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada and Ralph Recto saying they do not object to the resolution, and even agreed that Senator Recto’s wife, former actress and now Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos, should be given the same honor, along with veteran comedian Dolphy-- who we know is now facing serious health challenges.

 

 

 

Fernando Amorsolo, Levi Celerio, Atang dela Rama, Ramon Ubusan, Rolando Tinio, Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero, Lino Brocka, Fernando Poe, Jr., Nick Joaquin, Juan Nakpil, Carlos “Botong” Francisco-- they are a few of the distinguished men and women who were given  the highest honors in the different fields of art: Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts.

 

 

 

 

What are the criteria for this award? 

 

According to National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA),  the Order of National Artists shall be given to:

 

Living artists who are Filipino citizens at the time of nomination, as well as those who died after the establishment of the award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens at the time of their death;

 

Artists who through the content and form of their works have contributed in building a Filipino sense of nationhood;

 

Artists who have pioneered in a mode of creative expression or style, thus, earning distinction and making an impact on succeeding generations of artists;

 

Artists who have created a substantial and significant body of works and/or consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art form thus enriching artistic expression or style; and

 

Artists who enjoy broad acceptance through:

• prestigious national and/or international recognition, such as the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining, CCP Thirteen Artists Award and NCCA Alab ng Haraya;
  - critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works;
  - respect and esteem from peers.

 

 

Who Deserves to be the Next National Artist?

 

 Having stated this, whom do you think deserves to be the next National Artist?

 

Superstar Nora Aunor has received numerous national and international awards and nominations, as an actress and as a singer. She is the first Filipino actress to win an International acting award in a major Film Festival (Cairo 1995 for the movie The Flor Contemplacion Story). 

 

  In 1999, Nora received the Centennial Honor for the Arts awarded by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). She was the only film actress included in the prestigious list of awardees. In 2010, she was honored by the Green Planet Awards as one of the 10 Asian Best Actresses of the Decade.

 

Nora performed on stage, sold records, sang in concerts, hosted "Superstar" on television for generations. Ate Guy truly changed the taste of the Filipino fans in the 70s, making them to break away from the obsession on mestiza looking singers, television and film artists.

 

 

Nora Aunor’s arch rival since the 70s--Vilma Santos--is another  multi-awarded actress. Ate Vi is known as the "Star for all Seasons" , and has proven her longevity in the entertainment industry, holding the title of grand slam queen (4x) and the longest box office queen of Philippine movies.

 

Like Nora, Ate Vi was a favorite television star as well, and although she did not sing as much as Nora did--she danced in VIP (Vilma in Person) and in other variety shows.

 

Vilma Santos entered politics in 1998 and ran for mayor of Lipa City, Batangas, where she won three consecutive elections, becoming the city's first female mayor.

 

In 2005, she was given the Gawad Plaridel Award by the University of the Philippines for her achievements and contributions both as an actress and a public servant. In the She was conferred an honorary doctorate degree (honoris causa) in humanities by the Lipa City College. 

 

Vilma Santos-Recto became the first female governor of the province of Batangas in 2007, a position she holds up to now.

 

Dolphy is known as the country's "King of Comedy", and has been an entertainment icon on stage, radio, television and movies. 

 

Rodolfo Vera Quizon in real life, Dolphy started entertaining the Filipino people at the age of 17 as a stage performer during the Japanese occupation. 

 

He was on radio starting in the 1940s when it  was the major source of entertainment for Filipinos. He starred on Conde Ubalde’s radio shows, and it was also during this time when his comedy duo with Panchito started.

 

Dolphy was on television since it started in the 1950s, appearing for the first time on ABS-CBN’s Buhay Artista. For decades, Dolphy made us laugh through his other programs as well, including “John and Marsha” and “Home Along da Riles”.

 

Dolphy’s first movie was when he was 19 years old  with Fernando Poe Sr. He started doing movies for Sampaguita Pictures in 1952, and did movies with other movie outfits while being on television. He started producing his own films via RVQ Productions in 1965.

 

On July 25, 2008, Dolphy celebrated his 80th birthday, with the launching of a biographical book--  Dolphy,” Hindi Ko Ito Narating Mag-isa” (Dolphy, I Didn't Get Here All By Myself)-- I was honored to be given a copy of this book signed by Dolphy himself, when I interviewed him on Balitang America.

 

In 2010, President Noynoy Aquino conferred the Grand Collar of the Order of the Golden Heart to Dolphy - the highest award given to a private citizen by the President of the Philippines - for his contributions to the entertainment industry and for his many years of charitable and philanthropic works.

 

 

So who among Nora Aunor, Vilma Santos, and Dolphy-- deserves to be the next National Artist?

 

 

 

Your VOTE Can Help Jessica Sanchez Be the Next American Idol!

By Gel Santos Relos

 

 

 

Filipinos all over the world were shocked when Jessica Sanchez almost got eliminated last Thursday for getting the lowest number of votes. Surprisingly, American Idol judges Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steve Tyler used their powers to "save" Jessica in order for the 16-year-old Filipino-Mexican to be able to continue competing in the show.

 

Hailing from San Diego, Jessica is so talented -- receiving nothing but standing ovation and accolades from the AI judges and studio audience every week. How could she be voted out of the contest? 

 

Already I have been getting text messages, emails, tweets and Facebook messages from kababayans back home with the same questions: Are Fil-Ams not voting for Jessica? Isn’t ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel doing a strong campaign to make Filipinos in America vote for our bet? 

 

Jessica can’t lose, they say. Many of us are optimistic that she will be the first Filipina to win American Idol! What happened? 

 

Immediately, kababayans from all over the world ask: How can they help? Can they vote in whatever way possible to ensure our pamabato’s victory in American idol?

 

While some kababayans are eager to learn and explore all possible options, others, like our Balitang America LA Correspondent Yong Chavez warn how doing so may do more harm than good.

 

“I think we should follow AI rule on who can vote (US/territories). Breaking it might create backlash against her and Pinoys,” Yong Chavez said.

 

American Idol stipulates who can vote in the contest:

 

-Toll-free Voting:  Anyone calling the toll-free numbers from an area code from within the Continental US, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands will be able to cast their vote(s) for American Idol.

-AT&T Text Voting: Any AT&T wireless subscriber who has the ability to text message and has an area code from within the Continental US, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands will be able to cast their vote(s) for American Idol.

-Online Voting:  Anyone with a Facebook account registered within the Continental US, Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands will be able cast their vote(s) using the online method. 

 

Such pragmatism among our kababayans around the world has been tempered by the desire  to make Jessica win the crown within bounds of American Idol rules. As Yong Chavez articulated, we do not wish for Jessica and Filipinos to be put in bad light for rule-breaking or 'cheating'.

 

“Voting for AI and you're not in (any) US territories is cheating! Ang tawag diyan.. flying voters! Voting on AI na hindi taga Amerika!,” kababayan Pat Punzalan says. And Filipinos get this.

 

Kababayan Evita Garcia suggests that it is “better to campaign to all friends and relatives in the US, not just to watch Jessica but also to vote for her.”

 

True enough, many Fil-Ams publicly said “mea culpa,’ admitting that they have been complacent. They believe Jessica is a strong candidate and that many would vote for her.  They did not feel the pressure and urgency to vote for her consistently every week. A classic case of a ‘diffused sense of responsibility.'

 

But last week’s surprise made many Fil-Ams realize how important it is to vote, in order for Jessica to win. They realize that in American Idol, the best and most talented singer does not necessarily win. Winning is based on popularity and number of votes.  

 

Fil-Ams have in fact organized several “American Idol” viewing parties all over the United States and plan to vote quite obsessively together for Jessica within the designated voting time after the show in each time zone.

 

Other Filipinos have articulated their analyses of why Jessica was almost booted out of the contest. Some point to race. Others say it is because the young female audience who comprise the big voting block of AI prefer to swoon over white, good-looking guys as their "American Idol."

 

Still some believe Jessica does not look glitzy enough, or that she chooses the wrong songs. She might have proven her singing prowess but failed to connect with people emotionally last week because of her song, Stuttering. Some opined she should share more of her self that the American voting public may identify with.

 

But then there are those who wonder how we Filipinos treat Jessica’s almost elimination from American Idol like it is a national crisis that requires immediate and serious attention. Others lament how “Pinoy pride” can truly be so misplaced and tied to showbiz and contests and boxing, etc.

 

I just hope Jessica will still be in American Idol by the time you read this column. Jessica vows to “step up her game.” She is so talented -- she may just be the next American Idol. 

 

But we, Fil-Ams need to do our role in voting for her, as passionately as we believe in her. Yet if she doesn't make it, we know that she has already made it known to the world that her star will continue to shine, even after the curtains of this season's American Idol closes. 

 

Good luck, Jessica!

Should the US Movie “Act of Valor” Producers Apologize to Filipinos?

 By Gel Santos Relos

 

It was a much-awaited film especially after the US Navy SEALs killed Osama Bin Laden, the founder and leader of Al Qaeda-- the jihadist group responsible for the September 11 attacks on the United States.

 

“Act of Valor” is a modern-day action movie about the heroism of the US Navy SEALs, reportedly inspired by true events in history. 

 

With the SEALs on board as advisors, the filmmakers realized that no actors could realistically portray or physically fill the roles they had written and so, the actual SEALs were drafted to star in the film. 

 

But not everybody was happy about the movie. Fil-Am community leaders said that “the film portrayed Filipinos in the worst way possible-- as jihadists, who want to destroy Americans."

 

 Northern California Balitang America Correspondent Henni Espinosa reported on the scenes that infuriated our Fil-Am kababayans. In the movie, a group of 16 Filipino suicide bombers are trained to infiltrate the US border in Mexico, wearing explosive vests to be detonated in major cities in the United States. Now, it’s up to the US Navy SEALs to stop them. 

 

In the newscast, we showed some footage of the movie (supposedly set in the Philippines), where a suicide bomber kills the US Ambassador, his son and dozens of children. 

 

Balitang America also showed another scene where a Navy SEAL spots the terrorists and identifies them as “Filipinos.” 

 

In a shooting encounter with the Navy SEALs, the so-called terrorists even asked for help in Tagalog, saying “Hihingi ako ng tulong!”

 

Although Filipinos were not the only "kalaban" alluded to in the movie, Fil-Am community leaders were outraged by the inaccuracy of the movie’s portrayal of Filipinos. 

 

They demanded that the producers make a public apology to all Filipinos and correct the scenes from the film that identify Filipinos as terrorists. 

 

NAFFAA-San Francisco Chairman Rudy Asercion started an online petition with the aforementioned demands, saying: “ “Unless the movie is corrected, this will have a tremendous impact on Filipinos.”

 

US Pinoys for Good Governance President Rodel Rodis wrote a newspaper article saying that this movie will negatively impact, not just Filipinos in America, but even Pinoys who are trying to get visas to enter the United States.

 

“People thinking that Filipinos are terrorists will now look at us differently. I am sure those trying to get in the country will be subjected to interrogation,” Rodis said in an interview.

 

“It does not even take into consideration the long-standing relationship between the US and the Philippines,” Philippine American Press Club President Esther Chavez told Henni Espinosa in the Balitang America report.

 

Fil-Am leaders said that the movie is “racist propaganda.” They are urging President Aquino to ban the film in the Philippines, if the producers don't meet their demands.

 

Some of our kababayans support this petition, like JR Castro who argued: “Depiction of Filipinos to be American killers in a movie is insulting, whether or not it was intentional.They should clear it!”

 

But there are those who think Pinoys are overreacting. Jed Reston said: “No! Fiction naman yun. Masyado na atang balat sibuyas ng mga kababayan natin kung ganyan. It was a nice film.”

 

Jomarc Pernia Pizzarras points out: “It's like telling other countries to demand an apology if their country is being portrayed as the villain. It's just a movie.”

 

“It's only a movie... Why all the fuss??? Russians don't complain when they are always depicted as bad guys on Bond, Mission Impossible films etc.,” Gem Marie Bandiola reminds us.

 

Our Balitang America LA Correspondent who covers Hollywood-- Yong Chavez-- said, "I saw Act of Valor. I'm more offended by the fact that it wasn't a good movie and badly-acted."

 

Others said we should accept the reality that some kababayans are, indeed, part of Muslim extremist groups. 

 

“The Abu Sayyaf kidnapped the Burnhams and murdered others in the group. They were Filipino,”  said Gene Gregorio.

 

What do you think? Should the producers of Act of Valor apologize and correct the said scenes from the movie? Will you support the Fil-Am community leaders’ petition?

 

Prayerize, Visualize, Actualize

By Gel Santos Relos

 

“What the mind can conceive and believe, and the heart desire, you can achieve.”

 

One of the books that really had a big impact on my faith journey is “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. The lessons I learned from the book came at a time, when the realities of life have shattered my idealism -- when the obstacles and challenges seemed bigger than my dreams.

 

In his book, Peale said the secret formula to fulfilling your dreams is to “Prayerize, Visualize, Actualize.”

 

Prayerize

 

Peale said the question is: What exactly do you want? Is it really something you should want for yourself? Pray! Ask God to help you achieve it, believe that He will help you and be thankful. God always knows what you need, and based on my experiences, He usually gives us something much better than what we ask for.

 

For those who do not believe in organized religion, praying may mean tapping into one’s sub-conscious mind to be wired to a Higher Energy -- charging one’s “low batt” spirit, by connecting to the One True Energy which holds the universe together.

 

I remember how I prayed so hard in the past, for things that my heart so desired. 

 

Like being accepted to the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication. A job as an anchor on radio and television. Or the restoration of love, intimacy and happiness between my husband and me, during that time when our marriage was falling apart. 

 

I prayed so hard for these, every single day. I prayed each time I pass a church. I went to Sacred Heart Parish and St. Jude for novena masses. I prayed on my knees.

 

Not all the time was my spirit strong, especially when my eyes were blinded by tears and my heart broken and aching. But I continued praying for grace. Strength. Resolve. Discernment. 

  

Visualize

 

Visualize yourself as already having what you want. It is like playing a movie over and over in your mind, about the things you are praying for. 

 

For those who are not religious, this is what is referred to as “creative visualization.”  Things exist first in the mind, before they manifest in reality.

 

I remember visualizing my self in the campus grounds of UP -- seeing my self in jeans and cotton t-shirt walking around, so free-spirited, carrying my books to the next class and fired up to produce my next program for my radio and television classes in the College. 

 

I joyfully recall how I would practice delivering my news in front of the mirror, or taping my self on cassette recorder, as I emulated my role models Cheche Lazaro, Mel Tiangco and Helen Vela. The mere visualization brought so much joy and power in me.

 

I remember that I would picture in my mind every single day -- my husband and I doing the things we used to do before, when we first became a couple. I pictured us walking hand in hand by the beach, talking and laughing  and having a romantic dinner together. I visualized him looking into my eyes and saying, “I love you.”

 

Peale said that you have to picture yourself in that situation that you desire. It’s not enough to think about it, you have to be  almost “obsessive” about it and own it. Play the moving picture in your mind as though it is right there before you -- you can hear, smell and taste it, until joyful tears swell in your eyes. 

 

Peale reminds us we have to believe that we already received it, and we should be thankful.

 

Actualize

 

Peale said that after faithfully praying and visualizing in affirmation, things will fall into place, to get you to what you want.

 

This does not suggest that you resort only to prayer and do nothing. On the contrary, the praying and visualizing stages help you have the right mind set, the stamina, and the energy to work harder towards your goal. 

 

I prayed and visualized and they helped me walk the extra mile to study hard and get A’s; to prepare hard and be up-to-date with current events, practice my public speaking and writing skills; take care of myself and how I looked; and have the persistence -- despite initial setbacks, criticisms and disappointments in reaching my goal to host a television program and become a newscast anchor.

 

I faithfully prayed and visualized for strength, even when my relationship with my husband was chaotic, rocky, complicated, cold and disappointing. The images that I played in my mind helped me look beyond the present adversities and discouraging realities.

 

More importantly, they helped me exude positive warm energy and do “loving’ acts that were otherwise very hard to do under my circumstances. And then  slowly and amazingly, these drew out the same energy and behavior from my husband.

 

In all the examples that I gave you, I got what I prayed for. The moving pictures that I played in my mind over and over again in my faithful visualization became my reality. And there have been many many more other miracles that manifested in my life.

 

They manifested not in my own timetable, but in God’s time. Some had to go through rocky paths, more sub-plots -- but my consistent longing and will to plug in to God’s divine power, helped me through all my trying times.

 

For all the other things I asked for, I lifted them up to God, trusting Him and holding on to His promise: “Everything works together for the good” (Romans 8:28). 

 

Norman Vincent Peale's book adapted the message of faith from the bible and shared how it applies to the faith challenges of our present realities. “According to your faith, be it done unto you.” (Matthew 9:29)

 

Praying and visualizing help us have strength amid challenges. “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory, which will be revealed toward us.” (Romans 8:18)

 

But he also reminds us that we need to do our share, not only by faithfully praying and visualizing, but in doing our part to make our dreams come true - both in our inner and outer realities. 

 

“All things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” (Mark 11:24)  

 

The Bible stresses on an important requirement in faith and praying: “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” 

 

This reminds us how to come to terms with our imperfections and our issues-- to resolve them by forgiving our selves and our enemies, and by making amends. Only then  can we truly be in a position to claim God’s favor.

 

Happy Easter! 

 

Photo credit:  1- jordansargent blog spot   2-itsallaboutgodandhislove blogspot  3-sodahead 

 

(My Asian Journal Column April 4, 5, 6, 2012)