THE FIL-AM PERSPECTIVE

Confer the Philippine National Artist Award to DOLPHY: Will You Sign The Petition?

 

By Gel Santos Relos

 

 

 

Namayapa man si Dolphy, ang paggawad sa kanya ng karangalang ito ay pagpupugay sa kanyang pangalan...o legacy...o pamana sa sining at kultura ng bansang kanyang minahal, pinaglingkuran, at pinasaya sa loob ng 65 taon bilang isang tunay na artist sa stage, radyo, TV at pelikula.

Will you sign the petition (http://www.change.org/dolphy ) to honor his name and legacy in the history of Philippine arts and culture so the generations to come will know and appreciate the King of Comedy who brought so much joy and laughter to us in the midst of our struggles as a nation?

Dolphy was laid to rest on Sunday, July 15, but the clamor of a nation in mourning to give the King of Comedy the much-deserved Philippine National Artist Award lives on --  and the uproar only grows louder and stronger after his death.

 

Yes, this recognition could be given posthumously. The first award was posthumously conferred to Filipino painter Fernando Amorsolo. 

 

Dolphy had definitively satisfied all qualifications for this honor: He made significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the country; his highest level of artistic accomplishments on stage, radio, television and film helped promote creative expression as significant to the development of a national cultural identity; and he dedicated 65 years of his life as an artist, which helped forge new paths and directions for future generations of Filipino artists.

 

The King of Comedy also reaped many awards as an actor in the films “Omeng Satanasia” and Lino Brocka’s “Ang Tatay Kong Nanay.” He was also given the “Best Performer” award in Brussels International Filmfest for his portrayal of the role of Markova, a Filipino homosexual man, forced into prostitution during the war.

 

It has been so many years since Dolphy was nominated for the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts. But the award, given only every three years, had been elusive to the King of Comedy in his lifetime.

 

Some say politics had something to do with it. In an interview on ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chairperson Grace Poe-Llamanzares hinted that Dolphy's endorsement of her father Fernando Poe Jr. during the 2004 presidential elections did cost the the country's "King of Comedy" the National Artist Award.

 

ABS-CBN news quoted Llmanzares as saying: "He [Dolphy] suffered a lot for the [FPJ] endorsement because the past [Arroyo] administration, they were a bit vengeful. There were some exchange of words to the point of [Dolphy] saying, 'I'm sorry, Madam, if I hurt your feelings.”

 

Others lament how personal prejudices of a few cost the King of Comedy this much deserved title, especially after National Artist Awardee for Theater Cecile Guidote- Alvarez revealed that Dolphy's portrayals of gay men throughout his film career cost him the national artist award. 

 

In an interview on ABS-CBN Radio DZMM, Guidote-Alvarez said inclusion in the final list of nominees for national artist was "passionately" opposed in the deliberation committee, which is tasked to recommend notable personalities to be awarded the title. The loudest voice came from then Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) president Nicanor Tiongson.

 

"Basically, siya ang pinakamatindi. Sa botohan na-shock nga kami, hindi nakapasa si Dolphy. Sa recollection ko, ang sinasabing protesta was basically hindi karapat-dapat ang body of work [ni Dolphy] na nagpe-presenta not in a good light about the gay [community], the life [of gay men]," Guidote-Alvarez said, as quoted by ABS-CBN News. 

 

Consequently, Dolphy was removed from the shortlist the NCCA and the CCP would jointly recommend to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

 

But many kababayans from different parts of the world could not and would not accept these reasons why Dolphy should not get the recognition, even after his death. 

 

The clamor has increasingly intensified after Guidote Alvarez pointed out: "As of 1997, meron pong joint NCCA-CCP board which said the president has the authority and the prerogative to deny anything that was recommended by the NCCA-CCP, has the right to name a category, has a right to elect or add anybody in their judgment through the validation of the Honors Committee, who should be given an award, a state award.”

 

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. 

 

Many Filipinos believe PNoy could have done better by using his executive power for Dolphy to be seriously considered for the highest recognition of being named as Philippine National Artist.

 

The biggest online Filipino community on Facebook called  “Definitely Filipino” initiated a petition addressed to President Benigno Aquino III, NCCA & CCP. (http://www.change.org/dolphy )

 

Founder of Definitely Filipino, Ben Totanes, said: “The award wasn’t given to him when he was alive. But now that he is gone, they should give it him. It’s still an honor.”

 

Responding to opposition founded on the belief that Dolphy’s portrayal was demeaning to gay people, and on a more conservative view that “homosexuality is a sin, and therefore playing gay roles is a sin,” Totanes said that gay roles were not demeaning to the gay community. He argued that the King of Comedy’s portrayal of gay roles even helped raise awareness, understanding, respect and even acceptance of the gays in the community.

 

The “Definitely Filipino” petition states:

 

“This petition aims to show the support of the Filipino people in the process and eventual conferment of the National Artist 2012 Award to Dolphy for his outstanding contribution to the arts and culture of the Philippines . It is the voice of the Filipino asking: 

 

1. That Dolphy be included in the short-list of nominees/awardees submitted by the NCCA and CCP to the Office of the President;

 

      2. That President Benigno Aquino III will heed to the call of his "boss"        - the Filipino People - in declaring Dolphy as National Artist in 2012. 

 

This petition supports the resolutions filed by the City of Manila and that in the Senate by Senate President Pro-Tempore Jinggoy Ejercito-Estrada, asking the President to declare him as National Artist in this year's competition, which is only being held every 3 years.

 

This petition serves as a documentation of the public's support for Dolphy in this time of mourning and recognition of his contribution in Philippine cinema and in the lives of countless Filipinos.”

 

Per guidelines outlined by the National  Commission for Culture and the Arts, “A posthumous conferral consisting of the medallion and citation shall be given to the family or legal heir/s of the honoree. The cash award of P75,000 in cheque shall be given to the honoree’s legal heir/s or a representative designated by the family immediately after the ceremony or at another time and place as requested by the family.”

 

Will you honor the King of Comedy by signing this petition? 

Go to http://www.change.org/dolphy

 

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)