Roces, 4 others named national artists

The newest crop of National Artists, including STAR columnist Alejandro Roces, were informally honored by President Arroyo yesterday for distinguishing themselves in their respective fields in culture and the arts.

Filipino painter Jose Joya, stage designer Salvador Bernal, poet, literary critic and former head of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Virgilio "Rio" Almario, multi-awarded director Eddie Romero and Roces will be formally honored by the President when she returns from her five-day trip to South Korea and Japan, Palace sources said.

Mrs. Arroyo proclaimed the latest batch of National Artists who were recommended to her by the NCCA, which undertook the rigorous initial screening process.

They passed the second stage of Palace screening and vetting process, though it took a while for the President to approve the final list, as there were some objections to certain nominations, including that of Roces, the same Palace sources told The STAR.

After careful and thorough deliberations, Roces, 72, who served as education secretary during the term of Mrs. Arroyo’s father, the late President Diosdado Macapagal, was elevated to the rank of National Artist.

Roces was honored for his important contributions in enriching the country’s literature with his outstanding works like, "Something to Crow About," a collection of short stories on cockfighting, a favorite Filipino pastime. The book was recently used as a basis for a zarzuela (Filipino musical play), which will premiere next month at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). He also wrote the book "Fiesta" and produced the films La Campana de Baler (The Bell of Baler) and El Legado (The Legacy) which won awards at the Conde de Foxa film festival in Spain in the 1960s.

Roces was also the first to be named a Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Awardee in Journalism in the 1950s.

When Mrs. Arroyo assumed office at Malacañang in January 2001, Roces was one of her first appointees as chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

"I’m overjoyed. I don’t know what to say," Roces told The STAR, upon being informed of the honor conferred upon him.

On the other hand, the National Artist award will be conferred on Joya posthumously. While he lived, Joya received several endorsements for this honor, which is usually conferred on June 12, Independence Day.

The last time Joya had been endorsed was at last year’s conferment, when the NCCA included him on its list, but, due to alleged "oversight," his name was omitted from the NCCA list. He had devote his artist’s life to painting modern abstracts that enriched Philippine art, marking it with his bold, indelible style.

Hailed as the "New Balagtas" Almario has undertaken critically acclaimed translations of the works of national hero Jose Rizal. He now helps hone the skills and improve the knowledge of the country’s young writers as the director of the University of the Philippines’ Creative Writing Institute.

Romero has received several local awards and international accolades for films produced under his direction, such as the movie Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? and other exemplary cinematic opuses.

Bernal has worked extensively in stage design for productions both in the CCP and abroad. He has authored a book of poems and teaches at the Ateneo de Manila. — Marichu Villanueva, Ben Bernales