Marcos vows to support arts, culture

MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos vowed to promote and support arts and culture as he honored 33 Filipino artists who won the highest international awards over the past year.

Speaking at the 15th Ani ng Dangal Awards at Malacañang last Wednesday, Marcos said promoting the art industry would help grow the country’s economy and uplift Filipinos worldwide.

“You can be sure that the government and this administration are with you in promoting and enriching our arts and culture,” the President said in Filipino.

“It is but proper to appreciate what we regard as treasures of our nation and to recognize the honor they bring to our country,” he added.

Marcos urged the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to “use all available resources to support and to develop our artists and creators with huge potential in the arts.”

The Chief Executive also asked Filipino artists to showcase Philippine culture and identity as well as its rich artistry and cultural heritage.

“To the artists who received awards today, I hope it will further motivate you to continue what you have started so we can take care of our culture and the identity of our arts and nation. Because of your creation and the promotion of our original works, you enrich our art industry and introduce our race to the world,” he said.

Ani ng Dangal, translated in English as “harvest of honors,” is the highlight and concluding event of National Arts Month celebrated every February. It recognizes Filipino talents who have earned highest international awards and accolades in architecture and allied arts, cinema, dance, music, visual arts and broadcast arts for the past year.

The awardees under architecture and allied arts were The Penthouse (best residential interior apartment); The Galleon Residences Showroom (best residential show home); Equilateral House (winner for innovative architecture); Batangas Forest City (best of the best for innovative architecture).

Winners in the field of cinema were Jeric Gonzales (best actor); Dolly de Leon (best supporting performer); “Di N’yo Ba Naririnig?” (Golden Kinabalu Award for Best Documentary); “The Flight of Banog” (Golden Kinabalu Award for Best Indigenous Language Film); Geraldo Jumawan (best actor); “Black Rainbow” (best short film); Joaquin Ditan Domagoso (best actor); “The HeadHunter’s Daughter” (Grand Jury Prize); “It’s Raining Frogs Outside” (international award); “Days of the New” (International Competition Grand Prix), and “Leonor Will Never Die” (World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award).

Awardees in the field of dance were Billy Crawford, Electro Groovers, Halili-Cruz School of Ballet and Bayanihan. Winners under the music category include Ryle Custodio, Darwin Lomentigar, Rafael Adobas Bayog, Ily Matthew Maniano, Theodore Julius Chua Tan, Adrik Cristobal, Jeanne Rafaella Marquez, Far Eastern University Chorale, Michael Valenciano and Danikka Dy.

The visual arts awardees were Albert Reyes, Mariah Zamora, and Froiland Rivera while “A Thousand Cuts,” a film by Ramona Diaz, won the outstanding social issue documentary. – Marc Jayson Cayabyab