Filipino Artists Mourn the Death of Honor

Denouncing the Arroyo regime for dishonoring the selection process for the next batch of National Artists, award recipients led many other artists and activists in a march from the Cultural Center of the Philippines to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts offices in Intramuros, Manila last August 7.

National Artist for Literature and Kodao Productions chairperson Bienvenido Lumbera said they are mourning President Gloria Arroyo's utter disregard for the selection process and decimating the honor associated with the prestigious award.

"President Arroyo unnecessarily politicized the selection process when she deleted composer Ramon Santos from the list of recipients and added four names that did not pass the set process of the CCP and the NCCA," he added.

"We are afraid that this will be the norm in the selection of the next National Artists from hereon," Lumbera said.

Related Video: Pinoy Weekly's video coverage of the Filipino artists' protest rally