Bakit hindi national artist sila Gilda Codero-Fernando o si Joey Ayala?

Gilda, a literary acclaimed, award winning artist of paint and letters surrendered her entire life renovating the old fashioned ukay-ukay from the baul of Filipino heritage, dedicating her energy and creativity to give colors to the black and white Pinoy mythological creatures; aswang , its red romance chronicles Luna an aswang protagonist in her fashion play. Our cuisine, all are pandama, all are tikim-timpla tikim-timpla. The Filipina, the OFW’s colonizing the West with its fighting spirit and English carabao. Oo nga naman, never ask a mamang magtataho a question in English; for he will answer you fluently, Filipino is a citizen to the world for her. She offered the Filipinos to the world; why not give her the National Artist she deserved for her love of the culture?

Si Joey Ayala, I once asked my Papa and my professor in Philippine Ideology, bakit hindi pa national artist? Their answers are so identical: Aktibista kasi! Kudos for the Political manipulation in the mystical award. It reminded me of the former President Fidel V. Ramos, adding Historical Literature as a separate category. Anyway, hindi ba aktibista rin si National Artist Virgilio Almario? A friend once talked to Joey Ayala, bata ka pa naman kasi Joey. So he is obviously waiting, we are also waiting!

Gary Granada, in his song that was sang by Dong Abay said:

“Purihin ang dapat purihin, panagutin ang dapat panagutin”

Give good people what they deserve!





                                                                               [photos are not mine, credits to the owner]