Pres. Aquino Confirms National Artist Status of Fernando Poe, Jr.

 From left: Cultural Center of the Philippines chairman Dr. Raul Sunico, National Commission for Culture and the Arts executive director Emelita Almosara, CCP Board of Trustees chairperson Emily Abrera, NCCA chairman Felipe de Leon, Jr., Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, Susan Roces, Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares and Brian Poe Llamanzares (Photo by Marvin Alcaraz)

President Benigno Aquino III conferred posthumously the National Artist award to film actor, director, writer and producer Ronald Allan Kelley Poe, popular known as Fernando Poe Jr. or FPJ, at the Bulwagang Rizal of Malacañang Palace on Aug. 16.
Poe was declared National Artist in 2006, together with Bienvenido Lumbera for literature, Ramon Obusan for dance, Benedicto Cabrera for visual arts, Ildefonso Santos for landscape architecture, Ramon Valera for fashion design, and Adulmari Asia Imao for visual arts, by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The Poe family turned down the award because they believe that Arroyo cheated him in the 2004 presidential elections.
Led by FPJ’s wife, actress Susan Roces; daughter Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who is chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board; and grandson Brian Poe Llamanzares, the Poe family now gladly received the award, the highest honor given by the government to the country’s artists. They said the award became more meaningful because it is given by respectable persons and institutions.
Pres. Aquino has earlier signed Proclamation No. 435 on July 20, confirming Proclamation No. 1069, which was signed by Arroyo on May 23, 2006, declaring Poe as National Artist. The conferment almost coincided with the actor’s 73rd birthday on Aug. 20.
Present during the conferment were officials from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) led by its chairman Felipe de Leon Jr. and executive director Emelita Almosara, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines, led by its chairman Dr. Raul Sunico and Board of Trustees chairperson Emily Abrera. These two institutions jointly administer the National Artist awards. Gracing the occasion were some of the country’s National Artists sculptor Napoleon Abueva, writer Virgilio Almario, visual artist Abdulmari Asia Imao, and film director and writer Eddie Romero.
In his speech, which is in Filipino, Pres. Aquino attested to Poe’s popularity, which endures until now: “Alam ho n’yo talagang naiiba itong araw na ‘to. Mayroon akong nakikitang mga matagal na pong empleyado ng Malakanyang na bihira na ho mag-attend ng mga seremonyang ganito, at sawang-sawa na. Pero, nandito po ngayon dahil para kay FPJ. Pati aking mga writer mag-uusap kami tapos nito normally, isa lang ho ang kasama ko dahil kung sinong sumulat o ang may akda ng talumpati ay tinitignan kung natuwa ako sa talumpati o hindi; ngayon po ay marami-rami sila.
“Naalala ko po tuloy noong ako po’y nagtatrabaho po sa Luisita, mayroon po kaming empleyado na ‘pag unang araw ng palabas ng bagong pelikula ni FPJ, maski kung gaano kaimportante po ang meeting, absent po siya. Kailangan po siyang manood ng first screening on the first day.”
He further said: “Sino po bang Pilipino ang hindi nakakakilala kay FPJ? O sino po sa atin ang hindi pa nakakapanood ng kanyang mga pelikula? Kakabit na ng pelikulang Pilipino ang kanyang pangalan, at ‘di-matatawaran ang kontribusyon niya hindi lamang sa pinilakang-tabing, kundi pati na rin sa kalakhang lipunan. At higit pa sa pagiging aktor, higit sa pagiging writer, prodyuser at direktor, isa siyang Pilipinong mapagkumbaba, mapagmalasakit, at matulungin sa kapwa.”
Poe had made over 200 films in his lifetime including Anak ng Bulkan (1959), Mga Alabok sa Lupa (1967) and Asedillo (1971). He was popular known for his Panday series of movies. He was also a recipient of numerous best actor awards, particularly from the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (Famas). He set up a movie production company and directed nine films under his pseudonym Ronwaldo Reyes. Poe was widely regarded as the King of Philippine Movies. He died on Dec. 14, 2004, after suffering from cerebral thrombosis with multiple organ failure at the age of 65.
Pres. Aquino said: “Minahal at tinangkilik siya ng marami dahil sa kanyang husay sa pag-arte, respeto sa mga kasamahan sa industriya, at sa paggawa ng pelikulang tunay na sumasalamin sa buhay ng karaniwang mamamayan at kultura ng ating bayan. Abot-langit man sa dami ang kanyang mga parangal na natanggap, nanatiling nakatuntong ang kanyang mga paa sa lupa. Gumanap man bilang magsasaka, pulis, sundalo, tsuper, panday, o ordinaryong taga-Tundo; malinaw po: sa bawat paggulong ng kamera, sa bawat eksena ng kanyang pelikula, sabay na pumipintig ang puso niyang nais bumuo ng sining na gigising sa kamalayan ng Pilipino, magtatama sa maling sistema, at maghahatid ng pag-asa sa kapwa’t bansa. Sa lahat ng ito, bida sa buhay ng maraming Pilipino si Fernando Poe Jr.: tagapagtanggol ng naaapi, takbuhan ng nangangailangan, at tagapagtaguyod ng katarungan. Wala nga pong duda, karapat-dapat siyang kilalanin at hirangin bilang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining.”

Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III with NCCA and CCP officials, the Poe family and National Artists at the conferment of the National Artist award to Fernando Poe, Jr. (Photo by Marvin Alcaraz)

Poe was nominated for the National Artist award, and underwent the rigorous screening process in which his achievements were evaluated by councils of artists, experts, scholars and other National Artists, before being conferred the National Artist award in 2006.
“Sa publiko at pribadong institusyon nagmumula ang nominasyon upang mapabilang ang indibidwal sa Order ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining. Maigi namang pinag-aaralan, sinusuri at sinasala ng Cultural Center of the Philippines at National Commission for Culture and the Arts ang lahat ng nominado. Sa ipapasang listahan ng CCP at NCCA, pipili ang Pangulo, bilang kinatawan ng sambayanang Pilipino, ng ipoproklamang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining. Kaakibat ng karangalang ito ang mga serbisyo ng pamahalaan, at pagkilala ng lipunan sa kanyang mga obra,” Pres. Aquino related. “Alam naman po natin na noong 2006 pa dapat ibinigay ang karangalang ito kay FPJ. Ngunit tayo pong nasa tuwid na daan, alam nating hindi kalabisan ang naging pasya ni Susan Roces at ng kanyang pamilya na ipagpaliban ang pagtanggap sa karangalang ito. Batid nating ang kabuluhan ng anumang parangal ay nagbubukal sa integridad ng institusyong nagbibigay ng gawad, at sa tiwala ng publiko sa institusyong ito. Anim na taon mang naudlot ang paghirang kay FPJ bilang Pambansang Alagad ng Sining, mahigit kalahating siglo naman po ang nakalipas mula nang una siyang lumabas sa pelikula; mahigit kalahating siglo na ang nakalipas mula nang makamit niya ang pinakamataas na parangal na maaaring matanggap ninuman ang paghanga at pagmamahal ng taumbayan.”
“Sa paggawad natin ng titulong Pambansang Alagad ng Sining kay FPJ, nawa’y libu-libo pang tulad niya ang umusbong at gamitin ang husay at talino upang iangat ang kapwa Pilipino. Dahil sa pagtutulungan, pihadong mapapasakamay natin ang tagumpay, ilang butas man ng karayom ang ating daanan,” Pres. Aquino concluded.

Fernando Poe’s wife Susan Roces and daughter Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who is chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (Photo by Marvin Alcaraz)