346 people signed the petition since August 02, 2009

Protest Against the Non-Inclusion of Ramon Santos in the 2009 National Artist Awardees

We, the Music Community of the University of the Philippines, together with our friends and colleagues in the Academic Community of the University of the Philippines, declares a protest against the deletion of Dr. Ramon Santos' name from the original list of 2009 National Artist Awardees, announced in the June 8, 2009 issue of the Philippine Inquirer.

To quote:
"President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is set to proclaim painter Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, composer Ramon Santos, the late filmmaker Manuel Conde and the late Tagalog novelist Lazaro Francisco as the country's new National Artists, said culture officials who declined to be named.

The four names were elected in a meeting of the joint boards of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and submitted to Malacañang for the President's proclamation.

While the President cannot veto any name or subtract from the NCCA-CCP list, she has the prerogative to add to it..."

However, on the July 30, 2009 issue of both Philippine Inquirer and Philippine Star, 7 new National Artist were named by Malacañang, of whom one was dropped from the original list, and that is Dr. Ramon Santos.

We therefore strongly protest this injustice committed against Dr. Ramon Santos. We believe the award is righteously his. He was nominated, his contributions to Filipino culture and arts scrutinized under rigid screening of committees commissioned by both the NCCA and CCP, and he was elected.

Our signatures, and those of concerned individuals supporting  this protest, signify a call to stop injustice that has sadly proliferated even in the chambers of arts and culture in Philippine society. We demand transparency, honesty, and integrity.


  
[Here are links to learn more about the issue:
Newsbreak: Shameless selection of National Artists
Spot.ph's Primer on the 2009 National Artists "Brouhaha"
Spot.ph: Statement from BenCab
Asian Journal: Rants and raves for 2009's National Artists
Inquirer: 'Massacre' of National Artist Awards rued
Inquirer: 'Dagdag-bawas' in the National Artist Awards
Ellen Tordesillas: Furor over Arroyo’s debasement of National Artists Award
]

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