Ang Gawad Para sa mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ay hindi basta-basta lang na topiko. ang pagkakagawad ng award na ito ay mayroong dinaraanang proseso, mga batayan at mga batas na sinusundan. Because this is the highest prestige an artist of the Philippines can be given as a tribute to their work and contribution to PHILIPPINE art. This year, that award was KILLED, MASSACRED AND INDIGNATED.

First of all, how can someone who is not considered as a visual artist BE the national artist for visual arts AND film? Carlo Caparas is not being reasonable, being all defensive about the title! Caparas is a comic book writer for Panday, Bakekang, Pieta and Totoy bato. It was purely collaborative work that he himself stated beforehand, and now he's taking it all for himself? His films are all about murder, massacre, rape, slaughter. Would you consider that as art? Yes, people may say that it brings justice to the people involved in the slaughters, the victims, but it does not give the people something to hold on to, and no clear lessons to uphold! If he believes that he is, in fact deserving of the title, he would step down and let it go, seeing that the WHOLE artist community, sees it as inappropriate. This is a matter of credibility. He thinks that what he has done is worthy of the title? These comic books are all POPULAR art. They are seen by the people of the Philippines, yes, but compare these with the works of previous national artists, these are still not enough! It is like saying that Wowowee be granted a cultural award for gaining hundreds of millions of viewers. He himself told the media in an interview that he CAN write novels but chose to do comics because it is AN EASIER WAY OF GETTING MONEY.

Art is not about money. Never, was it considered as a medium of income, fame, fortune and glory. Art is done and practiced because of passion. Even if you don't get awards or financial prizes, it should be enough that you SHARED your art to the people as much as you can. It is done 'for the love of it'.

The reason why the national artists of the Philippines are usually in their latest years is because it is when they have attained the proper wisdom and honor to be part of the order. Art was the only sector of this country wherein the government has not polluted and corruption has not touched. And now, after what these people have done, the award is dead.

On using your power to attain a high rank in the art world: Cecile Guidote-Alvarez is now considered as the 'national artist' for theater. Yes you can probably say that she can be credible. Since she herself established PETA (Philippine Educational Theater Association). But she is also, in fact, the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of the NCCA (national commission for culture and arts) and it is stated in a rule surrounding the election for national artists that ALL EMPLOYEES, OFFICERS, HEADS AND FACILITATORS OF THE NCCA AND THE CCP ARE THEREFORE DISQUALIFIED FROM THE NOMINATIONS because these establishments spearhead for choosing the national artists. Yes, she could possible become a national artist without all the controversy if AND ONLY IF SHE ISN'T PART OF THE COMMITTEE CHOOSING THE AWARDEES. If she even had delicadeza in her, she would have taken her name down and waited for the moment when she wasn’t an officer. Vergillio Almario was once in her position and was appointed the award AND HE DECLINED IT because of the position he held. Later on HE DID BACAME A NATIONAL ARTIST WHEN HE WASN'T AN OFFICER ANYMORE. Can't she do that?!

What hurts us artists would be the neglect of the grueling process of the appointment of the awards and also the insult to previous national artists who are now being leveled to Caparas and Guidote, and also the way the President dealt with the nominations. The President of the Philippines is given a presidential privilege of adding names to the list of the people she thinks are also worthy of the award but MUST also confer with the artist community as to whether or not that person is actually deserving. She does not, on the other hand, HAVE THE RIGHT OF STRIPPING DOWN A NOMINEE WHO HAS BEEN APPROVED BY BOTH THE CCP AND NCCA. Okay, she can use that in the government and other of her sectors but she should not dare use her DAGDAG-BAWAS method here, of all places!

In the guidelines, it was stated also that there is no prerogative to neither add NOR subtract from the list of nominees that is given to the president; because once it has been made, it should be sent to the Malacanang and NOT be changed. This is clearly an abuse of power.

Sobra na, Tama Na. it is veeeeeery embarrassing both to the TRUE national artists and the artist community. The President should have had the PROPER RESPECT to the process and not have thrown it out the window. Delicadeza and good manners clearly have been forgotten here. I personally, am not considering those who are SNAG (Singit na National Artist ni Gloria) as people to be venerated.

Naduruwag ka lang lumabas kahapon, alam ko. Nagtatago lang kayo sa mga opisina niyo. Nagawaran kang pambansang alagad ng sining? Nakakahiya ka. Wala kang delicadeza. Pati katarungan, e limot mo na. magsama kayo ng pangulo mong pulos pandaraya't kurakot. Hindi ka na namin kailanman ipagmamalaki muli. mahiya ka naman. pinatay nyo ang parangal. makonsensya ka. sumalungat ka sa tunay na kahulugan ng sining na dapat ay para sa KATOTOHANAN, KABUTIHAN AT KATARUNGAN.

let us all offer our condolences to the death of the national artist awards. Born 1972 died 2009.