Capiz salutes Capiceña national artists
ROXAS CITY – A fitting tribute for Capiceña national artists was set early this year by the provincial government to honor and recognize their craftmanship in their respective art arena.
The tribute dubbed “Saludo” paved the way for the Jovita Fuentes and Daisy Hontiveros Abellana masterpieces that was arranged by the Provincial Tourism Office in time with the National Arts Month last February.
Fuentes was conferred the National Artist Award in Music in 1976 while Abellana was a 1999 National Artist awardee in Theater.
The two were also featured by the Capiz delegation to the One Visayas Arts Fair last March in Cebu.
The province has also declared every February 15 as Jovita Fuentes Day in appreciation to her efforts in the promotion and development of the music industry in the country.
The title National Artists of the Philippines is given to a Filipino who has made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts.
This year’s honorees are Magno Jose Carlo Caparas (visual arts and films), Jose Pitoy Moreno (fashion design), Cecille Guidote-Alvarez (theater), Francisco Bobby Maosa (architecture), Lazaro Francisco (posthumuous award for literature), Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (visual arts, paintings, sculpture and mixed media), and Manuel Conde (film and broadcast arts).
Press Secretary Cerge Remonde has appealed to critics to respect the choice of this year’s batch of National Artists awardees in much the same way that their sentiments are being respected.
He also pointed out that the selection of past National Artists has also been marred by protests and criticisms because everyone has his own choice. (PIA/A.Lumaque)