Freddie Aguilar’s ‘cultural revolution’

Showbiz personalities who provided free entertainment during the political campaign of President Rodrigo Duterte are getting, quite naturally, the spoils of victory: Freddie Aguilar is said to be the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) chairman; RJ Jacinto is Presidential adviser on Economic Affairs and Information Technology Communications; Arnell Ignacio is assistant vice president for Community Relations and Services Department of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) and Jimmy Bondoc is assistant vice president for Entertainment of Pagcor.
Will there be similar appointments for Vice Ganda, who has an expressed expectation; Kat de Castro, who wanted the Department of Tourism portfolio; (but Wanda Corazon Teo, sister of the Tulfo brothers, was appointed); and Mocha Unson of Mocha Girls?
Based on his initial statements, Freddie Aguilar plans a “cultural revolution” that he describes: “Ibalik ‘yung mga talagang Pilipino na pag-uugali natin, pati sining natin, pati panulat natin, ibalik sa atin ‘yun tinanggal sa atin ng mga banyaga.
“Pag tinanong mo ang mga tao balang araw, hindi na po nila iisipin na taga-Luzon ako, wala akong pakialam sa Visayas. Taga-Visayas ako, wala akong pakialam sa Mindanao.
“Pag sinabi po nating Ilokano, Kapampangan, Bisaya, lahat po iyan maninindigan na siya ay Pilipino.”
Is Aguilar aware this is not the mandate of the NCCA — that what he is exposing is the opposite?
The NCCA is the overall policy-making body, coordinating and grants-giving agency for the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture; an executing agency for the policies it formulates; and tasked to administer the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA), a fund exclusively for the implementation of culture and arts programs and projects.
Republic Act 7356 which institutionalized it mandated the formulation of national cultural policies and programs according to the following principles:
“Pluralistic, fostering deep respect for the cultural identity of each locality, region or ethno-linguistic locality, as well as elements assimilated from other cultures through the natural process of acculturation;
“Democratic, encouraging and supporting the participation of the vast masses of our people in its programs and projects;
“Non-partisan, open to all people and institution, regardless of creed, affiliation, ideology, ethnic origin, age, gender or class, with no organized group or sector having monopoly of its services; and
“Liberative, having concern for the decolonization and emancipation of the Filipino psyche in order to ensure the full flowering of Filipino culture.”
Aguilar’s ojectives are idealistic rather than practical. Japan, one of the most closed societies before, adapted to a globalized world. What does Aguilar intend to do, return to baybayin?
The only time “cultural revolution” was used  in history was during Mao Zedong’s Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, a sociopolitical movement that took place in the People’s Republic of China from 1966 until 1976. Set into motion by the then chairman of the Communist Party of China, its stated goal was to preserve “true” Communist ideology in the country by purging remnants of capitalist and traditional elements from Chinese society, and to re-impose Maoist thought as the dominant ideology within the party.
The Revolution marked the return of Mao Zedong to a position of power after the Great Leap Forward. The movement paralyzed China politically and negatively affected the country’s economy and society to a significant degree. Millions of people were persecuted in the violent struggles that ensued across China, and suffered a wide range of abuses including public humiliation, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, sustained harassment and seizure of property. Historical relics and artifacts were destroyed. Cultural and religious sites were ransacked.
In 1981, the party declared that the Cultural Revolution was “responsible for the most severe setback and the heaviest losses suffered by the Party, the country, and the people since the founding of the People’s Republic.”
Is Aguilar aware of the implications of a “cultural revolution?” Is it now in effect with the public humiliation, arbitrary torture, imprisonment and killings and harassment taking place all over the country in the fight against drugs?
Could it be wrong choice of words for Aguilar or is he lost in intention? And besides current NCCA chairman Felipe de Leon, says the position is not appointive. He said the NCCA chairman is elected by the Board of Commissioners.
 
JLO’S CAPE FROM MICHAEL CINCO’S BAUL. The gown with the 20-foot cape worn by Jennifer Lopez she performed her new single, “Love Makes The World Go Round,” with Lin-Manuel Miranda on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon is from Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco’s The Impalpable Dream of Sainte- Chapelle Collection Spring-Summer 2016 first presented in the Fashion Forward Dubai in October 2015.
The creation provided a spiritual angle to the performance as the song was written for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida. The magnificent stained glass windows of Sainte-Chapelle in le-de-France, France inspired Cinco who commissioned Quezon City-based visual artist Omar Flores to paint in acrylic the Collection’s 20-foot cape and suites.
Flores hand-painted the cape made of hand-made silk from a design by Cinco on scenes from Christ’s Passion executed in Metro Manila for a month. They were then shipped and assembled in Dubai which was then studded with 10,000 vari-colored Swarovski crystals, taking all of six months to complete.

RIZAL THROUGH THE EYES OF ARTISTS. Two sculptures and three hanging artworks by Arnel Garcia, one painting by Ronna Manansala, two paintings by Rene Robles and one from Ferdinand Rea Ruiz are showcased in the exhibit to open on July 29, 2016 at the Philippine Embassy in Berlin, Germany at 6 p.m. Show runs until Aug. 12, 2016.
Through the support of the Ambassador Melita Sta. Maria-Thomeczek, the Sento Rizal-Philippine Embassy Berlin and Transwing Art Gallery present the exhibition showcases how the ideas of National Hero of the Philippines, Dr. Jose Rizal, touched Filipinos.