Arts & Culture
‘Magic seven’ given a grand tribute . . . as
National Artists
N
umerology is interesting, and when we say
the number seven, there is also an attraction
to it. No, it is not in elections, but in the Seven
Outstanding Flipinos who were bestowed Na-
tional Artists in 2018 by President Rodrigo Roa
Duterte—and were given a grand tribute last
May 16 at the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo of
the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
And what an impressive line-up of artists it
was, representing different forms of media and arts: Larry Alcala, for
visual arts; Amelia Lapena Bonifacio, theatre; Ryan Cayabyab, music;
Kidlat Tahimik, film; Francisco ‘Bobby’ Manosa, architecture; and, for
literature, Dr. Resil Mojares and Ramon L. Muzones.
Larry Alcala’s colourful career spanning over five decades show-
cased his natural wit that epitomized the strong Filipino wit and
sense of humour combined with vivid illustrations in his comic
strips 20 comic strips serialized in various publications. His iconic
work Slice of Life, which had been circulated for decades, helped
his avid readers and followers to find their sense of self amid the
not-so-good environment and situations Filipinos experience. He
also made two murals, and inspired the production of six motion
pictures based on his cartoon creations. He is equally remembered
for his ‘70s satirical character Asiong Aksaya.
Lapeña-Bonifacio established the Teatrong Mulat ng Pilipinas,
which helped place the Philippines on the world theater map. She
wrote plays based on materials culled from painstaking researches,
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and had been involved in the production and design of puppets.
She was instrumental in the surge of children's theater in the Philip-
pines, through the magic of puppetry. Drawing upon the untapped
wealth of Philippine and Asian folklore and experimenting with
various forms and techniques of Asian theater arts and puppetry,
she enriched the Philippine cultural heritage in drama. She success-
fully synthesized a myriad of rich puppet traditions from Southeast
Asia, earning for herself the title "Grand Dame of Southeast Asian
Children’s Theatre."
Dubbed as ‘Mr. Musikero,’ or ‘the amazing Mr. C’ Cayabyab has
been called as the benevolent, much-beloved and highly esteemed
face of Filipino music. It was he who hepled uplift the status of
Original Filipino Music into a highly appreciative form of contempo-
rary musical expression and a multi-awarded level from prestigious
music bodies both locally and internationally. Perhaps regarded as
his opus that best echoes these elements, as well as the richness
of Filipino musical artistry is Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika. Mr. C’s
diverse compositions, which exhibit both mastery of composition
technique and spontaneity, has made a great impact in the Philip-
pine music industry. His music reflects the exuberance of life and
human happiness, thus capturing the very essence of our Filipino
soul. It embodies the Filipino values and social experiences. His
learned, skillful, and versatile musical style spans a wide range of
genres: from conservatory or art compositions such as concert
religious music, symphonic work, art song, opera, and concerto to
mainstream popular idioms in the music industry and in live con-