QUEZON CITY – The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) on Friday (Nov. 17) urged respect for Filipino values in everyday life.
In a press conference at the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) here in this city hosted by PIA Deputy Director-General for Regional Operations Adolfo Ares P. Gutierrez, NCCA Commissioner for the Sub-Commission for the Arts Dr. Arvin Villalon cited Presidential Proclamation 9749 declaring November as the “Filipino Values Month”.
Dr. Villalon noted that “Ang pagmamano ay isa lamang expression. Gayunpaman ito’y expression. Ang pagmamano ay buhay pa.”
“Isa pang legal basis ng Filipino Values ay ang GMRC (Good Manners and Right Conduct) and Values Formation Law. Ang magtuturo talaga ng values ay tayo, kasama na ang media,” he said.
“Napakadiverse kasi ng ating bansa pero pagdating sa values ay nagkakaisa tayo. Pinupush ng NCCA na iinstitutionalize ang 20 Filipino values sa school curriculum ng DepEd (Department of Education) from Grade 1 to Grade 6,” he added.
The GMRC which has become a law, and seems to have become “problematic”, is taught to Grade 1 students until they graduate in elementary.
“Two years ago, we had a short film about the “Filipino values”, which was “negative” in order to strengthen the values rooted to Filipino family culture,” Dr. Villalon said.
“Years back, sinubukan namin ang values ng dance at isusunod na ang mga kanta na nagpapakita ng pagiging malikhain ng Filipino,” he added.
The NCCA made an Audio-Visual Presentation (AVP) of the Balay Pinoy, the NCCA Filipino Values Month celebration with the theme: “Ang Paaralan ang Ikalawang Tahanan ng mga Mag-aaral (The School is the Second Home of the Students)” na kinunan sa Lake Sebu.
Among the highlights of the activities being undertaken by the NCCA coinciding with the celebration of the Filipino Values Month are the “Bono” which in T’boli means House. School caravans, including in Metro Manila, as well as the conduct of a series of webinars about Filipino values that can be learned.
“Ikaw Ano ang Pinahahalagahan Mo?” Balay means Home and Values. Likewise, an animation series na Heneral Luna na isang film animation.
The NCCA executive is not bothered with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) saying that “you have ‘root and depth’ such that you know where you came from or started from.”
Dr. Villalon said that there is a need to go back to the values education, especially in the family first. “Whole of society approach” in so far as Filipino values is concerned.
In a national survey, statistics show that the Love of God is first, the Filipino values only come in second.
“Bilang consultant ng DepEd, ang NCCA ay katuwang ng DepEd na kasama sa Board ng NCCA, mayroong pagtutulungan ang DepEd at NCCA sa “Filipino Values Program 2040”, which will be officially launched in 2024, kasama rin ang Civil Service Commission (CSC) na ang pagiging “MakaDiyos, Makabayan at Makakalikasan” hindi lamang sila values kundi sila ay ‘lived’,” Dr. Villalon said.
He cited the rules and policies, as well as mental wealth, and everything that pertains to Filipino culture and tradition, which will also involve other government agencies through a “whole of society” approach.
Resilience is a value especially during the Covid-19 pandemic period which hit the Philippines from March 15, 2020 until the end of 2022.
“Ang ‘Amor priopio’ o ‘hiya’ ay umiiral 20 years ago. Ang ‘pagmamano’ ay more sa Katagalugan. Values is also being used to justify anyone’s behavior and actuations,” Dr. Villalon said.
The NCCA is also considering the values in business, values in governance, values when it comes to other individuals, organizations such as the women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), as well as the values of Islamic faith, among others.
NCCA SUDI Project Director Noel Ferrer said that “’Sudi’ is an Ilocano word which means famous. It’s the music that unites people.”
The NCCA also presented the AVPA of the Klubi Weavers Organization na nagpapakita ng malikhaing gawain ng Filipino values where the NCCA is in the forefront at nagpapakita ng kahalagahan ng pagiging malikhain ng Filipino sa pamamagitan ng Filipino values.
Ferrer also announced the Search for the “2023 NCCA SUDI National Music Awards” na iginagawad tuwing ikatlong taon na sinimulan ni Dr. Virgilio S. Almario, dating NCCA Commissioner at National Artist. Inilunsad ang unang SUDI National Awards noong 2020.
Layunin ng SUDI na bigyan ng pagkilala at parangal ang mga pinakamagagaling sa larangan ng Musika. The deadline for submission will be on Dec. 31, 2023 and the period of coverage of is 2021, 2022 and 2023.
“An award every three years, but kailangang specific or particular years na matingkad at natatangi ang contribution sa Musika, but not necessarily through the mainstream media. Kakaiba ito kasi napakatransparent nito sa pagbibigay ng nomination sa mga may sinasabi, may katangian sa larangan ng Musika,” Ferrer said.
“What we don’t affirm, dies, meaning that, pag di sya pinapansin, namamatay with reference to 20 Filipino values, the No.19 of which is the Love of Music,” he said. – By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
