The lavish dinner hosted by the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) for its founding chair Imelda Marcos as part of its 50th-anniversary celebration was in bad taste. Imelda was “founding chair” because she was the wife of then President Ferdinand Marcos. Marcos declared martial law in 1972 and his regime was marked by human rights abuses and the amassing of ill-gotten wealth by his family and cronies.
The CCP was built by the people’s money. The Philippines’ foreign debt rose from $360 million in 1962 to $26.2 billion by the end of 1985 (the Marcos regime spanned the years 1965-1986). Surely a percentage of that went to the building of the CCP and the other buildings now standing at the complex. Thus, the CCP is owned by the Filipino people, and the people are not indebted to anyone, much more to a convicted grafter like Imelda Marcos.
Moreover, it is ironic that a fund-raising campaign for victims of the Taal Volcano eruption was launched in the middle of a lavish dinner. The budget for this event could have provided those affected by the disaster several boodle fights. The comment of CCP vice president and artistic director Raul Sunico is another problem, as this could be the rationale shared by the other organizers. Sunico was quoted as saying “We want to give this tribute irrespective of political color. Let art and politics be separate” (News, 1/18/2020). Sunico’s statement is exactly the opposite of facts. Art and politics are interrelated. For example, Sunico pursued his piano career through the patronage of Imelda Marcos. Moreover, this “tribute” interconnects with the “political color” of the list of hosts from the CCP and perhaps the other invitees. Artists should be wary of cultural institutions and officials peddling “artistic excellence.” True beauty is arts and culture that serve the needs of the people and the aspirations of the nation.
Julie L. Po, Linangan ng Kulturang Pilipino, jlp704@yahoo.com