Why Dolphy deserves National Artist Award

This refers to the letter of Manuel Biason titled, “Does Dolphy really deserve award?” (Inquirer, 7/4/12).

In his letter, Biason unwittingly expressed his objection to honor comedy king Dolphy with the National Artist Award because, according to him, Dolphy cannot be a “role model, someone to be revered and emulated” as he had sired a number of children by different women.

After presenting his argument, Biason ended his letter with the question, “What do you think, folks?”

So, with your indulgence, Mr. Biason, let me tell you what I think:

1. I think you are living in a fantasy world where everything appears to be perfect—people, places and events.

2. I think you’re looking at the National Artist Award in the wrong perspective. I honestly believe that Dolphy rightly deserves the recognition for his outstanding contribution to the local film industry that gifted the humor-loving Filipinos with his comic excellence spanning decades of time.

3. I think that if morality is a very important factor in selecting a National Artist awardee, then not a single Filipino is qualified to become one. Who’s righteous among us anyway?  Dolphy is not being considered for sainthood, only for national artist stature. Even the so-called saints canonized by the pope weren’t completely moral.

4. I think it’s not the reputation of Dolphy as a man of a thousand women that is the model for the Filipinos to emulate, but his love and dedication to his craft.

—CHITO PASTORES,

272 Ermin Garcia St.,

Cubao, Quezon City