My Gift to the Philippines: Future National Artist of our Country

It was five years ago when I heard this question, “Who is the first one who will be save during a crisis?” There were a lot of answers that was given, some answers; the president of the country or the old ones, or the young ones and yet with this all the answers that was given; no one got it right.

For the right is answer is: an artist (not the type you were thinking). The explanation that given was as simple as ABC but carries a big weight. An artist is the one that represent our country. It embodied our culture and what our country represents.

With the rise of K Pop and dances that were performed by foreign artist, we forget our own culture. We are so engross with what’s the latest dance groove and songs  and we forgot that we too have own and it’s been recognized worldwide if only we would value our own.

Every year, we recognize national artist that gives value to our culture, to our music, to our art, to our literature. These national artists have spent their lives for the love of their chosen field of art. 

I’m may not have the talent to be artist but with this question that I heard, I started to do my own share of giving value to our culture. This is my gift to the Philippines and this is what I can do to my country. With #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014, I hope that they will also support this endevor

I together with other parents was separated from our children for four years (well, they do went home during the weekends) when we choose to enroll them in Philippine High School for the Arts. Philippine HighSchool for the Arts search their scholars nationwide in search for students who have talents in fields such as dance (classical and folkdance), music (instrumental and soprano singers), writing (literature), visual arts and theater art. This children will be the fture Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, Lea Salong, Bencab, Levi Celerio and the next Palanca Awardee

The school trained these scholars to continue our culture through dance, paintings, writing and music. These scholars will be the future performers who will showcase who we are. They may not be national artist yet but they are the future so as we may not forget who we are and what we are. There are alumni of the school that received scholarship even abroad because that is how good they are., they are the best for they are trained to excel. 

The PHSA is supported by the government thru DepEd. They provide the budget for the children’s tuition fee, payment for the master teacher, board and food, and they even have a monthly allowance.

From the outside, you could say that the children are lucky to be chosen as scholars; but they have other needs. Some of the children could not continue their studies because of they could not afford to purchase things that they need. A ballet dancer needs ballet shoes, a visual artist needs painting materials, and folk dancers need costume. Sad to say that some of these children belong to families that don’t have the capacity to purchase things that are need for their children to be able to continue their craft. I, myself sometimes need to borrow money to provide for my children’s need especially during their recital performance. PHSA is doing its best to provide what they can to help but they have limited resources.

I was fortunate to have four of my daughter to be chosen as scholars of PHSA and the list of benefits of being a PHSA alumni is endless and it continue until they are in college for university value their talent, here and abroad. I even encourage other parents  to  let their children audition for the national search of PHSA because I know what it can do to their child.

Because of this, it’s my wish that something could be done. I wanted for the parents to see their children be able to graduate from PHSA. I wanted for the parents to feel what I felt , proud and glad that their children are alumni of PHSA and this could only happen when thing needed by their children could be provided.

Starting this coming February, students from PHSA will be scheduling  their year-end recital and this means there are a lot of things that students need to be able to push through with the event.  I do hope that #GlobeProjectWonderful2014 could be able to assist these children.

It's my wish to be able to continue providing artist for the Philippines they are after all; our future national artist. Our country’s pride, for artist like them are recognized worldwide.

This is my gift to the my country, what about you ?
Tell us what's your gift to the Philippines and #GlobeProjectWonderful2014 might make it happen