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Thursday, December 16, 2004
Arroyo okays merit medal for Poe as artist
MANILA -- President Arroyo and her key advisers agreed Wednesday to award the Presidential Medal of Merit to Fernando Poe Jr., to end the debate on the lowering of the flag to half-staff in his honor.
The Philippine flag is usually lowered to half-mast whenever a government official or a national artist dies.
Awarding Poe with the Presidential Medal of Merit would allow the flag to be flown at half-mast to mourn his passing.
Cecile Alvarez, presidential adviser on culture and executive director of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), said the proposed citation includes Poe for cinema and film, the late composer and Quezon City councilor George Canseco for music and the late Zenadia Amador for theatre.
The Presidential Medal of Merit is given to persons who, in the President's view, bring honor to the country.
Last year's awardee was boxing champion Emmanuel "Manny" Pacquiao.
This citation will be given by December 20 in time for the lowering of the flags to half-mast by December 22 when Poe is buried at the North Cemetery.
"The President has recognized him as an icon even before the elections. This is beyond politics; it is an honest effort of the President. The President has always recognized excellence and service to the country," Alvarez said.
The decision to award the citation was arrived at in Wednesday's Cabinet meeting based on a recommendation submitted Tuesday by Alvarez, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Joaquin Lagonera, and undersecretary to the Presidential Spokesman Robert Rivera.
The three officials met Tuesday at Lagonera's office after receiving a board resolution from the Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) urging Arroyo, Senate President Franklin Drilon and Speaker Jose de Venecia to declare Poe a national artist.
The academy had an emergency board meeting Tuesday after learning of Poe's death on the same day.
Both Alvarez and Rivera said they discovered that declaring Poe a national artist would involve a tedious and long process and Poe could only qualify in the 2006 nominations.
An official in the office of NCCA Chairman Evelyn Pantig said nominations for the 2005 national artists started in November and they are still open for nominations.
Actress Sharon Cuneta-Pangilinan said in an interview in Malacaņang that although she is grieving over the death of Poe, "we really have to focus also on what is still here and what is also important apart from our love for somebody we have lost."
She said while she was inconsolable after learning of Poe's death, she has drawn strength and inspiration from Susan Roces--actress-wife of Poe--who prefers to move on and remember the good times that had shared with the actor.
Cuneta-Pangilinan was in Malacaņang to receive her award for outstanding work in the field of arts/movie.
Other awardees include Emmanuel Bonoan for Government/Public service; Marissa La Torre Flores for Broadcast Management; Glen Borja Gregorio for Plant Breeding and Genetics; Marie Carmela Mortilleo Lapitan for Urologic Surgery; Gerald Rey Astilla Lico for Arts and Culture; Maria Paz Luna for Environmental Law; Jose Jonas Del Rosario for Interventional Pediatric Cardiology; Bienvenido Vargas Tantoco III for Business Entrepreneurship; and Pacquiao--who is in General Santos City and failed to receive his award--for Sports.
Arroyo's spokesman Ignacio Bunye, interviewed in the Senate after his confirmation by the Commission on Appointments (CA), asked for a "moratorium" on political statements in reference to Poe's death.
He said he is confident that Susan (Susan Sonora-Poe in real life), widow of Poe, and the entire Poe family would not allow the actor's supporters to hold street assemblies or rallies against the Arroyo administration.
Bunye also urge the people to keep on praying for the eternal repose of Poe's soul instead of holding protests.
There are reports that Poe's supporters will hold protests against Arroyo, accusing her of cheating the movie actor of his victory in the recent elections. Poe's supporters believe that disappointment over his loss led to the fatal stroke. (JMR/JPM)
PAST STORIES:
POE, 65, PASSES AWAYElectoral Tribunal defers hearing on Poe's poll protestPoe hangs onPoe woos Cebu with lines from filmsSC nixes appeal on Poe disqualification case for lack of substancePoe unveils economic team to calm fears
(December 16, 2004 issue)
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