THE art of Santiago Bose lives on decades after his death.
Bose’s 1981 mural, “Kabilbiligan” which took him three months to create was set at the facade of the St. Mary’s School in Sagada, Mountain Province was given a new life by artists he mentored who worked on the project for three weeks.
The school which was completed in 1983 through funding by Don Enrique Yuchengco after a fire razed the structure had the Bose mural set to represent Sagada.
Boy Yuchengco, who led the restoration project, said the mural has evolved into what the Cordillera is about, much like how his good friend Bose would have wanted it to become.
“It has evolved the way he wanted it to and this [project] took a lot of time and effort,” Yuchengco said adding at the time, when the mural was being done by Bose, no one understood what he was doing but today, the message of Bose stands clear.
Bose died in Baguio City 2002 at the age of 53.
Friends of Bose, artists, crew, coordinators and those who are lovers of art and heritage who helped with the restoration are Kawayan De Guia, Nona Garcia, Leonard Aguinaldo, Jordan Mang-osan, Perry Mamaril, John Frank Sabado, Kigao Rosimo, Rocky Cajigan, Bong Ti Baguio, Randy Gawwi, BoYu, Aggie Villarin, Aklay, Bong Sanchez, Chavi Romawak, Ernesto Bautista, Gawani Domogo, Himalaya Navarro, Isidro Gayo, Janet Eason, Gemma Mallillin, Jason Taguyongon, Joey Himmawat, James Ganongen, Dapli Ganongen, Marta Lovina, Mary Carling, P. Mama, Rica Concepcion Rommel Beltran Sagada Pottery and Training Center, Santos Bayuca, Thomas Killip, Tommy Hafalla, Wally Bernardino with Lola and Sunny.
Bose was co-founder of the Baguio Arts Guild and was awarded the Tanglaw ng Sining Award by the UP College of Fine Arts, 2017; Gawad CCP Para sa Sining award, 2004, Gawad ng Maynila Award for visual art in 2002, and the Thirteen Artists Award, Cultural Center of the Philippines, 1976.
The history of the St. Mary’s school written by Dr. William Henry Scott says, “during the summer vacation of 1975, the school burned to the ground with the complete loss of all property except for office records and part of the library’s Filipiniana collection.
Classes were resumed in the Girls Dormitory and Stapleton Hall. In these emergency conditions, St. Mary’s largest class graduated 117 members in 1977. Grants from the Diocese of Northern Philippines and the United Thank Offering of the Episcopal Church Women finally permitted the construction of four hollow block classrooms.
By 1983, the Don Enrique Yuchengco Memorial Hall was completed and dedicated as the new St. Mary’s School. The school was donated by Manila businessman Alfonso Yuchengco in memory of his father. It is a splendid three-story building constructed entirely on non-inflammable materials around three sides of an open court. In addition to ten classrooms, a library, laboratory, office, toilets, and space for home economics and carpentry, the new plant provides luxuries the school never enjoyed before – an auditorium, teachers’ lounge, typing room, museum and canteen.
St. Mary’s School, Sagada, was founded by American missionary Rev. Fr. John Staunton in 1904, which was then referred to as a mission school. By 1907, there were 17 pupils. The first school building of the Mission of St. Mary the Virgin in Sagada was completed in 1912. It was a two-and-a-half story building 36x90 feet with siding and roof of pine shingles.
School population is now at 231 with classes for preschoolers to 7th grade, students. Arnel Chomawat, TLE teacher and Junia Tulipa said students were able to observe the artists during the restoration project and are briefed on the significance of the Bose mural.
The students also have art classes in basic painting and drafting.