To Promote and Protect – AKADEMYANG FILIPINO

Sara Grace C. Fojas (Manila Bulletin)
Portrait by Pinggot Zulueta
April 10, 2017

From our mano po to our tinikling to our Ibong Adarna and many more, the culture of the Philippines is one colorful story. With 7,641 islands influenced by the Spaniards, Americans, Chinese, and Japanese, we have grown into a country rich in traditions, languages, literature, and more. But with the continuous advancement of technology, our country is slowly looking more “Western,” than ever, slowly forgetting our true identity as Filipinos.

National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose

But there are people who have known and loved our country from the time of World War II to the Marcos regime, and up to this very day, like National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose.

“I am 92 years old which means, I’ve been through the Japanese occupation, the Marcos regime, and 15 presidents. Through these years, I think I also have acquired enough gumption to talk with everyone, and most of all, with the country’s achievers who have done good for all of us. I hope we can work together for a better future for our unhappy country,” says Jose.

The national artist recently launched the Academia Filipina, with hope to “promote and protect Filipino culture as the bedrock of the Filipino nation.” It is an exclusive club patterned around the Century Club in New York that brought together national artists, people from the government, and some Filipinos in their respective professions to create once again a spur on Philippine culture, to make sure that it is preserved, practiced, and not forgotten.

Century Club, according to Jose, is a social club back in 1880s that started with over a hundred members composed of writers and artist

“I am in the process of organizing a group or club that is tentatively called Academia Filipina. Its core members are our national artists and national scientists, plus some young and old Filipinos who have distinguished themselves in their particular professions. I hope that the membership of the Academia will be diverse enough to start and sustain ongoing dialogue among our decision-makers in all aspects of national activity,” he says.

The launch was attended by a roster of influential names in the Philippines former senate president Edgardo Angara, Sen. Loren Legarda, National Artists for Literature Virgilio Almario and Bienvenido Lumbrera, National Artist for Visual Arts Benjamin Cabrera, former senator Ramon Magsaysay, Jr., historian Ambeth Ocampo, Cultural Center of the Philippines president Raul Sunico, and Lourd de Veyra, to name a few.

“It’s a good start. From the roster of the members that are present here, I think that it is a rich resource of people who can intellectually contribute not to solve the problems but at least to discuss issues on an intelligent basis, not partisan, not street demonstration, but something that is well thought of. And since I am in culture, I want to talk about the strong cultural heritage in the Philippines that will bring recognition to the country,” says Raul Sunico.

Some of the missions of the Academia Filipina are to push for the creation of a Department of Culture, to support research in cultural development like construction of monuments and museums, and sponsor seminars, lectures, and publication of books on cultural and national issues.

“I hope that the membership of the Academia will be diverse enough to start and sustain ongoing dialogue among our decision-makers in all aspects of national activity. I also hope that the diversity will help unite not divide us. Among other things, the Academia will promote research in the sciences and the humanities that will help build a free, just, and prosperous society,” ends F. Sionil Jose.