ANGARA KICKS OFF RP'S CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL ARTS MONTH
Urges Filipinos to shun away cultural bankruptcy

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today said that the country should embark on a comprehensive effort to boost and heighten the promotion of the Philippines' culture and arts amid a global financial crisis in order to provide "psychological cushion" and lift the morale of Filipinos.

"We should tap government agencies along with educational institutions and strengthen our efforts towards promoting our rich culture and world-renowned arts. We should look into mechanisms that we can provide such as administrative regulations, subsidies or taxation in order to create a conducive environment for the promotion of RP's culture and arts," said Angara, principal author of the laws that created the new National Museum and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

He added, "When times are bad, the arts and culture of a country can provide some psychological relief to the people. Of course, this is to complement economic policies and reforms such as depositor's insurance and ensuring enough liquidity."

Psychology experts and economic analysts stated that during economic depression and looming financial crisis, two industries have thrived: movies and telephone industries.

Angara, a patron of the arts, will lead the country's celebration of National Arts Month by kicking off the 18 day countdown to the 18th National Arts Month celebration on 13 January 2009..

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) has been organizing the National Arts Month (NAM) in the month of February with a series of festivities and activities mounted throughout the country. Presidential Proclamation No. 683 instituted February as the National Arts Month, in celebration of Filipino artistry and creativity.

For 2009, the celebration takes a leap by going international under the name Philippine International Arts Festival (PIAF).

Selected artists from different countries are expected to join in the different PIAF events through the PIAF Artistic Committee in coordination with the Philippine International Theatre Institute (ITI) In the country, different arts and culture groups as well as local governments will hold events for the PIAF with funding and support from the NCCA. With the theme "Ani ng Sining," the PIAF has evolved from Manila-centered activities to a truly national event with key activities in all three major island groups, Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, involving hundreds of artists from different disciplines of arts and reaching thousands of people from all walks of life and all over the world.

In the Senate, Angara recently filed a bill which seeks to strengthen his own creation the NCCA and its affiliated cultural agencies by instituting mechanisms for better management of cultural properties such as: creation of categories and privileges for cultural properties, institutionalization of Heritage Zones, and documentation of traditional and contemporary arts.

In his bill, Angara also proposed a Cultural Heritage Education Program to be conducted in coordination with the Department of Education. The program seeks to instill values to citizens that will ensure protection, conservation and preservation of cultural heritage properties.

To achieve this purpose, instructional materials in prints, film and broadcast media on the cultural and historical significance of cultural properties will be developed. Visitation, public accessibility and information dissemination on designated Local Important Cultural Properties will also be done.

"Investing in the preservation of our heritage would prevent cultural bankruptcy in the future," ended Angara.