PNoy in favor of declaring Dolphy a National Artist

(Updated 7:53 p.m., July 12) For the first time since the issue has cropped up, President Benigno Aquino III on Thursday categorically said that he was in favor of declaring the late King of Comedy Dolphy (or Rodolfo Vera Quizon Sr. in real life) a National Artist.

 

"Sang-ayon ako dun sa mungkahi na gawin siyang National Artist," Aquino told reporters after attending a forum of the Interior and Local Government on disaster preparedness at the SM Mall of Asia SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.

 

The President, however, maintained that such recognition would have to go through the proper process.

 

"May prosesong kailangan daanan, merong mga pagboboto, debate na kailangang daanan bago nila dapat ipadala ang rekomendasyon sa akin. Kung tutuusin ministerial lang ako," Aquino said.

 

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), together with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), manages the process for the award. 

 

The selection of nominees is administered by the Special Research Group, which validates the works of the nominees, and the National Artist Award Council of Peers, which screens the nominees and recommends them to the NCCA and CCP boards. The boards then deliberate and make a vote.

 

The final list is then presented to the President, who confirms the list and confers the award.

 

Earlier in the day, NCCA board member Senator Edgardo Angara said they are now reviewing the selection process for the National Artist Award.

 

He said they wish to make the process "less political."

 

National Day of Mourning or Remembrance?

 

Aquino, meanwhile, said he is still studying the possibility of declaring a National Day of Mourning or a National Day of Remembrance for the King of Comedy.

 

"Pinapaaral ko po yung precedence. May karapatan ba akong magdeklara nun o pwede ba yung National Day of Remembrance," Aquino said.

 

"So kasalukuyan, inaaral pa kung ano yung angkop... ano yung kailinsunod sa ating mga batas at sa ating mga tradisyon," he added.

 

The President later visited the wake of Dolphy at The Heritage Park in Taguig City.  The comedian passed away on Tuesday night.

 

"Ako po ay gumagalang sa yumaong King of Comedy natin. Palagay ko marami siyang naitulong sa ating lipunan sa [pamamagitan ng] kanyang sining," he said. 

 

According to deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, a National Day of Mourning is declared on the day of the person's burial.

 

"It's not a period of mourning. The National Day [of Mourning] falls on the burial. That's the standard, that's the tradition," she said earlier in the day. — RSJ/DVM, GMA News