Arroyo sticking to her picks of nat'l artists - Palace exec

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will stick to her choices of this year’s National Artists unless the Supreme Court says she has to reconsider her picks, a Palace official said Wednesday. On the heels of the Supreme Court’s order stopping Mrs. Arroyo from conferring the prestigious titles, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said Malacañang is confident that the court would keep in mind that the President has the prerogative to choose National Artist awardees. “We believe in the primacy of the authority of the President as the one mandated by law to make the final choice. For as long as there’s nothing illegal done, I think the President has the authority," Ermita said in a press briefing. Asked whether Mrs. Arroyo would stand firm on her choices, Ermita said: “Definitely, unless proven (illegal)." The National Artists Awards is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Citing Republic Act No. 7356, or the Law Creating the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Executive Orders 435 and 236, Ermita said that the NCCA and the CCP are only acting “in an advisory capacity." “Therefore, the President has the final say," Ermita said. A portion in EO 236 says that: “Pursuant to Proclamation No. 1001 dated April 27, 1972 and RA 7356, the Order of National Artists is the highest national recognition conferred upon Filipinos who have made distinct contributions to arts and letters, upon the recommendation of the CCP and NCCA." EO 435 also says that: “The NCCA and the CCP shall advise the President on the conferment of the Order of National Artists, the highest national recognition conferred upon Filipinos who have made distinct contributions to development and promotion of Philippine culture and the arts." For this year’s batch of awardees, the two bodies submitted four nominees: Lazaro Francisco (posthumous for literature), Dr. Ramon Santos (music), Manuel Conde (posthumous for film and broadcast), and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (visual arts, painting, sculpture, and mixed media). Last July 29, President Arroyo picked Francisco, Conde, and Alcuaz, but dropped Santos. She then added Cecile Guidote Alvarez (theater), Magno Jose Carlo Caparas (visual arts and film), Jose “Pitoy" Moreno, and Francisco “Bobby" Mañosa. Her choices drew a string of protests, prompting five national artists, a group of artists and cultural workers, and other private individuals to ask the Supreme Court to block the conferment of the awards to those under question. In particular, critics of President Arroyo’s choices said Alvarez should have had the "delicadeza" (sense of propriety) to refuse the award because she is the NCCA’s executive director and also heads the NCAA secretariat that receives nominations for national artists. She also happens to be the wife of Heherson Alvarez, Mrs. Arroyo’s adviser on climate change and global warming. On the other hand, critics said that Caparas failed twice in the screening process conducted by the NCCA and the CCP. Guidote-Alvarez has welcomed the Supreme Court's status quo order on Tuesday, saying it's better that the merits of the case be argued in the high tribunal. - GMANews.TV