The presidential snub of Nora Aunor as National Artist reveals not her supposed "ineligibility" but the administration's lack of accountability, hence its incapacity to govern

Nora Aunor on the cover of Philippine Graphic Magazine

(Image from NFF - Nora's Friends Forever - facebook page)



Well into a week and more since the Philippine President Benigno Aquino III's  announcement of the list of new National Artists, where its most anticipated candidate, Superstar Nora Aunor, was visibly omitted, the decision sparked public outrage - from the artistic/cultural community, the movie industry, fans and admirers, political pundits; from across all walks of life, from across generations, beyond borders - that was unprecedented in scope and impact.

Clamors for explanation from Malacanang, by National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera and F. Sionil Jose and even from the head of the National Council for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Felipe de Leon, Jr. (NCCA and the Cultural Center of the Philippines are two agencies tasked to supervise and manage the screening and deliberations of candidates) went unheeded, only the president's functionaries invoking presidential prerogative as the reason for the president's continued silence on the matter. (De Leon has since recanted his statements, including an absurd claim it was the media that was to blame for the mess.)

Given the absence of formal statement on the reasons for Aunor deletion from the list, one can only speculate:
> Was it really a question of morals, as a lot of opinionators and tambays would suggest - Aunor's alledged lesbian affairs, her run-ins with the law for tax evasion, for her substance use -
> or was it a case of political maneuvering/manipulation - 2016 presidential contender Jejomar Binay is rumored to court Vilma Santos as his vice-presidential running mate, Santos being Aunor's most fierce professional rival; and Aquino is also planning to have her as his manito, Mar Roxas's running mate, hence so as not to antagonize Santos, he better removes Aunor from the National Artists list -
> or was it a mere case of whim, based on advice of Aquino's younger sister, Kris, who is an avowed Vilmanian - this is gaining traction since Kris Aquino's statement on the latest episode of her show, The Buzz - or her preference for the late Dolphy, based on her friendship with ZsaZsa Padilla, Dolphy's last live-in partner

Perhaps, much to the chagrin of both the establishment right and orthodox left, the incident directly inquires into how this president makes his decision, questioning his capacity for deep thinking and reflection on matters of national interest especially; it has laid bare the insensitivity of this morally-bankrupt government, so steeped in corruption and inefficiency (think: Yolanda victims, for one), while Aunor became the vessel with whom citizens expressed their frustration and desperation.

For it is no longer the burden on Aunor to prove herself, a long litany of her accomplishments in recorded music, cinema, theater, live entertainment has long been cited for her eligibility as National Artist, but I dare say as summation of her works attest to, it has been her artistic instinct and leadership that separate her from the rest, her peers before and after her, that make her singular and exemplary.

How this incident has unfolded this past week is short of historic: moves to continue promoting her legacy through discussion meetings, symposia, publications; initiatives to educate masses of people on her art and life; calls for reforms in the selection of National Artists with minimum of politicians' interference.

The Superstar lives on! Indeed.