Ani NG Sining

“ANI NG SINING, BUNGA NG GALING”: IN CELEBRATION OF
NATIONAL ARTS MONTH
February is a special month in the Philippines as the country annually celebrates

artistic excellence and pays tribute to the uniqueness and diversity of the Filipino heritage
and culture. Promulgated by then President Corazon Aquino in 1991, Presidential
Proclamation No. 683 declares February as National Arts Month (NAM). Under the
mandate of National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and spearheaded by Sub
commission on the Arts (SCA), it highlighted the importance of acknowledging exceptional
artistic contribution and promoting artistic movement and expressions as embodied in the
field of Visual Arts, Architecture, Allied Arts, Music, Dance, Cinema, Dramatic Arts, and
Literary Arts. This year’s theme of “Ani ng Sining, Bunga ng Galing “ to provide
opportunities for artists to harvest creative energies in uplifting the nation’s spirit.” This is
in response to the on-going worldwide pandemic that has affected all aspects of everyday
life. As a product of human endeavour, Art has the capacity to inspire and empower a
nation and its people. With this in mind, NAM “aims to conserve, promote and popularize
Filipino artistic creations; integrate the arts in the community life; and harness the arts as
catalyst for values education.
Promulgated by then President Corazon Aquino in 1991, Presidential Proclamation

No. 683 declares February of every year as National Arts Month to celebrate artistic
excellence and pay tribute to the uniqueness and diversity of the Filipino heritage and
culture.
This year’s theme “ANI NG SINING, BUNGA NG GALING” aims to immerse Filipinos
in diverse cultural expressions and celebrate the bountiful harvest from the Filipino
imagination.
The theme “galing” refers to excellence in the arts as both a source of bounty
despite challenging times, and a product of the passion of Filipino artists and cultural
workers. In celebrating National Arts Month in 2023, “galling” alludes to artistic excellence
as well as underscoring the capacity of the arts to heal, rebuild, and restore in a post-
pandemic setting.
The National Library of the Philippines fully supports the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in the celebration of the National Arts Month (NAM) this
February and March. With this year’s theme “ANI NG SINING, BUNGA NG GALING,” the
celebration aims to immerse Filipinos in diverse cultural expressions and celebrate the
bountiful harvest from the Filipino imagination.
Presidential Proclamation No. 683, s. 1991 declared February of every year as
National Arts Month to celebrate the artistic excellence and pay tribute to the uniqueness
and diversity of the Filipino heritage and culture.
“FATHER OF PHILIPPINE ARTS “
Guillermo Estrella Tolentino (1890-1976) represents the National Artist Awards for
Sculpture in 1973. He is consider as the “Father of Philippine Arts” because of his great
works like the famous “Bonifacio Monument” symbolizing Filipinos cry for freedom
located in intersection of EDSA and Rizal Avenue and “The Oblation” in UP signifying
academic freedom .
He was born in Malolos, Bulacan. He attend School of Fine Arts in University of the
Philippines under Vicente Rivera for painting and later for sculpture under Vicente
Francisco. Sooner he became more interested in sculpture than painting. He graduated in
painting and sculpture in 1915 with prizes in all subjects.
He was born in Malolos, Bulacan on 24 July 1890. He was the fourth of eight
children. His father was a tailor, whose only artistic trait is the love of playing the guitar.
Guillermo or Memong, as his family called him, inherited this artistic skill. Moreover,
Memong became one of the three best guitar players in the Philippines during his time.
In 1915 he graduated in Painting and Sculpture in the School of Fine Arts, with
prizes in all subjects taken. However, he decided to stay for another year. During this
time, he rendered the monument of San Miguel de Mayumo representing the Pact of Biak
na Bato. Juan Arellano designed it.
Tolentino spent the year 1918 principally in Laguna. There, he worked with the
contractor Tomas Zamora making monuments of Rizal, a mausoleum, and others. His
friends, especially Precioso Palma, urged him to open up a shop of his own. They even
offered him money to enable him to do so. He would not accept. When asked why, he
quitely answered, “Because I was not yet a scupltor” (Paras-Perez, 1972).
Soon, he decided to go to America. In 1919, he arrived in Washington, D.C. He
worked as a waiter in a cafe in Rock Creek Park. Inspired by President Woodrow Wilson’s
work for peace, he created a small statue symbolizing “peace” – hoping someday he may
be able to present it to the President. He confided this to the manager who later spoke of
the matter to the private secretary of Mrs. Wilson, who used to frequent the cafe.
Shortly, Tolentino secured an audience with President Wilson at the White House,
marking the turning point in the beginning of his carrer.
With $300 savings, he went to New York to further his studies. Some months after
he arrived in New York, he received a letter from Bernard Baruch, an American
millionaire. Baruch said that he saw the Peace statue made by Tolentino and he was
willing to grant him scholarship. Thereupon, he enrolled at the Ecole de Beaux Arts for
advanced courses in scuplture. While studying, he worked as messenger and assistant to
American scupltor Gutzon Borglum, earning $11 a week. In 1921, he finished his course at
the Ecole de Beaux Arts with monetary, medal, and diploma awards. That same year, he
left for Europe.
SAMPLE ARTWORKS OF GUILLERMO TOLINTINO
“It is beyond doubt that Professor Tolentino is the first and last master in the
representation of the human form in the Philippines.” --- Napoleon V. Abueva

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“ANI NG SINING, BUNGA NG GALING”: IN CELEBRATION OF

NATIONAL ARTS MONTH

February is a special month in the Philippines as the country annually celebrates

Promulgated by then President Corazon Aquino in 1991, Presidential Proclamation

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