MANILA - It wasn't a tableau on Greek theater or a contemporary staging of a Luigi Pirandello play on relativity of truth, but a current drama on the state of Philippine arts and culture.

Congressman Manhik-Manaog wasn't directly part of the hearing of the House committee on basic education and culture on the Order of National Artists row, but actor Leo Martinez, director-general of the Film Academy of the Philippines, was attendant observer to the initial yet essential investigation of the case.

The hearing was held Monday afternoon at the extended conference halls of the Ramon Mitra Building inside the premises of the House of Representatives.

Martinez said he attended the hearing because he believes that irregularities occurred in the selection of this year's National Artist winners.

“I am part of this because cinema is an art and we also nominate artists who could be proclaimed National Artists,” said Martinez.

One of the main protagonists of the probe was resource person Cecille Guidote-Alvarez, executive director of National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

Arts community protested her inclusion on the list of National Artists on grounds that she is a member of the recommendation committee of nominees to the award. Being an officer of the agency, she is disqualified from the nomination, the group of artists also argued.

Guidote-Alvarez was named National Artist for theater.

Other resource persons during the hearing were NCCA chair Vilma Labrador,
Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera, himself a National Artist for Literature, Nestor Jardin, immediate past president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), Lorna Kapunan, CCP's lawyer; NCCA Commissioners Elmar Ingles, Ricardo de Ungria, Corazon Alvina, Jose Lad Santos, Marietta Chou and Fr. Harold Rentoria.

Marikina City Rep. Del de Guzman, chairman of the committee, presided the investigation with members congressmen Roman Romulo (Pasig City), Eduardo Zialcita (Parañaque), Liza Maza of Gabriela, Rizza Hontiveros-Baraquel of Akbayan and Raymund Palatino of Kabataan.

The author of the congressional inquiry, Bayan Muna Rep Teddy Casiño, sat, more likely, as the playwright.

In flashback, on July 29, 2009, President Arroyo named seven National Artists, namely Lazaro Francisco for literature, Federico Aguilar Alcuaz for painting, Manuel Conde for film, Guidote-Alvarez for theater, Carlo J. Caparas for film and visual arts, Jose Moreno for fashion design, and Francisco Mañosa for architecture.

Discontent started to feel the wonder of the progressive and thoughtful members of the arts community when no sooner said, they staged protest march against the proclamation.

According to the protesters, there were only four names submitted to Malacañang for proclamation - Francisco, Alcuaz, Conde and Ramon Santos for music - but they were surprised that Santos was dropped and the names of Guidote-Alvarez, Caparas, Moreno and Mañosa were added to the roster.

They said the four were not even in the official list of nominees.

On the other side of the fence, however, Caparas, Labrador and Guidote-Alvarez were egging on the presidential prerogative to add recipients, which the protesters countered it is not an exclusive right of the President to veto an official nominee.

To seek a legal forum, the protesters filed an injunction with the Supreme Court to contest the validity of the proclamation, and the high court immediately granted a status quo order.

On the floor, upon the motivation of the committee chair, Guidote-Alvarez, herself a dramatist, set the mood, described the selection process of the awardees in three-acts: the nomination and final recommendation by both the CCP and the NCCA, the Honors Society evaluation and the proclamation by the President of the Philippines.

The Honors Society was the crux of the discussion, a conflict to settle, because according to the five commissioners - Ingles, Chou, Rentorio, Alvina and de Ungria - of NCCA, they were not informed about the existence of the body. Guidote-Alvarez asserted it's a lawful entity provided by Executive Order (EO) 236.

Guidote-Alvarez said the members of the Honors Society are the Executive Secretary, the Department of Foreign Affairs secretary and the Presidential Management Staff.

According to de Guzman, his committee invited Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita to the hearing but he sent a note he couldn't make it.

To shed light to the Honors Society issue, Kapunan quickly pointed out that EO 236 has been amended in EO 435, wherein the Honors Society has no authority to confer but just to assist, advise and notify the President of the proclamation.

According to Lumbera, he was disappointed with the unlawful implementation of the process.

“Bakit naalis si Dr. Santos samantalang deserving siya?” he asked.

To this, Guidote-Alvarez answered: “On the part of the music, Mr. Santos has figured in a controversy with composer George Canseco when he accused Canseco of plagiarism.”

Most of the resource speakers and even the lawmakers were optimistic revisions of the law on the Order of National Artists would be made to avoid problems like this to crop up again.

Monday's drama hasn't resolved yet in Congress until the next scene has been announced.

Hontiveros-Baraquel hoped the next time an interrogation is held, more information will be gathered because she is filing a bill to set straight the full function of the Order of National Artists. -Boy Villasanta, abs-cbnNEWS.com