All eyes are on the management of the Cultural Center of the Philippines as it welcomes the new administration.
Based on the CCP By-Laws as confirmed by the Government- owned- and- controlled corporations (GOCC), an election to choose the CCP president should happen in July.
“This is not to preempt the decision of President Marcos to appoint and replace members of the board of trustees,” said CCP chair Margie Moran Floirendo who also pointed out there are three vacancies that need to be filled.
For the moment, Floirendo is ad interim president and concurrent artistic director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
Other CCP trustees also in a holdover capacity are Dr. Jaime Laya as chairman ad interim; Atty. Lorna Kapunan and Michelle Nikki Junla as vice-chairperson’s ad interim, Teodoro del Mundo, Marivic del Pilar, Benedict Carandang and Stanley Seludo.
Resigned CCP president Nick Lizaso who is also NCCA chair has been replaced by Dr. Rene Escalante, current chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines.
Floirendo said the CCP didn’t stop operating and fulfilling its mandate even with the shutdown of its theaters and offices. “We have been creating new productions and new contents. We made good use of the available technology to bring artistic and cultural programs to every Filipino in the safety of their homes.”
For now, the focus is the on the recovery of artists from the pandemic. “We aim to provide livelihood for artists not only in Manila but in the regions as well. In 2020 and 2021, we have given grants for innovative projects to various organizations. Depending on the available funds, we want to stream our live programs to reach more audiences, especially the younger generation.”
For now, renovations of the CCP main theater building has started and likely to be finished in three years.
The former Miss Universe and former president of Ballet Philippines Foundation has been CCP chair for three years and five months. She likes to think the CCP board of trustees is more involved now as a policy-making body than it was in the past. The board headed by its chair is responsible for all acts of the CCP management.
Reviewing her term, the CCP chair said the pandemic allowed them to decide on various policies involving procurement — for one. “We have updated the CCP Code of Governance and strictly followed the fit and proper rules on conflicts of interest. We updated the manual of operations which will be the guide for every trustee and CCP employees in running the Center.”
She is sure the new administration would be happy to know the plans the CCP management is doing to rehabilitate the Center after 53 years. “The rehabilitation plan emanated from the building audit done from 2018 to 2019 which diagnosed the extent of the repair needed. Through our rehabilitation effort, we hope that the Center will remain at par with theaters worldwide, in terms of technology, space and content. The CCP is the home of Filipino artists. A country’s theater is a landmark, it should be a tourist destination. With the rehabilitated building, we can be at least assured that the structural health of the building will last fifty more years. We will continue to build on the past programs and we will have innovative programs for the youth using technology. Our goal is not only to have our audience return to the CCP but expand our audience and interact with arts groups outside the CCP through our outreach and online streaming.”
She sees 2022 as the year of recovery. “We don’t know the long-term effects of the pandemic to the arts communities and our audiences. This is the year we soldier on.”
Part of the year’s plan is the launching the inaugural season of the Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez (CCP Blackbox Theater) as well as the upcoming CCP’s 53rd anniversary this September. “The CCP Board of Trustees recommends new programs and projects focusing on the rich cultures and traditions of the Philippines.
One of the unique projects was turning selected “Mga Kuwento ni Lola Basyang” by Severino Reyes into short animation films. “We just selected the grantees for the CCP Game Development Grants. There is also the CCP Animation and Comics Grants, highlighting the Filipino folktales and epics.”
Other cultural projects are about to unfold.
The CCP Arts Education Department (AED) will hold the second Children’s Biennale this November. “We are also launching the Indigenous Lullabies, featuring poems and music of indigenous lullabies in music videos for parents and other nurturers. The lullabies from the regions are based on ethnomusicological research, arranged by an esteemed musical director, performed by contemporary artists and nurturers and visualized on-screen by young filmmakers.”
Moreover, the CCP Cultural Exchange Department (CED) will continue to expand its partnerships in the regions through its Kaisa sa Sining (KSS) program. It has 23 regional partners in Luzon, 19 in Visayas, and 18 in Mindanao.”
After more than three years, she has the feel of what it takes to function well with that CCP title. “To function well as the Chair is to have an active board with diverse skills. You should have a combination of creative minds, education, business and finance acumen, legal knowledge, seniors with wisdom and the young members who are good in digital technology. We are a good team.”
The position broadened her outlook as a cultural worker. “As the CCP chair, I’m able to have a broad vantage point and see the bigger picture of the Philippine artistic and creative sector and observe where it is heading. By being in that position, I was able to help displaced artists during the pandemic. With the help of the Board and the CCP management, we were able to launch programs and projects, and provide grants that enable Filipino artists to pursue their artistic passion and creative collaborations.”
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