Ate Guy, National Artist

For someone who’s been waiting for the National Artist Award (NAA) proclamation, I dare say it’s been as exciting a climax as it can be, given a President who did exactly what I feared he would: refuse to declare TV, film and stage icon, and actress beyond compare Nora Aunor a National Artist.

I was giving PNoy the benefit of the doubt. Certainly he could have gone the other direction and decided to sign Nora’s proclamation. Certainly he could have considered the various things we’ve heard were raised against her and agreed with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ committees that these don’t matter. Say tax evasion? Non-existent cases. Drug addiction? Stricken off her record for having done community service, and therefore non-existent.