In Celebration of National Arts Month: 

Boholanos to pay tribute to the 7 arts 

TAGBILARAN CITY, February 7 (PIA)--Boholanos will be paying tribute with excellence and bounty in the seven arts – music, dance, drama, literature, visual arts, architecture and film to celebrate the National Arts Month (NAM). 

The Provincial Government of Bohol, through its Center for Culture and Arts Development (CCAD), in cooperation with the City Government of Tagbilaran, the National Museum Branch of Bohol, and the Bohol Arts Culture and Heritage Council (BACH) has joined hands to mark this year’s NAM celebration in the province. 

The month long celebration kicked off yesterday at the Bohol Cultural Center with the unveiling of visual arts created by Boholano visual artists. 

Gov. Edgar Chatto, Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap II, CCAD Head Romy Tagaan, acclaimed director Joel Lamangan and Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) President Liza Diño-Seguerra led the unveiling of the visual arts. 

Diño Seguerra in her keynote speech bared that 100 years of Filipino cinema is being celebrated. She said that part of FDCP’s program is to nurture future film makers through workshops and trainings on making good films. 

The FDCP President added that the agency is also about to launch the FDCP film school - a mobile school in partnership with the local government units like Bohol and Tagbilaran City on basic film making that will feature intensive classes on aspects of film making. 

Lamangan meanwhile hailed the artist-friendly governance exemplified by Bohol and Tagbilaran City as he said culture and arts is the soul of a place. 

The director encouraged the audience made up of students and artists saying that the materials are in Bohol itself and they are worth showcasing to the world. 

Gov. Chatto for his part emphasized culture and arts are essential to development, explaining Bohol vision that centers on eco-cultural tourism and extolling pride of cultural heritage. 

In partnership with FDCP, Bohol had formed the Bohol Film Commission chaired by culture and arts prime mover Lutgardo Labad. 

In the afternoon, Dino-Seguerra and Lamangan conducted a seminar on the programs of the Film Commission with stakeholders of the Bohol Film Commission to enrich its direction as they are excited to undertake activities that will bring to life the goals of establishing the commission in Bohol, foremost of which is to nurture talents in Bohol and to showcase Bohol’s rich history and attractions through film. 

For the arts of dance, music and literature, a Creative Movement Eurythmy Workshop with Switzerland-based PETA artist Jose Purisima and a musical showcase will be held at the Meridian Hotel on February 16; a dance showcase is set on February 21; a Music Theater Voice Workshop with American artist Allison Englanc and a Yoga training workshop with Guillaume Morgan from France will unfold on February 24 to Match 2 while Heritage and Arts Talks will be held at the National Museum Branch of Bohol. 

For the arts of theater and drama, an International Playwriting Workshop with playwright – teachers from Europe and USA will be conducted from February 25-27; and a Visayan-wide Theater Festival and Congress with 7 theater groups from all over the region will be held. 

While the City Government of Tagbilaran will hold the following activities: Arts contests in the morning of February 28 at the Island City Mall Activity Center in the fields of Balak, Kuradang de Saulog, Fruit Craving and Saulog Head Dress Making. In the afternoon, activities at the Salazar Monument in barangay Ubujan are scheduled such as the Awarding of Contest Winners, Tourn-over of City Cultural Mapping Results, Ribbon Cutting of Capt. Salazar Monument and excerpt from the Capt. Salazar Musical. 

The month of February is declared as National Arts Month per Presidential Proclamation No. 683 signed on January 28, 1991 by then President Corazon Aquino. (ecb/PIA7-Bohol) 

The National Arts Month celebration in Bohol kicked-off with the unveiling of visual arts created by Boholano visual artists at the Bohol Cultural Center in Tagbilaran City on February 6, 2019. Boholanos will be paying tribute with excellence and bounty in the seven arts – music, dance, drama, literature, visual arts, architecture and film to celebrate NAM. (photos: EdCom-Bohol)