Actor Nick Lizaso may have landed his most challenging role to date

Our chat with Arsenio “Nick” Lizaso begins with a story of “Jonah and the Whale.”

Jonah is instructed by a voice to go to one place, but he absconds his duty and goes instead to another, then a huge fish swallows him whole, and he ultimately ends up in his original destination — after bouts of stormy waters and a lot of thrashing about. 

“That’s how I was,” Lizaso says. “I was going to be a lawyer. I was in law school for two years pero naloko ako (laughs), so I gallivanted — inom, tambay sa kanto, walang direksyon, etc.” He would end up at the University of the East, enlisting in a Speech class one fateful summer. An old American was the professor.

“He made me deliver poetry,” Lizaso recalls. “I got a grade of 98. I didn’t know I had this innate talent (in public speaking). Those who heard me urged me to take up Drama.”

From acting in student plays and productions, Lizaso went on to co-found PETA or Philippine Educational Theater Association with its initiator Cecille Guidote-Alvarez (they met while both studying in Dallas, Texas). He acted in plays for Repertory Philippines led then by Zenaida Amador (“Nung dinirect ni Zenaida ’yung Dracula, ako ‘yung Dracula tapos victim ko si Celia Diaz-Laurel… Ang saya during those times!”).

He also directed teleplays for drama series such as Balintataw and Guni-guni as well as sitcoms like Tisoy; helmed movies featuring legends such as Vic Silayan, Eddie Garcia and Charito Solis as well as ’70s action star Rudy Fernandez (for Ulo ng Gapo) and a young Alma Moreno (“Ang sinasakyan pa ni Alma noon ay Ford Fierra…”).

He became a close friend of Fernando Poe Jr. (“Mabait na tao ‘yang si FPJ…”); became a mentor to Marilou Diaz-Abaya, Tetchie Agbayani, and Pilar Pilapil; became an educator as well as an arts and culture advocate (a very active member in the executive committee of the International University Theater Association or IUTA).

The curious thing is how Lizaso eventually found himself as an actor again in teleseryes such as Please Be Careful With My Heart featuring Jodi Sta. Maria and Juan Happy Love Story. A case of Jonah becoming Jonah. 

Lizaso shares, “You know what Confucius said? ‘Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.’”

Now, there is a “desire letter” from Malacañang about a new job. 

It states how President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the nomination of Lizaso as president of Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).  

“That’s all I can say at this point,” shares Lizaso. Lizaso — who has been a member of the CCP Board of Trustees since the time of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and throughout P-Noy’s term — has to go through the entire process of getting nominated and elected by the CCP board, an exercise involving CVs, GOCCs, etc. That’s what Malacañang wants, says Lizaso, who was honored by San Beda with an achievement award in 2003 along with President Duterte: the latter for public service, the former for arts and culture. 

“I became a believer of Digong when I heard his speech,” Lizaso explains. “Nagmura eh. Ang taong nagmumura ay hindi nagpapa-gusto sa kapwa. He is not enticing you to like him.” Duterte, he realizes, is all about fulfilling his duties. 

So, when Lizaso buckles down to work at CCP, what are his concerns?

He explains, “In keeping with President Duterte’s thrust toward federalism, I would like to see the establishment of a nationwide network of points of light all over the country, a sort of ‘mini CCP’ in each region cultivating and preserving arts and culture.” To pave the way for cultural champions in 17 regions.

“Imagine,” he says, “indigenous Manobo dances and visual arts presented in the global stage, or the people of Aparri enjoying the orchestral music of Beethoven and Mozart.” Lizaso also sees the need to put all current agencies concerned with arts and culture under the supervision and management of a superbody that will get things moving, and fast.

“So much to do in the field of arts and culture, and yet so much time is being wasted in committee meetings and hearings. Tempus fugit... acta non verba. (Time flies… deeds not words.) I also lament the lack of imagination and initiative (of today’s cultural entities). I see the same old projects being implemented year after year, with no fresh outside-the-box ideas to spark new momentum. Dapat din may synergy ang CCP and NCCA.”

When asked if he is in favor of Freddie Aguilar presiding over a cultural office in government, Lizaso answers, “My God, of course! Si Bob Dylan nga nanalo ng Nobel Prize eh. Pero ayaw ni Freddie ng magulong buhay.”

Lizaso’s personal crusade is to make art accessible to the grassroots, regularly making calls to friends who own food stalls, bus companies and schools, not to mention public officials, and tells them about his outreach projects. They are usually very supportive. 

The man helped facilitate a concert by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) at the Philippine General Hospital, with cancer patients as the audience. The PPO also performed in a free public concert in Greenhills, this time with drivers, shoppers, helpers and students in attendance.

“Art should be made accessible to the marginalized. Besides, when you see these kids with cancer listening to the PPO… these are beautiful moments. We create moments in our lives. Then we move on to create new moments.”

Lizaso also conducts workshops — in places such as Tagum City in Davao, Puerto Princesa City, and Legaspi City — focused on teacher development, infusing theater techniques into teaching to bring life to the classroom.

He shares, “We teach the teachers the skill of the actors — the voice, the use of hands, action movement. When you’re in front of 40 students, you have to perform. Hindi puwedeng tutulug-tulog ka, aantukin mga estudyante mo (laughs). We also teach them the craft of storytelling.”

Why do these things at all, we ask the man. Exhaust his own resources and spend a huge chunk of his time for these activities that usually fly under the radar of mainstream media?

“After each event, alam mo, para akong naligo sa loob ng katawan ko,” he concludes. “Naliligo ’yung balat mo ng tubig, pero paano na ’yung kaluluwa mo?”