Friends for cultural concerns

One remembers the euphoria evoked by the inauguration of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, a project of First Lady Imelda Marcos that brought to the country internationally-famous artists. Around 1979, however, audiences at CCP performances began to dwindle down, compelling a group of ladies to found Friends of the Cultural Center of the Philippines – now renamed Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines – to uplift members’ sense of appreciation of art and culture, and support all forms of the arts.

The FCCP, led by Chito Madrigal-Collantes as founding chair and first president, ventured into fund-raising activities. It sponsored Repertory Philippines’ “Musical Annie,” which introduced the now world-famous Lea Salonga. Proceeds of the show went into the purchase of a brand new harp which was donated to the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra.

Sponsorship of the visiting Cleveland Symphony Orchestra resulted in the sponsorship of two successful CCP Summer Outreach concerts which took the PPO on concert tours of Baguio, Laoag, Bauang, La Union, Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, San Ildefonso, Sta. Maria in Vigan, Bulacan and San Fernando, Pampanga.

Every year, from 1981 to 2010, FCCP held fund-raising dinner-dances. From its earnings, FCCP gave grants to the Philippine Research for Developing Instrumental Soloists (PREDIS), which was co-founded by Prof. Basilio Manalo and Sr. Mary Placid Abejo of the music department of St. Scholastica’s College. This led to the formation of the Manila Youth Symphony Orchestra. Other groups funded by FCCP are the Philippine High School for the Arts in Makiling, Ballet Philippines, Ballet Manila and NAMCYA, among others.

For their dedication and assistance to the promotion of the arts, two FCCP stalwarts have been recognized – Chito Madrigal Collantes and Meldy Cojuangco – for serving as inspirations and guiding spirits and their generosity to the development of the arts.

 Worth mentioning are two initiatives embarked on by then 2004-2006 FCCP president, lawyer-businesswoman Mellie Ablaza – the awarding of P3 million to the National Museum, and the purchase of its office condominium unit at the Cityland Herrera Tower.

The 2011-2012 board of directors is committed to pursue the FCCP’s mission and vision. Araceli “Nene” Leonor, president, was recently inducted by Raul Sunico, president of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, at the sprawling garden of the Leonor compound in Manila. Also inducted were Rose Marie B. Lazaro as vice-president, and Beth Cristobal, Evelyn Ranada, Mabel Abano, Yoli Ayson, Nenuca Blardony, Lulu Castaneda, Thelma Gana, Letty Hahn, Karen Macasaet, Chloe Periquet, Tessie Rodrigo, Gilda Salonga, Minerva Tanseco and Grace Tiongco, board members.

 Induction night was a cornucopia feast of food and sounds (classical, Tagalog and Broadway music), provided by no less than Raul Sunico and John Lesaca, and dancing.

 Nene and her board have lined up activities for 2011. In August, an outreach program will be held for students possibly in Pasig. A fund-raising activity will be the showing of Ben Farrales’ collection at the Manila Hotel in September. In November, a major fund-raiser will be the FCCP annual ball, “A Touch of Royalty,” at the Shangri-La Makati Hotel, with performances by Menchu Lauchengco Yulo and Michael Williams dishing out excerpts from “Camelot,” “My Fair Lady,” and “The King and I.” Cultural tours will take the board to Tessie Macasaet’s farm in Batangas and the Lipa Cathedral in June; to the San Sebastian Church in July; to Vigan, Laoag and Ilocos Sur in October; to sculptor Ed Castrillo’s workshop in Cavite in January, and an artist-friends’ reception at a foreign ambassador’s residence in February next year. Activities for March and April 2012 will be announced later.

Nene is a quiet and elegant lady whose love for the arts resulted in her unanimous election to the prestigious Friends organization. She is married to businessman Domingo (Jun) Leonor. They have five children – JB, vice-president of Aradom Realty Corporation and organizer of the Dawn Band; Dennis, vice-president and director of ING Bank; Dina Villasor, a businesswoman; Lia Colayco, with SM Marionnawd, and David.

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Arnold Vandebroeck writes in response to my column of May 10, that there is “nothing immoral about contraceptives as a way in planning one’s family.” The Catholic bishops, he says, “claim that the RH bill is immoral and some bishops even consider it ‘terroristic.’ Can they please stop playing the exclusive and self-appointed guardians of our national sexual morality?”

Below are portions of Vandenbroeck’s letter: “The United Methodist Church values ‘family planning programs that improve health care, empower women and protect the global environment and that enable individuals and couples to decide about the number of their children free from violence, coercion and discrimination.

“...While Catholic bishops in the Philippines tend to be dismissive of the problem of present population growth, the UMC says that ‘people have the duty to consider the impact on the total world community of their decision regarding child bearing and should have access to information and appropriate means to limit their fertility, including voluntary sterilization.’

“. . . Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, ‘Planned parenthood is an obligation of those who are Christians. Our church thinks we should use scientific methods that assist in family planning.’ The Dalai Lama said, ‘Family planning is crucial, especially in the developing world.’

“In 1954, The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America stated that a married couple should plan and govern their sexual relations so that any child born to their union will be desired both for itself and in relation to the time of its birth. How to do that is up to the couple.

“. . .In a recent resolution, the Presbyterian church ...affirmed that contraceptive services are part of basic health care and cautioned that unintended pregnancies lead to higher rates of infant mortality, low birth weight, and maternal morbidity, and threaten the economic viability of families.”

Vandenbroeck lists faiths that favor the use of artificial methods for family planning, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, the Unitarian Universalists, Judaism, Islam, Hindus, and Buddhists.

Writes Vandenbroeck: “The Roman Catholic Church is the only major faith institution to forbid the use of contraception. However, in actual practice most Catholics disagree with the prohibition or don’t pay any attention to it. Not much of a moral problem. For one, they are in the good company of practically all other major religions of the world.”

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