If California has San Francisco as its art hub, then the Philippines has Manila as its center for culture and arts. Manila has the renowned museums, parks and centers which foster the development of the Arts. It boasts of the Film Center, which currently stages the “Amazing Filipino Show” featuring world-class transvestites. It also houses the National Museum, the ever-famous Luneta Park and Intramuros, all of which have had a role to play in the development of culture and arts. Not to be left out is the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), known for its world-class shows such as the musical “Miss Saigon,” which was staged in 2000.

February can be considered the busiest time of the year for artists, not only because Valentine’s Day concerts are a dime a dozen, but mainly because of the annual celebration of the National Arts Month. Recently, the National Center for Culture and Arts in association with the Cultural Center of the Philippines launched the beginning of the National Arts Month with the theme “East Meets West in the Filipino Artist.” CCP vice-president and director Fernando Josef notes that this year, the objective of the celebration is to look back to the Filipino-American War and weigh its benefits and harm, which in turn have had an effect on the development of the Filipino culture and arts.<,p> This year’s celebration was opened by a multimedia presentation by the country’s national artists dubbed “Dangal ng Lahing Pilipino”. Other festive activities include “Samu’t-saring Tinig,” a concert of the country’s top high school choir groups, and “Jazz Pinoy” featuring the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra. To quash the notion that celebration of the arts is just an elitist celebration, the CCP Foundation is hosting a free concert dubbed “Musiko Mundo: Pinoy World Music Concert II” at the CCP front lawn, featuring musical greats Joey Ayala, Grace Nono, Pinikpikan, the Makiling Ensemble and many more.

Since it is the month of hearts, a concert party called “Something Stupid ( Called Love)” will be held with Kyla, RJ Rosales, Dessa, The CompanY and Jon Santos. Dance performances are not to be forgotten as Ballet Philippines take center stage on “Neo-Filipino 2003: Balikbayan.” The Bayanihan Philipine National Folk Dance Company will liven up the dance floor with “Sari-saring Sayaw, Sama-samang Galaw”, a dance presentation of the country’s leading Folk Dance Companies.

Towards the later part of February, the CCP front lawn will again be highlighted with the multi-media presentation entitled “Densities: Making Sense of Dense Cities.” It is an interactive exhibit in container vans which aims to address the persistent problems of urban congestion, environmental degradation, health and its relation to population explosion, and the more persistent problem of increasing poverty.

With the activities lined up this February, the arts will not only be developed but accentuated with the different presentations that will not only attract the older crowd but the young as well. It also goes to show that art is not simply an art in itself; rather, it is a collaboration between what is in the status quo and the change that we want to enact from it.

In the end Manila is not simply an artistic city, it is a celebration of life and arts in itself.

Intramuros

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Manila Home of the Arts

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Un Castillo

Hopeless Filipinos

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Victorian Grand Debut