THE PONTIFICAL University now has 17 National Artists with former Varsitarian literary editor Cirilo Bautista and the late architecture alumnus Jose Maria Zaragoza joining the roster after their conferment and elevation to the Order of National Artists (ONA) in Malacanang ceremonies by President Aquino III last April 14.

Also conferred as National Artists were Francisco Coching for the visual arts, Alice G. Reyes for dance, and Ramon Santos and Francisco Feliciano for music.

Manuel Conde (cinema), Federico Alcuaz (visual arts) and Lazaro Francisco (literature) likewise conferred the ONA posthumously.

Following the conferment rites was a performing-arts tribute to the new ONA honorees at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

The tribute included performances by Ballet Philippines, Philippine Madrigal Singers, and Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of UST Conservatory of Music professor Herminigildo Ranera.

In honor of Bautista, his poems—“Concerning Poetry,” “Patalim” and “Poem Addressed to Himself”—were read by Tanghalang Pilipino actors Liesl Batucan and Remus Villanueva.

Bautista, a senior associate of the University’s Center for Creative Writing and Studies, said being National Artist was the zenith of his life in literature.

Bautista, 74, said he felt honored because the award recognized his contributions to the flourishing of Philippine arts and culture. “Artists are the transmitters of culture,” he explained.

He urged UST to keep the Thomasian tradition of writing alive, particularly Catholic writing. “I will say to keep up that tradition because it is already dying in competition with the modern ways,” he deplored.

Zaragoza meanwhile was recognized posthumously for his architectural designs. During the tribute, his 36 office buildings, 45 churches, four hotels, two hospitals, 15 airport terminals, five low-cost and middle-income housing projects and more than 270 residences, were flashed in an audiovisual presentation.

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Zaragoza (1912-1994) was represented by daughter Loudette Zaragoza-Banson at CCP.

Banson said her father expressed deep love not only for the country’s cultural heritage but also for the Blessed Mother.

“My father was really dedicated to his work, especially to religious infrastructure during his latter years,” she said. “He had this love for the Virgin Mary that our family is so proud of.”

Zaragoza was influenced by his professor in architecture, National Artist Juan Nakpil, said Zaragoza’s son, Ramon.

“The first National Artist for architecture, Juan Nakpil, was one of my father’s greatest professors,” said the younger Zaragoza, who also took up architecture in UST. “That is why the family is more than happy with this award since he now joins the company of one of his professors.”

For the Zaragoza family, the Santo Domingo Church was their father’s most treasured works.

Ramon Zaragoza said his father had won in an international competition in which “they (the Dominicans) invited all the best architects in the world to design the best church.”

Santo Domingo Church, also called the National Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary La Naval de Manila, was declared a National Cultural Treasure by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2012.

Bautista and Zaragoza join the roster of Thomasian National Artists that include Nick Joaquín (1976), F. Sionil Jose (2001) and Bienvenido Lumbera (2006) for literature and Juan Nakpil (1973), Leandro Locsin (1990) and Ildefonso Santos Jr. (2006) for architecture. Others are Arturo Luz, J. Elizalde Navarro, Victorio Edades and Ang Kiukok for the visual arts; Ernani Cuenco and Antonino Buenaventura for music; Gerardo de Leon for film; Daisy Avellana for theater; and Rolando Tinio for theater and literature.

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