Roque vows to give Pinoy artists boost, more exposure
UNITEAM senatorial candidate Harry Roque said he wants to give Filipino artists more public exposure to show their talents both here and abroad.
Roque said he believed that there is “a wealth of talent” in the country for Filipino artists, including painters, singers, cultural dancers, and theater actors.
“We should encourage further exposure for our artists already. Some of our masters and big names have created names in the international community, particularly in auctions,” Roque said in the CNN Philippines Senatorial Forum.
“We should also assist lesser-known artists in the Philippines because I am convinced that there is a wealth of talent available here in our country,” Roque added.
He also stressed that the country must have an “Arts Month” so that foreigners can visit the country to see different crafts of Filipino artists.
“It should be officially declared and funded by the government because this would give incentives to the artists, particularly those who are not yet receiving any stipend from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA),” he said.
Meanwhile, Roque lauded the NCCA to renovate the National Museum of the Philippines (NMP), saying it has become “world-class.”
In March 2021, the NMP started to gradually reopen after stopping its operation for a year due to restrictions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roque said the state should support local arts, which he considered the country’s “soul.”
