Senator-elect Alan Peter Cayetano again expressed confidence that arts and culture of the Philippines will someday boom like other country’s, such as South Korea.
“Alam mo y’ung pinagdaanan natin pagdating sa performing arts, sa [visual] arts, sa maraming bagay, sa mga produkto, pinagdaanan ng Korea ‘yan,” Cayetano said in his speech during the art exhibit of local artist Otep Bañez called “Back in the Day.”
He noted that works by Filipino artists are appreciated in South Korea.
“N’ung umikot kami ng Korea, palaging tinuturo sa akin, ‘Sir, ‘yung museum na ‘yan gawa ng Pinoy.’ So they’re so proud na gawa ng Pinoy; (pero) pagbalik sa atin, ang gusto natin gawa ng Koreano,” he said.
Cayetano said he hopes more commercial establishments in the Philippines would showcase art pieces created by local artists to encourage Filipinos to take pride in and patronize locally made items.
“Kasi parati na lang tayong, ‘Uy ang ganda n’un! Ay pero local,’” he said.
Cayetano is known to be a fan of different local artists, owning some paintings and sculptures himself.
“As maybe a representative of your many, many friends who are here, [I want to help revive] y’ung how the integrated resort once honored Philippine artists, and what better day than Independence Day,” Cayetano told Bañez.
Bañez is a native of Paete, Laguna whose paintings and carvings depict life in the countryside through high-contrast colors and images of exaggerated facial expressions.
The Senator-elect praised Bañez’s desire to “uplift all artists” by leading the Paete Artists Guild.
“Thank you, Otep, for making the world a brighter place,” he said.
