Parangal ng Sining 2023: Lifetime Achievement Awardees

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For dedicating their lives in pursuit of mastering their craft and for their significant contributions to the development of Philippine Cinema, the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) will confer the Lifetime Achievement Award to Ms. Vilma Santos, Mr. Nick Deocampo, Ms. Lily Yu Monteverde, and to Cinemalaya at the "Parangal ng Sining," an invitation-only event, which will be held on April 23 in Seda Hotel.

“Parangal ng Sining” (Honor of the Arts) is FDCP’s initiative to give homage to Filipino filmmakers, artists, and institutions who continue to achieve and strive for excellence, leading to acclaim in international film festivals across the globe Known as the Star For All Seasons, Vilma Santos is undeniably one of the most successful and most influential actresses of her generation. From multiple box office hits to high-rating television shows, she has grown into the icon that she is today. Her influence, not just in the entertainment industry, transcended into public service as she became a public servant.

For transcending stardom into becoming a symbol of resilience and professionalism, a shining example of what it means to be a beacon to the public, the FDCP will confer the Lifetime Achievement Award to Vilma Santos.

Lily Yu Monteverde, most commonly known as Mother Lily, is one of the first producers who pioneered the production of some Filipino blockbuster films in the country.

As the matriarch of Regal Entertainment, Inc., the oldest movie production company in the Philippines, Mother Lily led the production of the “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” franchise which has become one of the most popular and most iconic horror franchises in the country.

For tirelessly navigating the decades of changing trends in Philippine cinema and for giving life changing opportunities to young directors and writers to find their voices in mainstream movies, the FDCP will confer the Lifetime Achievement Award to Vilma Santos. 

A film professor, a film archivist, and a film historian, Nick Deocampo dedicated his life to the scholarship of Philippine Cinema. He significantly contributed to the discovery and restoration of many Filipino films, which many have thought have been already lost.

His extensive research on Philippine cinema also led to the discovery of many tales and fascinating stories about the country’s cinematic history, allowing the younger generation to reflect and further build on our very own cinematic past.

For his consistent output of tireless studies of Filipino films that help future generations of Filipinos to understand the roots and directions of the art, the FDCP will confer the Lifetime Achievement Award to Nick Deocampo.

Established to help develop and support the production of cinematic works of Filipino independent filmmakers and to inspire Asian filmmakers by showcasing the Philippines as the cinematic center of creativity and free artistic expression, the Cinemalaya Foundation has been steadily contributing to the growth of the local film industry.

For 18 years, the Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival, Cinemalaya Foundation’s core project, has provided a platform for both independent filmmakers and independent films which allowed them to reach a wider audience and showcase their unique perspectives through feature films and short films.

For providing the platform for cinema artists—whether in front or behind the camera—to be recognized for their priceless talent, the FDCP will confer the Lifetime Achievement Award to Cinemalaya.

Through “Parangal ng Sining,” the FDCP aims to encourage and motivate the creatives and stakeholders of the Philippine Film Industry, including the filmmakers, artists, workers, distributors, cinema owners, and audiences to come together and continue celebrating the role and importance of cinema in distilling the nation’s cultural identity, and our own identity as Filipinos.

UP Sandigan’s Leadership Summit: The Rise of Leadership in the Face of Adversity

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Leadership is not solely defined by the management skills one has, but also by the ability to handle, deal with, navigate through, and maneuver difficult situations that may arise. Through these challenging dilemmas, leadership can be seen, manifested, and could inspire, touch, and move numerous lives to embody the best version of themselves. In the context of the Philippines, 2022 is the start of a new era that is denoted by multiple challenges and issues through a change in administration.

In connection with this, this year’s UP Sandigan’s Leadership Summit: The Rise of Leadership in the Face of Adversity aims to highlight the varying leadership roles among different sectors and areas of interest in an attempt to help the youth understand and get a better grasp of the significance of these roles in dealing with timely and recent events and issues brought by a transition in the government and mitigating the risks that may arise from these complicated situations.

Join us in this online summit on April 29, 2023 (Saturday) via Zoom from 1:00 to 5:00 pm!

Registration is FREE! Register via bit.ly/RegisterLS2023!

Baybayin: pre-Spanish writing system of the Philippines

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Baybayin is a pre-colonial script used by the Tagalog people of the Philippines. It is an ancient writing system that is believed to have originated from the island of Luzon and was widely used throughout the archipelago before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. The script is also known as Alibata, which is derived from the first four letters of the Arabic script.

History of Baybayin

The origins of Baybayin are shrouded in mystery, but it is believed to have been in use since the 10th century. The script was used to write various languages, including Tagalog, Bisaya, Kapampangan, Ilokano, and Bikol, among others. Baybayin was used for writing letters, documents, and poetry, as well as for inscriptions on stones, metal, and other materials.

During the Spanish colonial period, the use of Baybayin declined as the Spanish introduced the Latin alphabet and imposed it as the official script for writing in the Philippines. The use of Baybayin was discouraged, and it eventually fell out of use, leading to its near extinction by the 20th century.

However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in Baybayin, as many Filipinos seek to reclaim their cultural heritage and identity. Baybayin has been recognized as a national cultural treasure by the Philippine government and is now taught in schools and universities as part of the country's rich cultural heritage.

Structure of Baybayin

Baybayin consists of 17 basic characters, each of which represents a specific sound or syllable. The characters are written in a continuous script, with no spaces between words. The script is written from left to right, and the lines are drawn from top to bottom.

The basic characters of Baybayin are:A - /a/
BA - /ba/
KA - /ka/
DA - /da/
GA - /ga/
HA - /ha/
JA - /dʒa/
LA - /la/
MA - /ma/
NA - /na/
NG - /ŋ/
PA - /pa/
RA - /ɾa/
SA - /sa/
TA - /ta/
WA - /wa/
YA - /ja/

In addition to these basic characters, Baybayin also has diacritical marks that modify the sounds of the characters. These marks are used to indicate vowel sounds, glottal stops, and nasal sounds.

Uses of Baybayin

Baybayin was used for various purposes, including:Writing letters and documents
Writing poetry and other literary works
Inscriptions on stone, metal, and other materials
Recording historical events and genealogies
Writing prayers and religious texts

Today, Baybayin is used mainly for artistic and cultural purposes, such as in calligraphy, graphic design, and jewelry-making. It is also used in tattoo art, as many Filipinos choose to have Baybayin script tattooed on their bodies as a way of reconnecting with their cultural heritage.

Baybayin is a fascinating and ancient writing system that reflects the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines. Although it fell out of use during the Spanish colonial period, there has been a recent resurgence of interest in Baybayin as Filipinos seek to reclaim their cultural identity. Baybayin is an important part of Philippine history and culture, and its revival is a testament to the resilience and strength of the Filipino people.

Baybayin is our pre-Spanish writing system, not "alibata" that are the first three letters in Arabic: alif (A), baa (B), and taa (T). This illustration from a 1950's baybayin book teaches the Tagalog names for parts of the body in baybayin. Modesty dictated that one part is left without translation.