just my .02

If Carlo J. Caparas does not want criticism, he should just keep his mouth shut and refrain from dissing National Artists, and most of all he should stop comparing his "achievements" to theirs. The more he speaks in defense of himself, the more he shows how stupid and how undeserving he is of the award.

While the issue has been blogged about many times already, I just felt like saying a few statements because I was part of the process; I saw how preparing for the awarding was conducted. Very briefly I helped an artist-friend from CCP 'compile' the visual art nominees' works into shorter documents that we submitted to the higher-ups. The (now-stupid, because he let out personal attacks) director of course, handpicked by a more stupid president, wouldn't have passed the criteria (I bet I do more sketching than he does), and we wouldn't have seen his name on the list. It was stressful yet overwhelming to go through the files of the nominees (as in, wow), and again it was no place for Carlo J. Caparas.

And what about for film? Yeah yeah, his movies gave people jobs. Yeah yeah, his movies filled the cinemas. Yeah, so? If he wanted an award from the UNDP and the MTRCB then he should apply for that. We're talking about the National Artist Award here. Obviously he doesn't know what that means, and I would have forgiven him for that, but since he's on stupid hero-villain mode wielding havoc with his mouth, I just hope that an epiphany comes and he would see the light, that he would refuse the award, just like they do in the movies. Or, maybe we could all just stab him.

If he doesn't want to be blamed for the mistake that is the stinking presidential prerogative, he should just shut up and refrain from saying anything against other National Artists. If he says it's not his fault that he's National Artist now, that he didn't beg his politicking little madame for the honor, he should at least be humble and stop defending the award given him, the greedy bastard.

How you name your artists is how you define your art. Hmm.

Let's just hope the rest of the world, the many smart others, do not take one for many. Carlo J. Caparas is just one rotten apple in an otherwise good bunch. And the other good bananas are probably trying to squirm away now.

Let's imagine Ang Kiukok and Lino Brocka turning over in their graves because of this blatant display of ignorance of the craft. Oh, and I'm sorry Nick, but this doesn't deserve a beer.