(NOV. 22)鈥 Multi-awarded filmmaker and playwright Bonifacio 鈥淏oni鈥 P. Ilagan is this year鈥檚 Gawad Plaridel awardee.
He was conferred the award in the transmedia category on Nov. 20 at the UP Film Center鈥檚 Cine Adarna.
Socially-conscious works. The UP College of Mass Communication (CMC) commended Ilagan 鈥淔or the artistry of his socially-conscious works in theater, film and television, which have garnered recognition from the Cultural Center of the Philippines Centennial Honors for the Arts, Gawad Balagtas, the University of the Philippines (UP) Creative Writing Center (now UP Institute of Creative Writing), Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, CCP Playwriting Contest, Palihang Aurelio V. Tolentino, Catholic Mass Media Awards, Film Academy of the Philippines, Star Awards聽 and the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Science.鈥
He was recognized 鈥淔or his passionate commitment to the promotion of a progressive social agenda鈥 through his plays such as 鈥淲elga! Welga!鈥 and 鈥淧agsambang Bayan,鈥 both cited in the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art; screenplays that tackle political issues like 鈥淔lor Contemplacion Story鈥 (co-written with Ricky Lee), 鈥淒ukot,鈥 鈥淪igwa,鈥 鈥淒eadline鈥 and 鈥淢igrante;鈥 documentaries 鈥渢hat focus on national sovereignty and economic issues鈥 such as 鈥淪a Liyab ng Libong Sulo鈥 and 鈥淰isiting Forces Agreement: A Question of Nationhood,鈥 and his contributions as writer such as the television docu-drama series 鈥淎lab ng Lahi,鈥 and as writer and director of public service programs like 鈥淗ealth Television鈥 and 鈥淣ora Mismo鈥 among others.
In addition, he was cited 鈥淔or his brave leadership of activist organizations like Panday-Sining and Kabataang Makabayan (UP Diliman); his continued guidance of progressive groups like the Surian ng Sining, First Quarter Storm Movement, Campaign Against the Return of the Marcoses to Malaca帽ang, and Let鈥檚 Organize for Democracy and Integrity; and his active management today of alternative media groups Tudla, ST Exposure, and Kodao Production.鈥
Art and activism. A staunch human rights advocate and critic of the Marcoses, Ilagan said, 鈥淪a pagdaraos ng 2019 Gawad Plaridel, alalahanin natin ang mga Filipinong naging bayani at martir sa media at mga sining sa ngalan ng mga kalayaan at karapatan na ngayon ay nilalapastangan.鈥
鈥淎ng Gawad Plaridel para sa akin ay isang hamon upang ipagpatuloy ang kanilang simulain, lubha pa鈥檛 ang republika, sa maraming pakahulugan, ay umuunlad na paurong. Tila ba tayo ay nasa isang yugto ng retrogression pabalik sa obscurantism at bigotry noong panahon ni Marcelo H. Del Pilar,鈥 he said.
Ilagan also talked about his role as an artist and activist when the Martial Law was declared in September 1972.
鈥淚 was already in the underground resistance in the company of some of the best journalists and artists in the country. We formed an elaborate clandestine press network that issued several news and cultural publications in Filipino and English. Our print run was only a few thousands but the pass-on readership and impact it created were astonishing,鈥 he said.
He also said 鈥淚n 1974, the military raided several of our underground houses, UP Professor Dolores Feria, Pete Lacaba and I were in one of them. Like most detainees, we were tortured. It was brutal. I was released in 1976. I re-enrolled in UP, no questions asked kahit nag-AWOL ako. The first play that I wrote was the liturgical 鈥楶agsambang Bayan鈥 which lambasted the Martial Law regime.鈥
Although the Martial Law already ended 47 years ago, Ilagan said 鈥淲hy still today, why must we all speak up? Because tyranny has resurrected, proclaiming authority all over the land. Why persist? Because history is being turned upside down. Because the evils of the past have returned.鈥
Awarding ceremony. Vice President for Public Affairs Elena E. Pernia; 黑料专区 Chancellor Michael L. Tan and CMC dean Prof. Arminda V. Santiago, PhD awarded Ilagan the Gawad Plaridel trophy designed by National Artist for Sculpture Napoleon V. Abueva.
The citation was written by former CMC dean Prof. Rolando B. Tolentino and read at the ceremony by Professor Emeritus in Film and Audio-Visual Communication Nicanor G. Tiongson.
Present during the program were National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera, Gawad Plaridel Awardee Jose 鈥淧ete鈥 Lacaba, former Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, former CMC deans Prof. Luis V. Teodoro and Prof. Georgina Encanto, PhD, UP System Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs Jose Wendell Capili, Ilagan鈥檚 friends and colleagues, and some students and faculty from other universities.
Named after the Philippine hero Marcelo H. del Pilar鈥檚 nom de plume, the Gawad Plaridel is the CMC鈥檚 distinction for Filipino media practitioners who excelled in any of the media (print, radio, film and television) and have performed with the highest level of professional integrity in the interest of public service.
Ilagan now joins the roster of recipients Eugenia Duran-Apostol (2004, print), Vilma Santos (2005, film), Fidela 鈥淭iya Dely鈥 Magpayo (2006, radio), Cecilia 鈥淐heche鈥 L. Lazaro (2007, television), Pachico A. Seares (2008, community print), Kidlat Tahimik (2009, independent film), Eloisa 鈥淟ola Sela鈥 Canlas (2011, radio), Florence 鈥淩osa Rosal鈥 Danon-Gayda (2012, television), Lacaba (2013, print), Nora 鈥淣ora Aunor鈥 Villamayor (2014, transmedia), Ricardo 鈥淩icky鈥 Lee (2015, film), Francisca 鈥淏abes鈥 Custodio (2016, radio), Tina Monzon-Palma (2017, television), and Ma. Jessica Soho (2018, journalism).
A video of the Gawad Plaridel 2019 may be viewed at DILC鈥檚 YouTube Channel (URL: ). 鈥擧aidee C. Pineda, images by Leonardo A. Reyes
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