AS I have known from colleagues in Manila and Panay, competition is so stiff to be able to avail a grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) especially for the individual category. I am very much thankful to the Grand Artist for the recognition of my passion in the arts leading to the approval of my research project grant entitled: “Fine Artists of Panay: a Pioneering Study on their Works and Lives”. This grant is in celebration of the Philippines as ASEAN cultural capital in 2010-2011.

The study aims to document the works and lives of selected visual artists from Panay Island (Iloilo, Capiz, Kalibo, Antique and Aklan provinces). After this project, there is a plan to come up with a book version of the manuscript. Such scholarly publications are rare in Western Visayas.

The pioneering research is very significant for various reasons. This study is in line with the mandate in the Article XIV, sections 14 and 15 of the Philippine Constitution. This constitutional mandate goes in the same vein as the NCCA mandate that to “conserve and promote the nation’s historical and cultural heritage, it shall: 1) support, monitor and systematize the retrieval and conservation of artifacts of Filipino culture…and all Filipino cultural treasures…; 2) encourage and support the study, recognition and preservation of endangered human cultural resources…;

6) encourage and support scholarly research and documentation of Philippine cultural traditions, arts and crafts, as well as cultural movements, achievements and personalities especially in the literary, visual and performing arts…”.

In Iloilo, only one study on Ilonggo artists was done by Larawan (2008). A masteral thesis was conducted by Ed Defensor on the works and lives of Vicente San Miguel, a pioneer in telon painting during the time of the zarzuelas.

If there had been reviews and essays on the works of Ilonggo artists, they could not derive the Ilonggo artistic tradition for they were very limited and “elitist”, based on highly opinionated interviews which may lack the merit of a scientific method of data gathering. This study will benefit the country in general and Iloilo in particular, in terms of “fostering the preservation, enrichment, and dynamic evolution of a Filipino national culture based on the principle of unity in diversity in a climate of free artistic and intellectual expressions.”

For the NCCA, the results of the study can add to the pool of knowledge needed in promoting and developing regional talents. This will give the picture of the Panay idiosyncrasies which differ from the rest of the colleagues from Manila and other regions.

Central Philippine University where the author is connected and other universities can benefit by realizing its cultural objectives that promote the region’s talents. One of the purposes of a local university should be on developing and encouraging the evolution and development of Panayanon identity.