Grace Poe says mom Susan Roces is ecstatic about Fernando Poe Jr.'s National Artist Award

Rachelle Siazon

<img src='' alt='080312-susan_main.jpg' align='left' border='0' height='290' width='305'>Grace Poe expressed her gratitude to President Benigno “Noynoy Aquino” for conferring the posthumous National Artist award to the late King of Philippine Movies Fernando Poe Jr. She further explained why it took this long before their family received the said award, when FPJ was already decreed a national artist since 2006. “Siyempre masayang masaya kami at taos-pusong nagpapasalamat sa pangulo sa pagkilala kay FPJ. Yung Proclamation No. 435 confirming Proclamation No. 1069. Kasi ang nangyari nung 2006 nagbotohan ang miyembro ng NCCA (National Commission for Culture and Arts), Council of Peers ang tawag dun. Ito ay binubuo ng visuals artists, writers, directors [and other experts] from the fields of study in arts. Binoto nila si FPJ so legal yung proseso. Kasi hindi lang naman president ang nag-a-appoint,” said the chairwoman of Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) in an interview with <a href=''>Push.com.ph</a>, Thursday, August 2. Since it happened during the term of then president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Poe family felt that it wasn’t proper to accept the award in Malacañang in light of their protest concerning the 2004 presidential elections. “Ngayon dalawa yung seremonya niyan. Yung unang seremonya, yung actual na award, yung plaque at medalya ibinibigay ‘yan sa Malacañang. Dun sa pagkakataon na yun, minabuti namin hindi pumunta dun, sapagkat alam niyo naman, hindi naman ito sikreto, na may protesta kami laban sa naupong pangulo noon. Pangalawa, sa aming personal na pananaw, yung isang malaking karangalan na ganon, gusto mo matanggap mula sa isang taong marangal. So minabuti na lang namin na magpasalamat sa mga artists na bumoto kay FPJ, so ang pinuntahan namin na event yung sa dun sa CCP (Cultural Center of The Philippines). At the time, the Poe family weren’t sure about Malacañang’s sincerity to bequeath the National Artist award to FPJ as the plaque and medal suddenly went missing. “Ang tanong, yung award na yun nasa Malacanang ‘di ba? Sila ba ay sinsero na dapat mapunta sa amin yung award? Pinadala ba nila? Hindi man lang nila pinadala e. Hindi nila pinadala, winala pa nila. Hindi makita eh. So may mga concerned artists na nagsasabi bakit ‘di ninyo natanggap at bakit walang benepisyo? Kasi ang balak ng mom ko, sana mapunta sa mga struggling producers at indie para makagawa sila ng pelikula, mapunta sa isang foundation. Eh wala. So ngayon may sumulat sa NCCA na nagsasabi wala pa. Kaya siguro nakarating na rin sa ating pangulo (PNoy) at ginawa niya itong Proclamation No. 435 na ito to confirm Proclamation No. 1069. Siyempre isang simbolo ‘yan e.” On a lighter note, Grace added that her mom Susan Roces deserved to be given the honor to accept the National Artist award in behalf of the late FPJ. “Siyempre masaya siya. Feeling nga niya naabala pa yung pangulo na kinalilangan pa niya gawin ito. Pero sabi ko nga maganda na rin naman na maranasan ng aking ina na matanggap yung award para sa dad ko. Sabi nga nila, behind a success of every man or a woman - if you want to be gender sensitive - is a man or a woman; yung partner mo who stood by you through thick and thin, who inspired you. So kahit papano, kahit award ito ni FPJ, karapat-dapat naman na maramdaman din ng mom ko ang isang karangalan na ‘yan para sa kanya. Although mom ko tipid sa reaction niya. Ayaw niya pahabain pa. Talagang nagpapasalamat kami kasi tinitingala din namin ang pangulo natin (referring to PNoy). Asked about the impact of being given a National Artist award, Grace gladly explained that it’s a legacy not only for the Poe family but to the next generations of Filipinos. “Kasi ang students natin sa eksuwelahan kunyari may isang student ng Up, siyempre nandiyan na ‘yan sa libro nila kung sino ang national artists—Lino Brocka, Yshmael Bernal—kapag nakita nila ‘yan, pagaralan nga natin ang mga obra nila. Nagiging gabay sa mga susunod na henerasyon. Kaya nga historical figures and events serve as a guide and it also serves as a way for us to realize what our national identity is. Meron dahilan ang mga teachers na turuan ang students in terms of sa mga pelikula na nasulat niya.”

Grace Poe says her family is grateful to President Noynoy Aquino for confirming the declaration of Fernando Poe Jr.'s National Artist Award.

Grace Poe says mom Susan Roces is ecstatic about Fernando Poe Jr.'s National Artist Award | PUSH.COM.PH