NATIONAL ARTIST

ERNANI CUENCO
1999

Ernani Cuenco is a composer, film scorer, musical director and music teacher, he earned a
music degree in piano and cello from University of Santo Tomas. His career began in 1960 when
he was discovered by Estrada. The works of Ernani embody a Filipino mood that contains
classical sounds. Years past and he is declared as a National Artist in Music from the year 1999.

CONTROVERSY
Former president Joseph Estrada named his good friend Ernani Cuenco as National Artist for
Music even before the NCCA-CCP could submit to him the list of awardees, which did not
include Cuenco. This resulted in the proclamation for Cuenco bearing a date earlier than the
proclamations for the other awardees.

EVIDENCE
Based on the guidelines on naming National Artists, the president has the power to confirm
and proclaims who will be the awardees. The president is also allowed to subtract names from
the list and does not prohibit the addition of names. There was a statement above that Ernani
Cuenco and Estrada are good friends so, former president Estrada has the power to add Ernani
Cuenco from the shortlist provided by the NCCA and CCP even though he is not suited on the
given qualifications.

DO WE AGREE OR DISAGREE? WHY OR WHY NOT?

We talk and share different opinions about this controversy and most of us disagree about
Ernani Cuenco being a National Artist because first of all, the musicians that are included on the
shortlist of awardees has the qualifications to be a National Artist and Ernani Cuenco was just
named on that list because of former president Estrada. He doesn’t deserve to be named on that
title and on how Estrada used his power just to name Ernani Cuenco as a National Artist is a very
hostile thing to do. So, overall on what we’ve discussed we are not agreeing about Ernani
Cuenco having the title as a National Artist in Music because we believed that there was
someone on that time who is more deserving and should be entitled as a National Artist in Music
in 1999.
 Position Paper

GROUP 5 11-STEM 12

Members:
CAEG, Franzelle

DAILEG, Rey Anne

MOSUELA, Anna Ysabelle

NAS, Feliz Rose

ORDONA, Dave

UMALI, Alyanna Marielle

VELILIA, Lourd Jillian