Responding to Netizen;s Comments

Netizen's Comment: Drug use, philandering, or tax evasion, should not be part of the criteria for selecting The National Artists. It should only focus on the arts and her achievements and her job's impact on the community, her country, and the world.

Reaction: 

That is what I was trying to tell everybody all along. The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) should be independent bodies and should be free from interference coming from Malacanang. What good does it give the country if the president still meddles, infringes, and encroach on award-giving putting their weight on something, they should not stick their nose in.

I really hate to say this, but if Vilma Santos is the next nominee, she will suffer the same fate as Nora Aunor.  If the reason for delaying the conferment of the National Artist to her is political, then I will advise her to just treat the whole process matter of factly. Otherwise, years of waiting for this elusive award can be another heartbreaker.

As an artist, Vilma has no drug or police record.  But as a government official, she was seen siding with ABS CBN in their tumultuous fight for their franchise renewal ... and for sure her position may not settle well with the powers that be. 

And she can be misconstrued as Dilawan too.  And Ralph Recto's record as senator will make matter worse ... his positions did not escape the political radar of their opponents.