Thirty-six Angeleño artists received their ‘Pupul ning Banua’ award from the local government on Friday, February 24 at the Plaza Angel, this city.
Spearheaded by the Angeles City Tourism Office (ACTO), the award aims to distinguish the valuable contributions of Angeleño artists in shaping arts and culture in the city, and to give a fitting tribute to those who have excelled in their chosen field of art manifested by their achievements both locally and overseas.
“What we are experiencing right now in the city is a cultural renaissance. The city government sees that it is essential to give praises to individuals who have raised the leverage in the city in terms of creativity and artistry,” said Mayor Edgardo Pamintuan.
“Aside from our culinary abilities, Angeleños are known for their artistic prowess. And what a way to celebrate these ‘gifts from heaven’ by featuring the long-list of Angeleño achievers through Pupul ning Banua,” said Pamintuan.
Pupul ning Banua or “Harvest of the Year/ from the Heaven” is the city’s local version of the “Ani ng Dangal” being awarded by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) to outstanding Filipino achievers in various disciplines of art.
Leading the line-up of awardees for this year is the 69th Cannes Film Festival Best Actress Jaclyn Jose.
Awardees for Film also include Film Producer Ferdinand Lapuz, Director Jason Paul Laxamana and Carlo Enciso Catu, Screenplay writer Robby Tantingco, and Actors Jameson Blake and JC Santos.
Angeleño dance artists Sabina Angeles, Adriana Gozun, Juan Paolo Lorenzo Escaño, Marrion Jeremy Quiambao, Fritz Daeniela Adriano Baligad, Mico Ayan Canlas, the Sinukwan Kapampangan Center for the Arts, the Angeles-Pampanga Dance Athletes, the Angeles City Dance Athletes and the CCA Sayaw Angeleño Dance Troupe received their respective awards.
Michael David Bodin, Jake Abella, the Holy Angel University Chorale and the Anak Bale-balayan are the city’s awardees for Music.
Visual artists Edu Perreras, Arnel Garcia, Jojoy Zabala, Norman Tiotuico, and Edwina Tayag-Badong are also among the recipients of this year’s Pupul ning Banua Award.
For Fashion and Beauty, awardees include Miss World 2016 First Princess Arienne Louise Calingo, doll couturier Cholo Ayuyao, Umagang Kay Ganda’s GwaPulis Grand Winner Willy Quinto, Mister Global Teen 2016 Joaquin Rudolfo Rosallosa, Mutya ng PRISAA National 2016 JM Bailey, and the reigning Mr. and Ms. Association of Local Colleges and Universities (ALCU) National, Carl Jhemir Calma and Mirjan Hipolito.
Chef Claude Tayag, Jasper Bucud and Gerrome Esguerra are this year’s lone awardees for Culinary, Architecture and Stage Production, respectively.
Conceived in 2014, Pupul ning Banua caps the annual National Arts Month celebration of the city.