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The New Face of Philippine Culture and Arts : Dr. Felimon B. Blanco is Going Beyond

 

A young boy from Tambulig, Zamboanga Del Sur, rose to prominence to be one of the country's influential and well-cultured men. From having an interview on The Bottomline with Boy Abunda, a Philippine current affairs talk-reality show, to a guest appearance on PTV 4's Rise and Shine Pilipinas, a Philippine morning broadcast, and even an oath taking with President Roa Rodrigo Duterte in the Malacañang palace. This man is Dr. Felimon B. Blanco. He presently serves as the Head of the NCCA National Committee on Dramatic Arts, representing southern Mindanao. Dr. Blanco compares his life journey to a gasket "bamboo raft" that starts upstream in the mountain and flows down to the coast as its destination. Local culture and arts have always enthralled him since he was a child. For him, the traditional "Sugat" or "Salubong" on Easter Sunday, which commemorates Jesus Christ's resurrection, had a profound impact on him, igniting his newfound fondness for culture and the arts. It was a whole exquisite performance that astonished him.

 

As a result of his interest in the country's unique cultural and artistic characteristics, he was exposed to numerous aspects of Philippine culture and arts. Dr. Blanco was engaged in a number of local and worldwide theater and creative endeavors. "Patched,” an international non-verbal theatrical production that was brought to India in 2016, was one of his most notable artistic contributions. This artistic movement was such a brilliant and innovative play that only emotions were used instead of words. During his time in Singapore, he was also influenced by his two acting teachers. Having said that, his works are a voyage of discovery into all there is to unveil and admire about the country's art and culture.

 

The long-awaited sequel to "Patched" has yet to come. Dr. Blanco is working on it, and we should expect it soon. He is now organizing Initiate PH, an artist collective comprised of graduates of Singapore's Intercultural Theater Institute. A new project is in the making, which will be an online theater production about the upcoming election. The online theater production is still in the pipeline and will be filmed soon. He is also the project director for dulaan.ph, a Philippine theater online portal now being implemented by La Salle University. He is definitely a true hero of Philippine culture and the arts.

 

His advice to all young aspiring artists is to follow their hearts and do what they love because everything will fall into place if they are meant for them. Everything serves a distinct purpose. Because things take time, you won't be able to get what you want right away. Don't rush; instead, concentrate on your goal and wait for the ideal moment to come. All of Dr. Blanco's inspiring words and experiences will certainly inspire all young artists to be courageous and take chances for their dreams, because anything is possible if you believe, just like he did.