INTRODUCTION
I am very pleased to be here with you at the opening of the Igkas-Arte, as part of our celebration of the centennial of the declaration of Philippine independence.

Nations, like individuals, constantly seek to define their identity. To understand who we are at present, it is necessary to revisit our past. There are certain moments in our past that can truly be called defining moments. And the choices we made then largely determined the kind of people we are today.

The recollection of such moments, the remembrance of things past, deepens our self-understanding and equips us to deal with the challenges of the present and to make wiser choices regarding what we are to become in the future.

One such defining moment in our past was the declaration of Philippine independence one hundred years ago.

One hundred years ago, the Filipino people hoisted the Philippine flag and sang their national anthem for the very first time. It was a voice previously unheard in the colonies of Asia. It was a new voice in the world of empire and was an assertion of the right of the Filipino nation to set its own course and to chart its own destiny.

This is what we are celebrating this year.
ART: A WINDOW TO THE PAST
Much of what has been put on display, much of what has been written about the centennial celebration attempts to highlight the wisdom of Jose Rizal, the courage of Andres Bonifacio and the heroic struggle of Filipinos for independence and freedom.

But there are other aspects to our history, other dimensions of our past that should also be revisited. We can also look at our history and at those sublime moments in our past that are captured in works of art, in the creations of our artists. These are also defining moments, the remembrance of which ennobles us, enriches and inspires us.

I commend therefore the people behind Igkas-Arte — the artists and art collectors — who have presented their priceless masterpieces. These works are so many windows through which we can revisit and, as it were, touch our past. These artistic creations help us to recollect ourselves, to recall our past and to remind us of the way we were. Our past lives in these creations.

We can see here the meeting of two cultures against a colonial backdrop. We can see the emerging organic synthesis and marvel at the genius of our people who have the remarkable ability to absorb and transform things foreign and make them our very own.
THE SPANISH CONTRIBUTION
From another vantage point, Igkas-Arte shows us the contribution of Spain to what the Filipino is now. We have been shaped and molded by a rich cultural and historical heritage. It is part of who we are. It suffuses every aspect of our life with a rare vibrancy, and the Filipino artistic imagination and sensibility have been indelibly marked by this encounter with Spain and things Spanish.

A century after their departure from the Philippines, Spain has become one of the most supportive countries — and the first to express its adulation — and to share our nation’s joy as we celebrate the centennial of the declaration of Philippine independence.

I would therefore like to thank the Embassy of Spain for the help extended to Igkas-Arte. The exhibition manifests the continuing support of the Spanish government for the promotion of the arts. The support from Spain also profoundly expresses a colonizer’s noble recognition of a former colony’s independence. As King Carlos said, in his address to guests here at Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) last February, we have to relive the past to envision the future.

I also commend the museum and galleria division of the CCP for their efforts and for their contribution to the celebration of the centennial of our declaration of independence.

Mabuhay ang mga artista sa Pilipinas!

Mabuhay ang Sentenaryo ng ating Kalayaan!

Mabuhay ang Republika Pilipinas!