Freddie Aguilar revealed he has accepted the offer of President Rodrigo Duterte to become the head of the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCAA).
The veteran singer-songwriter said he requested President Duterte to create a department of culture and the arts, but he was asked by the latter to head the NCCA instead until his requested department is created.
In an interview with ABS-CBN News’ Mario Dumaual, Ka Freddie disclosed that the president’s assistant, Bong Go, asked him as instructed by President Duterte: “Sir Freddie, hangga’t wala pa po iyong department of culture and the arts na hinihingi po ninyo sa presidente ay puwede po bang kayo po muna ang mamahala sa NCCA?”
[Sir Freddie, until the department of culture and the arts that you requested is created, the president is asking if you can lead the NCCA?]
Without hesitation, Ka Freddie accepted the offer and said: “Sabi ko, ‘Sige, kung iyong ang ia-assign sa akin ng presidente, gagawin ko iyon muna.”
[Okay. If that’s what the president wants to assign to me, I’ll do it.]
According to an article published by Coconuts Manila, Ka Freddie said that despite the NCCA being a huge department, we haven’t heard of it having a project that made a huge impact on our culture.
He said: “Napakalaking departamento pala noon, pero wala tayong nababalitaang major na ginawa nila para sa kultura at sining natin. Mula noong panahon ni Marcos, hanggang ngayon.”
[“It’s such a huge department, but we haven’t heard that it had a major project that made an impact on our culture, from the time of Marcos until now.]
An official announcement for the post has yet to be made.
The current NCCA chairperson is Felipe de Leon Jr.
Aguilar is the third person from the local music industry that was given a government post by President Duterte.
The president previously appointed Jimmy Bondoc as AVP for Entertainment for Community Relations and Service Department of Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and RJ Jacinto as Presidential Adviser on Economic Affairs and Information Technology Communication.
