Press Freedom Monument Unveiled

Honorable Governor Oscar Moreno delivering his message during the unveiling of the Press Freedom Monument. "It is a product of leadership". Ed Castrillo, International Filipino Artist was commission by the Misamis Oriental Government to do the job.

By PJTremedal

Cagayan de Oro City,Philippines – Internationally known Filipino Artist Eduardo Castrillo invades Mindanao as it unveiled its first art piece focusing on Press Freedom here with the support from the local government of Misamis Oriental under the leadership of Governor Oscar Moreno.

The said Press Freedom Monument is a double life size of media personality that depicts the memories of the one hundred and four (104) killed journalists since 1986 to 2009 and the living press freedom fighters.

Last August 21, as the nation marks the death anniversary of Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. who said “Filipinos is worth dying for”. The press freedom monument unveiling was an event to remember by all. Sculptor Ed Castrillo as interviewed by this writer said,” It is the time that we should do things in the right moment for our next generations to understand what Ninoy had said.”.

“Yes we are now on this time that what we should do for the right may it on art piece or writing, or anything that is worth for our brothers Filipinos to feel and understand the true Filipino identity, what its worth, its activism, and freedom.” He adds.

The press freedom monument was “the suppression of the voice of the people” as dubbed by the Governor himself. “It is our gift not only to the media but for all people of this region and the whole world.” He said.

The Local government of Misamis Oriental do recognize the significant contribution of journalists in the restoration of democratic institutions in the country. Governor Moreno added that every citizen in a democratic country has that fundamental right to free speech and of expression, the same way the media should invoke as the basis of their profession.

As it was a controversial issue since March 21, 2009 when the governor and his team approved its commissioning the local media questions its financial source of the construction, is it the right move on an economic crisis today? It is proper? Or otherwise? Is it a means of government corruption?

“It is the product of leadership” Governor said.

The said press freedom monument is not of the Heritage project package conceptualized by Castrillo to Cagayan de Oro’s Macarthur Park (now named de Lara Park). The Heritage Project costs 57 Million, however because of friendship and understanding, the cost lowered to 27 million. And the press freedom monument is a give-away from the renown Filipino artist.

“Because of my commitment , my heart and responsibility for the media, the true voice of the people, the monument is priceless, I give it away” Ed Castrillo said.

The Artist behind the Press Freedom Monument

Born October 31 in Sta. Ana in Manila, Philippines. His mother, Magdalena de los Santos dies when Castrillo is a year and a half old. A fertile imagination begins to reflect in the toddler who remembers dreams, sees forms and figures on cracks and wood grains of empty walls. He takes pieces of marble, plays with reflections of the sun and visualizes forms inside the marble pieces.

Enrolls at the Ateneo in Padre Faura but drops out to finish gradeschool at the Sta. Ana Elementary School. He begins to draw figures on corners of notebooks, that, when skimmed in sequence, produce animation. He begins to fashion toys from tin cans. A fascination with the metal's warped surface begins.

In 1966, Castrillo broke into the contemporary art scene in an exhibition that caused a stir as critics had difficulty categorizing the range of his works. That year also marked the beginning of the trail of collectors to his atelier and international opportunities. Five years later, at the age of twenty-nine he would be receive the city's highest art award The Araw ng Maynila Centennial Award, the Jaycees Ten Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) Award, and the outstanding Makati Resident Award as well as the nation's top award, the Republic Cultural Heritage Award bestowed on artists of national prominence. Then too he was sent as the countries representative to the Paris Beinnale and following thereafter to the Venice Biennale. Castrillo was awed by seeing European refinement in traditional and modern art and was convinced that some of his techniques were not being used in Europe, particularly embossed copper and constructed and welded brass.

Monumental. That is an indispensable part of Castrillo’s art philosophy, to inculcate in the Filipino a sense of cultural grandeur not constrained by ideas of the Filipinos as being small and miniature.

An Art director from Washington D.C. said “ I hope Filipinos realizes how fortunate they are to have a great world class artist”

The Washington Post called Castrillo” the phenomenon of Philippine Art”

In Misamis Oriental, the first for Mindanao, thru the heritage project of Go0vernor Oscar Moreno, three Castillo monuments will rise, as they will educate Misamisnons and other Mindanaoans about things essential to there lives: the importance of heritage and heroism and the struggle for freedom. These are values that future generations will need to be reminded of, let alone add to their pride of place. And the ultimately, PRESS FREEDOM

PHILIP JAMES MONGAYA TREMEDAL
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