New and Varied Initiatives in Arts Education for Cultural Development in Philippine Society

Culture is one of the three spheres of social life, the others being the sphere of rights (polity) and the economic sphere. Interest in culture has always remained a passive matter for many, who think of it, if at all, as no more than lived experience, not realizing that culture can be misused and abused by the forces of society. This is the reality in the Philippine situation just as much as it must be in other areas of the global village. Too much attention is being focused on governance, politics and economics, which have all become the primary motivation of political action. The result of this imbalance is a warped and distorted form of society and chaos, where people can no longer discern what is right or wrong, as the order of the day.

Much of what the media reports about the Philippines also focuses on the political and economic situation, giving a lopsided view of what goes on in the country. Not many realize that the culture of Philippine society is very rich, strong and solid. People need to be aware of this strength and understand and appreciate the treasures of their cultural heritage in order to balance their everyday pessimism. In spite of the strength of our cultural heritage, it needs to be promoted so that it can withstand the onslaught of globalization, materialism and a mechanistic approach to life. It is in this respect that arts education is imperative in the twenty-first century in order to ensure a humane society.