President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday urged Filipinos to support and nurture the country’s artists, as he officially reopened the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) after six months of renovation.
“As we reopen the doors of the PICC, let us also open ourselves to a greater challenge: to create, to imagine, and to contribute,” President Marcos said in his speech.
“Support our artists—our painters, our musicians, our performers. For in their creativity, we find not only beauty, but the very soul of our nation. And beyond appreciation, let us take part in that creation ourselves,” the President said.
President Marcos also called on Filipinos to “ensure that the PICC will remain as a testament to the artistry, ingenuity, and passion of the Filipino people.”
“Let it inspire us to carry forward our heritage, so that decades from now, our children, our grandchildren will still look at this place with pride, saying: This is who we are. This is what we can achieve,” the President said.
President Marcos was accompanied by First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos and former First Lady Imelda Marcos, as well as other officials, during the reopening of the PICC.
In urging Filipinos to be creative, the President said creativity can be expressed through “a short reflection written in a notebook, a song hummed at the end of a long day, a painting done by a child, or even a simple story shared with the family.”
“Every act of creation—no matter how small—is an act of courage. It is an act of hope,” President Marcos said.
“If the PICC has shown us anything, it is this: That creativity, when nurtured, endures. That artistry, when given space, inspires. And that every Filipino, no matter who or where they are, can bring light, meaning, and beauty to the world,” the President said. ǀ PND
