The Philippine High School for the Arts (PHSA) called on creative and aspiring art students to showcase their talents at the upcoming audition for future government art scholars from the Bicol Region, as part of their Annual Nationwide Search for Young Arts Scholars (ANSYAS) on Wednesday.
During a media conference, Prof. Josue Greg Zuniega, PSHA director, said in an online message that the school shapes future leaders in the arts in the country.
As a government-run secondary school, PHSA implements programs that conserve and promote Filipino artistic and cultural traditions.
“The government believes that culture and the arts are part of or a means for us to develop as a nation. They will be developed across different cultural disciplines, such as dance, music, creative writing, theater arts, and visual arts,” he said.
Zuniega said the institution aims to enhance the expertise and potential of artist-scholars.
Jeffrey Walet, a project development assistant at PHSA, invited Grade 6 students from private and public schools to showcase talents in cultural disciplines at an audition on Feb. 20 at Bitano Elementary School.
“The application for the audition is free. Every sixth-grade student has the opportunity to showcase their artistic skills,” he said.
Walet said aspirants should prepare for their presentation or performance.
“We also accept walk-ins. If accepted, a student will get a full secondary (K12) scholarship, which includes free tuition, accommodation, and a PHP2,000 monthly stipend, among other privileges,” he said.
Applicants must bring a photocopy of their birth certificate issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority, a short resume, and certificates of workshops attended.
Registration on Feb. 20 will be held from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. A general orientation will be conducted for students and parents, and the audition proper will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Qualified applicants will have a written examination in the afternoon.
Walet said the PSHA is also searching for young scholars in the cities of Manila, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, and Tacloban; the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, and Quezon; and the Bicol Region.
Ronnie Mirabueno, an alumnus of the PHSA and the chief culture and arts officer of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, shared how art and culture shape the country’s identity.
As part of National Arts Month and the search for government art scholars, Mirabueno said the PHSA fosters not only artistic excellence but also cultural leadership in the country.
He also named several PHSA alumni from the Bicol Region, such as Ronilo Jaynario, artistic director of the Philippine Ballet Theater, who is from Sorsogon, and Shamaine Buencamino, an actress from Naga City.
“That’s where we learned and gives us direction in our career in the arts,” he said.
PHSA is located in Mt. Makiling in Los Baños, Laguna. (PNA)