by River Roshana

Created on: May 12, 2009   Last Updated: May 16, 2009

Excuse me while I tell you that I think this is a non-issue and perhaps, once again, the Philippine National Historical Institute (NHI) should remind itself that the Philippine Constitution guarantees artists freedom of Expression and the freedom for artists to do their craft as they deem fit and proper.

Martin Nievera is a Hawaiian born Filipino and as such, the Filipino people owe him for singing the Philippine National Anthem so well at the MGM grounds in Las Vegas. He beat Tom Jones in applause, feeling, pasion and expression as he sang his heart out giving the crowd goose bumps. Most Filipinos who were present that during the Manny Pacquiao fight dd not at all feel that they were disrespected- in fact Martin Nievera's rendition of the Philipppine National Anthem "Lupang Hinirang" was one of the best that most people ever heard.

If there is anything that is FACT, it is that it seems that the Philippine National Institure (NHI) makes no sense at all. It enjoys a budget paid by third world taxpayers for doing NOTHING but maintaining a museum that is awfully old and almost rickety. It would do better if it its own busines well rather than nitpick on taxpayers and talents like Martin Nievera. I would dare venture and say that the NHI seems rather bored and decided to go show-biz to get "some attention". If Gloria Arroyo had more sense she would abolish this insane agency and stop having the poor people of the Philippines subsidize it with taxpayer's money! The NHI has no record of doing ANYTHING that does promote the history of the Philippines and its people. It is nothing frankly but a "white elephant" supported by a people already burderned by poverty and corruption by suh agencies as the NHI and the National Center for Culture and the Arts (NCAA). Both these agencies exist doing NO TANGIBLE service to the common populace. Oh well, perhaps they do accept these UNESCO grants for "ghost projects" but aside from that, these agnecies are riddled by NOTHING but corruption and incompetence.

Corruption and incompetence are two things that Martin Nievera does NOT seem to be tainted with. I would wager anyone that Mr. Nievera has helped MORE people from his personal pocket than that loud-mouth Ambeth Ocampo who feels a rather strange zealotry about the "right" singing of the National Anthem. Some doubt if those at the NHI even possess INTELLIGENT LIFE when one considers that Martin Nievera did no disrespect to the song and sang the song only because he was requested

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