2000 Gawad Alab ng Haraya Awardee

(Alab ng Haraya Awards)

Danny Dolor presents the perfect image of the nationalist patron of the art -- nearly every space of his home is crammed with the works of Filipino artists, celebrated and unsung, as well as various antiques and religious treasures, enough to create a virtual private museum.

With his privileged beginnings, it is not difficult to understand how he became accustomed to such beauty. He explains that he grew up surrounded by antiques and artworks in his parents’ home in Lipa, Batangas, a circumstance that early on awakened his appreciation for the aesthetic.

Yet far more significant than his vast collection of Filipiniana is his motivation. For Danny Dolor, his penchant for collecting things Filipino is a demonstration of his love for country, one he clearly intends to keep ablaze.

Driven by his characteristic zeal, he initiated various programs to elevate the awareness particularly of young people in the richness of the Filipino patrimony. He bemoans what he perceives as the relative indifference many young people manifest as regards matters cultural and historical, a view shared by others who have spoken of the need to heed well the lessons of history.

Consequently, he founded the Tribung Pilipino Cultural Foundation and the Tribung Pinoy, a group of classically trained singers, to encourage a deeper appreciation for traditional Filipino music. Since it began, the Tribung Pinoy has presented and performed throughout the country, in town plazas and in churches, and on improvised stages in the middle of ricefields. Through their efforts, they have raised traditional musical forms such as the kundiman, harana, balitaw, and dansa, to concert level.

A self-confessed movie fan, his compilation of Tagalog movie ads from the late 1940s to early 1950s, considered the golden era of Philippine movies, led to the publication of "The Golden Years: Memorable Tagalog Movie Ads 1946-1956." From his collection of more than a thousand ads, Dolor selected 362 samples for his book.

In his hometown, Dolor put up the San Sebastian Library, in the hopes that the young people of Lipa and its neighboring towns would grow to love Filipino-authored volumes. Further, as Chairman of the Batangas Historical and Cultural Commission, he fought for the observance of the "Linggo ng Kamalayan sa Kultura at Kasaysayan ng Batangas" every third week of January. In due course, he organized yearly quizzes on the life and works of Apolinario Mabini, another Batangueño whose ideas on freedom still ring clear and true to this day.

Similarly clear is Danny Dolor’s unwavering passion: "Culture should be continuously nurtured, whether the times are good or bad," he declares. "Otherwise, what would happen to our youth?"

Gawad Alab ng Haraya at Dangal ng Haraya Guidelines