THIRTY art works by Filipino masters displayed on the wall and the hallway leading to the Speaker’s Office were found to have been unlisted in the book of assets of the House of Representatives all these years.
Government auditors said they are trying to establish when the chamber came into possession of the art pieces but none of the House personnel they have interviewed could provide details on their provenance or the whereabouts of their deeds of donation.
Informed of the find, the House leadership immediately ordered property officers to start asset evaluation, saying it recognizes the importance of having the art works monitored, maintained, and recorded in the books for safekeeping.
It also informed the Commission on Audit (COA) that the chief accountant has been instructed to include all the recognized art pieces in the Registry of Heritage Assets for proper accounting and assignment of property accountability receipt (PAR).
Should research in its records fail to turn up documents pertaining to the acquisition dates and valuation, the House said it will seek the assistance of the National Museum for the appraisal of the assets to be recorded in the books.
Compiled by the audit team, among the list of art works found were: Hagibis (1947 and 1948) by Fracisco V. Coching, pen and ink illustration for Komiks Novela cover; Return of the Fishermen at Sunrise (1959) by Fernando C. Amorsolo, oil on canvas; Jose Rizal (1961) by Guillermo E. Tolentino, plaster of Paris; First Mass (1965) by Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco, watercolor on paper; Musicians and Folk Dance (undated) by Botong Francisco, serigraph; Family (undated) by Botong Francisco, serigraph; Acacia door (1967) by Napoleon V. Abueva; untitled work on four Philippine scenes (1970) by Jerry Elizalde Navarro, watercolor; Mother and Child (1970) by Hernando R. Ocampo, oil on canvas; Sacada (1971) by Victorio C. Edades, oil on canvas; Untitled work (1974) by Hernando R. Ocampo, oil on canvas; Planting Rice study (1975) by Vicente S. Manansala, oil on canvas; Nude (1976) by Vicente S. Manasala, charcoal on paper; Manila Bay (1979) by Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, oil on canvas; and, abstract work (1980) by Federico Aguilar Alcuaz, oil on canvass.
Also discovered by the COA were Slice of Life (1982) by Lauro “Larry” Alcala, pen and ink illustration for a magazine; Leap Year (1984) by Lauro “Larry” Alcala; Mother and Child (1985) by Ang Kiukok, oil on canvas; Ceremonial Rites (1990) by Jose T. Joya, acrylic on collage; Mother and Child (1992) by Jose T. Joya, pastel on paper; Cebu, Two Boys (1992) by Jose T. Joya, pastel on paper; Nude (1992) by Cesar Legaspi, oil on canvas
Makibaka (1992) by Cesar Legaspi, serigraph; Farmer from Mayoyao 1 (2005) by Benedicto BENCAB Cabrera, acrylic on canvas; Red Sky (2005) by Arturo R. Luz, acrylic on canvas; untitled triptych (three panels) (2009) by BENCAB, artist’s print; Sarimanok (2009) by Abdulmari Imao, oil on canvas; Recuerdos (2010) by BENCAB, artist’s print; Mother and Child (2018) by BENCAB, 24/24 print; and and Two Ladies (2018) by Arturo R. Luz, signed print.
“It bears emphasis that these items are of significant heritage value since all were done by National Artists such that its ultimate value may not be reflected in any financial valuation or estimate if it only considers market prices to date,” the COA said.
