HE PAINTS FOR MARAWI
A UP student uses art to bring hope to evacuees
Student correspondent, University of the Philippines Diliman With martial law extended in Marawi until the end of the year, the war continues be- tween government troops and Islamic extremists. As a result, hundreds of families are forced to take shelter in evacuation centers, and with no end in sight to the violence just yet, innocent civilians and their children can only long for the day when they can return to the comforts of their homes.
Hundreds of miles away, Mark Alvarez, a student from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, Quezon City, is using his talent in art to help others.
“As a public administration major, I usually talk about current events and national issues so when I heard about the war in Marawi, I thought this could be a starting point for me to make a difference as well as showcase my passion for art,” he explains. “By promoting my advocacy through my paintings, I could also help other people.”
Alvarez and his org, Practice of Administrative Leadership and Service (PALS-NCPAG), use proceeds from the sale of his paintings to buy food, medical supplies and other needs of the evacuees.
Classical artist
Though his style tends to lean toward contemporary art, Alvarez considers himself “more of a classical artist.”
“I want my viewers to ap- preciate my art even in the most complicated or simplest form,” he says.
Admittedly, he feels art doesn’t get the attention it deserves in this country. Still, he’s hopeful Filipinos will eventually learn to appreciate the beauty and messages in traditional paintings.
“We have to make Filipinos understand the real meaning of art,” he says. “Art elicits powerful and strong life sentiments. Art speaks for itself even in the strangest ways. So even in looking at its literal definition, you have to understand it first before really grasping the fact that things are more than what they seem in our superficial world.”
It may be a small gesture, but Alvarez’s effort to lift the spirits of evacuees through his art brings much-needed hope in a time of fear and destruction.