When acclaimed filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik recently returned his National Artist medallion, it was a rare and striking act of protest. He was lamenting the Commission on Higher Education's (CHED) proposed policy to cut college general education requirements from 36 units to 18–21, which critics fear could weaken the humanities, history, ethics, and arts. CHED said the plan aims to streamline these fields rather than remove them and that the proposal remains under review.
In a recent conversation, journalist Howie Severino sat down with the artist in his home garden to discuss this unprecedented move. Their discussion turned to Tahimik's own eclectic education.
Long before his pivot to art and his self-described identity as a "culture warrior," his path was remarkably diverse:
The Accidental Leader: How he "accidentally" became the UP Student Council Chairperson while majoring in speech and drama.
The Corporate Ivy: How he went on to earn an MBA from Wharton, one of the world’s leading business schools.
The Global Economist: How he cut his teeth working as an economist in Paris, where he also engaged with its vibrant arts scene.
Looking back, the filmmaker explains how this unconventional journey provided him with both a practical understanding of the globalized world and the critical, creative tools needed to challenge it.
For more information on CHED’s proposal: CHED delays reduction of college GE units
