Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No, 9010

Introduced by Rep. Christopher V.P. De Venecia

AN ACT
DECLARING DECEMBER 23 OF EVERY YEAR A NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE
CITY OF DAGUPAN, PROVINCE OF PANGASINAN, INCOMMEMORATION OF THE
BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAGPUPAN-BORN NATIONAL ARTIST VICTORIO
EDADES, TO BE KNOWN AS VICTORIO EDADES DAY

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Known as the “Father of Modern Philippine Painting,” Victorio C. Edades was born on
December 23, 1895 in Barrio Bolosan, Dagpuan, Pangasinan. Earning the title of “apprentice
teacher”, would-be National Artist Victorio Edades had the natural ability to create and
appreciate arts carly on in his younger years. After finishing high school, he travelled to the
United States to further master his crafts, where he was exposed to then -progressive movements
in Fine Arts that helped him formulate what would be known as Modern Philippine Painting.
He got familiarized with the works of Modern Artists such as Picasso and Matisse, and even
dabbled in Surrealism. This greatly influenced the growth of his work from conservative
Realistic school to the more Modernist thought, a style that encouraged artistic experimentation
and allowed the artist to interpret reality in their own way.

Victorio Edades participated in various competitions in American and won awards.
Unfortunately, his talent was less so appreciated in the Philippines by his own countrymen,
Edades staged a one-man show at the Philippine Columbia Club in Ermita to exhibit to the
Philippine audience Modern Art — at a time when Philippine Fine Arts was mostly copies of
the style of the great Fernando Amorsolo —a time with little variety and dry creativity. The
rough, bold, impasto strokes along with the muddy earth colors and distorted figures that
characterized his paintings truly were ahead of his time, beyond the appreciation of his
contemporaries and critics. Not a single painting was sold during the exhibit. Edades would
later on be named a National Artist in 1976, nine years before his death in 1985.

December 23 therefore marks the birth of a true revolutionary. Edades defied conservative
thoughts and practices in his own field which he believed stunted the growth and development
of artists and the arts itself in the country. He defied critics and artists and went against the
grain at a time when it was so easy to conform to the trend popularized by no less than Fernando
Amorsolo himself, December 23 likewise marks the day showing that locals of Dagupan,
Pangasinan have the creativity and boldness to become world class artists, and revolutionaries
in their own way. It must therefore be commemorated as such.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this proposed measures earnestly sought

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REP. CHRIST@PHER|V.P. DE VENECIA
Fourth District, Pangasinan

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 9010

Introduced by Rep. Christopher V.P. De Venecia

AN ACT

DECLARING DECEMBER 23 OF EVERY YEAR A NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE

CITY OF DAGUPAN, PROVINCE OF PANGASINAN, IN COMMEMORATION OF THE

BIRTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DAGPUPAN-BORN NATIONAL ARTIST VICTORIO
EDADES, TO BE KNOWN AS VICTORIO EDADES DAY

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. December 23 of every year is hereby declared a non-working holiday in
the City of Dagupan, Province of Pangasinan, in commemoration of the birth anniversary of
Victorio Edades, a Dagupan-born painter and National Artist, which shall be known as the
“Victorio Edades Day”.

SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,