As The President of The Philippines, Noynoy Aquino has a lot on his plate. What with the continuous calamities the country is suffering from and the ineptitude of his government to handle such calamities. Not to mention the on going cases of plunder against the officials that are members of his said government—granted there is no love lost there—President Aquino has chosen to address the pressing concern of Nora Aunor’s nomination for the National Artist title among other things.

I’m not going to pretend that I know anything about the Philippine government, but what I know is this. When you deny Nora Aunor, one of the country’s most beloved actress of all time, the honor of becoming a National Artist, a certification of her being a National Treasure, not only will you anger the Noranians, you will anger almost anyone. Anyone who gives a damn about the movies. Anyone who has a movie star for an idol. That is about (give or take) 75% of the population.

From the very little (and care) researching of this controversy, President Aquino’s reason for not granting Nora Aunor her chance of becoming a National Artist, in my opinion, is completely irrelevant and pardon me for saying this, a complete and utter bullshit.

Aquino has stated that the reason of his denouncement of Aunor’s candidacy is that she was charged with drug possession and use back in 2005, making her unfit to be a “role model”, saying he did not want to send a message that drug use is acceptable. This statement came from the same man who has an actress for a sister who once came on national television to admit that she contracted a sexually transmitted disease from a former lover and who continuously uses her love life as a topic of discussion on her own talk show. President Aquino actually had the guts to state who gets to be a role model and who doesn't.

Sure, his sister’s fault is not his own, the same way that the title of National Artist has nothing to do with Aunor’s alleged (she was cleared of all charges in 2007, even submitted herself to a rehab program and that was after she tested negative for any substance) drug use. The President can act all high and mighty all he wants but this much is true, the people that comprises the decision makers of who gets to be a National Artist, collectively the Cultural Center of the Philippines, couldn't give a rats ass whether Aunor used to be an addict or not. But sadly Aquino gets to have the last say on who gets to be on the list or not.

Which made me think: Why do we idolize the people that we idolize? What makes them so great that we put them into a high regard, even using their life and works as template for our own? What makes a person, who has achieved cult status, worthy of the fame that they have? And who are we to say they should be a role model or not when people consciously choose them to be one anyway? And most of all, where do we draw the line?

F. Scott Fitzgerald Charles Dickens Dorothy Parker to name a few, these are authors whose worked has been beloved and regarded as classics by generations and by the generations to come. They are also known as addicts, their work fueled by drugs and alcohol. But that does not make their literary works any less than great. And the writers and the future writers after them will continuously use their work as a model for their own.

Heath Ledger and Philip Seymour Hoffmann are both award winning actors who died with drug abuse as the cause. And yet when you watch their movies, the same movies that made them great, you’re mind is so blown away that it is stripped of the controversy that follows them. You only see the acting that inspires you.

And to be completely fair, let me cite an example that does not fall far from the tree. Fernando Poe Jr. a former actor and a former president was granted the title of National Artist and was confirmed by President Aquino himself, in July 20, 2012. Not to shit in the memory of “The King”,although not known for any drug use, it was publicized that he had 2 children out of wedlock. So publicized in fact that after his death one of his children went out to become a famous actress herself. The Philippines, comprising of mostly Catholics, whose commandments include “Thou shalt not commit adultery” and President Aquino being a Catholic himself (or at least his Wikipedia page says so) should know that children out of wedlock is adulterous in nature and that is not very role modely at all.

I may not know the rigorous process that is involved in picking a National Artist but I believe that Nora Aunor, despite of her shortcomings, whether that involved drug use or not, should earn her place in the list of National Artists. We are talking about a woman who has not only contributed 47 years worth of works in cinema and music. We are talking about an actress who not only received awards and nominations in the local arena but also in the international scene. We are talking about Nora Aunor, a lowly girl with immense talent, who made her way into stardom by winning in a local talent search. We are talking about a woman who is known as The Philippine Cinema’s Superstar for crying out loud. And if there is any use for the overrated #PinoyPride (hashtag) who the locals freely dole out ad nauseam, its for Nora Aunor! She is enveloped in all things that makes Pinoys great she should be the #PinoyPride (hashtag)!

Despite the tone of this essay I am not a big fan of Nora Aunor, big meaning I haven’t seen all of her works, in fact I have yet to see her greatest works. I am however an admirer of hers. As a Filipino who still uses the words pride and honor to describe those who deserve it—and not use it to everyone with a Filipino lineage—I would be proud and honored to have Nora Aunor be included in the National Artist list. Not only does she deserves it, she has earned it.