He started as a self-taught artist from Zamboanga. Mart Henry “Macky” Bongabong, a fisherman’s son, has been given the great privilege of being the painter of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s official Malacanang portrait.
“Nainspire lang ako sa mga books, magazines sa paligid ko. I consider myself not as the best but I try my best,” he said.
Bongabong is now a Davao-based artist after moving to the city hoping for ‘greener pastures’.
Growing up, he was forced to juggle extra work in helping his family make fishing nets for extra income and pursue his love for the arts through competitions on poster-making and other art-related contests.
However, after his mother’s unfortunate passing, his family moved to Pagadian city.
Later on, young Bongabong moved from Pagadian to Davao as the city boomed, setting up a shop at a mall in Davao and started teaching other aspiring artists too through painting classes.
Before doing the President’s portrait, his first time in the national limelight was in 2003 in Bacolod city, when he won on the National Poster Making Contest. The event was hosted by the Philippine Association of Water Districts.
After the win in Bacolod, Bongabong tried to pursue education using the money he earned from the contest but he, later on, dropped out.
He shared how a woman one day passed by his shop and left a piece of paper with a number written on it. He admitted how surprised he was after the call upon realizing that the Office of the President has given him the privilege of doing Duterte’s Malacanang portrait.
“Hindi ko nga po talaga alam bakit ako ang napili. I’m just an ordinary person and I’m just so luck. Love gift ko po talaga sa kaniya,” said Bongabong.
It took the artist a month to finish his masterpiece.
He also had the honor to personally give the portrait to President Duterte at the city airport.
“Personal talaga siya. Nagustuhan talaga niya. Nagjoke pa nga po siya sa akin na ‘pagawa pa ako sayo ah’. Sobrang overwhelming lang po talaga,” the artist shared.
His amazing work now hangs in the Malacanang Palace lobby beside the other portraits of past Presidents, including some done by Philippine National Artist Fernando Amorsolo.
Source: TNP, KickerDaily
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