National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Kidlat Tahimik has taken an extraordinary stand. The acclaimed filmmaker announced that he is renouncing his National Artist title and returning his medallion in protest of recent changes to the college curriculum, arguing that education is becoming too focused on employability at the expense of the humanities and social sciences.
The gesture was made during a youth leaders forum in Teachers Camp in response to the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) policies surrounding the Reframed General Education Curriculum (RGEC), which he views as “a regression backwards to our colonial-imposed education.”
“The colonial policy had a less visible aim—by homogenizing the youth for maximizing GDP (gross domestic product), the natives would also be easier to govern. And yes, easier to employ—by calibrating our islander kids’ brains toward ‘competitive competencies,’” shared Kidlat Tahimik.
For the father of Philippine independent cinema, universities should do more than produce industry-ready graduates—they should also nurture critical thinking, cultural awareness, and a deeper understanding of Filipino identity. He warned that reducing the place of history, philosophy, literature, and other humanities subjects risks weakening the values that help shape society.
The move has sparked conversations across academic and cultural circles, with many questioning what higher education should ultimately prioritize. Through films like Perfumed Nightmare and Turumba, Kidlat Tahimik has long championed Filipino identity and independent thinking. His latest protest brings that advocacy beyond cinema and into the classroom.
More than a symbolic gesture, the National Artist’s decision raises a timely question: In an era driven by skills and careers, what role should culture, history, and the humanities continue to play in shaping the next generation of Filipinos?
What do you think about Kidlat Tahimik’s stand? Tell us in the comments!