President Aquino Confirms FPJ’s National Artist Award

It was declared six years ago. But the family of late movie actor Fernando Poe Jr., refused to accept the national artist award proclaimed by the Arroyo administration.

But today, President Noynoy Aquino confirmed the earlier proclamation of former President Gloria Arroyo.

“Pursuant to the authority vested in me by law, I Benigno S. Aquino III, President of the Philippines, do hereby confirm the declaration of Ronald Allan K. Poe, a.k.a. Fernando Poe Jr. (posthumous) as National Artist as conferred in Proclamation No. 1069, dated May 23, 2006,” Mr. Aquino said in Proclamation No. 435 dated July 20.

Poe ran but was lost to Arroyo by a million votes in 2004 Presidential elections. His family had accused the Arroyo administration of stealing votes from him.

The veteran actor died of a massive stroke in December 2004.