Dickie Aguado - Executive Director of Magna Kultura Foundation

In the late ‘70s to early ‘80s, Ricardo “Dickie” Aguado organized grassroots theater guilds in urban poor communities in Manila as a vehicle for social transformation—employing out-of-school youth as actors and producers, whilst providing their family employment opportunities as vendors and hawkers.

Dickie joined the advertising industry in the ‘80s and worked with advertisers to pioneer corporate social responsibility programs such as the MILO Summer Sports Clinics, Bear Brand Kite Fest, and Nido and Crayola Arts Workshops.

In 1998, Dickie and his organization spearheaded the production of the June 12 Grand Philippine Centennial Independence Day Parade at the Luneta Grandstand.  He is also the brains behind social marketing campaigns-cum-icons such as “Yosi Kadiri” for the Department of Health, and “Sa Mata ng Isang Bata” for Nestle Philippines.

Dickie sat as consultant to the Department of Tourism for the development of community-based tourism programs and domestic tourism promotions under the terms of Secretaries Mina Gabor, Gemma Cruz-Araneta, and Richard Gordon.

In this Greater Good Philippines exclusive, Dickie talks about Larong Pinoy and the three main values it purports to give to the Filipino society–nationalism, family bonding, and sense of community.  He also shares how he was able to instill frugality amongst his children, and why it is important to spend dinner times with family.

Hear more about Dickie Aguado, executive director of Magna Kultura, only here on Greater Good Philippines.
 

Jay-R Patron: I’m here with Mr. Dickie Aguado, executive director of Magna Kultura. Mr. Aguado, my first question is, what do you do currently?

Dickie Aguado: Well, I manage Magna Kultura Foundation full-time as the executive director. At the same time I also conduct consultancy and seminars to assist civic organizations .

Jay-R Patron: What are those seminars?

Dickie Aguado: The seminars are basically leadership trainings and capacity-building for civic groups and NGOs who need help in building their organizations. Recently, we gave workshops to Rotaract Club Metro. Then there was also a lecture request for Asia Society at AIM for the fellows of Philippine Young Leaders 21 on the topic of Social Entrepreneurship.

Jay-R Patron: How is a normal day at work to you like?

Dickie Aguado: Preparing programs and networking. Networking with niche sector organizations, local barangays, student groups, and other NGOs. Preparing plan documents for current community engagement programs that are on-going. An example is the community engagement plan for the revival of Larong Pinoy. Aside from preparing the curriculum for the sports clinic with all its modules and training process, we plan the ground activities that involve, interface with public schools, barangays and civic groups. Planning for Larong Pinoy is meticulous, because it is not just an event project that conducts games, it is a “school” type of activity with scientific drill exercises. And beyond that, it’s an advocacy that Magna Kultura as using as a vehicle to imbibe among the Filipino youth the values of Patriotism, community and family bonding. We carefully plan on how to engage the youth and their parents. We realize that we cannot just make the children sit and listen to a lecture about patriotism. As always, the best way to engage them is through activities that offer a fun and play. And Larong Pinoy is just perfect. We created a fun sports clinic that children would enjoy. We re-wrote the mechanics in Pilipino and English, and re-created the tournament rules. Yet it’s imbibing patriotism. And ultimately, we have to create impact in reviving a cultural treasure.

Jay-R Patron: Aside from Larong Pinoy, do you have other programs?

Dickie Aguado: Another plan is about the setting up of the People’s Art Councils in cities…

Jay-R Patron: In Metro Manila, or whole of the Philippines?

Dickie Aguado: Initially, it will be set-up in Metro Manila… These are community-based Art Councils that will be run by local folks in communities.

Jay-R Patron: What’s your timeframe for this?

Dickie Aguado: The People’s Art Council will be set up next year. Right now, we’re in the planning stages, and at this point, we are in the consultation stage with artists and local leaders. At this point we are creating the curriculum and possible syllabus for the program, because this People’s Art Council will involve various disciplines in Art.

Jay-R Patron: Namely?

Dickie Aguado: Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Creative Writing, Music… plus we’re adding one non-art activity, the Larong Pinoy, which is basically used to promote Philippine culture. So that makes it six programs. We want to give each discipline its own curriculum, set of activities, with its own ‘infrastructure’, with grassroots schools, and venues for showcase and performances.

Dickie Aguado: Once this is organized, there will be memberships for citizens in city-districts that will not only involve professionals but even amateurs, aficionados and common citizens who like to be involve in the arts or even in helping the community. Take for example, dance. A lot of people love dance. We’re going to put up dance workshops and schools in communities, and organize venues for showcasing their talent. We also want help dance artists and aficionados to find job opportunities using their talent. We will invite amateurs and ordinary citizens who are interested to become dancers — let them interact with existing professional dance groups… We want to uplift the common citizens and certify them as artists. Take for example the Japayukis. They dance. And no matter how you perceive them, they use dance as livelihood. We believe that they should also be part the dance guild that will be part of the People’s Art Council. We want them to be proud Filipinos using their talent.

Dickie Aguado: The same infrastructure will be set-up for Visual Arts, for Music, theatre… So, in organizing the Councils, we will be working with the academe and professional organizations to make the program for each discipline workable in communities. In visual arts, we are currently collaborating with the Arts Association of the Philippines, whose President Buds Convocar has been supportive of the plan. The AAP is an organization with various art clubs in the country. They have some of the finest artists. Likewise, we also talking to Samahang Kartunista ng Pilipinas, whose members are great cartoonists and animators. And we have been linking with many other organizations as well, in photography and other arts & crafts. They will all be part of the movement, and will be pillar behind the visual arts discipline at the Council. We are in consultation with literary writers, theater arts practitioners, and music artists. We even convene with professors and teachers in academes. This is how we are building the People’s Arts Council. So that when we launch it to district-communities it will have a sound plan, with curriculums and an infrastructure.

Dickie Aguado: The Art Councils will not be government-based organization. We know local governments have Cultural & Tourism Bureaus that are under the Mayor’s office. We will ally with them, yet the council will be independent. Neither will it be chapters Magna Kultura. Each and every Art Council will be an organization run by local citizens in city-districts, who will manage programs that will cater to the people in their barangays. Magna Kultura will simply be the guardian, to help them build capacity and assist them in implementing grassroots projects and activities. We want to see them manage it well. Magna Kultura will support them with everything they need, from materials, to professional assistance.

Dickie Aguado: But beyond organizing the movement in each and every city, what Magna Kultura actually envisions is that when all the arts councils have been set up, what we really want to lobby for is in creating a strong Arts sector in society. This is what is important for arts and for artists. Just like the transport sector is a strong sector. The transport sector is so strong that they can shake government and society, and can lobby for increase in transport fares or even counter big oil companies. It’s a strong sector that can stand up and bond together for a cause. And there are many other sectors in society that are strong — like the labor sector, agriculture, etc. But what about the artists? Do we have a strong arts sector? We should have a strong arts sector. The artists are the soul of our nation. Who would stand for them? We have many artists who have no venue to showcase they works? We have a lot of Filipinos in communities who have not experienced arts in every form. Then again, why do we even have ‘starving artists’. What do we do with them? Where do they get their support? That is why we need to build a strong sector for artists. If there is a Personnel Management Association of the Philippines (PMA) for HR practitioners, why cant we have something like that for the Art’s Sector?

Jay-R Patron: I guess that’s also going to come at the right time especially now that the independent film scene is growing and it has been growing since the start of this century.

Dickie Aguado: Right. Indie film producers have been tirelessly working on supporting artists who are good film-makers but are not part of the big film companies. But one way or another we should all bond together in one sector.

Jay-R Patron: Will you give us a brief walk through of your professional career, right from that moment you graduated from school up to now?

Dickie Aguado: I started as a playwright way back in 1979. I initially attended a workshop with one of the reputable theatre organizations, and after that I went on to put up a grassroots theater at Tondo, Manila. I established a grassroots theater with out-of-school youths as its members. It was established at Rawis, Tondo — that’s in between Moriones and Don Bosco — a real slum area. We called it Dulaang Tinig ng Tondo. We staged our plays in the streets, in basketball courts, used real sari-sari stores and the slum area as locations. I wrote the play, we presented it. It was a real theater of the poor, theater of the masses —- with members from Tondo. I started there.

Dickie Aguado: The theater in Tondo actually gave jobs to people — to actors and their relatives. In 1979, social entrepreneurship was not yet en-vogue. But terminologies aside, we were doing it already. Each time there was a show, the members and their families sold food stuff and other items. At night, there were rehearsals and presentations, but during the daytime the members went to Divisoria and prepared food stuffs — to be sold in the community and during stage presentations. The members and their friends prepared all the stuff which they sold. The parents and neighborhood friends also joined and became part of it. There were no ‘tiangges’ yet at that time, but they were already doing that back in 1979.

Dickie Aguado: After Rawis, Tondo, we organized other satellite guilds in other parts Tondo, like in Del Pan, Don Bosco and Moriones. That gave me the idea of creating a grassroots communication network.

Dickie Aguado: From 1983 onwards, we branched out in to other things. We embarked on seminars, while conducting workshops and other events. Since the members were already experts in staging productions, we gave Tondo many cultural activities. In 1986, I got involved with an advertising agency where they asked us to organize grassroots events for their product-brands, specifically Nestle. With Nestle they asked us to help in organizing sports clinics for the Milo brand— like helping existing sports clubs to create sports schools nationwide. We initially developed 15 sports schools and later trimmed it down to only 12. We developed the sports clinics in to some sort of franchise business, with business models and franchise kits that was offered to schools and villages. We wanted to have alternative schools in the country, something that we didn’t have back in the 70’s. We approached the schools, PE teachers, gym instructors, and village sports people, to avail of that franchise, and then help them to successfully pull their business together. The rest is history. Since the late 80’s up till today, all the sports clinics are still up. After exhibiting a workable business model, everybody’s now doing it. It so nice to see it all happening in society today, and that it has become sustainable. And at the end of the day, it the families and communities who enjoy their presence. Gone are the days, when back in the 70’s, the only summer activity you’ll hear is about ballet, piano lessons, or karate.

Dickie Aguado: After the success of the Milo Sports Clinics and other sports events, Nestle asked us to do something for their milk product, Bear Brand. Since Bear Brand’s advertising positioning was family and outdoor type of activities, we conceptualized a kite-flying event. In 1990 the Bear Brand Kite Festival was initially launched in Manila, and after a year we added Cebu, and from there onwards it became nationwide in 10 regions. The Kite Festivals became an annual event from Ilocos to General Santos. It lasted for 15 years. It was a glorious event. We painted the skies and evolved a kite culture in the Philippines. Have you seen the photos in our home page? Those are beautiful kites. In the past 15 years, I met kids who were in elementary, and later became high school, then college. I even met teens who after 15 years already got married. It’s so heartwarming to see people grow up with you in all activities. I am proud that they grew up with us, and that we made a difference in their lives.

Jay-R Patron: What was your biggest project? I mean the biggest event that you had?

Dickie Aguado: I was part of the organizing committee of the 1998 Philippine Centennial Parade — the 100^th June 12 parade at the Luneta Grandstand. It was not just any independence day celebration — not the 99^th or the 101^st or any other June 12. It was “D-day” — the 100^th Independence Day anniversary. I was a consultant working with the Department of Tourism at that time, which was then headed by Secretary Mina Gabor. The DOT asked us to become the marketing directorate tasked to raise sponsorship funds for all of the 64 historical floats that will be showcased on June 12. I raised funds so there would be big floats. Each float actually cost millions. It was like building a house on flat bed trucks. Aside from the cost of production, there were talent fees for artists, technicals, utilities… I think we gathered some the best artists and craftsmen at that time to come up all those fantastic historical floats. It was a glorious time. The June 12 Parade project in 1998 was a once-in-a-lifetime event that was stirred the nation’s soul. It was historical. And I’m proud to be part of it.

Jay-R Patron: All the projects seem fascinating and legendary. So what are your plans now?

Dickie Aguado: From year 2000 onwards, we plan to embark on developing own cultural products. I stopped organizing western sports like what we did with in the 90’s and started thinking Filipino events. And that’s why we advocating Larong Pinoy, to revive the games of our heritage, a cultural treasure that is in the hearts of three living generations. That’s what we’re doing right now. We are fostering patriotism among the youth amidst the modern age. You realize that the kids are losing it today. Wala ng magkababata ngayon, ang meron magkaka-“chat”. Lahat ng friends nila virtual. They don’t go out in the community to play, unlike before. In the past people use to say, “We played Larong Pinoy, kasama ang mga kababata ko. Laro naming yan!” And they have vivid memories about it, and had lots of physical activities and camaraderie in the neighborhood. So we like to revive Lrong Pinoy… to teach kids to love things that are Filipino—give them a pride of having our own sport, understand kung papaano maging Pinoy. Number two, use it as a bridge to conversation bonding with their parents and relatives. And third, to enliven communities and bring back the fun in neighborhoods. The neighbors are happy to watch and hear the laughter of kids playing, and see the kids bond with all the neighborhood kids. Nagkakaroon sila ng mga kababata. Nagkakaroon sila ng roots, nagkakaroon sila ng heritage. So all those three things—Filipino nationalism, bridge to family bonding, and enlivening the community, the neighborhood. This is our main goal Larong Pinoy.

Dickie Aguado: What is our vision for Larong Pinoy? The vision is to re-institute the games as our national games with a reputable competition in the country. In the future we will have inter-school competitions ala UAAP or NCAA. Then we are going to have a national competition—we’ll call it Pambansang Palarong Pinoy. We want to show to the world that we Filipinos have our games that matches the olympic games with equal skills and rules that existed long before modern times. So right now, what we’re working on creating the official mechanics, developing an English and a Filipino version. It’s like creating the FIBA rules of basketball. And we’re working with the Department of Education to develop it and institutionalize it.

Jay-R Patron: How many games are there?

Diickie Aguado: Would you believe that there are actually more than 50 Filipino games. Aside from the traditional street games, there fiesta games, indoor games and party games. These were all traditionally done in local events, neighborhoods and households. Most of them have not even been recorded with official game rules and mechanics. People just played it, and was just passed on from generation to generation.

Jay-R Patron: Will you talk about Magna Kultura? When was it founded and what essentially is the foundation?

Dickie Aguado: Magna Kultura was organized in 2003. It is a non-stock, non-profit foundation. We established Magna Kultura because we want all the cultural programs to be “housed” in an organization that is not commercial but public owned. At Magna Kultura, we are developing educational and cultural programs that mostly caters to the underprivileged sector of society. Most of the activities are offered free, no cost for participation. We want underprivileged citizens to have an opportunity to experience activities that will open doors for a better life, whether through watching our events, or joining a cultural activity or a livelihood seminar.

Dickie Aguado: Magna Kultura is an education-for-development organization. Aside from the educational and cultural programs, we also develop livelihood programs. That is why we aim to build the capacity of local citizens for them to make the project sustainable in their communities. So that the projects will teach people to build their communities, at the same time have jobs instead of being idle. We are teaching local folks to do the same things that we are doing. Teaching them to build enterprises in their communities.

Jay-R Patron: That leads me to another question. One of the advocacies of Magna Kultura is social entrepreneurship. Will you explain what social entrepreneurship is?

Dickie Aguado: It’s developing socio-civic programs that not only showcases arts & culture, but at the same open the minds of people to solving problems in their communities. It is creating activity vehicles that has the potential of becoming a profitable livelihood programs that could evolve in to a community community enterprise. Imagine building in communities an organization that has all the money-making savvy of a for-profit enterprise, the social service goals of the public sector, and the mission-driven zeal of a non-profit organization. Teach the people to properly manage it effectively. So the community will have a venture that creates jobs and solve the problem of communities. We don’t just give them “fish” but strong “nets” that they could use to catch they own fish. We teach them to manage it well so that even when you’re not around anymore, it will live.

Jay-R Patron: Why is this important, to do what you’re doing? Why is it important for the people that is involved with your causes to do what they do? Why does Dickie Aguado dip his hands on social development when he can just work and earn and live comfortable life?

Dickie Aguado: I love doing this. It is a mission. I am a Christian, and amidst all of the things I do, I am quietly trying to foster a Christian economy in places that we visit. I am in business for ministry. And my way of executing it is by using arts and culture as vehicle for transformation and enterprise building. I use vehicles like Larong Pinoy to get close to children, to families, to community leaders. And once we have interfaced with them and become closer, we teach them to love our country, to be good citizens, and above all, to love God. And having these values inculcated in their minds, hopefully they give back to communities and people the same values.

Jay-R Patron: What has been or what is the hardest part of running an organization like Magna Kultura?

Dickie Aguado: Training people to become advocates. And looking for initial funds start thing rolling in communities. That is why we train people to develop workable programs that will evolve into a local livelihood or cottage industry to create profits to make it sustainable. So that they won’t keep on begging for charity.

Jay-R Patron: What has been your greatest achievement, in general?

Dickie Aguado: It’s making people complete. People who were once hopeless, jobless, out-of-school… we interface with them, teach them skills, crafts, artistic skills, business skills… after learning things that we teach them, we see them as a renewed person with a brighter hope, a better outlook. It is an achievement to see people transformed with what you do, and to see them use it in society. It is an achievement to see all the folks that you trained working together and transforming their community. It’s an achievement to hear them tell you years later that what they started is still working, still running. It is a great achievement to learn that you have change the lives of people.

Jay-R Patron: To conclude the formal interview, if there was one message that you would like to tell our readers or listeners, what would that message be?

Dickie Aguado: Let’s foster a Christian economy. A Godless society will be a sorry state. Let us influence people to work for that which is good for fellow-citizens and for society.

Jay-R Patron: That’s it. That ends the interview.