16/07/2026
"Art doesn't always comfort. Sometimes, it confronts." 🇵🇭
BUSOG, LUHOD, LUNOD (Fed. Kneeling. Drowning.)
This is one of those rare artworks that doesn't need an explanation because every detail tells a story and every symbol speaks. For many Filipinos, the message is instantly recognizable. Not because someone explains it, but because we've seen, felt, or lived parts of it.
I first saw this painting during Tito Boy Abunda's interview with Ms. Ann Baltar. The moment it appeared on my screen, it immediately caught my attention.
It's a beautiful piece of art, yet it portrays a painful reality. A masterpiece that reflects not only creativity, but also the struggles, inequalities, and hardships that continue to exist in our country.
You don't just look at this painting, you will feel it. It leaves you silent, thinking, and reflecting on the state of our society today. Art has always been more than colors on a canvas. Sometimes, it becomes a mirror that reflects the truth hiding in plain sight.
I enhanced the image using A.I. to extend the background and fit it into a 1:1 format without altering the artwork itself, so we could use it as a profile picture. It's my small way of expressing my stand against corruption and the broken system that continues to fail countless Filipinos.
I admired this artwork even more after learning the story behind the artist. Ms. Julie Ann Baltar graduated Summa Cum Laude in Fine Arts from the Philippine Women's University and was once a scholar of Tito Boy Abunda.
This painting is part of BuwayaSerye, a commissioned collection conceived by Tito Boy as a visual reminder of a significant chapter in our country's history and as a reflection on corruption, abuse of power, and the social issues that continue to affect ordinary Filipinos.
Tito Boy entrusted Ms. Julie in bringing these ideas to life through her remarkable talent and artistic vision. Today, she continues to use her gift as a visual artist to create works that are not only visually captivating but also provoke thought, encourage dialogue, and give voice to the hopes of Filipinos who long for genuine change.
Hats off to Ms. Julie Ann Baltar for creating a work that doesn't simply capture the eyes but it speaks to the heart, challenges the conscience, and reminds us that sometimes the most powerful truths are those that don't need words. May her art continue to inspire discussion, reflection, and hope that one day, the Philippines will become the country every Filipino deserves.
Don Anjelo
