P-pop supergroup SB19 was chosen by a government office to become its youth ambassador.
They were chosen because of their genuine care for advocacies that uplift the Filipino spirit, music and culture.
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) also announced that the boy group was similarly named the ambassador Sentro Rizal, the country’s cultural center for overseas Filipinos and for anyone interested in anything Filipino.
It also said that SB19 was chosen because of their willingness to support the agency’s endeavors.
Some of the group’s various activities that were initiated or supported by NCCA are:
- The Philippines-Korea Cultural Exchange Festival
- Padayon: The NCCA Hour
- SR San Francisco’s Kalayaan 2021: A virtual celebration of the 123rd Philippine Independence Day and 75th anniversary of Philippine-US relations
- SR Berne’s Fernweh Festival
- Sonik Philippines 2021
The Sentro Rizal (SR) was formally established by NCCA in June 2011 in celebration of the 150th anniversary of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. It has 35 sites around the world and is set to inaugurate an additional site in New York City.
When SB19 was nominated for Billboard’s 2021 Top Social Artist last May, NCCA raised awareness about this nomination and urged Filipinos to vote for the group.
“SB19 is the lone and first Filipino act to be nominated in the Billboard Music Awards (BBMA), running for the Top Social Artist award alongside USA’s Ariana Grande, K-pop giants BTS and Blackpink, and Seventeen of Korea,” it said in a Facebook post before.
“As the prime agency that safeguards, develops and promotes Filipino arts and culture, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) encourages everyone to support mainstream Filipino artists,” the commission added.
SB19, despite being trained in a South Korean entertainment company, is known for their songs in Filipino language.
The group’s goal is to bring the Original Pilipino Music or OPM to the world stage and represent the Filipino identity through the language and stories packaged in their music.
