▁fact ▁that ▁he ▁managed ▁to ▁cross ▁over ▁from ▁com ic ▁books ▁to ▁film ▁and ▁television , ▁and ▁saying ▁that ▁his ▁triumph ▁was ▁significant ▁because ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁National ▁Art ist ▁who ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁working ▁class . ▁ ▁“ I ▁am ▁a ▁National ▁Art ist ▁who ▁came ▁from ▁the ▁masses ," ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁Daily ▁In qu ir er ▁quoted ▁him ▁as ▁saying . ▁" I ▁work ▁and ▁struggle ▁with ▁them .” ▁He ▁said ▁it ▁was ▁time ▁for ▁a ▁National ▁Art ist ▁“ who ▁the ▁masses ▁can ▁identify ▁with — some one ▁who ▁wal ks ▁beside ▁them , ▁someone ▁who ▁can ▁insp ire ▁them .” ▁Not ing ▁that ▁some ▁Filip inos ▁did ▁not ▁even ▁know ▁the ▁National ▁Art ists ▁he ▁said ▁“ H ope fully , ▁since ▁I ▁am ▁still ▁active ▁in ▁TV ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁mov ies , ▁this ▁will ▁encou rage ▁our ▁coun tr ymen ▁to ▁learn ▁more ▁about ▁our ▁National ▁Art ists .” ▁ ▁O thers ▁who ▁have ▁come ▁to ▁his ▁defense ▁include ▁Philipp ine ▁Char ity ▁S we ep st akes ▁Office ▁( PC SO ) ▁director ▁and ▁former ▁Movie ▁and ▁Television ▁Review ▁and ▁Classification ▁Board ▁( M TR CB ) ▁chief ▁Man ol ing ▁Mor ato , ▁Vol unte ers ▁Again st ▁Crime ▁and ▁Cor ruption ▁( V AC C ) ▁head ▁D ante ▁Jim enez , ▁box er ▁Mann y ▁Pac quia o , ▁Sen ators ▁Ram on ▁Rev illa ▁Jr . ▁and ▁J ing go y ▁E str ada , ▁Kom isy on ▁sa ▁Wik ang