DUCAT, Bong

Benedicto “Bong”Ducat was born in Tondo, Manila in 1957. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Santo Tomas in 1980 and received his Masteral in Arts from the University of the Philippines. He watched movie billboard painters in his youth, and landed a part-time job as an artist at the Ireneo Galicia Advertising in Blumentritt. He began to frequent art galleries and studios in the Mabini area, particulary studying the working methods of Felix Gonzales. He joined the Faculty of TUP until 1981. He worked at Clayburn Ceramics as a consultant, until Lahi Crafts took him in as Supervisor until 1990. He was invited by Ibarra de la Rosa to Teach at PWU, where he stayed until 1992, the year he presented his first one-man exhibit at Heritage Art Center, SM Megamall. He is now teaching at the University of Santo Tomas.

His awards include: 1st prize in the Melchora Aquino drawing contest, 1967 and at the Agro-Industrial Fair Art Competition. He won 2nd Prize at the YMCA Hi-Y Poster making contest. He won two 1st Prizes at J P Laurel High School Contests, the first in Painting and the second in Drawing. He won first prize at the Philtrade National Spot painting contest in 1979, and at the UP Venerable Knight Spot Painting Contest. He won the gold medal at the AAP Development Painting contest, 1980.