AUGUST 12 2018

St. Zadkiel the Archangel

“Reaction paper on Contemporary Arts”

What is the life of the GAMABA awardees before they introduce as National living artist? What is the
problems that GAMABA artist encounter? What is the importance of having a GAMABA artist here in
our country?

Our reaction about the Documentary of Senator Loren Legarda about the GAMABA Artist well
known as National Living Artist. The Documentary title is “ LOREN LEGARDA: Dayaw Season 4
Episode 3 - "Living Treasures". This Documentary episodes looks into the lives of the three artist has the
history in Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Awardees.

They contribute so much arts and the history itself. The first thing I did is search about the three
GAMABA artist. The three GAMABA Artist are Eduardo Mutuc of Pampanga, Federico Caballero of
Iloilo, and Uwang Ahadas of Basilan then I found out that the two artist is just the same year have their
award. Before I gave what is my reaction about what they doing I just want to have a brief history or a
meaning of “National Living Treasures Award” well known as GAMABA (Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan Awardees). This award is given to the person or even in a group in the Philippines have a
contribute to the cultural heritage that makes our history get known also. Based on what I see and heard in
the video there’s always a story behind every art there doing. Just like on Eduardo Mutuc of Kapampagan
Apalit Pampanga he’s doing some religious furniture and even other people he ask if he want to make
there table and other house furniture. Eduardo Mutuc only using metal and hammer or in English is
beaten metal. I am inspired to do hard work and push harder because there is no easy work just in one
click you have it, you have to work hard for it. NCAA gets Mutuc and after that he already have an
award. He is also famous because he is the one who made the “Bahay ni kuya”. He already explain how
to make a Beaten metal it is hard there’s always have a step when you’re going to do for you to have a
good work. Federico caballero also known as “Nong Pedring” for Sulod, Bulacan he is an epicchanter.
When he is going to be awarded there’s have a problem his son got died, but still he go there because he
knows that his son would not agree if he will not receive the GAMABA award. Before He become the
GAMABA awardee he worked for Bereau of Nonformal Education teching how people read and write
and also promote the traditional epic of the local artist.The last artist is Uwang Ahadas from Basilan when
he was a kid he always play instrument with his siblings. He Learn how to play gabbang first then a
wooden bamboo and so on. At the age of 20 Ahadas mastered how to play yakan, it is the traditional
instrument used or reserved for women. Ahadas recognized National living treasure in 2000.

The importance of having a GAMABA artist is you will kow how they do there art work or what
they contribute in our country. You will also know the importance of having a artist who have done a big
contribute art here in our country, but the problem they can encounter is there are lack of attention they
really need to have. The government gives only the award but having the attention they give is not enough
because what about, award or even a money when there arts is just in the side and few peoples using it.
Somehow they need an attention an award and even the person who will use their art for their daily lives.
Let say that people have the artworks already and they want to have more of it the GAMABA artist can’t
do the work by themselves, because there are lack of powers. They can’t do too much work. They are lack
of worker and the last problem they may encounter is having lack of a appreciation on people to the
artworks they did. As a student we study about how will you appreciate a person even if it is a small
thing. I just want to tell to the other student or even a person who will read, study all about the
GAMABA. Do appreciate the people who’s willing to do for our country.

Having them is a great privilege for us, Filipinos who’s having a crisis on preserving these kinds
of arts and for them it is their life that they devote by doing these arts. They became a GAMABA awardee
for their mastery in the artwork of their culture. We should never ignore these kinds of people who never
left the tradition of their culture for they keep our own arts alive and still passing it in the next generation
so that it will never be gone. We must give importance and be proud to call these arts our own, that
Filipinos can also be known for their artwork and nothing but the greatness of the people giving time and
effort for our arts.

Submitted by:
Ma. Monica E. Flores
Roosebelt C. Manalo
Kristel T. Landicho

Submitted to:
Kaye Iranzo