CAR 09: NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR VISUAL
ARTS
● Philippine Visual Arts is a confluence of
both ethnic and western traditions in the
treatment of subject and the use of
medium.
● In the Philippines, visual arts can
be characterized as a mixture of
western and native cultural influences.
● When the Spaniards invaded the
country, the friars were the ones who
introduced the western styles of painting
and carving, in which the theme was
mainly religious. All over the country,
churches have become informal
museums where paintings and statues
abound.
● Today, along with inspirations
from other countries, Spanish influence
is still apparent in the works of
Filipinos. Some contemporary visual
artists have been educated and trained
abroad, introducing in the country
different movements in the world of art.
National Artists
Napoleon Abueva 1930-2018; Conferred: 1976
● NATIONAL ARTIST FOR SCULPTURE
JANUARY 26, 1930 - FEBRUARY 16,
2018
● birthplace: Tagbilaran, Bohol
● Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture
● youngest national artist awardee
● Water Buffalo
● bronze image of Teodoro M. Kalaw,
facade of National Library
The Transfiguration at the
Eternal Gardens Memorial
Park
Death masks of Benigno Aquino Jr.
and Fernando Poe Jr.
Ang Kiukok 1931-2005; Conferred: 2001
● NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
(MARCH 1.1931 - MAY 9, 2005)
● Immigrant parents: Vicente Ang and
Chin Lim
● Style: Geometric Abstract
● "imbued with nationalist fervor and
sociological; agenda" (NCCA)
● Geometric Landscape, 1969
● Pieta won bronze medal in Saigon\
● Seated Figure (1979) auctioned at
Singapore's Southeby's
Pieta, 1962 Dog Fight, 1962
Victorio C. Edades 1895-1985; Conferred:1976
● NATIONAL ARTIST FOR PAINTING
(DECEMBER 23, 1895 - MARCH 7, 1985)
● Father of Modernism in Philippine Art
● Style: Impressionism
● impressionists influences: Cezanne and
Paul Gauguin
● colors were dark and gloomy most
subjects were Filipino laborers in their
everyday situations
● "working class depicted in rough, bold,
impasto strokes, and standing tall and
singular in his advocacy and practice"
(NCCA)
● Poinsettia Girl ; The Wrestlers ; Portrait
of the Professor
The Sketch
Japanese
Girl
Cesar Legaspi 1917-1994; Conferred: 1990
● NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
(APRIL 2. 1917 - APRIL 7, 1994)
● pioneer of Neorealist Movement
● Style: neorealism, mythical
● works paved way to the birth of modern
art
● "the use of the geometric fragmentation
technique, weaving social comment and
juxtaposing the mythical and modern
into his overlapping, interacting forms
with disturbing power and intensity
● Man and Woman
● Reclining Nude
Tree Planting
Gadgets
Vicente S. Manansala 1910-1981; Conferred:
1981
● NATIONAL ARTIST FOR PAINTING
(JANUARY 22, 1910. AUGUST 22,
1981)
● illustrator and cubist painter
● Style: Cubism - quadrilaterals, triangles
● birthplace: Macabebe, Pampanga
● barrio and city depictions were "as
visions of reality teetering on the edge of
abstraction" (NCCA)
● training: Otis School of Drawing, Los
Angeles : Paris
● Jeepney combined the elements of
provincial folk culture with busy streets
of the city
Birdman
Madonna of Slums
Hernando R. Ocampo 1911-1978; Conferred:
1991
● NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
(APRIL 28, 1911 - DECEMBER 28,
1978)
● self-taught painter
● his works "provided an understanding
and awareness of the harsh social
realities in the country
● invented a new mode of perception that
demonstrated the atmosphere and the
wildlife of the country
● used movement and bold colors
● Nude with Candle and Flower ; Ina ng
Balon ; Man and Carabo ; Ancestors;
Fiesta
Kasaysayan ng
Lahi
Revelation V
Fernando C. Amorsolo 1892-1972; Conferred:
1972
● NATIONAL ARTIST FOR PAINTING
(MAY 30. 1892 - APRIL 24, 1972)
● country's first national artist
● "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art"
● Art School of the Liceo de Manila ;
University of the Philippines
● Academia de San Fernando, Madrid c/o
Enrique Zobel de Ayala
● "the rapture of a sensualist utterly in
love with the earth, with the Philippine
sun" (Nick Joaquin)
● Planting Rice, 1946
Defense of a Filipina
Woman’s Honor, 1946
Sunday Morning Going Town, 1958
Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco 1912-1969;
Conferred: 1973
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR PAINTING
(NOVEMBER 4. 1912 - MARCH 31, 1969)
● muralist from Angono, Rizal
● ability to turn "fragments of the historic
past into vivid records of the legendary
courage of the ancestors of his race"
● Blood Compact
● Bayanihan sa Bukid
● Magpupukot
● Fiesta
First Mass at Limasawa
The Martyrdom of
Rizal
Arturo "Art" R. Luz 1926 - 2021 ; Conferred:
1997
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
(NOVEMBER 20, 1926)
● printmaker, sculptor, art administrator
● minimalist; used geometric abstracts
that "exemplify and ideal of sublime
austerity in expression and form"
● pioneered the professionalization of the
art galleries that "set a prestigious
influence over generations of Filipino
artists
● Self-Portrait ; Cities of the Past
● black and white mural can be viewed in
the hall of CCP's Little Theater
Man with Guitar Bagong Taon
Federico Aguilar Alcuaz 1932-2011;
Conferred: 2009
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
JUNE 6, 1932 - FEBRUARY 2, 2011)
● He is an artist with voluminous output,
from oil painting; skeyckes in ink;
sculptor in abstract ceramics and
tapestries; relief sculptures made of
paper and mixed media which he simply
called, “Alcuazaics."
● His works are highly favored, not only
for its studied refinement and European
flair but also for the ease and pleasure
conveyed by his choice of light color,
and composition.
● Still Life in Landscape; Reveries of
Love; Panoramic View of Manila
Tres Marias Reveries of Love
J. Elizalde Navarro 1924-1999; Conferred:
1999
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
(MAY 22, 1924 - JUNE 10, 1999)
● Jerry Elizalde Navarro
● born in Antique
● painter, sculptor, graphic designer,
printmaker, mask-maker in
hardwood-merges the human and the
animal
● Represented the country at Sao Paolo
Biennale for sculpture
● I'm Sorry Jesus, I Can't Attend
Christmas This Year; Homage to Dodjie
Laurel
● A Flying Contraption for Mr. Icarus ; The
Seasons
Singkil
Is he the man?
Guillermo E. Tolentino 1890-1976; Conferred:
1973
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR SCULPTURE (JULY
24, 1890 - JULY 12, 1976)
● master in classical sculpture
● "a product of the Revival Period in
Philippine art"
● Royal Academy of Fine Arts, Rome, Italy
● figure of Jose Rizal (UP)
● Pres. Quezon (Quezon Memorial)
● Pres. Magsaysay (GSIS Building)
● designed the medals for Ramón
Magsaysay Award; and the seal of the
Republic of the Philippines
Oblation
University of the Philippines,
Diliman
Unang Sigaw sa
Balintawak
(Bonifacio
Monument)
Caloocan
Jose T. Joya 1931-1995; Conferred: 2003
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL
ARTIST (JUNE 3. 1931 - MAY 11. 1995)
● former dean of College of Fine Art, UP,
Diliman
● initiated Abstract Expressionism (the
use of abstract style to convey strong
emotional or expressive content) in the
country
● masterpieces showed “dynamic
spontaneity" and quick gestures” |
● Nanking ; Beethoven Listening to the
Blues ; Cityscape ; Granadean
Arabesque ; Biennial
Mariveles
Hills of Nikko
Benedicto "Bencab" R. Cabrera 1942-present;
Conferred: 2006
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
APRIL 10, 1942)
● "upheld the primacy of drawing over the
decorative color" lyrical impressionist
● Sabel a symbolic scavenger which he
describes as "a melancholic symbol of
dislocation, despair, and isolation-the
personification of human dignity
threatened by life's vicissitudes, and the
vast inequities of Philippine society
● Madonna with Objects, 1991 ; Studies of
Sabel (diptych, 1991); People Waiting,
1989; The Indifference, 1988 ; Waiting
for the Monsoon, 1986
The Oriental Fan. (from
Larawan series) 1982
Sabel
Abdulmari Asia Imao 1936-2014; Conferred:
2006
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
(JANUARY 14. 1936 - DECEMBER 16,
2014)
● sculptor, painter, ceramist,
photographer, writer, cultural researcher
● mentors: Guillermo Tolentino and
Napoleon Abueva
 ● incorporated native motifs and designs:
sarimanok, the naga, the ukkil
● Industry Brass Mural and Mural Relief
on Filmmaking, Manila City Hall
Sarimanok with 8 Fishes
Sarimanok
Francisco Coching 1919-1998; Conferred:
2001
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
JANUARY 29. 1919 - SEPTEMBER 1,
1998)
● comic book creator with 53 comic books
under his name
● apprentice of Tony Velasquez
(Liwayway Magazine)
● Hagibis ; Don Cobarde ; Pagano ;
Dumagit ; Lapu-Lapu ; Bulalakaw ;
Waldas ; Talipandas ; Palasig; Movie
Fan; Gat Sibasib ; Satur
● "for two decades, his fanciful stories
captured the popular imagination.
Borrowing from the long tradition of
romances and corridos along with the
moro moro and garsuela of the colonial
era" (Alfredo Roces, art critic)
El Indio
Summary
● The National Artists for Visual Arts
portray the rich culture, customs, and
traditions of the Philippines in the reality
of globalization and rapid modernization
that continues to threaten the Filipino
heritage.
● The works of these national artists
preserve Filipino culture and traditions
by inspiring imagery produced by
paintbrush and canvas, a smooth piece
of wood, and clay.
● Arts can help the Filipino community to
look back and learn from the country's
history and tradition.
CAR 10: NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR DANCE
“The diversity of Philippine dances, as
manifested in different dynamics and forms,
grew out of the various contexts and
experiences of the people."
-B.E.S. Villaruz, dance scholar
● This explains how the movement and
choreography are based on the different
environments in the archipelago.
● Philippine dances originated from
various elements of the environment.
TINIKLING
● oldest dance in the
country
● derived from the
movements of the
tinikling bird
● bird wanders on grass
stems and crushes several branches of
the tree
● dancers perform gracefully without
getting caught in between the two
bamboo poles
CARINOSA
● derived from the
Spanish word
● means “the loving or
affectionate one"
● courtship dance
 ● closely associated with the Panay
Islands in the Visayas
MUSLIM DANCES
● spirituality, royalty,
splendor
● colorful and elaborate
● costumes precise and
regal movements
● Pangalay ; Burung
Talo ; Asik
Francisca R. Aquino 1899-1983; Conferred:
1973
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR DANCE
(MARCH 9, 1899 - NOVEMBER 21. 1983)
● pioneer of Philippine folk dances
● teacher, nationalist
● first Filipina to be awarded national artist
for dance
● conducted research on Filipino dances
by visiting secluded districts and
neighborhoods in the islands of Luzon
● her thesis “Philippine Folk Dances and
Games'' has been a thorough guide for
students and educators
● Republic Award of Merit, Awarded by
Pres. Ramon Magsaysay Cultural Award
from United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
Leonor O. Goquingco 1917-2005; Conferred:
1976
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR DANCE
(JULY 24, 1917 - JULY 15, 2005)
● aka Cristina Luna
● dubbed as the Trailblazer, Mother of
Philippine Theatre Dance, Dean of
Filipino Performing Arts Critics
● plays the piano, designs scene and
costumes, sculpts, acts, directs, dances,
choreographs
● pioneered the blending of folk dance
and ballet (making the latter more
viable)
● choreography: The Firebirds ; The
Clowns ; Noli Dance Suite 1960:
Filipinescas: Philippine Life, Legend and
Lore in Dance
● book: The Dances of the Emerald Isles:
A Great Philippine Heritage, 1980
Ramon Obusan 1938-2006; Conferred: 2006
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR DANCE
(JUNE 16, 1938 - DECEMBER 21, 2006)
● dancer, choreographer, stage designer,
artistic director
● 1972: established the Ramon Obusan
Folkloric Group (ROFG-a company that
reflects the culture of Filipinos in dance
and music)
● ROFG performed dance productions
and rituals from ethnolinguistic and
indigenous groups including those from
the natives of Cordillera, the Bagobo,
the Aeta, the Meranaw (or Maranao),
and the T'boli
Lucresia Reyes-Urtula 1929-1999; Conferred:
1988
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR DANCE
(JUNE 29. 1929 - AUGUST 4. 1999)
● Dance Director of Bayanihan Philippine
National Folk Dance Company (now the
Bayanihan
● Dance Company—considered as the
oldest dance company in the country)
● choreographed creative dances based
on her impressive research on cultural
dances
● recognized dances: the Singkil, Vinta,
Tagabili, Pagdidiwata, Salidsid
Alice Reyes 1942-present; Conferred: 2014
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR DANCE
(OCTOBER 14, 1942)
● founder of Ballet Philippines-country's
premier ballet dance company
● Colorado College ; Sarah Lawrence
College
● received grants from: John D.
Rockefeller III Foundation and Music
Promotion Foundation of the Philippines
● choreographer: Cinderella ; Romeo and
Juliet ; Amada ; Itim Asul ; Bayanihan
Remembered ; Mga Babae
 ● lasting contribution: professionalization
of dance as a career
Summary
● The works of the National Artists for
Dance remind us of our rich cultural
heritage.
● Francisca R. Aquino's research have
identified and documented the various
dance forms that might have been
● The dance groups of Ramon Obusan,
Lucresia Reyes-Urtula, and Alice Reyes
are living monuments to the greatness
of the country's various dance forms.
● Different countries around the world
have their own culture and traditions
and are made more beautiful and
vibrant because of dance. Just like any
other country, dance is a fundamental
part of Filipino culture and heritage.
CAR 11: NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR MUSIC
● Early Philippine music was instrumental
and vocal in form.
● Although the Philippines is located in
Southeast Asia, its popular and
contemporary musical tradition is
Western because of Spanish and the
American colonization periods. There
were no descriptions of Philippine music
during the pre-colonization times.
“subsequent reports made by friars, civil
servants and travelers include descriptions of
instrumental and vocal music"
-Corazon Canave-Dioquino
Musicologist
“gongs of various kinds of size and shapes,
drums, flutes of different types, zithers, lutes,
clappers, and buzzers",
-Corazon Canave-Dioquino
on instruments
"epics relating genealogies and exploits of
heroes and gods; work songs related to planting,
harvesting, fishing; ritual songs to drive away
evil spirits; songs to celebrate festive occasions
particularly marriage, birth, victory at war, or the
settling of tribal disputes; mourning songs For
the dead; courting songs; and children's games
songs"
-Corazon Canave-Dioquino
on vocal music
“religious music connected to and outside the
Catholic liturgy and a European-inspired secular
music adapted by the Filipinos and reflected in
their folk songs and instrumental music"
-Corazon Canave-Dioquino
on Philippine music considering Catholicism as
a dominant force during the Spanish era
Philippine Music during American Period
according to Canave-Dioquino
● taught in schools
● zarzuela entered the scene
● Filipinos exposed to pop culture
● music created by Filipinos using
Western pop forms
Philippine contemporary music is heavily
influenced by the West because of its
colonization.
Antonino R. Buenaventura 1904-1996;
Conferred: 1988
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(MAY 4 1904 - JANUARY 25, 1996)
● a musical career “that spanned seven
decades of unwavering commitment to
advancing the frontiers of Philippine
music” (NCCA)
● popularized folk song by creating music
based on the wide array of folksongs
from various ethnic groups
● Ode to Freedom ; Echoes of the Past ;
Echoes from the Philippines ; History
Fantasy ; Triumphal March
● brought the Philippine Army Band back
to its glory; recognized as the only band
that can sound like a symphony
orchestra
Ernani J. Cuenco 1936-1988; Conferred: 1999
● written "an outstanding and memorable
body of works that resonates with the
 Filipino sense of musicality and which
embodies an ingenious voice that raises
the aesthetic dimensions of
contemporary Filipino music” (NCCA)
● music teacher, composer, musical
director, film scorer
● film scoring (Best Music Award): Wild,
Wild Jess (MMFF 1982) · El Vibora
(FAMAS)
● love ballads: Kalesa ; Bato sa Buhangin
; Gaano Kita Kamahal ; Inang Bayan
● distinction : film scorer
● One of the most famous film scorer
Jovita Fuentes 1895-1978; Conferred: 1976
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(FEBRUARY 15, 1895 - AUGUST 7. 1978)
● first female national artist for music
● mentor: Salvina Fornari, famous Italian
singer
● performances: Mimi, Giacomo Puccini's
La Boheme ; Princess Yang Gui Fe, Li
Tai Pe ; a role in the New york
production of Madama Butterfly
● Distinction: similar to lea salonga
during her time. / international singer
Jose Maceda 1917-2004; Conferred: 1997
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(JANUARY 31, 1917 - MAY 5, 2004)
● highly acclaimed composer and
ethnomusicologist
● had training in music, cultural
anthropology, legend, performance
studies, dance and cultural studies
● most compositions were performed as
a communal ritual Ugma-ugma, 1963
● Pagsamba, 1968 Udlot-udlot, 1975
● Ugnayan ; Aroding ; Suling suling
● Ethnomusicologist: ethnic music
used in ceremonies or rituals in
tribes
Lucio D. San Pedro 1913-2002; Conferred:
1991
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(FEBRUARY 11, 1913 - MARCH 31, 2002)
● educator, master conductor, composer;
through his works "evoked the folk
elements of the Filipino heritage"
● led local bands: Banda Angono Numero
Uno, the San Pedro Band of Angono,
the Peng Kong Grand Mason Concert
Band (as master conductor)
● The Devil's Bridge (orchestral music)
● Sa Mahal Kong Bayan (choral music)
● Lahing Kayumanggi (band music)
● Sa Ugoy ng Duyan (vocal music-famous
Filipino lullaby)
● Sa Ugoy ng Duyan - most famous
lullaby song
Levi Celerio 1910-2002; Conferred: 1997 ]
● highly talented lyricist; 4,000 songs
under his name
● excellent leaf player-Guinness Book of
World Records
● love songs: Saan Ka Man Naroroon and
Ikaw
● Christmas songs: Misa de Gallo and
Pasko na Naman
● Gave lyrics to instrumentals
Felipe Padilla de Leon 1912-1992; Conferred:
1991
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(MAY 1. 1912 - DECEMBER 5, 1992)
● composer, conductor, scholar
● his works have “Filipinized Western
music forms”
● body of works: concertos, sonatas,
marches-described how Filipinos
express their feelings and their
aspirations in times of strife and peace
● Mariang Makiling Overture
● Orchestertuk
● Lupang Tinubuan
● Noli Me Tangere (opera adaptation)
● Distinction: body of works or genres.
Western music forms converted to
Filipino versions.
Lucrecia R. Kasilag 1917-2008; Conferred:
1989
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(AUGUST 31, 1918 - AUGUST 16, 2008)
● native of La Union
● legacy was “to discover the Filipino
roots through ethnic music and fusing it
with Western influences” (NCCA)
● Bayanihan Folk Arts Center-for research
and theatrical presentations that urges
to integrate native Filipino instruments in
orchestral productions
● orchestral music: Her Son ; Jose ; Sisa ;
the Legend of Sarimanok
● Distinction: Bayanihan Folk Center
Antonio J. Molina 1894-1980; Conferred: 1973
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(DECEMBER 26, 1894 - JANUARY 29. 1980)
● Dean of Filipino Composers
● musician, writer, music educator-the last
of the musical triumvirate
● played for Manila Grand Opera House
● mentored: Felipe Padilla de leon
● Hatinggabi-popular serenade for solo
violin and piano supplement
● Kung sa Iyong Gunita
● Awit ni Maria Clara
● Larawan Nitong Pilipinas
● Distinction: courtship songs
Andrea O. Veneracion 1928-2013; Conferred:
1999
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(JULY 11, 1928 - JULY 9, 2013)
● founder of Philippine Madrigal Singers
(group received UNESCO Artist for
Peace Award, 2009)
● creator of Asian Institute for Liturgy and
Music (AILM) Chorale
● by founding the Philippine Madrigal
Singers, had been responsible for
“spearheading of the development of
Philippine choral music” (NCCA)
Ramon Pagayon Santos 1941-present;
Conferred: 2014
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(FEBRUARY 25. 1941)
● composer, conductor, musicologist and
the country's foremost exponent of
contemporary Philippine Music
● exposed to the avant-garde musical
idioms: the rigorous processes of
surrealism, electronic and contemporary
music, indeterminacy and new vocal
and improvisational techni
● Panaghoy
● known for Chavalier de l'Ordre des Arts
et Lettres, 1987 in France.
● Involved in 2009 controversy
Francisco Feliciano 1941-2014; Conferred:
2014
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC
(FEBRUARY 19, 1941 - SEPTEMBER 19, 2014)
● prolific composer of over 30 major works
● studied music composition at the:
University of the Philippines;
Hochschule der Kuenste, Berlin,
Germany; Yale University School of
Music
● mentors: Martin Behrmann, Jacob
Druckman, Isang Yun, H.W.
Zimmerman, Krystof Penderecki
● opera works: La Loba Negra ; Ashen
Wings ; Sikhay Sa Kabila ng Paalam
(Beyond the Farewell) ; Yerma J
● ohn D. Rockefeller Award in Music
Composition, 1977
Summary
● Music has truly been one arena that
Filipinos excel at. It is a fact that
Filipinos are music lovers.
● The National Artists for Music have
definitely contributed to the enrichment
of the country's music through research,
composition, and outreach.
● Their works have truly inspired many
Filipinos to embrace a love for music.
And this love for music has given birth to
several internationally acclaimed
musical talents and varied musical
landscapes, ranging from the songs of
Ernani Cuenco to the unforgettable
tunes of Levi Celerio.
CAR 12: NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR THEATRE

Many forms and innovations in Philippine drama

and theatre were brought by colonization.

The Philippine dramatic tradition has its roots in

the rituals and ceremonies of pre-colonial
Filipinos.
The way they performed offerings to the gods
and held communal celebrations were already
dramatic performances.
-Doreen Fernandez traditional Spanish one-act comic opera
Theatre and Culture Scholar

Forms of Drama and Theatre brought by

colonization
● religious themed: cenaculo and moro
moro
● zarzuela
● traditional Spanish one-act comic opera
● American entertainment
● vaudeville
● stage performance consisted of various
play acts

American entertainment

Vaudeville

religious themed: cenaculo and moro-moro

stage performance consisted of various play

acts
Zarzuela
Throughout the years, from the English plays of
scholastic theatre groups to the street theatre
during the Martial Law period, Filipino dramatic
and theatrical practitioners continue to promote
and preserve theatre arts in the country.
Daisy Avellana 1917-2013; Conferred: 1999
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER
(JANUARY 26, 1917 - MAY 12. 2013)
● First Lady of Philippine Theatre
● birthplace: Roxas City, Capiz
● actor, director, writer
● her contributions had brought "a new
level of excellence by staging and
performing in breakthrough productions
of classic Filipino and foreign plays"
● advocacy and efforts brought about
profound reformation in dramatic and
theatrical practice "by encouraging the
establishment of Filipino theater"
● productions: Othello ; Macbeth in Black ;
Casa de Bemarda Alba ; Tatarin
Honorata “Atang” de la Rama 1905-1991;
Conferred: 1987
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER AND
MUSIC JANUARY 11, 1902 - JULY 11. 1991)
● battled for the supremacy of the
kundiman during American rule
● popularized Mutya ng Pasig by
Deogracias Rosario and Nicanor
Abelardo
● Queen of the Kundiman
● zarzuela and kundiman “express best
the Filipino soul”
● zarzuelas: Marina, Mascota and Sueño
de Un Vals
● wrote: Anak ni Eba ; Aking Ina ; Puri at
Buhay
Rolando S. Tinio 1937-1997; Conferred: 1997
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER &
LITERATURE (MARCH 5, 1937 - JULY 7, 1997)
● director, actor, educator, critic, translator,
poet, dramatist
● translated to Tagalog: Shakespeare,
The Merchant of Venice ; Arthur Miller,
Death of a Salesman ; Samuel Beckett,
Waiting for Godot ; August Strinberg,
Miss Julie
● as director, remembered as someone
"whose original insights into the scripts
he handled brought forth productions
notable for their visual impact and
intellectual cogency”
● became Artistic Director, TP at CCP
● revival of traditional works is described
with "excellence and beauty of his
practice that claimed for theatre a place
among the arts in the Philippines”
(NCCA)
Salvador F. Bernal 1945-2011; Conferred: 2003
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER DESIGN
(JANUARY 7. 1945 - OCTOBER 26, 2011)
● was part of over 300 productions in art,
film, and music
● style is known for maximizing the use of
raw materials in theatre production
● used native Filipino materials: bamboo,
abaca fiber, the basic gauze cacha
● not only a theatre designer, but also an
educator who held classes and training
in universities and the CCP
Lamberto V. Avellana 1915-1991; Conferred:
1976
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER AND FILM
(FEBRUARY 12, 1915 - APRIL 25, 1991)
● his Barangay Theater Guild propagated
dramatic and theatrical performances of
foreign and local plays
● The Boy Wonder of Philippine Movies,
1939
● from stage actor, took the challenge as
film director
● landmark films: Kandelerong Pilak (first
Filipino film to be shown at Cannes
International Film Festival) ; Sakay;
Anak Dalita ; Badjao
Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero 1911-1995; Conferred:
1997
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER
(JANUARY 22, 1910 - APRIL 28, 1995)
● writer, director, educator, artist
 ● at age 14, wrote first play in Spanish: No
Todo Es Risa
● greatest contribution: introduction of the
concept of theatre campus tour
● Half an Hour in a Convent; Wanted:
Chaperon ; Forever ; Condemned ; In
Unity ; Three rates ; Our Strange Ways ;
The Forsaken House
Severino Montano 1915-1980; Conferred: 2001
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER
(JANUARY 3. 1915 - DECEMBER 12, 1980)
● Titans of Philippine Theatre
● poet, director, actor, theatre organizer,
playwright, educator
● pursued the establishment of legitimate
theatre
● started Arena Theater in the Philippine
Normal College (now PNU) with about
1,000.00
● trained and directed: Joonee Gamboa
and Behn Cervantes
● Sabina ; But Not My Sons Any Longer ;
Gabriela Silang; The Merry Wives of
Manila
Summary
● The Philippines has a long and strong
dramatic and theatrical tradition: from
pre-colonial rituals and ceremonies, to
the religious performances brought by
Spaniards, and to the outlandish
American vaudeville.
● From Atang de la Rama's sultry
performances to Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero's
plays, Filipino dramatists and theatrical
practitioners and performers were
known to be great and passionate artists
in any form and medium.
● With this great and unwavering passion
for the arts, the country has produced
many outstanding dramatists and
performers.
CAR 13: NATIONAL ARTIST AWARDEES
October 24, 2018: Malacanang,
Pres. Rodrigo Roa Duterte
Larry Alcala (Visual Arts) 1926 – 2002
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS
(18 AUGUST 1926-24 JUNE 2002)
● Legal Name: Lauro Zarate Alcala
● BFA, UP Diliman at 1950
● Editorial Cartoonist and Illustrator
Notable Works:
● Slice of Life in the Weekend Magazine
● Mang Ambo in the Weekly Graphic
● Kalabog en Bosyo, the first comic strip
where characters spoke in Taglish
● works portrayed the idiosyncrasies of
the Filipino, especially our ability to
laugh at ourselves in the face of great
adversity, as personified in the character
of Mang Ambo
● two detectives in Kalabog en Bosyo
were brought to the big screen and
played by comedians Dolphy and
Panchito in a film by Sampaguita
Pictures
● Guadalupe Alcala received the award
on his behalf
Slice of Life
Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio (Theatre) 1930 –
2020
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER
(4 APRIL 1930)
● writer, teacher, master puppeteer
● Department of Speech and Drama, UP
Diliman, 1959
● Chairperson of the University of the
Philippines' Creative Writing Program
● called: "Grande Dame of Southeast
Asian Children's Theater"
● penned 40 plays, 20 books, and 30
stories
● founder of Teatrong Mulat ng
Pilipinas, a children's theater and
puppetry troupe based in UP
● ALB Teatro Papet Museo (Puppet
Museum)
● Notable Works: Sepang Loca; Anim na
Dulang Pilipino Para Sa Mga Bata;
Abadeja, Ang Ating Sinderela
Sita & Rama: Papet Ramayana
● spearheaded the Philippine Popular
Music Festival
● served as judge in talent shows:
Philippine Idol and Philippine Dream
Academy
● founder of 7-member Ryan Cayabyab
Singers
Bobby Mañosa (Architecture) 1931 - 2019
FRANCISCO T. MAÑOSA NATIONAL ARTIST
FOR ARCHITECTURE AND ALLIED ARTS
(12 FEBRUARY 1931)
● Legal Name: Francisco
● BS Archi, UST
● known for his modern interpretation of
Philippine architectural design and use
of indigenous materials
● Famous Works: Coconut Palace,
Amanpulo Resort in Palawan, Pearl
Farm in Samal Island, Shangri-La Hotel
in Mactan, and the San Miguel building
in Mandaluyong

Ryan Cayabyab (Music) 1954. - present

NATIONAL ARTIST FOR MUSIC (4 MAY 1954)
● Legal Name: Raymundo "Cipriano
Pujante Cayabyab
● composer, musician, conductor • BM
Maj in Theory, UP Diliman Coconut Place Amanpulo Resort, Palawan
● composed musical scores for
award-winning films, 10 full-length
Filipino musicals, full-length ballets, a
major opera, and a plethora of songs Pearl Farm Island
● songs: Tuwing Umuulan at Kapiling ka,
Da Coconut Nut, Paano Na Kaya
● musicals: Magnificat, Ang Larawan,
Katy, Spolarium

Shangri-La Hotel, Mactan Cebu
San Miguel Building, Mandaluyong
Resil Mojares (Literature) 1943 - present
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR LITERATURE
(4 SEPTEMBER 1943)
● multi-awarded Cebuano teacher,
scholar, fictionist, essayist, historian,
and literary critic
● works include: Origins and Rise of the
Filipino Novel; The War Against the
Americans
● books about eminent Filipinos:
Vicente Sotto, Pedro Paterno, Isabelo
delos Reyes, and Trinidad Pardo de
Tavera
● has won several National Book
Awards from the Manila Critics Circle
● founded the Cebuano Studies Center-a
library and research center dedicated
to Cebuano culture and history
Ramon Muzones (Literature) 1913 - 1992
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR LITERATURE
(20 MARCH 1913-17 AUGUST 1992)
● lawyer by profession
● preeminent name in West Visayan
fiction
● best known for his Hiligaynon novel
Margosatubig: The Story of
Salagunting, about a fictional Muslim
state in Mindanao and the struggles of
its hero to wrest it from the clutches
of usurpers; a tale that combines
intrigue, romance, pre-colonial lore,
fantasy, and adventure, it unfolded as
a series in the Hiligaynon magazine
Yuhum
● in 1989, he received the Gawad CCP
para sa Sining
● award was received by Dr. Ma. Cecilia
Locsin Nava, a passionate Muzones
scholar
Kidlat Tahimik (Film) 1942 - present
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR FILM
(3 OCTOBER 1942)
● Legal Name: Eric de Guia
● Baguio-based film director, writer,
actor, painter
● UP Diliman Alumnus
● regarded as the Father of Independent
Philippine Cinema
● known for creating films that
humorously but evocatively critique
neocolonialism garnered numerous
international and local awards for his
films
● Perfumed Nightmare (1977), won the
International Critics Award at the
Berlin Film Festival
● in 2009, he received the UP Gawad
Plaridel Award, the University of the
Philippines' highest award recognizing
achievements in media
Summary
 ● Seven giants in Philippine art and
culture were named National Artists
October 24, 2018 in a ceremony in
Malacañang. They are cartoonist Larry
Alcala, playwright Amelia Lapeña
Bonifacio, composer Ryan Cayabyab,
architect Francisco Mañosa, historian
and literary critic Resil Mojares,
fictionist Ramon Muzones, and
filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik.
● The Order of National Artists is the
highest recognition given by the
government to Filipinos who have
made significant contributions to the
development of Philippine arts. The
Philippine president names them
based on the recommendations of the
National Commission for Culture and
the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural
Center of the Philippines (CCP).
CAR 14: National Living Treasures Award:
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan
Modernization and globalization threaten the
cultural and artistic heritage of Philippine
indigenous communities.
Many members of Philippine tribal and
indigenous communities move to the city to seek
better economic opportunities.
Thus, they leave behind the rich and unique
language and practices that have thrived for
many years.
1992 Republic Act 7355:
National Living Treasures Award
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan
Through this law: The NCCA conducts the
search for the finest traditional artists of the land,
adopts a program that will ensure the transfer of
their skills to others, and undertakes measures
to promote a genuine appreciation of and instill
pride among our people about the genius of the
Manlilikha ng Bayan.
GAMABA Insignia
RECIPIENTS
● exemplary individuals whose life, works,
and identity are described as part of our
national character
● as Filipinos, they bring age-old customs,
crafts and ways of living to the attention
and appreciation of Filipino life
● they provide us with a vision of
ourselves and of our nation; a vision we
might be able to realize someday, once
we are given the opportunity to be true
to ourselves as these artists have
remained truthful to their art
● a citizen engaged in any traditional art
uniquely Filipino whose distinctive skills
have reached such a high level of
technical and artistic excellence and
have passed on to and widely practiced
by the present generation in his
community with the same degree of
technical and artistic competence
GUIDELINES:
a. an inhabitant of an indigenous/traditional
cultural community anywhere in the Philippines
that has preserved indigenous customs, beliefs,
rituals and traditions and/or syncretized
whatever external elements that have influenced
it
b. must have engaged in a folk art tradition that Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan
has been in existence and documented for at
least 50 years Ginaw Bilog
(January 3, 1953 - June 3, 2003)
c. must have consistently performed or
produced, over a significant period, works of Masino Intaray
superior and distinctive quality (April 10, 1943 - November 30, 2013)

d. must possess a mastery of tools and Samaon Sulaiman

materials needed by the art, and must have an (March 3, 1953 - May 21, 2011)
established reputation in the art as master and
maker of works of extraordinary technical quality Lang Dulay
(August 5, 1928 - April 30. 2013)
e. must have passed on and/or will pass on to
other members of the community their skills in Salinta Monon
the folk art for which the community is (December 12, 1920 - June 4, 2009)
traditionally known
Alonzo Saclag
(August 14, 1942)
A traditional artist who possesses all the
qualities of a Manlilikha ng Bayan candidate, but Federico Caballero
due to age or infirmity (deterioration) has left (December 25, 1938)
him incapable of teaching further his craft, may
still be recognized if the following are met… Darhata Sawabi
(March 12, 2005)
a. had created a significant body of works and/or
has consistently displayed excellence in the Haja Amina Appi
practice of his or her art, thus achieving (April 2, 2013)
important contributions for its development
Eduardo Mutuc
b. has been instrumental in the revitalization of (October 12, 1949)
his community's artistic tradition
Magdalena Gamayo
c. has passed on to the other members of the (August 13, 1924)
community skills in the folk art for which the
community is traditionally known Teofilo Garcia
(March 27, 1941)
d. his community has recognized him as master
and teacher of his craft UWANG AHADAS
(FEBRUARY 15, 1945)

AMBALANG AUSALIN
(MARCH 4. 1943)

ESTELITA BANTILAN
(OCTOBER 17. 1940)

YABING MASALON DULO

(AUGUST 8, 1914)
Summary
The National Living Treasures Award or Gawad
sa Manlilikha ng Bayan is a special honor given
to exemplary Filipinos who have lived a life in
the promotion of indigenous and folk art in the
country. Many of these art forms, such as
weaving, epic literature, and casque making, are
endangered due to the lure of globalization. The
works and efforts of these living treasures are
testaments to the rich and artistic heritage of
Filipinos, which need to be preserved and
protected.