THE NATIONAL ARTISTS AWARD

The Order of the National Artists Award (Orden ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is the highest
national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development
of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and
Architecture and Allied Arts. The order is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and
the Arts (NCCA) and Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and conferred by the President of the
Philippines upon recommendation by both institutions.

The Order of National Artists Award is one of the honors conferred by the Republic of the Philippines that
embodies the nation’s highest ideals in the humanities and aesthetic expression through the distinct
achievements of individual citizens. While the Republic bestows due recognition to these singular
achievements, it also honors its own cultural heritage, whose enrichment these achievements have
significantly effected, enhanced, and given direction.

These achievements are measured in terms of their vision, unusual insight, creativity and imagination,
technical proficiency of the highest order in expressing Filipino culture and traditions, history, way of life,
and aspirations.

Roster of National Artists

National Artist Year of Conferment Category

Fernando C. Amorsolo 1972 Visual Arts

Francisca Reyes Aquino 1973 Dance

Carlos V. Francisco 1973 Visual Arts

Amado V. Hernandez 1973 Literature

Antonio J. Molina 1973 Music

Juan F. Nakpil 1973 Architecture

Guillermo E. Tolentino 1973 Visual Arts

Jose Garcia Villa 1973 Literature

Napoleon V. Abueva 1976 Visual Arts

Pablo S. Antonio 1976 Architecture

Lamberto V. Avellana 1976 Theater/Film

Victorio C. Edades 1976 Visual Arts

Jovita Fuentes 1976 Music

Leonor Orosa Goquingco 1976 Dance

Nick Joaquin 1976 Literature

Vicente S. Manansala 1981 Visual Arts

Gerardo de Leon 1982 Film

Carlos P. Romulo 1982 Literature

Honorata “Atang” de la 1987 Theater/Music

Rama

Antonino R. 1988 Music

Buenaventura

Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula 1988 Dance

Lucrecia R. Kasilag 1989 Music

Francisco Arcellana 1990 Literature

Cesar T. Legaspi 1990 Visual Arts

Leandro V. Locsin 1990 Architecture

Hernando R. Ocampo 1991 Visual Arts

Lucio D. San Pedro 1991 Music

Lino O. Brocka 1997 Film/Broadcast Arts

Levi Celerio 1997 Music/Literature

Felipe Padilla de Leon 1997 Music

N.V.M. Gonzalez 1997 Literature

Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero 1997 Theater

Arturo R. Luz 1997 Visual Arts

Jose M. Maceda 1997 Music

Carlos L. Quirino 1997 Historical Literature

Rolando S. Tinio 1997 Theater/Literature

Daisy H. Avellana 1999 Theater

Ernani J. Cuenco 1999 Music

J. Elizalde Navarro 1999 Visual Arts

Edith L. Tiempo 1999 Literature

Andrea O. Veneracion 1999 Music

Ang Kiukok 2001 Visual Arts

Ishmael Bernal 2001 Film

F. Sionil Jose 2001 Literature

Severino Montano 2001 Theater

Virgilio S. Almario 2003 Literature

Salvador F. Bernal 2003 Theater and Design

Jose T. Joya 2003 Visual Arts

Alejandro R. Roces 2003 Literature

Eddie Romero 2003 Film/Broadcast Arts

Bienvenido Lumbera 2006 Literature

Ramon A. Obusan 2006 Dance

Benedicto R. Cabrera 2006 Visual Arts

Ildefonso P. Santos Jr. 2006 Architecture

Ronald Allan K. Poe 2006 Film

(Fernando Poe Jr.)

Ramon Valera 2006 Fashion Design

Abdulmari Asia Imao 2006 Visual Arts