MODULE 15: NATIONAL LIVING TREASURES AWARD: GAWAD SA MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN

(PERFORMING ARTS)
Most of the country's performing arts are heavily influenced by the Spanish and American colonizers. Despite
the threats of media and globalization, Filipinos still perform folkdances and songs as part of exercising their cultural
identity and heritage.
The National Living Treasures Award or Gawad sa Manlilikha Ng Bayan recognizes Filipinos who show
distinctive skills and talents in performing arts.
1. Masino Intaray (1943-2013)
- Intaray was a native of Makagwa Valley in Brookes Point of Palawan. He was not just an exceptional poet
but a musician, an epic chanter and a story teller.
- His extraordinary skills and talent for playing various customary music instruments included basal,
kulilal and bagit.
- Intarays unparalleled creative talent, powerful memory clear intellect and profound spirituality allowed
him to chant.
2. Samaon Sulaiman (1953-2011)
- Sulaiman was a master and teacher of kudyapi in Libutan.
- The kudyapi of Mindanao is one of the sophisticated Philippine Musical Instruments. His expertise in
playing kudyapi was evident in broad repertoire that included binalig, linapi minna and dinalacay.
- He is also skilled in handling other Philippine traditional instruments such as the kulintang, agong,
palendag, gandingan and tambul.
- His contribution to Philippine culture and arts was through his dedication in teaching how to play
kudyapi. He was also a popular town barber and served as an imam in the Libutan Mosque.
3. Alonzo Saclag
- Alonzo Saclag is a native from Lubugan, Kalinga. He is a master of dance and the performing arts. The
Kalinga people take pride in his incredible skills and talents because he mastered not only the Kalinga
musical instruments but also the dance movement associated with his people's practice. He learned to
hone through observation without receiving instructions.
- His contribution to figure folk art and culture is in heading the establishment of Kalinga Budong Dance
Troupe that tours here and abroad to represent and initiate the Kalinga performing arts.
4. Uwang Ahadas
- Uwang Ahadas belongs to the Yakan, an indigenous tribe with high reverence to instrumental music as it
is related to life and Agricultural cycles and social undertakings.
- He is an incredible artist from Lamitan, Basilan.
- He has near blindness but this inability did not hinder him from honing his craft. As a matter of fact, his
disability drew him to music Ahadas was a hands-on teacher to fascinated and dedicated individuals who
wish to play Yakan instruments which includes the famous kwintangan, kayu, and tuntungan.