MODULE 5

CPAR

THE NATIONAL ARTISTS AWARD

Considered as the highest national recognition, the Order of the National Artists Award (Orden ng
Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) recognizes 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. Established under
Proclamation No. 1001 dated April 27, 1972, 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
award is conferred every three (3) years through a rigorous deliberation and selection process.

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.

OBJECTIVES of the Award

The Order of National Artists aims to recognize:

• Filipino artists who have made significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the country.

• Filipino artistic accomplishment at its highest level and to promote creative expression as
significant to the development of a national cultural identity.

• Filipino artists who have dedicated their lives to their works to forge new paths and directions for
future generations of Filipino artists.

HONORS AND PRIVILEGES

The rank and title of National Artist, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines;

1. The National Artist gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and
citation; 2. Lifetime emolument and material and physical benefits comparable in value to those
received by the highest officers of the land such as:

a. A minimum cash award of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (P200,000.00), net of taxes for living
awardees and a minimum cash award of One Hundred Fifty https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Na
tional_Artist_of_the_Philippines Thousand Pesos (P150,000.00), net of taxes for posthumous
awardees, payable to legal heir/s;

b. A minimum lifetime personal monthly stipend of Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,000.00). The
above-mentioned privileges shall be given effective January 1, 2013.

c. Life insurance coverage for Awardees who are still insurable;

d. A State Funeral benefit not exceeding P500,000.00.

e. A place of honor, in line with protocular precedence, in state functions, national commemoration
ceremonies and all other cultural presentations.

NOMINATION PROCEDURE

The National Artist Award Secretariat shall announce the opening of nominations through media
releases and letters to qualified organizations. Candidates may be nominated under one or more of
the following categories:

1. Dance – choreography, direction and/or performance.

2. Music – composition, direction, and/or performance.

3. Theater – direction, performance and/or production design.

4. Visual Arts – painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography, installation art, mixed media
works, illustration, graphic arts, performance art and/or imaging.

5. Literature – poetry, fiction, essay, playwriting, journalism and/or literary criticism.

6. Film and Broadcast Arts – direction, writing, production design, cinematography, editing,
camera work, and/or performance.

7. Architecture, Design and Allied Arts – architecture design, interior design, industrial arts design,
landscape architecture and fashion design

National Artist Award Controversies Since the creation of the awards in 1972, almost all presidents
have bypassed the recommendation of the NCCA-CCP and favored some personalities over
nominees. Even the National Artist awards are not spared from politics and controversies. Here are
some of them:

• 1982: Ferdinand Marcos - Carlos P. Romulo (for literature)

• 1997: Fidel V. Ramos created a new category – historical literature – Carlos Quirino

• 1999: Joseph Estrada - Ernani Cuenco for Music

• 2003: Gloria Macapagal Arroyo named writer Alejandro Roces a National Artist for Literature

• 2006: Arroyo conferred the award on the late Senator Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo (for writing
poetry and translating plays) and sculptor and painter Abdulmari Asia Imao as a form of "political
accommodation “. • 2009: Arroyo named as National Artists filmmaker Carlo Magno Jose Caparas,
theater stalwart Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa, and fashion
designer Jose “Pitoy” Moreno – all not part of the shortlist given by the NCCA-CCP.

National Artists’ Works in Public Places and Collaborations

The Monastery of Transfiguration, which is located on a hill in Brgy. San Jose, Malaybalay City
Bukidnon, was designed by the national artist Architect Leandro Locsin and was inaugurated in
1983. As history says, the pyramid structure of the monastery was dubbed as a “Magnum Opus”
which means “Great Work”. The Monastery is a place of peace, guidance and prayer, where people
enjoy the location's prosperity and intimacy of nature during prayer and thanksgiving.

Napoleon Abueva is the sculptor’s sculptor because of his mastery of various techniques and styles,
such as wood and stone carving, clay modeling and metal casting, and assemblage, among others. A
perfect example is his "COA Monument", which is a masterpiece outside the Commission on Audit
in Quezon City that was completed in 1977.

Vicente Manansala is considered one of the pioneers of modernism in the Philippines, and his
“transparent cubism” style broke off from its European influence to feature Filipiñana themes and
rainbowed palettes. His lively creations brought on many commissions for government and private
institutions, such as the mural series at the Philam Life in Manila and the International Rice
Research Institute in Los Baños, which are all now housed at the National Museum.

The mural “Inang Bayan” is one of the most controversial commissions of Vicente Manansala. In
1975, founding chairman of the Philippine Heart Center for Asia and former First Lady Imelda
Marcos commissioned the artist to create the mural for the lobby of the hospital’s Medical Arts
Building. The mural depicts the former First Lady as the mother of the country (Inang Bayan)
which sparked uproar from militant groups against the Marcoses.

Arturo Luz is better known for his paintings of simplified linear figures and totally abstract forms.
However, Luz would continue his abstract experimentations in various sculptural pieces, such as
"Anito" at the Batasang Pambansa Complex, and “Homage to Noguchi” at the Ayala Center in
Makati City.

Carlos “Botong” Francisco, whose style is undeniably unique, coupled with his impeccable skill in
telling complex stories in multiple panels that blend into each other, makes him one of the highly
celebrated artists in the country. One of his creations is "The life of Sto. Domingo de Guzman"
which can be found on the walls of Sto. Domingo Church, Quezon City.

It is not often that you see a painting of Fernando Amorsolo in public, with the exception of
museums. Among his notable public works is his “Lapu-lapu” that can be found at the lobby of the
Manila Hotel. Here, he shows the chieftain of Mactan, standing defiantly and watching as the ships
of Magellan approach his shores, while the people go about their business for the day.

Not only in public places that we can see important art pieces of our National Artists, but a good
number of these works are also housed in university campuses. One such example is the University
of the Philippines (UP) campus in Diliman. The iconic symbol of UP is based on the oblation, which
was created in 1935, a sculptural work by the classically trained sculptor Guillermo Tolentino. The
symbol depicts a male nude with arm outstretched as a gesture of sacrifice and freedom.

The renowned Fernando Amorsolo, on the other hand, who was a proponent of the academic
tradition in visual arts, specifically painting, created romantic paintings of Philippine landscapes
and portraits of prominent individuals from the Commonwealth period, and World War II which
are now displayed in Jorge B. Vargas Museum in UP.

Abdulmari Asia Imao's (2006) calligraphic work done in the 80's can be seen at the sculpture
garden of the Vargas Museum, which is considered to be one of the largest public sculptures he
made.

Benedict Cabrera's (2006) iconic Variations of Sabel, 2015 which is made of aluminum sheets, can
also be found at the UP Theater.

The painter Jose Joya (2003) and sculptor Napoleon Abueva (1976) produced commissioned works
that have become part of UP’s visual heritage. Joya’s mural in the Virata School of Business, titled
“Barter of Panay”, 1978, is rendered in the Abstract Expressionist style. Without rendering human
forms, the solid color palette establishes links to the legend, referencing the trade between Datu
Puti and King Marikudo. Fronting the same school is where Abueva's abstract sculpture "Spirit of
Business" 1979, is located, which is composed of metal disk with sharplooking poles jutting through
it.

Renowned artists have done quite a number of collaborations with their fellows to come up with an
extraordinary work of art. There have been outstanding collaborations among our national artists
through the years. Let’s get to know some of these masterpieces.

The Church of the Holy Sacrifice in UP Diliman, credited as the first Catholic Church in the
country to employ a circular architecture with a thin shell dome, was a collaboration of five
National Artists. The church is recognized as a National Historical Landmark as well as a Cultural
Treasure by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and the National Museum,
respectively.

Leandro Locsin (1990) designed the structure reminiscent of a flying saucer in which the spherical
structure indicated a keen interest in space travel, and the advancements in science and technology
in the 1950s.

Hanging above the circular altar positioned at the center is a double-sided crucifix carved in
hardwood by Napoleon Abueva (1976), one side depicts Christ crucified, while an image of the
resurrected Christ is on the other vantage point.

Another work done in the modernist style called “River of Life” is a terrazzo floor work by Arturo
Luz (1997) suggesting flowing rivers that terminate in the altar as a whirling pattern of planar
forms.

Vicente Manansala (1981), a cubist painter and illustrator, did the mural paintings of the 15
Stations of the Cross, with the assistance of Ang Kiukok (2001), also known for his cubist-like
works.

This cutting-edge structure of the period housed a performance in 1968 led by the equally avant-
garde composer, musician, and ethnomusicologist Jose Maceda (1997). Maceda's Pagsamba
involved a hundred mixed voices, indigenous musical instruments such as bamboo buzzers,
clappers, and whistle flutes; while incorporating a prayer sung in Tagalog. While artists may create
work independently, artistic collaborations help develop projects involving elaborate production
work, as in case of film or theater.

The actor, filmmaker, and producer, Manuel Conde (2009) worked with Carlos Francisco (1973) in
many of his films. One of these films was the acclaimed Genghis Khan in 1950, which told the epic
adventure of a Mongolian conqueror. Filmed in Francisco's hometown, Angono, Rizal, it showed
Francisco's imaginative production design which enriched Conde's cinematic vision.

The pop-rock opera Tales of Manuvu that was performed at the CCP in 1985 also benefitted from
the efforts of several National Artists. Bienvenido Lumbera (2006) a scholar, poet, and teacher, who
recounted the origins of the Manobo people, wrote the libretto. Alice Reyes (2014), National Artists
for Dance, founder of Ballet Philippines, choreographed the performance. National Artist for
Theater Salvador Bernal (2003) took charge of the costume and set design.

The combined drawings and stories popularized by the prolific Francisco V. Coching (2014) in
comics, have inspired filmmakers to create adaptation on the big screen. Before the emergence of
the so-called fantaserye on national television in the late 90s, the young superhero Pedro Penduko
first appeared in Coching's work in Liwayway comics, and animated into film by Gerardo de Leon
(1982) in 1954.

Nick Joaquin (1976), a playwright, poet, and novelist wrote Portrait of the Artist as Filipino in
1950. This was adapted for film in 1965 by Lamberto Avellana (1976). His wife, the actress,
director, and writer Daisy Hontiveros Avellana (1999), played the lead character in both film and
theater.

National Artists of the Philippines

THE ROSTER OF NATIONAL ARTISTS

1. Fernando Amorsolo (++) 1972 Painting

2. Francisca R. Aquino (+) 1973 Dance

3. Carlos V. Francisco (++) 1973 Painting

4. Amado V. Hernandez (++) 1973 Literature

5. Antonio J. Molina (+) 1973 Music

6. Juan F. Nakpil (+) 1973 Architecture

7. Guillermo E. Tolentino (+) 1973 Sculpture

8. Jose Garcia Villa (+) 1973 Literature

9. Napoleon V. Abueva 1976 Sculpture

10. Lamberto V. Avellana (+) 1976 Theater and Film

11. Leonor O. Goquingco (+) 1976 Dance

12. Nick Joaquin (+) 1976 Literature

13. Jovita Fuentes (+) 1976 Music

14. Victorio C. Edades (+) 1976 Painting

15. Pablo S. Antonio (++) 1976 Architecture

16. Vicente S. Manansala (++) 1981 Painting

17. Carlos P. Romulo (+) 1982 Literature

18. Gerardo de Leon (++) 1982 Film

19. Honorata “Atang” dela Rama (++) 1987 Theater and Music

20. Antonio R. Buenaventura (+) 1988 Music

21. Lucrecia R. Urtula (+) 1988 Dance

22. Lucrecia R. Kasilag (+) 1989 Music

23. Francisco Arcellana (+) 1990 Literature

24. Cesar Legaspi (+) 1990 Visual Arts

25. Leandro V. Locsin (+) 1990 Architecture

26. Hernando R. Ocampo (++) 1991 Visual Arts

27. Lucio D. San Pedro (+) 1991 Music

28. Lino Brocka (++) 1997 Cinema

29. Felipe D. De Leon (++) 1997 Music

30. Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero (++) 1997 Theater

31. Rolando S. Tinio (++) 1997 Theater & Literature

32. Levi Celerio (+) 1997 Music & Literature

33. N.V.M. Gonzales (++) 1997 Literature

34. Arturo Luz 1997 Visual Arts

35. Jose Maceda (+) 1997 Music

36. Carlos Quirino (+) 1997 Historical Literature

37. J. Elizalde Navarro (++) 1999 Painting

38. Prof. Andrea Veneracion (+) 1999 Music

39. Edith L. Tiempo (+) 1999 Literature

40. Daisy Avellana (+) 1999 Theater

41. Ernani Cuenco (++) 1999 Music

42. F. Sionil Jose 2001 Literature

43. Ang Kiukok (+) 2001 Visual Arts

44. Ishmael Bernal (++) 2001 Film

45. Severino Montano (++) 2001 Theater

46. Jose T. Joya (++) 2003 Visual Arts (Painting)

47. Virgilio S. Almario 2003 Literature

48. Alejandro Roces (+) 2003 Literature

49. Eddie S. Romero (+) 2003 Film & Broadcast Arts

50. Salvador F. Bernal (+) 2003 Theater & Design

51. Ben Cabrera 2006 Visual Arts

52. Abdulmari Asia Imao 2006 Visual Arts

53. Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera 2006 Literature

54. Ramon Obusan (+) 2006 Dance

55. Fernando Poe Jr. (++) 2006 Film

56. Archt. Ildefonso Santos, Jr. (+) 2006 Landscape Architecture

57. Ramon Valera (++) 2006 Fashion Design

58. Manuel Conde* (++) 2009 Cinema

59. Lazaro A. Francisco* (++) 2009 Literature

60. Federico Aguilar Alcuaz* (++) 2009 Visual Arts

61. Alice Reyes 2014 Dance

62. Francisco V. Coching (++) 2014 Visual Arts

63. Cirilo F. Bautista 2014 Literature

64. Francisco F. Feliciano (++) 2014 Music

65. Ramon P. Santos 2014 Music

66. Jose Maria V. Zaragoza (++) 2014 Architecture

67. Ryan Cayabyab 2018 Music

68. Francisco Mañosa (+) 2018 Architecture and Allied Arts

69. Ramon Muzones (++) 2018 Literature

70. Resil Mojares 2018 Literature

71. Larry Alcala (++) 2018 Visual Arts

72. Amelia Lapeña Bonifacio 2018 Theater

73. Kidlat Tahimik 2018 Film and Broadcast Arts