Gawad Manlilikha
ng Bayan
NATIONAL LIVING TREASURE AWARD
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan
National Living Treasures Award
Republic Act No. 7355
April 1992
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)
The highest policy-making and coordinating body for
culture and the arts of the State
National Commission for Culture and
the Arts (NCCA)
• 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
Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan Committee
and ad hoc panel of experts
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan
First awarded in 1993 to three outstanding
artists in music and poetry
has its roots in the 1988 National Folk Artists
Award organized by the Rotary Club of Makati-
Ayala
EMBLEM
How does one become a Manlilikha
ng Bayan?
• To become a “Manlilikha ng Bayan”, the candidate must
possess the following qualifications:
A. Should be a Filipino citizen or group of citizens belonging to an
indigenous / traditional cultural community anywhere in the
Philippines, engaged in Filipino traditional art in the following
categories: folk architecture, maritime transport, weaving, carving,
performing arts, literature, graphic and plastic arts, ornament, textile or
fiber art, pottery and other artistic expressions of traditional culture;
How does one become a Manlilikha
ng Bayan?
b. He/she must have engaged in a folk art tradition that has
been in existence and documented for at least fifty (50) years.
c. He/she must have consistently performed or produced
over a significant period, works of superior and distinctive
quality.
How does one become a Manlilikha
ng Bayan?
d. He/she must possess a mastery of tools and materials
needed by the art, and must have an established reputation in
the art as master and maker of works of extraordinary
technical quality.
e. He/she must have passed on and/or will pass on to other
members of the community their skills in the folk art for which
the community is traditionally known.
Exceptions:
a. He/she had created a significant body of works and/or has
consistently displayed excellence in the practice of his/her
art, thus achieving important contributions for its
development.
b. He/she has been instrumental in the revitalization of his/her
community’s artistic tradition.
c. He/she has passed on to the other members of the
community skills in the folk art for which the community is
traditionally known.
d. d. His/her community has recognized him/her as master and
teacher of his/her craft.
Categories
The Award shall be given in each, but not limited to the following
categories of traditional folk arts, viz.:
folk architecture,
maritime transport,
weaving carving,
performing arts,
literature,
graphic and plastic arts,
ornament,
textile or fiber art,
pottery and other artistic expressions of traditional culture.
Process
• The Panel
• Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts
• Office of the Muslim Affairs (OMA)
• National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP)
• The Nominations
• Ad hoc panel of experts
• Sub commissions on cultural communities and traditional arts
• Government and private institutions, universities
• Persons knowledgeable of any categories
Process
• The Screening
• Re-evaluates
• President of the Philippines
What are the incentives received by
the awardee?
A Manlilikha ng Bayan awardee receives:
specially designed gold medallion,
an initial grant of P100,000 and
P10,000 monthly stipend for life.
