Philippine National Artist

& GAMABA Awards

National Artist Award
Among the various institutional awards and recognition
instruments, the National Artists Award (NAA) bestows the
highest form of recognition to Filipino Artist for their
significant contributions in the arts and letters.

It shares the same prestige as GAMABA and National Scientist

Award.
National Artist Award
The award is conferred every 3 years through a rigorous
deliberation and selection process jointly facilitated by two
major cultural offices, the National Commission on Culture
and the Arts (NCAA) and Cultural Center of the Philippines
(CCP)

NAA was established in 1972 under Presidential Decree No.

1001 issued by then-President Ferdinand Marcos. The first
recipient was Fernando Amorsolo, who has conferred the
award posthumously.
NAA Categories:
Much has changed since the institutionalization of the award.
As of this writing, the roster has included 66 awardees from
seven disciplinal areas, namely:

a. Music- singing, composition, direction, and/or performance;

b. Dance- choreography, direction and/or performance
c. Theater- direction, performance and/or production design;
d. Visual Arts- painting, sculpture, printmaking, photography,
installation art, mixed media works, illustration, graphic arts,
performance art and/or imaging;
a. Literature – poetry, fiction, essay, playwriting, journalism and/or
literary criticism;
b. Film and Broadcasting/Broadcast Arts – direction, writing,
production design, cinematography, editing, camera work,
and/or performance; and
c. Architecture, Design and Allied Arts – architecture design,
interior design, industrial arts design, landscape architecture and
fashion design.

In the history of the NAA, other categories have been considered by

virtue of the president’s prerogative, among them, historical
literature, and fashion design.
NAA Qualifications:
The National Artists of the Philippines is based on a broad criterion,
as set forth by the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the
National Commission on Culture and the Arts:

• Living artists who have been Filipino citizens for the last ten
years prior to nomination as well as those who have died after
the establishment of the award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens
at the time of their death;
NAA Qualifications:
• Artists who have helped build a Filipino sense of nationhood
through the content and form of their works;

• Artists who have distinguished themselves by pioneering in a

mode of creative expression or style, making an impact on
succeeding generations of artists;
NAA Qualifications:
• Artists who have created a significant body of works and/or
have consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their
art form, enriching artistic expression or style; and

• Artists who enjoy broad acceptance through prestigious

national and/or international recognition, awards in prestigious
national and/or international events, critical acclaim and/or
reviews of their works, and/or respect and esteem from peers
within an artistic discipline.
Benefits of being a National Artist
• The rank and title of National Artist, as
proclaimed by the President of the Philippines
Benefits of being a National Artist
• The INSIGNIA of a NATIONAL ARTIST and a
CITATION.
Benefits of being a National Artist
• A lifetime emolument and material and physical
benefits :
a) A cash award of two hundred thousand pesos
(₱200,000.00) net of taxes, for living
awardees
Benefits of being a National Artist
b) A cash award of one hundred fifty thousand
pesos (₱150,000.00) net of taxes, for
posthumous awardees, payable to legal heir/s;

c) A minimum lifetime personal monthly

stipend of P30,000.00, medical and
hospitalization benefits
Benefits of being a National Artist
d) Life insurance coverage for Awardees who are still
insurable
e) A state funeral and burial at the Libingan ng mga
Bayani
f) A place of honor, in line with protocolar
precedence, at national state functions, &
recognition at cultural events.
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA)
The National Living Treasures Award, alternatively known
as the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA; lit. Award
for the Creators of the Country) is conferred to a person
or group of artists recognized by the Government of the
Philippines for their contributions to the country’s
intangible cultural heritage. This award was
institutionalized by 1992 Republic Act No. 7355, with the
NCCA in charge of its implementation.
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA)
A recipient of the award, known as a
National Living Treasures or Manlilikha ng
Bayan is defined as “a Filipino citizen or
group of Filipino citizens engaged in any
traditional art uniquely Filipino, whose
distinctive skills have reached such a high
level of technical and artistic excellence and
have been passed on to and widely
practiced by the present generations in
their community with the same degree of
technical and artistic competence.”
NLT/GAMABA Categories:
a. Weaving (Fiber, Mat & Textile)
b. Carving
c. Performing Arts
d. Literature
e. Graphic and Plastic Arts
f. Pottery
GAMABA Qualifications:
To become a Gawad ng Manlilikha ng Bayan, an individual or group
candidate must:

• Be an inhabitant of an indigenous/traditional cultural

community anywhere in the Philippines that has preserved
indigenous customs, beliefs, rituals and traditions and or has
effectively indigenized whatever external elements that have
influenced it.
GAMABA Qualifications:
• Have engaged in a folk art tradition that has been in existence
and documented for at least 50 years.

• Have consistently performed or produced over a significant

period, works of superior quality and distinctive quality.

• 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.
GAMABA Qualifications:
• In case when a candidate is incapable of teaching further
his/her craft and skill due to age or infirmity:
a. He should have created a significant body of work and has
contributed to the development of the tradition and craft.
b. He should have played a role in the preservation and
revitalization of the artistic tradition in the community.
c. He has been recognized as a master of his/her craft and
admired for his character and integrity in his community.
Benefits of being a GAMABA Awardee
• The rank and title of National
Living Treasures Award of
manlilikha ng Bayan.
• GAMABA Plaque
• GAMABA gold-plated medallion
by Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas,
Benefits of being a National Living Treasure
• Minimum cash award of ₱200,000.00,
net of taxes
• Minimum lifetime personal monthly
stipend of ₱50,000.00
• Medical and hospitalization benefits not
exceeding ₱750,000.00 per year
Benefits of being a National Living Treasure
• A state funeral upon his/her death at the
Libingan ng mga Bayani (should they choose)
• A place of honor, in line with protocol
precedence, in state functions, national
commemoration ceremonies and all other
cultural presentations.
Activity 1
NATIONAL ARTIST CRITERIA GAMABA
Year of
establishment and in
charge

Categories

Qualifications

Benefits
Activity 2
1. Make a Top Hat Organizer and share to the class the
similarities and differences of a National Artist and
GAMABA.

2. Choose 1 National Artist and 1 GAMABA AWARDEE

-Birth & Death
-Category of Art
-Major Artwork
Top Hat Organizer
National Artist GAMABA

Similarities
Homework National Artist/GAMABA

1. Search for the process in

selecting NAA and GAMABA, and
make a sequence organizer (1 for
National Artist and 1 for
GAMABA) You can make a copy
of the organizer in a separate
sheet of bond paper.

2. Submit next meeting.

Step 1 First Step of the Process