Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

Concept Note #3

Artist
One who professes and practices an imaginative art.
National Artist
a Filipino who has made a significant contribution to the development of Philippine arts in the field of
Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Architecture

ORDER OF NATIONAL ARTISTS

 It has been established by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 1001 s. 1972.

 The Order of National Artists is the highest award conferred by the President of the Philippines
to the nation’s artists.

ORDER OF NATIONAL ARTISTS CATEGORIES

1. Music

2. Dance

3. Theater

4. Visual Arts

5. Film and Broadcast Arts

6. Literature

7. Architecture, Design, and Allied Arts

What does it take to be a National Artist?

1. Living Artist 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.

2. The content and form of their work have procured in building a Filipino sense of nationhood.

3. An artist who have developed a mode of creative expression or style and living a legend on
succeeding generations of artists.

4. An artist who manifest excellence in the practice of their art form.

5. The artwork made has attained an international and national recognition.

Benefits of a National Artists

1. The rank and title of National Artist, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines.
2. A grand collar of the Order of National Artist and a citation.
 3. A lifetime emolument and material and physical benefits comparable in value to those received
by the highest officers of the land such as:
a. a cash Award of one hundred thousand pesos (₱100,000.00) net of taxes, for living
b. a cash Award of seventy-five thousand pesos (₱75,000.00) net of taxes, for posthumous
awardees, payable to legal heir/s;
c. a monthly life pension, medical and hospitalization benefits; life insurance coverage for
Awardees who are still insurable,
d. a state funeral and burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani,
e. a place of honor, in line with protocolar precedence, at national state functions, and
recognition at cultural events.

The National Artists of the Philippines

Music- - is considered to be the least tangible of the arts. It is defined as an arrangement of sounds to
create a continuous and unified composition.

A. National Artists for Music

1. Antonio J. Molina (†)
Date of Award: 1973
Known as the “Dean of Filipino Composers”,
Popular Works: Hatinggabi, Ang Batingaw, Kundiman-Kandungan.

2. Jovita Fuentes (†)

Date of Award: 1976
Founded Asociacion Musica de Filipinas, The Artists’ Guild of the Philippines.
She was best known of her portrayal of Cio-cio San in Giacomo Puccini’s Madame Butterfly at
Italy’s Teatro Municipale di Piacenza.

3. Honorata “Atang” dela Rama (†)

Date of Award: 1987
Formally honored as the Queen of Kundiman in 1979.
She writes her own sarswelas: Anak ni Eba, Aking Ina, Puri at Buhay.

4. Antonino R. Buenaventura (†)

Date of Award: 1988
Popular Works: Minuet, Pandanggo sa Ilaw, Echoes from the Philippines, Ode to Freedom.

5. Lucrecia R. Kasilag (†)

Date of Award: 1989
Popular Works: Love Songs, Legend of the Sarimanok, Ang Pamana.

6. Lucio D. San Pedro Sr. (†)

Date of Award: 1991
Popular Works: Sa Ugoy ng Duyan (co-writer), Lahing Kayumanggi.
7. Felipe Padilla de Leon (††)
Date of Award: 1997
Popular Works:
Translator of the Spanish Philippine National Anthem to its Tagalog version “Lupang
Hinirang”, Ako’y Pilipino, Lupang Tinubuan, Ama Namin.

8. Levi Celerio (†)

Date of Award: 1997
Popular Works:
Guinness Book of Records Holder for being the only leaf-player in the world; Maligayang
Pasko at Manigong Bagong Taon, Ikaw, Sa Ugoy ng Duyan (co-writer)

9. Jose Maceda (†)

Date of Award: 1997
Popular Works: Known for composing his own pieces for Southeast Asian musical instruments:
Ugma-Ugma, Pagsamba, Cassette 100, Ugnayan.

10. Ernani Joson Cuenco (†)

Date of Award: 1999
Popular Works: Inang Bayan, Bato sa Buhangin, Gaano Kita Kamahal; Musical Scores of Ang
Panday, The Killing of Satan.

11. Andrea O. Veneracion (†)

Date of Award: 1999
She is recognized as an authority on choral music and performance and served as adjudicator in
international music competitions.

12. Francisco Feliciano (†)

Date of Award: 2014
Popular Works: La Loba Negra, Pokpok Alimpako, Yerma.

13. Ramon Santos

Date of Award: 2014
Popular Works: Ding Ding Nga Diwaya, Ang Hardin ni Ligaya, Ang Puting Waling-Waling

14. Ryan Cayabyab

Date of Award: 2018
Conductor, Composer, Arranger, Pianist, Singer.
His Major works include Rama-Hari (Two-act musical ballet, 1980), Spoliarium (Three-act
opera, 2003), Da Coconut Nut, Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika.

15. Fides Cuyugan-Asensio

Date of Award: 2022
 She sang as Coloratura Soprano and appeared in the world premieres of Filipino operas such as
Ramon Santos' Mapulang Bituin, Kasilag's Dularawan, and also voiced Sisa in Felipe de Leon's
Noli Me Tangere in the 1950s and 1960s.

Dance- It is an art form involving a series of rhythmic human movements that are purposefully selected.

B. National Artists for Dance

1. Francisca Reyes Aquino (†)
Date of Award: 1973
Popular Works:
Researches of Philippines Folk Dances and known as Mother of Philippine Folk Dancing.

2. Francisca Reyes Aquino (†)

Date of Award: 1973
Popular Works: Researches of Philippines Folk Dances and known as Mother of Philippine
Dancing.

3. Lucrecia Reyes Urtula (†)

Date of Award: 1988
Popular Works: Choreography of folk and ethnic dance for the Bayanihan Dance Company.

4. Ramon Obusan (†)

Date of Award: 2006
Popular Works: Founder of Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Vamos A Belen! Series; Noon
Po sa Amin.

5. Alice Garcia Reyes

Date of Award: 2014
Popular Works: Founder of Ballet Philippines; Amanda, Itim-Asu, Bayanihan Remembered

6. Agnes Locsin
Date of Award: 2022
Popular Works:
She is dubbed as one of the “most progressive contemporary choreographers in the
Philippines,” Babaylan, Taong-Talangka, Salome, Labaw Dungon.

Visual Arts- It refers to art forms that express their message, meaning and emotion through visual
means.

C. National Artists for Visual Arts

1. Fernando Amorsolo (††)
Date of Award: 1972
First National Artist for Painting Category in the year 1972
Grand Old Man of Philippine Art.
 Palay Maiden, Fruit Pickers Harvesting Under the Mango Tree, El Cigeo or The Blind Mind.

2. Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco (††)

Date of Award: 1973
Better known as Botong Francisco.
Famous Works:Planting of the first cross, Filipino Struggles in History, The Martyrdom of
Rizal, and First Mass at Limasawa.

3. Guillermo E. Tolentino (†)

Date of Award: 1973
National Artist of the Philippines for Sculpture.
Famous Works: U.P Oblation (Symbolizes Freedom and Public Service), The Bonifacio
Monument in Caloocan (Symbolizes Filipino’s Cry for Freedom) President Quezon at
Quezon Memorial.

4. Victorio C. Edades (†)

Date of Award: 1976
Father of Modern Art in the Philippines.
Famous Works: The Sketch 1928 & The Builders 1928

5. Napoleon V. Abueva (†)

Date of Award: 1973
Was the youngest National Artist Awardee
Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture
Famous Works: Siyam na Diwata ng Sining, Blood Compact Monument, The
Transfiguration

6. Cesar Legaspi (†)

Date of Award: 1990
Pioneer of “Neo-Realist” of the country
Famous Works: Tree Planting, Man and Woman, and Morning Dance.

7. Vicente Manansala (††)

Date of Award: 1981
Filipino Cubist Painter and Illustrator.
Famous Works: Tiangge, Kalabaw, Bayanihan, Luksong-Tinik.

8. Hernando R. Ocampo (††)

Date of Award: 1991
Self-taught painter.
Famous Works: Ina ng Balon, Calvary, Man and The Carabao, Palayok at Kalan.

9. Arturo Luz
Date of Award: 1997
 Painter, Sculptor, and designer for more than 40 years.
Famous Works: Bagon Taom, Candle Vendors, Cities of the Past.

10. Jerry Navarro Elizalde (†)

Date of Award: 1999
Famous Works: Passengers on the Central Station, I’m sorry Jesus I can’t attend Christmas
this year, The Frog Dance, and The Ilongot War Dance.

11. Ang Kiukok (†)

Date of Award: 2001
Famous Works: Angry Figure, Geometric Landscape, Pieta, Crucifixion, and Seated Figure.

12. Jose T. Joya (††)

Date of Award: 2003
Famous Works: Abstract paintings such as Hills of Nikko, Granadean Arabesque, and
Dimension of Fear.

13. Abdulmari Asia Imao (†)

Date of Award: 2006
Famous Works: Sarimanok Paintings and Sculptures.

14. Benedicto R. Cabrera

Date of Award: 2006
Known as: Ben Cab
Famous Works: Sabel in Blue, Yellow Confetti, and The Oriental Fan

15. Federico Aguillar Alcuaz (†)

Date of Award: 2009
Famous Works: Tres Marias, Still Life, and Manila 1968

16. Francisco Coching (††)

Date of Award: 2014
Dean of Philippine Comics
Famous Works: The Adventures of Pedro Penduko, Talipandas, Haring Ulopong, Pusakal,
and Dimasalang.

17. Lauro “Larry” Alcala (††)

Date of Award: 2018
Dean of Filipino Cartoonist
Famous Works: Asiong Aksaya, Baryo Pogspak, Siopawman, and Smolbatteribols.