National

Living Treasure
Gawad ng Manlilikha ng Bayan Awardees

Presented by
Nathaniel Gonzales
 Contents

01 02
Definition of the National Living
National Living Treasures
Treasures Awardees
 What is the National Living  Who are the local artists
Treasures Awards? that have received this
 What are the categories of award?
art that are covered by this  What category of art are
award? these artists known for?
 What benefits or incentives  What are the other
does the artists gets from achievements that these
this award? artists has accomplished?
 01
Definition of the
National Living
Treasures
 What is the National Living
Treasures Awards?
The National Living Treasures Award, alternatively known as the Gawad ng Manlilikha
ng Bayan, 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.

The primary purpose of establishing national living treasures system is to preserve the knowledge and
skills necessary for the performing, enactment or re-creation of intangible cultural heritage elements
with high historical, artistic or cultural value.

To become a Manlilikha ng Bayan, an individual or group candidate must: Possess a mastery of tools
and materials needed for the traditional, folk art and be a maker of works of extraordinary technical
quality; have consistently produced works of superior quality over significant period; have engaged in a
traditional and folk art which has been in existence and documented for at least 50 years; command
respect and inspire admiration of the country with his character and integrity; and, must have
transferred and/or be willing to transfer to other members of the community the skills in the traditional
and folk arts for which the community has become nationally known.
 Qualifications to become a

National Living Treasures Awardee

To become a Manlilikha ng Bayan, an individual or group candidate must:
Possess a mastery of tools and materials needed for the traditional, folk art and be a maker of works of
extraordinary technical quality;

Have consistently produced works of superior quality over significant period;

Have engaged in a traditional and folk art which has been in existence and documented for at least fifty (50)
years;

Command respect and inspire admiration of the country with his character and integrity;

Must have transferred and/or willing to transfer to other members of the community the skills in the traditional and
folk arts for which the community has become nationally known.

However, a candidate who, due to age or infirmity, has left him/her/them incapable of teaching further his/her/
their craft, may still be recognized provided that he/she/they must possess the qualifications as enumerated
above.
 The process to become a National Living
Treasures Awardee

The Panel The Nominations The Screening

The Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan is Nominations can come from the The ad hoc search committees are
administered by a committee, which is members of the ad hoc panel of deployed to various priority areas in the
assisted by adhoc panel of experts. The experts, the sub commissions on country to conduct searches and
panel is composed of a representative cultural communities and traditional document the candidates art or craft. The
from each of the committees of the Sub arts, government and private ad hoc panel of reviewers reevaluates the
Commission on Cultural Communities institutions, universities, and other qualifications of the candidates and
and Traditional Art, such as the Office of persons knowledgeable of any of the submits recommendations to the NCCA
Muslim Affairs, the National Commission traditional art category. Board of Commissioners. Once selected
on Indigenous Peoples, and other the President of the Philippines confer the
appropriate institutions awardees in a public ceremony in
Malacanang Palace.
 Folk Architecture
Architectural traditions encompass not only the types of structures designed and built, but also the ways in which buildi
ngs are arranged upon the land, the methods and materials of construction, the functions that different structures serv
e, and the social, cultural, economic, and political milieu associated with particular architectural conventions. The term "
folk architecture" is often used to draw a distinction between popular or landmark architecture and is nearly synonymo
us with the terms "vernacular architecture" and "traditional architecture." Therefore, folk architecture includes those dwel

Categories
lings, places of worship, barns, and other structures that are designed and built without the assistance of formally scho
oled and professionally trained architects.

Maritime Transport
and field of Maritime transport (or ocean transport) and fluvial transport, or more generally waterborne transport, is the transport of
people (passengers) or goods (cargo) via waterways. Freight transport by sea has been widely used throughout recor

arts
ded history..

Weaving
covered by Weaving in the Philippines dates back to the 13th century. It makes use of local cotton, fibers, abaca, and pineapple as r
aw material. ... In Mindanao, weaving has been a refuge for some women in times of conflict. Weavers can be classified
as either traditional or non-traditional, which vary depending on area and region.

National Ornament

Living
Ornament is an accessory, article, or detail used to beautify the appearance of something to which it is added or of whi
ch it is a part: architectural ornaments. A system, category, or style of such objects or features;. Any
adornment or means of adornment, a person or thing that adds to the credit or glory of a society, era, etc.

Treasures Textile or Fiber Art

Textile art is art that uses varying materials and fibres to produce decorative, artistic objects. It's one of the oldest forms

Awards. of art in history and has played a part in practical and decorative man-made objects for hundreds of thousands of ye
ars.

Pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, whi
ch are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard, durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and
porcelain. The place where such wares are made by a potter is also called a pottery
 Benefits and incentives the artists
gets from the award:
For the individual awardee:
• The rank and title of Manlilikha ng Bayan, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines in accordance with Executive Order No. 236 or
Honors Code of the Philippines;
• The GAMABA gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and citation;
• A lifetime emolument and materials and physical benefits comparable in value to those received by the highest officers of the land
such as;
A minimum cash award of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000.00), net of taxes.
A minimum lifetime personal monthly stipend of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00).
Medical and hospitalization benefits not exceeding Php 750,000.00 per year.
• A state funeral, the arrangements for and the expenses of which shall be borne by the Government, upon the death of the
Manlilikha ng Bayan; and
• A place of honor, in line with protocol precedence, in state functions, national commemoration ceremonies and all other cultural present
ations.

For the group awardee:

• The rank and title of Manlilikha ng Bayan, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines in accordance with Executive Order No. 236 or
Honors Code of the Philippines;
• The GAMABA plaque for the group;
• A one-time award of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000.00), net of taxes;
• The group shall designate its leader who will represent and attend events and functions on behalf of the group. The said representative
will also have a place of honor, in line with protocol precedence, in state functions, national commemoration ceremonies and all other
cultural presentations.
 02
National Living
Treasures
Awardees
Ginaw Bilog
Poet
Hanunuo Mangyan
Panaytayan, Oriental Mindoro
1993
A common cultural aspect among cultural communities nationwide is the oral
tradition characterized by poetic verses which are either sung or chanted. Ho
wever, what distinguishes the rich Mangyan literary tradition from others is the
ambahan, a poetic literary form composed of seven-syllable lines used to
convey messages through metaphors and images. The ambahan is sung and
its messages range from courtship, giving advice to the young, asking for a
place to stay, saying goodbye to a dear friend and so on. Such an oral traditio
n is commonplace among indigenous cultural groups but the ambahan has
remained in existence today chiefly because it is etched on bamboo tubes usi
ng ancient Southeast Asian, pre-colonial script called surat Mangyan.

Ginaw Bilog, Hanunoo Mangyan from Mansalay, Mindoro, grew up in such a

cultural environment. Already steeped in the wisdom that the ambahan is a
key to the understanding of the Mangyan soul, Ginaw took it upon himself to
continually keep scores of ambahan poetry recorded, not only on bamboo
tubes but on old, dog-eared notebooks passed on to him by friends.
Most treasured of his collection are those inherited from his father and
grandfather, sources of inspiration and guidance for his creative endeavors. T
o this day, Ginaw shares old and new ambahans with his fellow Mangyans
and promotes this poetic form in every occasion.

Through the dedication of individuals like Ginaw, the ambahan poetry and
other traditional art forms from our indigenous peoples will continue to live.
The Filipinos are grateful to the Hanunoo Mangyan for having preserved a
distinctive heritage form our ancient civilization that colonial rule had nearly
succeeded in destroying. The nation is justifiably proud of Ginaw Bilog for
vigorously promoting the elegantly poetic art of the surat Mangyan and the
ambahan. (Prof. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.)
Masino Intaray
Musician and Storyteller
Pala’wan
Brookes Point, Palawan
1993

Living in the highlands of southern Palawan are the Palawan people, who, together with the Batak an
d Tagbanwa, are the major indigenous cultural communities of Palawan.
The Palawan possess a rich, intense yet highly refined culture encompassing both the visible and inv
isible worlds. They may not exhibit the ornate splendor of the Maranaw nor the striking elegance of t
he Yakan, but their elaborate conemology, extensive poetic and literary traditions, multi-level archite
cture, musical concepts, social ethic and rituals reveal a deeply spiritual sensibility and subtle inner li
fe of a people attuned to the myriad energies and forms of luxurious mountain universe that is their
abode, a forest environment of great trees, countless species of plants and animals, and a magnific
ent firmament.
The Palawan have no notion of property. To them, the earth, sea, sky and nature’s elements belong t
o no one. Their basic social ethic is one sharing. Their most important rituals such as the tambilaw a
nd the tinapay are forms of vast and lavish sharing, particularly of food and drinks, skills and ideas.
The tambilaw is a collective cooking and sharing of rice which is a ritual offering to the Lord of Rice, A
mpo’t Paray, while the tinapay is the rice wine drinking ceremony. It is during such occasions that th
e basal, or gong music ensemble, plays a vital role in the life of the community. For it is the music of
the basal that collectively and spiritually connects the Palawan with the Great Lord, Ampo and the M
aster Rice, Ampo’t Paray. The basal enlivens the night long fast of the drinking of the rice wine, bringi
ng together about one hundred guests under the roof of the kolon banwa (big house).
An outstanding master of the basal, kulilal and bagit is Masino, a gifted poet, bard artist, and musicia
n who was born near the head of the river in Makagwa valley on the foothill of Mantalingayan mount
ain. Masino is not only well-versed in the instruments and traditions of the basal, kulilal and bagit but
also plays the aroding (mouth harp) and babarak (ring flute) and above all is a prolific and pre-emi
nent epic chanter and story teller.
He has the creative memory, endurance, clarity of intellect and spiritual purpose that enable him to
chant all through the night, for successive nights, countless tultul (epics), sudsungit (narratives), and
tuturan (myths of origin and teachings of ancestors).
Masino and the basal and kulilal ensemble of Makagwa valley are creative, traditional artists of the h
ighest order of merit.
Samaon Sulaiman
Musician
Magindanao
Mama sa Pano, Maguindanao
1993
The Magindanaon, who are among the largest of Filipino Islamic grou
ps, are concentrated in the towns of Dinaig, Datu Piang, Maganoy and
Buluan in Magindanao province. Highly sophisticated in weaving, okir
designs, jewelry, metalwork and brassware, their art is Southeast Asian
yet distinct in character.
In the field of music, the Magindanaon has few peers among Filipino c
ultural communities. Their masters on the kulintang (gong-chime) an
d kutyapi (two-stringed plucked lute) are comparable to any instrum
ental virtuoso in the East or West.
The kutyapi is a favorite solo instrument among both Muslim and non
-Muslim Filipinos and is also played in combination with other instrum
ents. It exists in a great variety of designs, shapes, and sizes and know
n by such names as kotapi (Subanon), fegereng (Tiruray), faglong (B’l
aan), hegelong (T’boli) and kuglong or kudlong (Manobo).
The Magindanao kutyapi is one of the most technically demanding a
nd difficult to master among Filipino traditional instruments, which is o
ne reason why the younger generation is not too keen to learn it. Of its
two strings, one provides the rhythmic drone, while the other has mov
able frets that allow melodies to be played in two sets of pentatonic s
cales, one containing semitones, the other containing none.
Magindanao kutyapi music is rich in melodic and rhythmic invention,
explores a wide range of timbres and sound phenomena – both hum
an and natural, possesses a subtle and variable tuning system, and is
deeply poetic in inspiration.
Though it is the kulintang that is most popular among the Magindana
on, it is the kutyapi that captivates with its intimate, meditative, almost
mystical charm. It retains a delicate, quiet temper even at its most cel
ebrative and ebullient mood.
 Salinta Monon Alonzo Saclag
Textile Weaver Musician and Dancer,
Tagabawa Bagobo Kalinga
Bansalan, Davao del Sur Lubuagan, Kalinga
1998 2000
Practically, since she was born, Salinta Monon had watched her mot History, they say, is always written from the perspective of the dominant
her’s nimble hands glide over the loom, weaving traditional Bagobo class. It is not as objective an account as we were led to believe when,
textiles. At 12 she presented herself to her mother, to be taught how as elementary schoolchildren, we were made to memorize the details o
to weave herself. Her ardent desire to excel in the art of her ancesto f the lives of Jose Rizal and the other notable ilustrados. History is about
rs enabled her to learn quickly. She developed a keen eye for the tr as impartial as the editorials we eagerly devour today, the ones that ext
aditional designs, and now, at the age of 65, she can identify the de ol and chastise the exploits and the foibles of government, but with a di
sign as well as the author of a woven piece just by a glance. stinct advantage: by virtue of its form, it takes on an aura of authority. A
All her life she has woven continuously, through her marriage and si nd this authority is one ordinary schoolchildren and adults alike are har
dly likely to challenge.
x pregnancies, and even after her husband’s death 20 years ago. S
Seemingly maligned by both history and popular media are the people
he and her sister are the only remaining Bagobo weavers in her co
of the Kalinga. Even in the earliest Spanish Chronicles, they were depicte
mmunity. d as so hostile that Dominican missionaries were forced to abandon th
eir plans to build Christian missions in the area. Their more recent battle
against the Marcos administration’s plans to build a series of hydroelec
tric dams along the Chico River only added to their notoriety.
Lang Dulay
Textile Weaver
T’boli
Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
1998

Using abaca fibers as fine as hair, Lang Dulay speaks more eloquently than words c
an. Images from the distant past of her people, the Tbolis, are recreated by her nim
ble hands – the crocodiles, butterflies, and flowers, along with mountains and strea
ms, of Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, where she and her ancestors were born – fill the
fabric with their longing to be remembered. Through her weaving, Lang Dulay does
what she can to keep her people’s traditions alive.
There are a few of them left, the traditional weavers of the tnalak or Tboli cloth. It is
not hard to see why: weaving tnalak is a tedious process that begins with stripping t
he stem of the abaca plant to get the fibers, to coaxing even finer fibers for the texti
le, then drying the threads and tying each strand by hand. Afterward, there is the d
elicate task of setting the strands on the “bed-tying” frame made of bamboo, with
an eye towards deciding which strands should be tied to resist the dye. It is the bud
or tying of the abaca fibers that define the design.
A roll of tnalak must be individually set on a back strap loom, so called because of t
he broad band the weaver sets against her back to provide tension to the work. The
re is great strain on the weaver’s back and eyes, particularly since Tboli women are
required to help out in the fields to augment the family income. It is only after the fa
rm work is done that the weaver can sit down to her designs. Also, due to the peculi
arity of the fiber, of its getting brittle under the noon day sun, working on it is preferr
ed during the cool evenings or early morn.
Lang Dulay knows a hundred designs, including the bulinglangit (clouds), the bankiri
ng (hair bangs), and the kabangi (butterfly), each one special for the stories it tells.
Using red and black dyes, she spins her stories with grace. Her textiles reflect the wis
dom and the visions of her people.
 Federico Caballero Uwang Ahadas Darhata Sawabi
Epic Chanter Musician Textile Weaver
Sulod-Bukidnon Yakan Tausug
Calinog, Iloilo Lamitan, Basilan Parang, Sulu
2000 2000 2004
Stories are the lifeblood of a people. In the stori Much mystery surrounds life. And when confro In Barangay Parang, in the island of Jolo, Sulu p
es people tell lies a window to what they think, nted with such, it is but natural to attempt so rovince, women weavers are hard at work weav
believe, and desire. In truth, people’s stories sou me form of hypothesizing. In the days when ha ing the pis syabit, the traditional cloth tapestry
ndly encapsulate the essence of their humanity rd science was nonexistent, people sought to worn as a head covering by the Tausug of Jolo.
. And this circumstance is not peculiar to any o explain away many of these enigmas by attrib “This is what we’ve grown up with,” say the wea
ne group. It is as a thread that weaves through uting them to the work of the gods or the spirit vers. “It is something we’ve learned from our m
the civilizations of the ancient East and the s. In this way, rain and thunder became the la others.” Darhata Sawabi is one of those who to
culture of the industrial West. mentations of a deity abandoned by his capri ok the art of pis syabit making to heart.
cious wife, and night and day, the compromis
e reached by a brother and sister who both w
anted to rule the world upon the death of their
father.
Eduardo Mutuc
Metalsmith
Kapampangan
Apalit Pampanga
2004

Eduardo Mutuc is an artist who has dedicated his life to creating religious and secular art in sil
ver, bronze, and wood. His intricately detailed retablos, mirrors, altars, and carosas are in chur
ches and private collections. A number of these works are quite large, some exceeding forty f
eet, while some are very small and feature very fine and delicate craftsmanship.
For an artist whose work graces cathedrals and churches, Mutuc works in humble surroundin
gs. His studio occupies a corner of his yard and shares space with a tailoring shop. During the
recent rains, the river beside his lot overflowed and water flooded his studio in Apalit, Pampan
ga, drenching his woodblocks. Mutuc takes it all in stride.
He discovered his talents in sculpture and metalwork quite late. He was 29 when he decided t
o supplement his income from farming for the relatively more secure job of woodcarving. He
spent his first year as an apprentice to carvers of household furniture. It was difficult at the be
ginning, but thanks to his mentors, he was able to develop valuable skills that would serve him
in good stead later on. The hardest challenge for him was learning a profession that he had n
o prior knowledge about, but poverty was a powerful motivation. Although his daily wage of P
3.00 didn’t go far to support his wife and the first three of nine children (one of whom has alre
ady died), choices were limited for a man who only finished elementary school. According to
him, craftsmanship begins with respect for one’s tools and the medium. The first thing he tea
ches his students is how to hold the chisel and hammer properly to promote ease of use and
prevent fatigue and mistakes because of improper handling. He also cautions against workin
g with an eye towards easy money. The only way to improve one’s skills, he says, is to immers
e oneself, learn the technique, and to practice. Only in perfecting one’s craft can there be real
reward.
 Haja Amina Appi Teofilo Garcia
Mat Weaver Casque Maker
Sama Ilocano
Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi San Quintin, Abra
2004 2012
Haja Amina Appi of Ungos Matata, Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi, is reco Each time Teofilo Garcia leaves his farm in San Quintin, Abra, he ma
gnized as the master mat weaver among the Sama indigenous kes it a point to wear a tabungaw. People in the nearby towns of th
community of Ungos Matata. Her colorful mats with their comple e province, in neighboring Sta. Maria and Vigan in Ilocos Sur, and as
x geometric patterns exhibit her precise sense of design, proporti far as Laoag in Ilocos Norte sit up and take notice of his unique, fun
on and symmetry and sensitivity to color. Her unique multi-color ctional and elegant headpiece that shields him from the rain and t
ed mats are protected by a plain white outer mat that serves as he sun. A closer look would reveal that it is made of the native gour
the mat’s backing. Her functional and artistic creations take up t d, hollowed out, polished, and varnished to a bright orange sheen t
o three months to make. o improve its weather resistance. The inside is lined with finely wove
n rattan matting, and the brim sports a subtle bamboo weave for a
ccent.
Magdalena Gamayo
Textile Weaver
Ilocano
Pinili, Ilocos Norte
2012

The Ilocos Norte that Magdalena Gamayo knows is only a couple of hours drive away
from the capital of Laoag, but is far removed from the quickening pulse of the emerg
ent city. Instead, it remains a quiet rural enclave dedicated to rice, cotton and tobacc
o crops. 2012 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan awardee, Magdalena Gamayo still owes
a lot to the land and the annual harvest. Despite her status as a master weaver, weav
ing alone is not enough.
Also, even though the roads are much improved, sourcing quality cotton threads for h
er abel is still a challenge. Even though the North is known for its cotton, it does not ha
ve thread factories to spin bales of cotton into spools of thread. Instead, Magdalena h
as to rely on local merchants with their limited supplies. She used to spin her own cot
ton and brushed it with beeswax to make it stronger, but after the Second World War,
she now relies on a market-bought thread. She still remembers trading rice for thread,
although those bartering days are over. A thread is more expensive nowadays and of
poorer quality. Often, she has had to reject samples but often she has little choice in t
he matter. There are less local suppliers of thread nowadays, a sign that there is less
demand for their wares, but nonetheless, the abel-weaving tradition in Ilocos remains
strong, and there are no better artists who exemplify the best of Filipino abel weaving
tradition than Magdalena Gamayo.
She says good thread has to be resilient, able to withstand several passes through th
e loom. It should have a good weight and color, its fibers should not be loose, and it s
hould endure years of use. Magdalena prefers to work with linen because it is obedien
t to the master weaver’s touch. In her personal collection are abel that has been i
n use for generations, gradually getting softer from handling, but retaining their struct
ural integrity and intricate designs. Evident is the handiwork that went into painstakingl
y arranging bolts of different-colored threads on the four-pedal loom and the math t
hat went with it to ensure that the patterns are sharp and crisp and evenly spaced.
 Ambalang Ausalin Estelita Bantilan Yabing Masalon Dulo
Textile Weaver, 2016 Mat Weaver, 2016
(born 17 October 1940) Ikat Weaver, 2016
(born 4 March 1943)
(born 8 August 1914)
Weaving is an extremely important craft in the She was at birth, seventy-two years ago, Labna Yabing Dulo believes herself older than ninety
Yakan community. All Yakan women in the past i Tumndan. It was a recognizable name in the la . Her identity card marks that age, however, a
were trained in weaving. Long ago, a common nguage, Blaan, spoken in the montane hamlet o
practice among the Yakan was that, when a fe nd date of birth, the fourteenth of August sup
f Mlasang. Her extended family reckoned their pl
male was born, the pandey, traditional midwife, posedly 1910. Since the venerable ikat-dyer h
ace in relation to the mlasang, a tree that, once
would cut the umbilical cord using a wooden b as a memory sharper than blades, it seems
a year, flowers profusely, sheds the inflorescenc
ar called bayre (other Yakan pronounce this a always best to follow her counsel. She does k
es immediately, and carpets abode and enviro
s beyde). That bar was used for ‘beating-in’ the nment in magnificence all at once. now for a fact that she was born in a place al
weft of the loom. By thus severing of the umbilic Mid-twentieth century in what are now the Mind ready called Landan in that long ago time. Th
al cord, it was believed that the infant would gr anao provinces of Sarangani and South Cotab e exact sitio was and is still named Amgu-o,
ow up to become an accomplished weaver. Thi ato, Blaan speakers — also called Blaan, like thei a settlement of a few related families within L
s, and all other aspects of the Yakan weaving tr r language — took on the slow beginning of villa andan, today a barangay, a constituent unit
adition, is best personified by a seventy-three-y ge life of some permanence. Their forebears ha of a town..
ear-old virtuoso from the weaving domicile of t d for centuries shifted domiciles systematically t
he Yakan in Parangbasak, Lamitan City: Ambala o regenerate land cultivated to wild rice and ya
ng Ausalin. ms.
 Thank You!
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