The National

Artists of the
Philippines

Audry Bea Mangua

Renalyn Hernandez

Graciel Mers Fontamillas

The Artist and the Contemporary Arts

– According to esteemed critic and scholar Dr. Nicanor

Tiongson, there is a vital role played by contemporary
artists in “creating art that will contribute to social change
by enlightening viewers and audiences about the nature
and causes of the problems they face as Filipinos today.”
– Contemporary Filipino artists have a responsibility to
create art that would enlighten the people of the current
conditions of the society.
An Artist for the Nation
– In 1972, the Philippines named its first national artist—world-
class painter Fernando Amorsolo. The national artist award is a
great honor to the Filipino whose life and works have contributed
to the country’s arts and letters.
– The national artist became part of the prestigious roster of the
Order of National Artists. NCCA and CCP jointly administer the
nomination and selection of the chosen exemplary artists, who
are conferred by the President of the country.
– In 1972, Presidential Proclamation No. 1001, s. 1972 created
and established “the Award and Decoration of National Artist.”
What does the Award Give?
As national artist of the Philippines, the individual is
recognized for his or her contribution to Philippine arts.
According to the NCCA, the national artist will be given
the following:
1. The rank and title of National Artist, as proclaimed
by the President of the Philippines
2.The National Artist gold-plated medallion minted by the
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and citation
3.Lifetime emolument and material and physical
benefits comparable in value to those received by the
highest officers of the land such as the following:

 A minimum cash award of two hundred thousand pesos

(Php200 000.00), net of taxes for living awardees, and a
minimum cash award of one hundred fifty thousand pesos
(Php150 000.00), net of taxes for posthumous awardees,
payable to legal heir(s)
 A minimum lifetime personal monthly stipend of thirty
thousand pesos (Php30 000.00)
 Life insurance coverage for awardees who are still insurable
 A state funeral benefit not exceeding Php500 000.00
4.A place of honor, in line with protocular precedence, in state
functions, national commemoration ceremonies, and all other
cultural presentations
The National Artist Insignia
– On the right is the insignia of the Order of National
Artists. It is a Grand Collar adorned by circular links
representing the arts. The main medallion
commemorates the sun and the colors of the
Philippine flag.
– The highly stylized three letter Ks stand for
“katotohanan, kabutihan, at kagandahan” (The true,
the good, the beautiful).
What does it take to be a National
Artist?
– The National Artist award is the country’s highest
honor given to an artist who, according to the
NCCA, “embodies the nation’s highest ideals in the
humanities and aesthetic expression through the
distinct achievements of individual citizens.”
 Here are the qualifications for the
National Artist award:
1. Living artists who are natural-born Filipino citizens at the time of
nomination, as well as those who died after the establishment of the
award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens at the time of their death.
2. Artists who through the content and form of their works have
contributed in building a Filipino sense of nationhood.
3. Artists who have pioneered in a mode of creative expression or style.
4. Artists who have created a substantial and significant body of works
and consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art.
5. Artists who enjoy broad acceptance through the
following:
– Prestigious national and/or international recognition, such as the
Gawad CCP para sa Sining, CCP Thirteen Artists Award, and NCCA
Alab ng Haraya
– Critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works
– Respect and esteem from peers
5.Artists who enjoy broad acceptance through the following:
Prestigious national and/or international recognition, such
as the Gawad CCP para sa Sining, CCP Thirteen Artists
Award, and NCCA Alab ng Haraya
Critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works
Respect and esteem from peers
Who are Named National Artists of
the Philippines?

The following are the talented Filipino artists

in the fields of music, dance, theater, visual
arts, literature, film, broadcast arts, and
architecture given the honor of being part of the
Order of National Artists:
Year Awardee Category Notes

Posthumous
1972 Fernando C. Amorsolo Visual Arts – Painting conferment

1973 Francisca Reyes Aquino Dance

Posthumous
Carlos “Botong” V. Francisco Visual Arts – Painting Conferment

Amado V. Hernández Literature Posthumous

Conferment

Antonio J. Molina Music

Juan Nakpil Architecture

Guillermo E. Tolentino Visual Arts – Sculpture

José Garcia Villa Literature

1976 Napoleón V. Abueva Visual Arts – Sculpture
Leonor Orosa-Goquingco Dance
Nick Joaquin Literature
Jovita Fuentes Music
Victorio C. Edades Visual Arts – Painting
Posthumous
Pablo Antonio Architecture
conferment
1981 Posthumous
Vicente S. Manansala Visual Arts – Painting
Conferment
1982 Carlos P. Rómulo Literature
Posthumous
Gerardo de León Film
Conferment
1987 Honorata “Atang” de la Rama Theater and Music
1988 Antonio R. Buenaventura Music
Lucrecia Reyes Úrtula Dance
1989 Lucrecia R. Kasilag Music
1990 Francisco Arcellana Literature
César Legaspi Visual Arts – Painting
Leandro V. Locsin Architecture
1991 Hernándo R. Ocampo Visual Arts – Painting
Lucio D. San Pedro Music
1997 Posthumous
Lino Brocka Film
conferment
Felipe Padilla de León Music Posthumous
conferment
Posthumous
Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater Conferment
Posthumous
Rolando S. Tinio Theater and Literature
Conferment
Posthumous
N. V. M. Gonzalez Literature
Conferment
Levi Celério Music and Literature
Arturo R. Luz Visual Arts – Painting
 José Maceda Music
Carlos Quirino Historical Literature
1999 Posthumous
J. Elizalde Navarro Visual Arts – Painting
Conferment

Posthumous
Ernani Joson Cuenco Music
Conferment

Andrea O. Veneración Music

Edith L. Tiempo Literature
Daisy Avellana Theater
2001 Posthumous
Ishmael Bernál Film Conferment

Posthumous
Severino Montano Theater Conferment

F. Sionil José Literature

Ang Kiukok Visual Arts – Painting
2003 Posthumous
José T. Joya Visual Arts – Painting
Conferment
Virgilio S. Almario Literature
Alejándro R. Roces Literature
Eddie S. Romero Film and Broadcast Arts
Salvador F. Bernál Theater and Design
2006 BenCab Visual Arts – Painting
Abdulmari Asia Imao Visual Arts - Sculpture

Bienvenido Lumbera Literature

Ramón Obusan Dance
I.P. Santos Architecture - Landscape
Fernando Poe, Jr. Film Posthumous
Conferment
Posthumous
Ramón Valera Architecture
Conferment
2009* Posthumous
Manuel Conde Film and Broadcast Arts Conferment
 Lázaro Francisco Literature Posthumous
Conferment
Federico Aguilar Alcuáz Visual Arts – Painting, Sculpture Posthumous
and Mixed Media Conferment
2014 Alice Reyes Dance
Francisco Coching Visual Arts Posthumous
Conferment
Cirilo F. Bautista Literature
Francisco Feliciano Music
Ramón Santos Music
José Maria Zaragoza Architecture
 Fernando Amorsolo
National Artist for Visual