Order of National Artists

• The Order of National Artists was established in 1972.
• Proclamation No. 1001 established the Order of National Artists.
• It is the highest national recognition for Filipino individuals' contributions to Philippine arts.
• The National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Cultural Center of the Philippines administer the award.
• The Philippine president grants the award every three years based on the recommendation of both institutions.

Objectives

• The Order of National Artists recognizes Filipino artists with significant contributions to the cultural heritage.
• It highlights Filipino artistic accomplishment at the highest level.
• It promotes creative expression significant to the development of a national cultural identity.
• It honors Filipino artists who dedicated their lives to forge new paths for future generations.

Criteria for Selection

• The Order of National Artists is given to living artists who are natural-born Filipino citizens at the time of nomination.
• It is also awarded to those who died after 1972 but were Filipino citizens at the time of their death.
• Filipinos who have lost and re-acquired citizenship through dual citizenship for at least five years are eligible.
• Artists contribute to building a Filipino sense of nationhood through their work's content and form.
• Artists pioneer creative expression or style, earning distinction and impacting succeeding generations.
• Artists create a substantial body of work and consistently display excellence enriching artistic expression.
• Artists must have acceptance through prestigious national and/or international recognition like Gawad CCP Para sa Sining.
• Artists must have critical acclaim and/or reviews on their work.
• Artists must have respect and esteem from peers.

Honors and Privileges

• The rank and title of National Artist are proclaimed by the President of the Philippines.
• A National Artist gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and citation are given.
• Lifetime emolument and material and physical benefits comparable to those of the highest officers of the land are bestowed.
• A minimum cash award of P200,000.00 net of taxes is awarded for living awardees.
• A minimum cash award of P150,000.00 net of taxes is awarded for posthumous awardees, payable to legal heir/s.
• A minimum lifetime personal monthly stipend of P30,000.00 is awarded.

Privileges Effective January 1, 2013

• Life insurance coverage for Awardees who are still insurable.
• A State Funeral benefit not exceeding P500,000.00.
• A place of honor is given in state functions, national commemoration ceremonies, and cultural presentations.

The National Artists - Architecture

National Capital Region

• Pablo S. Antonio (1976) pioneered modern Philippine architecture.
• Antonio was born in Binondo, Manila.
• He emphasizes function, maximum natural light, and cross ventilation in his designs.
• Antonio's major works include the Far Eastern University Administration and Science buildings.
• Other works include, Manila Polo Club, Ideal Theater, Galaxy Theater, Capitan Luis Gonzaga Building, Boulevard-Alhambra apartments.
• He also designed the Ramon Roces Publications Building.
• Juan F. Nakpil (1973) was known as the "Dean of Filipino Architects."
• Nakpil was born in Quiapo, Manila.
• He espoused architecture reflective of Philippine traditions and culture.
• Nakpil's major works include Geronimo de los Reyes Building, Magsaysay Building, Rizal Theater.
• His other works are Capitol Theater, Captain Pepe Building, Manila Jockey Club, Rufino Building.
• He also designed the Philippine Village Hotel, University of the Philippines Administration and University Library.
• Nakpil reconstructed the Rizal house in Calamba, Laguna.
• Ildefonso P. Santos (2006) is considered the "Father of Philippine Landscape Architecture."
• Santos was born in Malabon, Manila.
• The Tagaytay Highland resort, Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club, and Orchard Gold and Country Club are his works.

Region 3 – Central Luzon

• Jose Maria V. Zaragoza (2014) became synonymous with modern ecclesiastical architecture.
• Zaragoza was from Guagua, Pampanga.
• His major works include the Meralco Building.
• Other works include, Philbanking Building, Sto. Domingo Church and Convent, Metropolitan Cathedral of Cebu City.
• He also designed the Villa San Miguel Church in Mandaluyong.

Region 18 – Negros Island

• Leandro V. Locsin (1990) believed that Philippine Architecture is "the product of two great streams of culture".
• Locsin was born in Silay, Negros Occidental.
• He utilized themes of floating volume, the duality of light and heavy.
• Istana Nurul Iman, the palace of the Sultan of Brunei is Locsin's largest single work.
• He designed the five buildings of the CCP Complex.
• These buildings are the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Folk Arts Theater, Philippine International Convention Center, Philcite, and The Westin Hotel.

National Artists - Visual Arts

National Capital Region

• Fernando Amorsolo (1972), born in Paco, Manila, was the first National Artist in the country.
• He was known as the "Grand Old Man of Philippine Art”.
• The backlighting technique became his trademark.
• Amorsolo's major works include Maiden in a Stream (1921), El Ciego (1928), and Dalagang Bukid (1936).
• He also painted The Meztiza (1943), Planting Rice (1946), and Sunday Morning Going to Town (1958).
• Cesar Legaspi (1990) was a pioneer “Neo-Realist”.
• He refined cubism in the Philippine context and made of geometric fragmentation technique.
• Legaspi wove social commentary with mythical and modern elements through overlapping forms.
• His works are Gadgets I, Gadgets II, Diggers, Idols of the Third Eye, Facade, and Ovary.
• Other works are Flora and Fauna, Triptych, Flight, Bayanihan, Struggle, and Avenging Figure.
• He also made Turning Point, Peace, The Survivor, and The Ritual.
• Hernando Ocampo (1991) was a self-taught painter from Sta. Cruz, Manila.
• His canvases evoked the Philippine landscape, its flora and fauna, under the sun and rain.
• Ocampo played a pivotal role in sustaining the Philippine Art Gallery.
• His masterpiece “Genesis” served as the basis of the CCP Main Theater's curtain design.
• His other major works include Ina ng Balon, Calvary, Slum Dwellers, Nude with Candle and Flower.
• He also painted Man and Carabao, Angel's Kiss, Palayok at Kalan, Ancestors, Isda at Mangga -The Resurrection.
• His other artworks are Fifty-three “Q”, Backdrop, and Fiesta.
• Arturo Luz (1997) established the Luz Gallery that professionalized the art gallery.
• His significant paintings are Bagong Taon, Vendador de Flores, Skipping Rope, and Candle Vendors.
• He also created Procession, Self-Portrait, Night Glows, Grand Finale, Cities of the Past, and Imaginary Landscapes.
• Luz's mural painting Black and White is displayed in the lobby of the CCP's Bulwagang Carlos V. Francisco.
• A stainless steel cube sculpture is in front of the Benguet Mining Corporation Building in Pasig.
• Jose T. Joya (2003) pioneered abstract expressionism in the Philippines.
• He created an authentic Filipino abstract idiom that transcended foreign influences.
• Joya's paintings used harmonious colors inspired by Philippine landscapes.
• His use of rice paper in collages placed value on transparency.
• Benedicto Cabrera (2006) from Malabon is the best-selling painter of his generation.
• He christened the emblematic scavenger figure “Sabel”.
• Sabel is a melancholic personification of human dignity threatened by life's ups and downs.
• Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (2009) was a painter and sculptor from Sta. Cruz, Manila.
• He was known for his gestural paintings in acrylic and oil, as well as sketches in ink, watercolor, and pencil.
• After his exhibit at Philippine Art Gallery, he studied at the Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid.
• Francisco Coching (2014), born in Buting, Pasig, was the “King of Komiks” and "Dean of Filipino Illustrators."
• Coching started his career in 1934.
• He was a central force in the formation of comics.

Region 1 – Ilocos Region

• Victorio Edades (1976), the “Father of Modern Philippine Painting,” grew up in Barrio Bolosan.
• He was unlike Amorsolo because Edades' colors were dark and somber.
• His favorite subject matter are laborers, factory workers or the simple fold in all their dirt, sweat and grime.
• Among his works are The Sketch, The Artist and the Model, Portrait of the Professor, Japanese Girl, and Mother and Daughter.
• Other works include, The Wrestlers, and Poinsettia Girl.

Region 3 - Central Luzon

• Guillermo Tolentino (1973), born in Malolos, Bulacan, is the “Father of Philippine Arts.”
• His famous works include the Bonifacio Monument in Caloocan and the UP Oblation in Diliman.
• He designed the gold and bronze medals for the Ramon Magsaysay Award.
• He also did the seal of the Republic of the Philippines.

Region 4A – CALABARZON

• Carlos "Botong" Francisco (1973) was a poet from Angono.
• He revived the forgotten art of mural and was best known for his historical pieces.
• Francisco's other major works include Portrait of Purita, The Invasion of Limahong, and Serenade.
• Other works are Muslim Betrothal, Blood Compact, First Mass at Limasawa, The Martyrdom of Rizal, Bayanihan.
• HIs other works include Magpupukot, Fiesta, Bayanihan sa Bukid, and Sandugo.

Region 6 – Western Visayas

• J. Elizalde Navarro (1999) was born in Antique.
• He was a versatile artist and both painter and sculptor of 40 years.
• Navarro devoted his time to drawing, printmaking, graphic designing, painting, and sculpting.
• His major mixed media works are I'm Sorry Jesus, I Can't Attend Christmas This Year (1965), and Homage to Dodjie Laurel (1969).
• He also made A Flying Contraption for Mr. Icarus (1984).

Region 7-– Central Visayas

• Napoleon Abueva (1976), a native of Bohol, was the youngest awardee.
• He was 46 when he was given the title and was considered as the “Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture."
• He utilized almost all kinds of materials from hard wood to adobe, metal, stainless steel, cement, marble, bronze, iron, alabaster, coral and brass.
• Some of his major works include Kaganapan (1953), and Kiss of Judas (1955).
• Other works include Thirty Pieces of Silver, The Transfiguration (1979), Eternal Garden Memorial Park, and UP Gateway (1967).
• Abueva also created Nine Muses (1994), UP Faculty Center, Sunburst (1994)-Peninsula.
• His other artworks include the bronze figure of Teodoro M. Kalaw and murals in marble at the National Heroes Shrine.

Region 11 – Davao

• Ang Kiukok, born Ang Hwa Shing, was a painter from Davao City.
• He fused influences from cubism, surrealism, and expressionism in his style.
• He favored subjects fighting cocks, rabid dogs, and people enraptured by rage, and crucifixions.
• Some of his works include Geometric Landscape (1969), and Pieta.
• He also made The Seated Figure (1979), auctioned at Sotheby's in Singapore.

Region 15 – Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao

• Abdulmari Asia Imao (2006) is Sulu native and a sculptor, painter, photographer, ceramist, and documentary film maker.
• He is also a cultural researcher, writer, and articulator of Philippine Muslim art and culture.
• The indigenous ukkil, sarimanok and naga motifs have been popularized in his works.
• Some of his works include Industry Brass Mural, Mural Relief in Filmmaking, and Industrial Mural.

Fashion Design

Region 14 – Cordillera Administrative Region

• Ramon Valera was a fashion designer from Abra.
• He has contributed to the tradition of Philippine terno.

Literature

National Capital Region

• Jose Garcia Villa (1973) is considered one of the finest contemporary poets.
• He introduced reversed consonance rhyme scheme, including the comma poems.
• Some of his works include Footnote to Youth, Many Voices, and Poems by Doveglion.
• Other works are Poems 55, Poems in Praise of Love, and The Portable Villa.
• Nick Joaquin (1976) is considered the most distinguished Filipino writer in English.
• Critics coined “Joaquinesque" to describe his baroque Spanish-flavored English.
• Some of his works are The Woman Who Had Two Navels, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, and Manila, My Manila.
• Francisco Arcellana (1990) pioneered the development of the short story as lyrical prose-poetic form.
• Arcellana believed that fiction is able to render truth that is able to present reality.
• Arcellana's published books are Selected Stories (1962), Poetry and Politics, and The Francisco Arcellana Sampler (1990).
• Some of his short stories are Frankie, The Man Who Would Be Poe, Death in a Factory, and Lina, A Clown Remembers.
• Levi Celerio (1997) was a prolific lyricist and composer and made it to the Guinness Book of World Records.
• Rolando S. Tinio (1997) had a career as a playwright, thespian, poet, teacher, critic, and translator.
• In the mid-1960s he decided to try writing in Tagalog and invented "Taglish" in Philippine poetry.
• Alejandro Roces (2003) is considered the country's best writer of comic short stories.
• He championed Filipino culture and popularized Moriones and Ati-atihan.
• Roces changed the country's Independence Day and the language used in Philippine passports.
• Cirilo F. Bautista (2014) is a multi-awarded poet, fictionist and essayist.
• His major works include Summer Suns (1963), Words and Battlefields (1998), The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus (2001), and Galaw ng Asoge (2003).

Region 1 – Ilocos Region

• Francisco Sionil Jose (2001) novels and short stories depict the social underpinnings of class struggles.
• Jose is also a publisher, lecturer, founder of the Philippine of PEN chapter, and received awards for journalism, literature.

Region 2 - Cagayan Valley

• Edith L. Tiempo (1999) is a poet, fictionist, teacher, and literary critic who founded Siliman National Writers Workshop.
• Tiempo's published works include the novel A Blade of Fern (1978), The Native Coast (1979), and The Alien Corn (1992).
• The poetry collections are The Tracks of Babylon, and The Charmer's Box.

Region 3 – Central Luzon

• Amado V. Hernandez (1973) was a poet, playwright, and novelist.
• He believes the writer acts as the conscience of society and affirms the human spirit.
• Hernandez contributed to Tagalog prose through colloquial style.

Region 4A – CALABARZON

• Bienvenido Lumbera (2006) introduced Bagay poetry to Tagalog literature.
• He pioneered the creative fusion of fine arts and popular imagination.
• His major books include Tagalog Poetry, 1570-1898 and Philippine Literature.

Region 4B – MIMAROPA

• Nestor Vicente Madali Gonzalez (1997) is a fictionist, essayist, poet, and teacher.
• His works include The Winds of April, Seven Hills Away, and Children of the Ash-Covered Loam and Other Stories.

Historical Literature

National Capital Region

• Carlos Quirino (1997) who wrote “The Great Malayan”, was the first recipient of the honor.
• His book "Maps and Views of Old Manila" is considered the best book on the subject.

Dance

National Capital Region

• Alice Reyes (2014) made a lasting impact on the development and promotion of contemporary dance in the Philippines.
• Her biggest contribution is the development of a distinctly Filipino modern dance idiom.

Region 3 -– Central Luzon

• Francisca Reyes Aquino (1973) made research on the unrecorded forms of local celebration which led to a 1926 thesis.
• She served as supervisor of physical education.
• Her books include Philippine National Dances (1946), Gymnastics for Girls (1947), Fundamental Dance Steps and Music (1948).

Region 5 - Bicol Region

• Ramon Obusan (2006) work focused on promoting Philippine traditional dance.
• Through the Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group (ROFG), he effected cultural and diplomatic exchanges.

Region 6 - Western Visayas

• Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula (1988) spent almost four decades in the discovery and study of Philippine folk and ethnic dances.
• She directed the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company and choreographed collections of mountain dances.

Music

National Capital Region

• Antonio J. Molina (1973) introduced innovations such as the whole tone scale, pentatonic scale.
• Honorata “Atang” de la Rama (1987) was known as the “Queen of Kundiman" and believes that "sarswela and the kundiman expresses best the Filipino soul".
• Jose Maceda (1997) is a composer, musicologist, teacher, and performer.
• Andrea Veneracion (1999) is known for her achievements as choirmaster and choral singer.
• Ramon Santos (2014) is the country's foremost exponent of contemporary Filipino music.

Region 1 – Ilocos Region

• Lucrecia Roces Kasilag (1989) was instrumental in developing Philippine music and culture.
• She founded the Bayanihan Folk Arts Center for research and theatrical presentations.

Film

National Capital Region

• Gerardo De Leon (1982), born as Gerardo Ilagan, is the most awarded film director in the history of Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards.
• Ishmael Bernal (2001) served as social commentaries and bold reflections on the realities of the struggle of the Filipino.
• Roland Allan K. Poe (2006), known as Fernando Poe, Jr., was a cultural icon of tremendous audience impact.

Theater

National Capital Region

• Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero (1997) served as the director of UP Dramatic Club for 16 years.
• He also founded the UP Mobile Theater which started the concept of theater campus tour.

Region 1 - Ilocos Region

• Salvador F. Bernal (2003) is acknowledged as the “guru of contemporary Filipino theater design”.

Region 6 -– Western Visayas

• Daisy Avellana elevated legitimate theater and dramatic arts and encouraged the establishment of performing groups.