Week 4

Iligan Medical Center College

Basic Education Department
Laya ext., Palao Iligan City
S.Y 2020 - 2021

Contemporary
Philippine Arts from
The Regions

Grade 12 Senior High School

(Quarter 1 - Module 3)
Explains Filipino artists’ roles and identify their contribution to
contemporary arts

Prepared by:
Ms. Gisette Flores
Mr. Abdul Majiid K. Abdul Azis
Mr. Percival P. Alvarez

NAME: _________________________________________ SECTION: ____________

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Contemporary Filipino artist

This unit discusses the highest distinctions an artist can be given in the Philippines,
namely, the Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng Pilipinas or the National Artist of the
Philippines, and the Gawas sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures
Award. Included as well are brief discussions on the other distinctions a Filipino Artist
could receive such as The Outstanding Youth Men (TOYM) Award, the Thirteen Artists
Awards, etc. The list of recipients of the said awards as of writing are incorporated in the
topic.

INTRODUCTION
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL ARTIST
Order of the National Artists of the Philippines is an honor bestowed by the
Philippines on Filipinos who have made significant contributions to the development of
Philippine art. Members of the Order are known as National Artists. Such Filipinos are
announced, by virtue of a Presidential Proclamation, as National Artist or in Filipino,
Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining.

They are then conferred membership in the Order of National Artists, the regalia of
which is an ornate, gilden collar of honor. In addition to the collar, each newly proclaimed
member of the Order is given a citation that is presented during the awardees' conferment
ceremonies. The Cultural Center of the Philippines then hosts a Memorabilia Exhibit and
Gabi ng Parangal (A Night of Tributes) for the National Artists at the Tanghalang
Pambansa.

Source: https://philnews.ph/2018/10/25/here-are-the-benefits-entitled-for-national-artists/

These artists are some of the best visual and performing artists the country has to
offer. It is hoped that at the end of the lesson, young artist such as yourself would be more
aware of the men and women who have shaped art in the Philippines and in the future be
inspired to further enrich our art and cultural heritage

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MOTIVATION:
Activity 1: Find me!
Direction. For you to assess your level of understanding about the National artist, you are
going to hunt the word or group of words related to it by encircling it using your ball pens.
You can trace the word/s horizontal, vertical, diagonal, backwards or another way to form a
word. Write down the words you identify in the puzzle;

T D D F H K L L P O I O Y U U
E R U T A R E T I L I C W Q T
E E A C C C J F T U O U Y C R
Y T K D V Z K S A Y N H U C R
D W M F I X I C S T A C I Y E
I T B G N T L G D R T J O I E
I Y N C R C I H S C I N E M A
O T M A H H G O I E O L N A W
L A V I C R E P N W N L G E Z
Y A T H J K J D I A A X C I X
A I G G B V N X N Q L V M O Z
A O S P A R A N G A L N N V C

1. ________________ 4. ___________________
2. ________________ 5. ___________________
3. ________________ 6. ___________________
4.

INSTRUCTION
PAMBANSANG ALAGAD NG SINING NG PILIPINAS
The Order of National Artists (Orden ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is the
highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant
contributions to the development of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater,
Visual Arts, Literature, Film, Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts. The order is
jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the
Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and conferred by the President of the Philippines
upon recommendation by both institutions.
National Artists are given a Grand Collar symbolizing their status. Likened to the US
National Medal for the Arts and the Order of Culture of Japan, the recipients embody the
highest ideals of humanities and aesthetics and ideal expression of Filipinos as exemplified
by their outstanding works and contributions. (Source: https://upd.edu.ph/national-
artists-of-the-philippines/)

The awardees of this prestigious award represent the Philippines’ highest ideals in
the field of humanities and the arts. It covers the following categories: architecture and the
allied arts, dance, film and broadcast arts, literature, music, theater, and visual arts. The
awards is supposed to be given every three years as mandated by the rules of the National
Commission for Culture and the arts (NCCA). Nut there are some circumstances when an
award is given the following year or not at all. It is bestowed by the president of the

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Philippines upon the recommendation of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts
(NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP).

The List of National Artists of the Philippines

To date, there are only 73 Filipinos recognized as National Artists. The last
recognition was in 2018, in which seven artists were given the distinction. The last one
before that was in 2014. Below is only a selected personalities given the National Artist
Award in their field:

Architecture
Name Field Year Major Works
Pablo S. Antonio Architecture 1976 Far Eastern University
Administration and Science
buildings; Manila Polo
Club; Ideal Theater; Lyric
Theater; Galaxy Theater; etc.
Leandro V. Locsin Architecture 1990 The Cultural Center of the
Philippines, Folk Arts Theater,
Philippine International
Convention Center,
Philcite and The Westin Hotel
(now Sofitel Philippine Plaza).
Juan F. Nakpil Architecture 1973 Geronimo de los Reyes
Building, Magsaysay
Building, Rizal
Theater, Capitol
Theater, Captain Pepe
Building, Manila Jockey Club,
etc.
Ildefonso P. Santos Architecture 2006 Tagaytay Highland Resort, the
Mt. Malarayat Golf and
Country Club in Lipa,
Batangas, and the Orchard
Golf and Country Club in
Imus, Cavite.
José maría v. Zaragoza Architecture 2014 Meralco Building (Pasig Cty),
Sto. Domingo Church and
Convent (Quezon City),
Metropolitan Cathedral of
Cebu City, Villa San Miguel,
Mandaluyoung.
Francisco T. Mañosa Architecture and Allied 2018 San Miguel Building, Ortigas
Arts Center, Pasig City; Chapel of
the Risen Lord, Las Piñas City;
Our Lady of Peace Shrine,
EDSA, Quezon City; World
Youth Day Papal Altar, Quirino
Grandstand, Manila, 1995

Cinema
Name Field Year Major Works
Lamberto V. Avellana Theater and Film 1976 Kandelerong Pilak; Sergeant
Hasan (1967); Destination
Vietnam (1969); The Evil
Within (1970).
Lino Brocka Film and Broadcast Arts 1997 “Santiago” (1970); “Wanted:
Perfect Mother” (1970);
“Tubog sa Ginto” (1971);
“Stardoom” (1971); Etc.
Ishmael Bernal Cinema 2001 Pahiram ng Isang Umaga”
(1989); “Broken Marriage”
(1983); “Himala” (1982), “City
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After Dark” (1980), and

“Nunal sa Tubig” (1976).
Manuel Conde Cinema 2009 Ibong Adarna (1941), Si Juan
Tamad (1947), Siete Infantes
de Lara (1950), Genghis Khan
(1950), Ikaw Kasi! (1955) Juan
Tamad Goes To Congress
(1959).
Gerardo De Leon Cinema 1982 Daigdig ng Mga Api,” “Noli Me
Tangere,” “El Filibusterismo,”
and “Sisa.”; Etc.
Fernando Poe, Jr. Cinema 2006 Apollo Robles(1961), Batang
Maynila (1962), Mga Alabok sa
Lupa (1967), Batang Matador
and Batang Estibador (1969),
Etc.

Visual Arts
Name Field Year Major Works
Fernando Amorsolo Visual Arts 1969 Maiden in a Stream; El Ciego;
Dalagang Bukid; The Mestiza;
Planting Rice; Sunday Morning
Going to Town
Hernando R. Ocampo Visual Arts 1991 Ina ng Balon, Calvary, Slum
Dwellers, Nude with Candle
and Flower, Man and Carabao,
Angel’s Kiss, Palayok at Kalan,
Ancestors,Isda at Mangga, The
Resurrection, Fifty-three “Q”,
Backdrop, Fiesta
Benedicto ‘Bencab’ Cabrera Visual Arts 2006 Madonna with Object; Studies
of Sabel; People Waiting; The
Indifference; Waiting for the
Monsoon
Carlos “Botong” Francisco Painting 1973 Portrait of Purita, The Invasion
of Limahong, Serenade,
Muslim Betrothal, Blood
Compact, First Mass at
Limasawa, The Martyrdom of
Rizal, Bayanihan,
Magpupukot, Fiesta,
Bayanihan sa Bukid, Sandugo.
Cesar Legaspi Visual Arts 1990 Gadgets I, Gadgets II, Diggers,
Idols of the Third Eye, Facade,
Ovary, Flora and Fauna,
Triptych, Flight, Bayanihan,
Struggle,Avenging Figure,
Turning Point, Peace, The
Survivor, The Ritual.
Abdulmari Asia Imao Visual Arts 2006 Industry Brass Mural; Mural
Relief on Filmmaking;
Industrial Mural; Sulu
Warriors
Guillermo Tolentino Sculpture 1973 Other works include the
bronze figures of President
Quezon at Quezon Memorial,
life-size busts of Jose Rizal at
UP and UE, marble statue of
Ramon Magsaysay in GSIS
and etc.
Napoleon Abueva Sculpture 1976 Kaganapan; Kiss of Judas;
Thirty Pieces of Silver, The
Transfiguration; UP Gateway;
Nine Muses; UP Faculty
Center, Sunburst; Etc.

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Victorio Edades Painting 1976 The Sketch, The Artist and the
Model, Portrait of the
Professor, Japanese Girl,
Mother and Daughter, The
Wrestlers, and Poinsettia Girl.

Vicente Manansala Painting 1981 A Cluster of Nipa Hut, San

Francisco Del Monte,
Banaklaot, I Believe in God,
Market Venders, Madonna of
the Slums, Still Life with
Green Guitar, Via Crucis,
Whirr, Nude.

Literature
Name Field Year Major Works
Francisco Arcellana Literature 1990 Frankie, The Man Who
Would Be Poe, Death in a
Factory, Lina, A Clown
Remembers, Divided by
Two, The Mats, and his
poems being The Other
Woman, This Being the
Third Poem This Poem is for
Mathilda, To Touch You
and I Touched Her
Nvm Gonzalez Literature 1997 The Winds of April, Seven
Hills Away, Children of the
Ash-Covered Loam and
Other Stories, The Bamboo
Dancers, Look Stranger, on
this Island Now, Mindoro
and Beyond: Twenty -One
Stories, The Bread of Salt
and Other Stories, Work on
the Mountain, The Novel of
Justice: Selected Essays
1968-1994, A Grammar of
Dreams and Other Stories.
Nick Joaquin Literature 1976 The Woman Who Had Two
Navels, A Portrait of the
Artist as Filipino, Manila,
My Manila: A History for
the Young, The Ballad of
the Five Battles, Rizal in
Saga, Almanac for
Manileños, Cave and
Shadows.
F. Sionil Jose Literature 2001 The Pretenders, Tree, My
Brother, My Executioner,
Mass, and Po-on,

Alejandro Roces Literature 2003 My Brother’s Peculiar

Chicken.
Resil B. Mojares Literature 2018 Origins and Rise of the
Filipino Novel: A Generic
Study of the Novel Until
1940; The Man Who Would
Be President: Serging
Osmeña and Philippine
Politics; Waiting for
Mariang Makiling: Essays
on Philippine Cultural
History; ETC

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FASHION DESIGN
Name Field Year Major Works
Ramon Valera Fashion Design 2006 Valera produced a single
piece of clothing from a
four-piece ensemble
consisting of a blouse, skirt,
overskirt, and long scarf.

THEATER DESIGN
Name Field Year Major Works
SALVADOR F. BERNAL Theater Design 2003 He organized the PATDAT;
Philippine Center of
OISTAT; introduced
Philippine theater design to
the world.

DANCE
Name Field Year Major Works
Francisca Reyes Aquino Dance 1973 Philippine National Dances
(1946); Gymnastics for Girls
(1947); Fundamental Dance
Steps and Music (1948);
Foreign Folk Dances (1949);
Dances for all Occasion
(1950); Playground
Demonstration (1951); and
Philippine Folk Dances,
Volumes I to VI.
Leonor Orosa Goquingco Dance July 24, 1917 – July 15, TREND: Return to Native,”
2005 “In a Javanese Garden,”
“Sports,” “VINTA!,” “In a
Concentration Camp,” “The
Magic Garden,” “The
Clowns,” “Firebird,” “Noli
Dance Suite,” “The
Flagellant,” “The
Creation…”
Ramon Obusan Dance 2006 “Vamos a Belen! Series”;
Noon Po sa Amin; Obra
Maestra; Unpublished
Dances of the Philippines;
Water, Fire and Life,
Philippine Dances and
Music–A Celebration of Life
Saludo sa Sentenyal;
Glimpses of ASEAN; Saplot.
Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula Dance 1988 SIngkil; Vinta; Tagabili;
Pagdiwata; Salidsid; Idaw,
banga and aires de
Verbana.
Alice Reyes Dance 2014 Amada (1969), At a
Maranaw Gathering (1970)
Itim-Asu (1971), Tales of
the Manuvu (1977), Rama
Hari (1980), Bayanihan
Remembered (1987)

HISTORICAL LITERATURE
Name Field Year Major Works
Carlos Quirino Historical Literature 1997 His book Maps and Views of
Old Manila is considered as
the best book on the
subject. Quezon, Man of

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Destiny, Magsaysay of the

Philippines, Lives of the
Philippine Presidents,
Philippine Cartography, The
History of Philippine Sugar
Industry, Filipino Heritage:
The Making of a Nation,
Filipinos at War: The Fight
for Freedom from Mactan to
EDSA.

MUSIC
Name Field Year Major Works
Antonino Buenaventura Music 1988 “Triumphal March,”
“Echoes of the Past,”
“History Fantasy,” Second
Symphony in E-flat,
“Echoes from the
Philippines,” “Ode to
Freedom.”.
Ernani J. Cuenco Music 1999 “Nahan, Kahit na Magtiis,”
and “Diligin Mo ng Hamog
ang Uhaw na Lupa,”
“Pilipinas,” “Inang Bayan,”
“Isang Dalangin,” “Kalesa,”
“Bato sa Buhangin” and
“Gaano Kita Kamahal.”
Francisco Feliciano Music 2014 Ashen Wings (1995), Sikhay
sa Kabila ng Paalam (1993),
La Loba Negra (1983),
Yerma (1982), Pamugun
(1995), Pokpok Alimako
(1981)
Jovita Fuentes Music 1976 She later embarked on a
string of music
performances in Europe
essaying the roles of Liu Yu
in Puccini’s Turandot, Mimi
in Puccini’s La Boheme, Iris
in Pietro Mascagni’s Iris,
the title role of Salome
Honorata “Atang” Dela Music 1987 Pakiusap, Ay, Ay Kalisud,
Rama Kung Iibig Ka and Madaling
Araw; Mutya ng Pasig; Anak
ni Eba, Aking Ina, and Puri
at Buhay.

THEATER
Name Field Year Major Works
Daisy H. Avellana Theater 1999 She starred in plays like
Othello (1953), Macbeth in
Black (1959), Casa de
Bernarda Alba (1967),
Tatarin. She is best
remembered for her
portrayal of Candida
Marasigan; Her directorial
credits include Diego Silang
(1968), and Walang Sugat
(1971)
Lamberto V. Avellana Theater and Film 1976 Avellana was also the first
filmmaker to have his film
Kandelerong Pilak shown at
the Cannes International
Film Festival. Among the
films he directed for

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worldwide release were

Sergeant Hasan (1967),
Destination Vietnam (1969),
and The Evil Within (1970)
Rolando S. Tinio Theater and Literature 1997 his works were the
following: film scripts for
Now and Forever, Gamitin
Mo Ako, Bayad Puri and
Milagros; sarswelas Ang
Mestisa, Ako, Ang Kiri, Ana
Maria; the komedya
Orosman at Zafira; and
Larawan, the musical.
Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio Theater 2018 6 na Dulang Filipino Para
Sa Mga Bata, 1976; Tat-lu-
han (Three Plays), 1975;
Sepang Loca, 1957; Papet
Pasyon, 1985; Abadeja: Ang
Ating Sinderela, 1977
Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero Theater 1997 His plays include Half an
Hour in a Convent, Wanted:
A Chaperon, Forever,
Condemned, Perhaps, In
Unity, Deep in My Heart,
Three Rats, Our Strange
Ways, The Forsaken House,
Frustrations.

Activity 2. Art me!

Direction. You will select at least one (1) of the National Artist awardee and make a sketch of how
their contributions makes an impact in the society;

NATIONAL LIVING TREASURE

In April 1992, the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures
Award was institutionalized through Republic Act No. 7355. Tasked with the
administration and implementation of the Award is the National Commission for Culture
and the Arts, the highest policy-making and coordinating body for culture and the arts of
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the State. The NCCA, through the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Executive Council,
conducts the search for the finest traditional artists of the land, adopts a program that will
ensure the transfer of their skills to others, and undertakes measures to promote a genuine
appreciation of and instill pride among our people about the genius of the Manlilikha ng
Bayan.

What is GAMABA?
The word GAMABA stands for GAWAD SA MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN (National Living
Treasures). It is an award given to recognize the outstanding work of the artists in the
Philippines. The given award was established in 1992 through Republic Act No. 7355 until
2012. There were thirteen finest folk artists of the land who have received this distinction
for their dedication in creating the craft, using skills, and indigenous methods and
materials. Artists who received the recognition for preserving the traditional art of the
Philippines which kept the art alive even in the contemporary period (Sandagan &
Sayseng 2016). Who are the GAMABA awardees? What are their qualifications? The
GAMABA awardees are the people who have adopts a program that will ensure the transfer
of their skills to others. They undertake measures to promote a genuine appreciation of
traditional craft and art and instill pride among our people about the skill of the Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA). Filipinos conferred as the forefront of the practice,
preservation, and promotion of the nation’s traditional folk arts.
Selection Criteria for the National Artists of the Philippines. For a person to be
considered in the selection of the National Artists Order of the Philippines, he or she must
possess the following qualities, according to Official Gazette:
 Must be a Filipino citizen;
 Work has contributed to nation-building;
 Their distinctive style and pioneering works impact succeeding generations of artist;
 There is excellence in the practice of their art form;
 Their art form enriches artistic expression or style; and
 Their work is prestigious national and international recognition.

GAMABA AWARDEES

GINAW BILOG (Poet)

A common cultural aspect among cultural
communities nationwide is the oral tradition
characterized by poetic verses which are either sung or
chanted. However, 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 tradition is commonplace among indigenous cultural groups but the
ambahan has remained in existence today chiefly because it is etched on bamboo tubes
using ancient Southeast Asian, pre-colonial script called surat Mangyan.

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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. To
this day, Ginaw shares old and new ambahans with his fellow Mangyans and promotes this
poetic form in every occasion. (Source: http://gwhs-stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/about-culture-and-
arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-ginaw-bilog/)

MASINO INTARAY (Musician and Story Teller)

Living in the highlands of southern Palawan are the
Palawan people, who, together with the Batak and
Tagbanwa, are the major indigenous cultural communities
of Palawan. 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).

The Palawan possess a rich, intense yet highly refined culture

encompassing both the visible and invisible worlds. They may not exhibit
the ornate splendor of the Maranaw nor the striking elegance of the Yakan, but their
elaborate conemology, extensive poetic and literary traditions, multi-level architecture,
musical concepts, social ethic and rituals reveal a deeply spiritual sensibility and subtle
inner life 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 magnificent firmament.

The tambilaw is a collective cooking and sharing of rice which is a ritual offering to
the Lord of Rice, Ampo’t Paray, while the tinapay is the rice wine drinking ceremony. It is
during such occasions that the 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 Master Rice, Ampo’t Paray. The basal
enlivens the night long fast of the drinking of the rice wine, bringing together about one
hundred guests under the roof of the kolon banwa (big house). The gimbal (tubular drum)
begins the music with a basic rhythm, then enter the sanang ( pair of small gongs with
boss and narrow rims) and one to three agungs (gongs with high bossed and wide turned –
in rims). (Source: http://gwhs-stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-
profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-masino-intaray/)

SAMAON SULAIMAN (Musician)

The Magindanaon, who are among the largest of
Filipino Islamic groups, are concentrated in the towns
of Dinaig, Datu Piang, Maganoy and Buluan in
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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 have few peers among
Filipino cultural communities. Their masters on the
kulintang (gong-chime) and kutyapi (two-stringed
plucked lute) are comparable to any instrumental 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 instruments. It exists in a great
variety of designs, shapes and sizes and known by such names as kotapi (Subanon),
fegereng (Tiruray), faglong (B’laan), hegelong (T’boli) and kuglong or kudlong (Manobo).

The Magindanao kutyapi is one of the most technically demanding and difficult to
master among Filipino traditional instruments, which is one 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 movable frets that allow melodies to be played in two sets of pentatonic
scales, 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 human 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 Magindanaon, it is the
kutyapi that captivates with its intimate, meditative, almost mystical charm. It retains a
delicate, quiet temper even at its most celebrative and ebullient mood. Samaon Sulaiman
achieved the highest level of excellence in the art of kutyapi playing. His extensive
repertoire of dinaladay, linapu, minuna, binalig, and other forms and styles interpreted
with refinement and sensitivity fully demonstrate and creative and expressive possibilities
of his instrument. (Source: http://gwhs-stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-
profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-samaon-sulaiman/)
LANG DULAY (Textile Weaver)
Using abaca fibers as fine as hair, Lang Dulay speaks
more eloquently than words can. Images from the distant
past of her people, the Tbolis, are recreated by her nimble
hands – the crocodiles, butterflies and flowers, along with
mountains and streams, 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 tradition 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 the stem of
the abaca plant to get the fibers, to coaxing even finer fibers for the textile, then drying the
threads and tying each strand by hand. Afterwards, there is the delicate 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
defines the design.
Lang Dulay knows a hundred designs, including the bulinglangit (clouds), the
bankiring (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 wisdom

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and the visions of her people. (Source: http://gwhs-stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/about-culture-and-

arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-lang-dulay/)

SALINTA MONON (Textile Weaver)

Practically, since she was born, Salinta Monon
had watched her mother’s nimble hands glide over the
loom, weaving traditional Bagobo textiles. At 12 she
presented herself to her mother, to be taught how to
weave herself. Her ardent desire to excel in the art of
her ancestors enabled her to learn quickly. She
developed a keen eye for the traditional designs, and
now, at the age of 65, she can identify the design as well as the author of a woven piece just
by a glance.

Salinta has built a solid reputation for the quality of her work and the intricacies of
her designs. There is a continuing demand for her fabrics. She has reached the stage where
she is able to set her own price, but she admits to a nagging sense of being underpaid
nevertheless, considering the time she puts into her work. It takes her three to four months
to finish a fabric 3.5 m x 42 cm in length, or one abaca tube skirt per month. She used to
wear the traditional hand-woven tube skirt of the Bagobo, of which the sinukla and the
bandira were two of the most common types until the market began to be flooded with
cheap machine-made fabrics. Now, she wears her traditional clothes only on speacial
occasions. Of the many designs she weaves, her favorite is the binuwaya (crocodile), which
is one of the hardest to make.

Today, she has her son to strip the abaca fibers for her. Abaca was once plentiful in
their area, but an unexpected scourge has devastated the wild abaca crops. Now, they are
starting to domesticate their own plants to keep up with the steady demand for the fabric.
(Source: http://gwhs-stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-
profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-salinta-monon/)

ALONZO SACLAG (Musician and Dancer)

History, they say, is always written from the
perspective of the dominant class. It is not as objective
an account as we were led to believe when, as
elementary schoolchildren, we were made to memorize
the details of the lives of Jose Rizal and the other
notable ilustrados. History is about as impartial as the
editorials we eagerly devour today, the ones that extol
and chastise the exploits and the foibles of
government,
but with a distinct advantage: by virtue of its form, it takes on an aura of authority. And
this authority is one ordinary schoolchildren and adults alike are hardly likely to challenge.
Seemingly maligned by both history and popular media are the people of the Kalinga.
Even in the earliest Spanish Chronicles, they were depicted as so hostile that Dominican
missionaries were forced to abandon their plans to build Christian missions in the area.
Their more recent battle against the Marcos administration’s plans to build a series of
hydroelectric dams along the Chico River only added to their notoriety. The very name they
have taken on was a label tagged on to them by the neighboring Ibanag and Gaddang. It
meant “enemy” – a throwback, no doubt, to the days when head taking was a common and
noble practice, intended not only to demonstrate bravery but, more importantly, to
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safeguard lives and property. (Source: http://gwhs-stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/about-culture-and-

arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-alonzo-saclag/)

FEDERICO CABALLERO (Epic Chanter)

Stories are the lifeblood of a people. In the
stories people tell lies a window to what they think,
believe, and desire. In truth, a people’s stories
soundly encapsulate the essence of their humanity.
And this circumstance is not peculiar to any one
group. It is as a thread that weaves through the
civilizations of the ancient East and the cultures of
the industrial West. So significant is the role they play
that to poison a
people’s stories, says African writer Ben Okri, is to poison their lives.
This truth resonates in the experience of many. In the folklore of the Tagalog people,
tales abound of a mythical hero who, once freed from imprisonment in a sacred mountain,
would come to liberate the nation. The crafty Spaniards seized upon this myth and used it
as a tool for further subjugation. They harped on it, enshrining it in the consciousness of
every Tagalog, dangling this legendary champion in front of their eyes as one would the
proverbial carrot. So insidious was this myth that suffering in silence and waiting for
deliverance became a virtue. And for a time, it lulled the people into a false sense of hope,
smothering all desire to rise up in arms. (source:http://gwhs-stg02.i.gov.ph/~s2govnccaph/about-
culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-federico-caballero/)

UWANG AHADAS (Musician)

Much mystery surrounds life. And when
confronted with such, it is but natural to attempt
some form of hypothesizing. In the days when hard
science was nonexistent, people sought to explain
away many of these enigmas by attributing them to
the work of the gods or the spirits. In this way, rain
and thunder became the lamentations of a deity
abandoned by his capricious wife, and night and day,
the compromise reached by a brother and sister who
both wanted to rule the world upon the death of their
father.

Many of these heavenly beings hold sway over the earth and all that dwell within its
bounds. In the folklore of a northern people, a story explains why, in the three-kilometer
stretch of the highest peak of Binaratan, a mountain in the region, there is a silence so
complete it borders on the eerie. Legend has it that the great Kaboniyan went hunting with
some men to teach them how to train and use hounds. When they reached the peak of
Binaratan, however, they could no longer hear their hounds as the song of the birds
drowned their barking. One of the hunters begged Kaboniyan to stop the birds’ singing, lest
the hunt fail and they return home empty-handed. So Kaboniyan commanded the creatures
of Binaratan to be silent in a voice so loud and frightful that they kept their peace in fear.
Since then, a strange unbroken silence reigns at the top of the mountain, in spite of the
multitudes of birds that flit from tree to tree. (Source: https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-
arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-uwang-ahadas/)

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DARHATA SAWABI (textile Weaver)

In Barangay Parang, in the island of Jolo, Sulu
province, women weavers are hard at work weaving
the pis syabit, the traditional cloth tapestry worn as a
head covering by the Tausug of Jolo. “This is what
we’ve grown up with,” say the weavers. “It is something
we’ve learned from our mothers.” Darhata Sawabi is
one of those who took the art of pis syabit making to
heart.
The families in her native Parang still depend on subsistence farming as their main
source of income. But farming does not bring in enough money to support a family, and is
not even an option for someone like Darhata Sawabi who was raised from birth to do only
household chores. She has never married. Thus, weaving is her only possible source of
income. The money she earns from making the colorful squares of cloth has enabled her to
become self-sufficient and less dependent on her nephews and nieces. A hand-woven
square measuring 39 by 40 inches, which takes her some three months to weave, brings
her about P2,000. These squares are purchased by Tausug for headpieces, as well as to
adorn native attire, bags, and other accessories. Her remarkable proficiency with the art
and the intricacy of her designs allows her to price her creations a little higher than others.
Her own community of weavers recognizes her expertise in the craft, her bold contrasting
colors, evenness of her weave and her faithfulness to traditional designs.

Factors Affecting the Traditional Artist’s Production Process

1. Christianization. The impact of Christianity and the discussion of the locals to a

remote religion have made individuals from the network reject their indigenous
ceremonies and customs. At more regrettable, individuals are persuaded that the last
are crude and thusly their training has no spot in contemporary culture. Now and
again.
2. Notwithstanding, the network figures out how to syncretize their indigenous ways
with customs of Christianity.
3. Mining and framework venture. Mining and system adventures expel individuals
from their homes and seriously harm the earth. Denied the abundance of the land,
indigenous gatherings are provoked to look for short – term work from these
businesses to get in a cash economy.
4. Tourism. Plays a big role in one’s nation. This is to promote the culture,
environment, and the life of a nation to others. Along these lines, land regions are
changed over into locales for traveler utilization. Environmental spaces become
increasingly vulnerable to harm with the consolidated powers of catastrophic events
ang visitor convenience.
5. Militarization. The weakness and pressure realized by hostile areas capture the
individuals’ capacity to make workmanship. It keeps individuals from having public
social events, were trades and passing information can happen.

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Activity 3: My Idol!
Direction: Choose among the Filipino artists at least three (3) mentioned above and explain
how they influenced you as a person. (Rubric will be attached by the end of this module)

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PRACTICE
Activity 4: Venn Diagram
Direction: Create a Venn Diagram that shows the similarities and differences of the
National Artist Award and the Living National Treasure Award.

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EVALUATION:

Multiple Choice: Select the letter of the best answer from among the given choices. Encircle
the correct Answer.

1. A Musician and Storyteller from the highlands of southern Palawan, he has the creative
memory, endurance clarity that enable him to chant all through the night.
A. Ginaw Bilog
B. Smoan Sulaiman
C. Masino Intaray
D. Uwang Ahadas
2. It is the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant
contributions to the development of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater and etc.
A. GAMABA
B. National Artist
C. Literature
D. Theater Arts
3. A Textile Weaver and she is one of those who took the art of pis syabit making to heart.
A. Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio
B. Darhata Sawabi
C. Salinta Monon
D. Jovita Fuentes
4. He was the one who produced a single piece of clothing from a four-piece ensemble
consisting of a blouse, skirt, overskirt, and long scarf.
A. Ramon Valera
B. Carlos Quirino
C. Francisco Feliciano
D. Jovita Fuentes
5. It is an award given to recognize the outstanding work of the artists in the Philippines.
A. National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA)
B. Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP)
C. GAMABA
D. Living National Treasure
6. Born in Davao del Sur, a textile weaver, Of the many designs she weaves, her favorite is the
binuwaya (crocodile), which is one of the hardest to make.
A. Darhata Sawabi
B. Salinta Monon
C. Daisy Avellana
D. Lang Dulay
7. He organized the PATDAT; Philippine Center of OISTAT; introduced Philippine theater design
to the world.
A. Pablo S. Antonio
B. Salvador Bernal
C. Roman Obusan
D. Ernani Cuenco
8. Selection Criteria for the National Artists of the Philippines
A. Work has contributed to international stage
B. Must be an international citizen
C. Their art from enriches creative expression or style
D. There is excellence in the practice of their art form
9. His book Maps and Views of Old Manila is considered as the best book on the subject

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A. F. Sionel Jose
B. Carlos P. Romulo
C. Carlos Quirino
D. Antonio Buenaventura
10.Plays a big role in one’s nation. This is to promote the culture, environment, and the life of a
nation to others.
A. Christianization
B. Tourism
C. Militarization
D. Mining and framework venture.

ENRICHMENT
Activity 5: Be an Artist!
Direction: Be an artist that you want. Think of something that represents you as artist.
You may;

1. Create a drawing / Painting / Soft Sculpture (using clays, paper or any recycle
materials)
2. Make a short poem (Poem that best represent you as an ideal artist)
3. Perform a video monologue

**Submit your output during the submission of your Module as well

Sample Rubrics for Scoring

Rubrics for Activity 2, 5

Illustration and Content

10 pts The illustration shows an extraordinary concept. The composition is

focused and is rich in details.

8 pts The illustration shows a clear concept. The composition is focused and
is rich in details.

5 pts The illustration shows a little concept. The composition is focused but
gives few details.

1 pt The illustrations shows no concept. The composition is not focused and

no details.
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Rubrics for Activity 3, 4

Reference:
Books:
Ganzon, Arch. Carlo Luis C. (2018). JOURNEY: Contemporary Arts of the Philippines.
Phoenix Publishing House, Quezon City.

Website
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/
https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/lists/national-artists-of-the-philippines/

Modules:
Department of Education. Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions (Quarter 1 –
Module 4).

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