The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
What takes an artist to be nominated at the prestigious National Artist?
What does it take to win the award?
Who will be the next set of National Artists in various fields in 2025?
How are artist-nominees selected?
These are just few of the questions posed concerning and covering any qualified and deserving future National Artists?
In an almost jampacked Leandro V. Locsin Theater of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) President Michelle Nikkki Junia emphasized in her opening remarks the importance of the ideals of the National Artists of the Philippines.
NCCA Chairman Victorino Mapa Manalo stressed the selection of National Artists beyond the country. “There are many Filipino artists abroad who deserve nominations and proclamations,” said Manalo.
Meanwhile, CCP Chairman Jaime C. Laya spoke of the rigorous process of nomination and selection of NA.
The occasion was the calls for nomination to the Order of National Artist which sets the deadline to June 30, 2024.
Three National Artists, Ricky Lee for Film and Broadcast Arts; Alice Reyes for Dance and Gemino Abad for Literature were around to encourage their fellow artists to get nominated and to inspire them to uphold freedom in their works. “We must fight for freedom,” chorused Ricky, Alice and Gemino.
What is ONA all about?
By virtue of Proclamation No. 1001 dated April 27, 1972, the Order of National Artist (ONA), or Orden ng Pambansang Alagad ng Sining, was established to bestow appropriate recognition and prestige on Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contribution to Philippine arts and letters. According to Republic Act (RA) 7356, the NCCA is given broad responsibilities over the development and promotion of the Filipino national culture and the arts, including awards to persons who have significantly contributed to the development and development of Philippine culture and the arts.
The ONA shall be given to artists who have met the following criteria: living artists who are Filipino citizens at the time of nomination and at the awarding, as well as those who died after the establishment of the award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens at the time of their drath; artists who through the content and form of their works have contributed in building a Filipino sense of nationhood; artists who have pioneered in a mode of creative expression or style, thus, earning distinction and making an impact on succeeding generations of artists; artists who have created substantial and significant body of works and/or consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their artvform, thus enriching artistic expression or style; and artists who enjoy broad acceptance through prestigious national and/or international recognition such as the Gawad CCP para sa Sining, CCP Thirtern Artists Award and NCCA Haraya Awards (Alab ng Dangal), critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works, and respect and esteem from peers.
Various honors and privileges are entitled to those conferred with the ONA: the rank and title of Nationsl Artist, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines; the National Artist gold-plated medallion minted by thd Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and citation; a lifetime emolument and materials, and physical benefits such as cash awards, lifetime monthly stipends, medical and hospitalization benefits, and coverage by a life insurance policy by the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and/or private insurance compsnies.
Nominations for the Order of National Artist may be submitted by government and non-government cultural organizations and educational institutions, as well as private foundations and councils.
All inquiries and nominations shall be submitted to:
The Order of National Artist
onaa@ncca.gov.ph
8-5272192 local 507
Office of the Executive Director
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
NCCA Building, 633 General Luna Street, Intramuros, Manila 1002.
The ONA is a partnership of the CCP and NCCA in organization, supervision, monitoring and selection with the finsl proclamation of the President of the Republi if the Philippines. (Boy Villasanta with reports from NCCA publicist Rene Napenas)