SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

Significant Artists from the Regions

Welcome to the twelfth module of the course on Philippine Contemporary Art from the Regions.
For this chapter, we will learn about some of the significant artists from the regions.

The artists that will be discussed in this chapter are those given the award of National Artist of
the Philippines and the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures Award.
It is important to learn about them because they gave a significant contribution to the Philippine
art scene, in their respective fields.

National Artists of the Philippines

The highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant
contributions to the development of the Philippine arts is the Order of National Artists (Orden ng
Pambansang Alagad ng Sining). The order is conducted by both the National Commission for
Culture and the Arts and the Cultural Center of the Philippines and is granted by the President of
the Philippines with the recommendation of the two mentioned institutions.
The different categories are Visual Arts, Music, Dance, Theater, Literature, Film,
Broadcast Arts, and Architecture and Allied Arts. Some of the artists granted the awards will be
discussed below.

Visual Arts
 Abdulmari Asia Imao (National Artist for Visual Arts, 2006)
Abdulmari Asia Imao, a native of Sulu, was a sculptor, painter, photographer,
ceramist, documentary filmmaker, cultural researcher, writer, and articulator
of Philippine Muslim art and culture.
Through his works, the indigenous ukkil, sarimanok and naga motifs have
been popularized and instilled in the consciousness of the Filipino nation and
other peoples as original Filipino creations.
His U.P. art education introduced him to Filipino masters like Guillermo
Tolentino and Napoleon Abueva, who were among his mentors.
With his large-scale sculptures and monuments of Muslim and regional
heroes and leaders gracing selected sites from Batanes to Tawi-tawi, Imao has
helped develop among cultural groups trust and confidence necessary for the
building of a more just and humane society.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/abdulmari-asia-imao/)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 1

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

SULU. Abdulmari Imao

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/abdulmari-asia-imao/)

SULU. “Marine Series” by SULU. “Sarimanok Series II SULU. “Sarimanok Series IV

Abdulmari Asia Imao, Acrylic Brass” by Abdulmari Asia Imao, Molave” by Abdulmari Asia Imao,
on canvas. Brass. Molave.

(http://www.galeriejoaquin.com/artists/gallery/32)

 Napoleon Abueva (Natonal Artist for Sculpture, 1976)

At 46 then, Napoleon V. Abueva, a native of Bohol, was the youngest
National Artist awardee. Considered as the Father of Modern Philippine
Sculpture, Abueva has helped shape the local sculpture scene to what it is
now. Being adept in either academic representational style or modern
abstract, he has utilized almost all kinds of materials from hard wood
(molave, acacia, langka wood, ipil, kamagong, palm wood and bamboo) to

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SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

adobe, metal, stainless steel, cement, marble, bronze, iron, alabaster, coral and
brass. Among the early innovations Abueva introduced in 1951 was what he
referred to as “buoyant sculpture” — sculpture meant to be appreciated from
the surface of a placid pool. In the 80’s, Abueva put up a one-man show at the
Philippine Center, New York. His works have been installed in different
museums here and abroad, such as “The Sculpture” at the United Nations
headquarters in New York City.
Some of his major works include Kaganapan (1953), Kiss of Judas (1955),
Thirty Pieces of Silver, The Transfiguration (1979), Eternal Garden Memorial
Park, UP Gateway (1967), Nine Muses (1994), UP Faculty Center,
Sunburst (1994)-Peninsula Manila Hotel, the bronze figure of Teodoro M.
Kalaw in front of National Library, and murals in marble at the National
Heroes Shrine, Mt. Samat, Bataan.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/napoleon-abueva/)

BOHOL. "Siyam na Diwata ng Sining" sculpture by

Abueva, University of the Philippines College of Arts
BOHOL. Napoleon Abueva. and Letters.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-
(http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Napoleon_Abueva)
arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-
philippines/napoleon-abueva/)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 3

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

BOHOL. “ALLEGORICAL Harpoon” by BOHOL. “ABSTRACT 3” by Napoleon Abueva,

Napoleon Abueva, molave, 1964. red narra, 1979.

BOHOL. Detail of “Asean Boats- Sailing to

Prosperity” by Napoleon Abueva, wood, 1987

(http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/142937/abueva-father-of-philippine-modern-sculpture/)

Architecture and Allied Arts

 Leandro V. Locsin (National Artist for Architecture, 1990)

Leandro V. Locsin reshaped the urban landscape with a distinctive
architecture reflective of Philippine Art and Culture. He believes that the true
Philippine Architecture is “the product of two great streams of culture, the
oriental and the occidental… to produce a new object of profound harmony.”
It is this synthesis that underlies all his works, with his achievements in
concrete reflecting his mastery of space and scale. Every Locsin Building is
an original, and identifiable as a Locsin with themes of floating volume, the
duality of light and heavy, buoyant and massive running in his major works.
From 1955 to 1994, Locsin has produced 75 residences and 88 buildings,
including 11 churches and chapels, 23 public buildings, 48 commercial
buildings, six major hotels, and an airport terminal building.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/leandro-v-locsin/)

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SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL. Leandro Locsin.

(http://historyofarchitecture.weebly.com/leandro-v-locsin.html)

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL. Leandro Locsin, Cultural NEGROS OCCIDENTAL. Leandro Locsin, Church of
Center of the Philippines. Monastery of the Transfiguration, Malaybalay, Bukidnon.

NEGROS OCCIDENTAL. Leandro Locsin,

Church of Saint Andrew, Bel-Air Village, Makati

(http://historyofarchitecture.weebly.com/leandro-v-locsin.html)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 5

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

 José María V. Zaragoza (National Artist for Architecture, 2014)

José María V. Zaragoza’s place in Philippine architecture history is defined by
a significant body of modern edifices that address spiritual and secular
requirements. Zaragoza’s name is synonymous to modern ecclesiastical
architecture. Notwithstanding his affinity to liturgical structures, he greatly
excelled in secular works: 36 office buildings, 4 hotels, 2, hospitals, 5 low-
cost and middle-income housing projects; and more than 270 residences – all
demonstrating his typological versatility and his mastery of modernist
architectural vocabulary.
Zaragoza graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila in 1936,
passing the licensure examinations in 1938 to become the 82nd architect of
the Philippines. With growing interest in specializing in religious architecture,
Zaragoza also studied at International Institute of Liturgical Art (IILA) in
Rome in the late 1950s, where he obtained a diploma in liturgical art and
architecture. His training in Rome resulted in innovative approaches, setting
new standards for the design of mid-century Catholic churches in the
Philippines. His prolificacy in designing religious edifices was reflected in his
body of work that was predominated by about 45 churches and religious
centers, including the Santo Domingo Church, Our Lady of Rosary in Tala,
Don Bosco Church, the Convent of the Pink Sisters, the San Beda Convent,
Villa San Miguel, Pius XII Center, the Union Church, and the controversial
restoration of the Quiapo Church, among others.
Zaragoza is a pillar of modern architecture in Philippines buttressed by a half-
century career that produced ecclesiastical edifices and structures of
modernity in the service of God and humanity.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/jose-maria-v-zaragoza/)

METRO MANILA. José María V. Zaragoza.

(http://historyofarchitecture.weebly.com/jose-maria-zaragosa.html)

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SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

METRO MANILA. Commercial Bank and

METRO MANILA. Lopez
Building, MERALCO, Pasig
City by José María V.
Zaragoza.
Trust Company Building, Escolta, Manila by
METRO MANILA. Sto.
José María V. Zaragoza
Domingo Church, Quezon
City by José María V.
Zaragoza.

(http://historyofarchitecture.weebly.com/jose-maria-zaragosa.html)

Cinema

 Lino Brocka (National Artist for Cinema, 1997)

Catalino “Lino” Ortiz Brocka, director for film and broadcast arts, espoused
the term “freedom of expression” in the Philippine Constitution. Brocka took
his social activist spirit to the screen leaving behind 66 films which breathed
life and hope for the marginalized sectors of society — slumdwellers,
prostitute, construction workers, etc. He also directed for theater with equal
zeal and served in organizations that offer alternative visions, like the
Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) and the Concerned Artists
of the Philippines (CAP). At the same time, he garnered awards and
recognition from institutions like the CCP, FAMAS, TOYM, and Cannes Film
Festival. Lino Brocka has left behind his masterpieces, bequeathing to our
country a heritage of cinematic harvest; a bounty of stunning images,
memorable conversations that speak volumes on love, betrayal and
redemption, pestilence and plenty all pointing towards the recovery and
rediscovery of our nation.
To name a few, Brocka’s films include the following: “Santiago” (1970),
“Wanted: Perfect Mother” (1970), “Tubog sa Ginto” (1971), “Stardoom”
(1971), “Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang” (1974), “Maynila: Sa Kuko ng
Liwanag” (1975), “Insiang” (1976), “Jaguar” (1979), “Bona” (1980), “Macho
Dancer” (1989), “Orapronobis” (1989), “Makiusap Ka sa Diyos” (1991).
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/lino-brocka/)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 7

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

SORSOGON. Lino Brocka.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/lino-brocka/)

SORSOGON. Lino Brocka’s SORSOGON. Lino Brocka’s SORSOGON. Lino Brocka’s

“Tinimbang Ka Ngunit
Kulang”.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Weighed_But_Found_Wanting)
“Maynila Sa Mga Kuko Ng
Liwanag”.
(http://video48.blogspot.com/201
3/08/famas-1975-maynila-sa-
mga-kuko-ng.html)
“Makiusap Ka Sa Diyos”.
(http://alchetron.com/Makius
ap-ka-sa-Diyos-114307-W)

 Ishmael Bernal (National Artist for Cinema, 2001)

Ishmael Bernal was a filmmaker of the first order and one of the very few who
can be truly called a maestro. Critics have hailed him as “the genius of
Philippine cinema.”
He is recognized as a director of films that serve as social commentaries and
bold reflections on the existing realities of the struggle of the Filipino. His art
extends beyond the confines of aesthetics. By polishing its visuals, or
innovating in the medium, he manages to send his message across: to fight the
censors, free the artists, give justice to the oppressed, and enlighten as well as
entertain the audience.
Among his notable films are “Pahiram ng Isang Umaga” (1989), “Broken
Marriage” (1983), “Himala” (1982), “City After Dark” (1980), and “Nunal sa

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SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

Tubig” (1976).
He was recognized as the Director of the Decade of the 1970s by the Catholic
Mass Media Awards; four-time Best Director by the Urian Awards (1989,
1985, 1983, and 1977); and given the ASEAN Cultural Award in
Communication Arts in 1993.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/ishmael-bernal/)

MANILA. Ishmael Bernal

(http://tumblr.malacanang.gov.ph/post/98796335874/today-ish-ishmael-bernals-birshday-a-director-of)

MANILA. Ishmael Bernal’s MANILA. Ishmael Bernal’s

“Pahiram ng Isang Umaga”
(https://sssip.wordpress.com/20
11/09/16/the-misssing-poster-
of-the-film-classic-pahiram-ng-
isang-umaga-finally-found/)
MANILA. Ishmael Bernal’s
“Broken Marriage”
(https://starforallseasons.com/
2009/11/17/filmography-
broken-marriage-1983/)
“Himala”
(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_nxU
b2kYKSvI/TClUMCmfAjI/AA
AAAAAAWPs/3zMICGdupO
Y/s1600/Himala-82-sf.jpg)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 9

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

Theater
 Salvador Bernal (National Artist for Theater Design, 2003)
Salvador F. Bernal designed more than 300 productions distinguished for their
originality since 1969. Sensitive to the budget limitations of local productions,
he harnessed the design potential of inexpensive local materials, pioneering or
maximizing the use of bamboo, raw abaca, and abaca fiber, hemp twine, rattan
chain links and gauze cacha.
As the acknowledged guru of contemporary Filipino theater design, Bernal
shared his skills with younger designers through his classes at the University
of the Philippines and the Ateneo de Manila University, and through the
programs he created for the CCP Production Design Center which he himself
conceptualized and organized.
To promote and professionalize theater design, he organized the PATDAT
(Philippine Association of Theatre Designers and Technicians) in 1995 and by
way of Philippine Center of OISTAT (Organization Internationale des
Scenographes, Techniciens et Architectes du Theatre), he introduced
Philippine theater design to the world.
(https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/salvador-f-bernal/)

DAGUPAN. Salvador Bernal.

(https://twitter.com/nccaofficial/status/552653545711734785)

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SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

DAGUPAN. Salvador Bernal’s theater design for DAGUPAN. Salvador Bernal’s theater design
“Banaag at Sikat”. for “Peter Pan”.
(http://gibbscadiz.blogspot.com/2011/10/salvador- (https://judebfood.wordpress.com/2015/12/07/
bernal-1945-2011-poverty-of.html) magical-bernal-in-peter-pan/img_8549/)

DAGUPAN. Salvador Bernal’s theater design for “Ang Pagpapatay Kay Luna”.
(http://eatingthesun.blogspot.com/2014/07/exhibiting-badongs-stage-designs.html?m=0)

 Rolando S. Tinio (National Artist for Theater and Literature, 1997)

Rolando S. Tinio, playwright, thespian, poet, teacher, critic and translator,
marked his career with prolific artistic productions. Tinio’s chief distinction is
as a stage director whose original insights into the scripts he handled brought
forth productions notable for their visual impact and intellectual cogency.
Subsequently, after staging productions for the Ateneo Experimental Theater
(its organizer and administrator as well), he took on Teatro Pilipino. It was to
Teatro Pilipino which he left a considerable amount of work reviving
traditional Filipino drama by re-staging old theater forms like the sarswela and
opening a treasure-house of contemporary Western drama. It was the
excellence and beauty of his practice that claimed for theater a place among
the arts in the Philippines in the 1960s.
Aside from his collections of poetry (Sitsit sa Kuliglig, Dunung – Dunungan,
Kristal na Uniberso, A Trick of Mirrors) among his works were the following:
film scripts for Now and Forever, Gamitin Mo Ako, Bayad Puri and Milagros;

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 11

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

sarswelas Ang Mestisa, Ako, Ang Kiri, Ana Maria; the komedya Orosman at
Zafira; and Larawan, the musical.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/rolando-s-tinio/)

MANILA. Rolando Tinio.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tdbbeSaQgY)

MANILA. Front cover of the playbill of MANILA. Front page of the playbill of
Teatro Pilipino’s 1977 production of Teatro Pilipino’s 1980 production of
Balagtas’ Orosman at Zafira, directed by Moliere’s Tartuffe, with Rolando Tinio in
Rolando Tinio. the title role.
(http://rolandotinio.tumblr.com/page/3)

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 SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

Dance
 Ramon Obusan (National Artist for Dance, 2006)
Ramon Obusan was a dancer, choreographer, stage designer and artistic
director. He achieved phenomenal success in Philippine dance and cultural
work. He was also acknowledged as a researcher, archivist and documentary
filmmaker who broadened and deepened the Filipino understanding of his
own cultural life and expressions. Through the Ramon Obusan Folkloric
Group (ROFG), he had effected cultural and diplomatic exchanges using the
multifarious aspects and dimensions of the art of dance.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/ramon-obusan/)

ALBAY. Ramon Obusan

(http://alchetron.com/Ramon-Obusan-982084-W)

ALBAY. Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group

“Pasinaya 2014 Solotan Maranao Suite”.
ALBAY. Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group.
(http://alchetron.com/Ramon-Obusan-
(https://ramonobusanfolkloric.wordpress.com/image-gallery/)
982084-W)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 13

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

 Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula (National Artist for Dance, 1988)

Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula, choreographer, dance educator and researcher, spent
almost four decades in the discovery and study of Philippine folk and ethnic
dances. She applied her findings to project a new example of an ethnic dance
culture that goes beyond simple preservation and into creative growth. Over a
period of thirty years, she had choreographed suites of mountain dances,
Spanish-influenced dances, Muslim pageants and festivals, regional variations
and dances of the countryside for the Bayanihan Philippine Dance Company
of which she is the dance director. These dances have all earned critical
acclaim and rave reviews from audiences in their world tours in Americas,
Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa.
Among the widely acclaimed dances she had staged were the following:
Singkil, a Bayanihan signature number based on a Maranao epic poem; Vinta,
a dance honoring Filipino sailing prowess; Tagabili, a tale of tribal conflict;
Pagdiwata, a four-day harvest festival condensed into a six-minute breath-
taking spectacle; Salidsid, a mountain wedding dance ; Idaw, Banga and Aires
de Verbena.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/lucrecia-reyes-urtula/)

ILOILO. Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula.

(http://fil.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Lucrecia_Reyes_Urtula)

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 SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

ILOILO. Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula. ILOILO. “Vinta” staged by Lucrecia Reyes-

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5MHiFGnyfs) Urtula.
(http://www.cecillevillacorta.net/2012/12/cecille-
villacorta-was-principal.html)

Music
 Andrea Veneracion (National Artist for Music, 1999)
Andrea Veneracion is highly esteemed for her achievements as choirmaster
and choral arranger. Two of her indispensable contributions in culture and the
arts include the founding of the Philippine Madrigal Singers and the
spearheading of the development of Philippine choral music. A former faculty
member of the UP College of Music and honorary chair of the Philippine
Federation of Choral Music, she also organized a cultural outreach program to
provide music education and exposure in several provinces. Born in Manila on
July 11, 1928, she is recognized as an authority on choral music and
performance and has served as adjudicator in international music
competitions.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/andrea-o-veneracion/)

MANILA. Andrea Veneracion.

(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJdmmGzUYAAu-ln.png)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 15

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

MANILA. Andrea Veneracion and the Philippine MANILA. “A Life Shaped By Music”, a book about
Madrigal Singers. Andrea Veneracion and the Philippine Madrigal
(http://alchetron.com/Andrea-Veneracion- Singers.
1002092-W) (http://artbooks.ph/products/a-life-shaped-by-music)

 Felipe Padilla de Leon (National Artist for Music, 1997)

Felipe Padilla de Leon, composer, conductor, and scholar, Filipinized western
music forms, a feat aspired for by Filipino composers who preceded him. The
prodigious body of De Leon’s musical compositions, notably the sonatas,
marches and concertos have become the full expression of the sentiments and
aspirations of the Filipino in times of strife and of peace, making him the
epitome of a people’s musician. He is the recipient of various awards and
distinctions: Republic Cultural Heritage Award, Doctor of Humanities from
UP, Rizal Pro-Patria Award, Presidential Award of Merit, Patnubay ng
Kalinangan Award, among others.
De Leon’s orchestral music include Mariang Makiling Overture (1939), Roca
Encantada, symphonic legend (1950), Maynila Overture (1976),
Orchesterstuk(1981); choral music like Payapang Daigdig, Ako’y Pilipino,
Lupang Tinubuan, Ama Namin; and songs Bulaklak, Alitaptap, and Mutya ng
Lahi.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-
the-philippines/felipe-padilla-de-leon/)

NUEVA EJICA. “Noli Me

Tangere” 2012, composed
by Felipe De Leon
(http://www.angkulet.com/
2012/06/21/dulaang-u-p-s-
noli-me-tangere-the-opera-
july-18-august-12-2012/)
NUEVA EJICA. Felipe De Leon
(http://skedsearch.com/upload/63ad3-felipe.jpg)

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SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan

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 (NCCA), the
highest policy-making and coordinating body for culture and the arts of the State. The NCCA,
through the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan Committee and an Ad Hoc Panel of Experts,
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.
First awarded in 1993 to three outstanding artists in music and poetry, the Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan has its roots in the 1988 National Folk Artists Award organized by the
Rotary Club of Makati-Ayala. As a group, these folk and traditional artists reflect the diverse
heritage and cultural traditions that transcend their beginnings to become part of our national
character. As Filipinos, they bring age-old customs, crafts and ways of living to the attention and
appreciation of Filipino life. They provide us with a vision of ourselves and of our nation, a
vision we might be able to realize someday, once we are given the opportunity to be true to
ourselves as these artists have remained truthful to their art.
As envisioned under R.A. 7355, “Manlilikha ng Bayan” shall mean a citizen engaged in
any traditional art uniquely Filipino whose distinctive skills have reached such a high level of
technical and artistic excellence and have been passed on to and widely practiced by the present
generation in his/her community with the same degree of technical and artistic competence.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/)

The awardees of the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan are discussed below.

 Ginaw Bilog (Poet, Hanunuo Mangyan, Panaytayan, Oriental Mindoro,

Awarded 1993)
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.
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
Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 17
12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

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.)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-ginaw-bilog/)

ORIENTAL MINDORO. Ginaw Bilog

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-ginaw-bilog/)

 Masino Intaray (Musician and Storyteller, Pala’wan, Brookes Point, Palawan,

Awarded 1993)
An outstanding master of the basal, kulilal and bagit is Masino, a gifted poet,
bard artist, and musician who was born near the head of the river in Makagwa
valley on the foothill of Mantalingayan mountain. 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-eminent 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).

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SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

Masino and the basal and kulilal ensemble of Makagwa valley are creative,
traditional artists of the highest order of merit. (Prof. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-masino-intaray/)

PALAWAN. Masino Intaray

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-masino-intaray/)

 Samaon Sulaiman (Musician, Magindanao, Mama sa Pano, Maguindanao,

Awarded 1993)
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 the creative and expressive possibilities of his instrument.
Learning to play the kutyapi from his uncle when he was about 13 years old,
he has since, at 35 become the most acclaimed kutyapi master and teacher of
his instrument in Libutan and other barangays of Maganoy town, deeply
influencing the other acknowledged experts in kutyapi in the area, such as
Esmael Ahmad, Bitul Sulaiman, Nguda Latip, Ali Ahmad and Tukal Nanalon.
Aside from kutyapi, Samaon is also proficient in kulintang, agong (suspended
bossed gong with wide rim), gandingan (bossed gong with narrow rim),
palendag (lip-valley flute), and tambul.
Samaon was a popular barber in his community and serve as an Imam in the
Libutan mosque.
For his exemplary artistry and dedication to his chosen instrument, for his
unwavering commitment to the music of the kutyapi at a time when this
instrument no longer exists in many parts of Mindanao, Samaon Sulaiman is

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 19

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

worthy of emulation and the highest honors. (Prof. Felipe M. de Leon, Jr.)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-samaon-sulaiman/)

MAGUINDANAO. Samaon Sulaiman.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-samaon-sulaiman/)

 Lang Dulay (Textile Weaver, T’boli, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, Awarded
1998)
Using abaca fibers as fine as hair, Lang Dulay speaks more eloquently than
words can. Images from the distant past of her people, the T’bolis, 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.
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 and the visions of her people.
She was only 12 when she first learned how to weave. Through the years, she
has dreamed that, someday she could pass on her talent and skills to the young
in her community. Four of her grandchildren have themselves picked up the
shuttle and are learning to weave. (Maricris Jan Tobias)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-lang-dulay/)

20
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

SOUTH COTABATO. Lang Dulay.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-lang-dulay/)

 Salinta Monon (Textile Weaver, Tagabawa Bagobo, Bansalan, Davao del Sur,
Awarded 1998)
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 even 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. 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. (Maricris Jan Tobias)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-salinta-monon/)

DAVAO DEL SUR. Salinta Monon.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-
arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-salinta-monon/)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 21

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

 Alonzo Saclag (Musician and Dancer, Kalinga, Lubugan, Kalinga, Awarded

2000)
A Kalinga master of dance and the performing arts, Alonzo Saclag has made it
his mission to create and nurture a greater consciousness and appreciation of
Kalinga culture, among the Kalinga themselves and beyond their borders.
As a young boy in Lubuagan, Kalinga, Alonzo Saclag found endless
fascination in the sights and sounds of day-to-day village life and ritual.
According to his son, Robinson, he received no instruction, formal or
otherwise, in the performing arts. Yet he has mastered not only the Kalinga
musical instruments but also the dance patterns and movements associated with
his people’s rituals. His tool was observation, his teacher, experience. Coupled
with these was a keen interest in – a passion, if you would – the culture that
was his inheritance.
Much of his energy is channeled towards different preservation efforts. He has
for years urged the members of his community to preserve their artifacts and
archaeological sites. His persistence was finally rewarded when, with support
from the provincial government and other patrons, the Lubuagan branch of the
National Museum was established.
To guarantee that his knowledge in the performing arts is passed on to others,
he formed the Kalinga Budong Dance Troupe. (Salve de la Paz)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-alonzo-saclag/)

KALINGA. Alonzo Saclag.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-alonzo-saclag/)

 Federico Caballero (Epic Chanter, Sulod-Bukidnon, Calinog, Iloilo, Awarded

2000)
Throughout history, not a few have expressed the belief that the pen is more
powerful than any sword, double-edged though it may be. Nonetheless, that the

22
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

purpose of stories is to change lives may not be immediately self-evident. But

history, or more significantly individual insight, stands witness to this truth.
And perhaps it is partly this realization that compels Federico Caballero, a
Panay-Bukidnon from the mountains of Central Panay to ceaselessly work for
the documentation of the oral literature, particularly the epics, of his people.
Together with scholars, artists, and advocates of culture, he painstakingly
pieces together the elements of this oral tradition nearly lost.
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-federico-caballero/)

ILOILO. Federico Caballero.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-federico-caballero/)

 Uwang Ahadas (Musician, Yakan, Lamitan, Basilan, Awarded 2000)

It is believed that mortal men are as vulnerable to the powers and the whims of
gods and spirits as the beasts that roam the land and the birds that sail the sky.
Though they are hidden behind dark glasses, the eyes of Uwang Ahadas speak
of such a tale, one that came to pass more than half a century before. They tell
story of a young boy who unknowingly incurred the ire of the nature spirits
through his childish play. The people of his community believe Uwang’s near-
blindness is a form of retribution from the nature spirits that dwelled in Bohe
Libaken, a brook near the place where he was born and where, as a child, he
often bathed. His father, Imam Ahadas, recalls that the five-year-old Uwang
quietly endured the pain in his eyes, waiting out a month before finally telling
his parents.
Music was to become his constant companion. Uwang Ahadas is a Yakan, a
people to whom instrumental music is of much significance, connected as it is
with both the agricultural cycle and the social realm. One old agricultural
tradition involves the kwintangan kayu, an instrument consisting of five
wooden logs hung horizontally, from the shortest to the longest, with the
shortest being nearest the ground.

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 23

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

From the gabbang, a bamboo xylophone, his skills gradually allowed him to
progress to the agung, the kwintangan kayu, and later the other instruments. By
the age of twenty, he had mastered the most important of the Yakan musical
instruments, the kwintangan among them. (Salve de la Paz)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-uwang-ahadas/)

BASILAN. Uwang Ahadas

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-uwang-ahadas/)

 Darhata Sawabi (Textile Weaver, Tausug, Parang, Sulu, Awarded 2004)

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. Darhata Sawabi is one of those who took
the art of pis syabit making to heart.
A hand-woven pis syabit 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.
Her strokes are firm and sure, her color sensitivity acute, and her dedication to
the quality of her products unwavering. She recognizes the need for her to
remain in the community and continue with her mission to teach the art of pis
syabit weaving. She had, after all, already been teaching the young women of
Parang how to make a living from their woven fabrics. Some of her students
are already teachers themselves. She looks forward to sharing the tradition of
pis syabit weaving to the younger generations. (Maricris Jan Tobias)

24
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-darhata-sawabi/)

SULU. Darhata Sawabi

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-darhata-sawabi/)

 Eduardo Mutuc (Metalsmith, Kapampangan, Apalit, Pampanga, Awarded

2004)
Eduardo Mutuc is an artist who has dedicated his life to creating religious and
secular art in silver, bronze and wood. His intricately detailed retablos, mirrors,
altars, and carosas are in churches and private collections. A number of these
works are quite large, some exceeding forty feet, while some are very small
and feature very fine and delicate craftsmanship.
While he finds meaning in making pieces for the church, orders for
commissioned pieces have become fewer because of the economic slump. But
even for his secular pieces, he finds inspiration in church art.
Mutuc’s works are more than merely decorative. They add character and
splendor to their setting. His spectacular shiny retablos that decorate an apse or
chapel provide focus for contemplation and devotion while the faithful
commune with the Divine in regular church celebrations.
He notes that handmade pieces are finer and more delicate than machine
pressed pieces, particularly when commissioned pieces involve human
representations. “Facial expressions are among the hardest to do,” says Mutuc
who uses different molds for each cherub to ensure their individuality.
(Maricris Jan Tobias)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-eduardo-mutuc/)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 25

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

PAMPANGA. Eduardo Mutuc.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-eduardo-mutuc/)

 Haja Amina Appi (Mat Weaver, Sama, Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi, Awarded 2004)
Haja Amina Appi of Ungos Matata, Tandubas, Tawi-Tawi, is recognized as the
master mat weaver among the Sama indigenous community of Ungos Matata.
Her colorful mats with their complex geometric patterns exhibit her precise
sense of design, proportion and symmetry and sensitivity to color. Her unique
multi-colored mats are protected by a plain white outer mat that serves as the
mat’s backing. Her functional and artistic creations take up to three months to
make.
Haja Amina is respected throughout her community for her unique designs, the
straightness of her edging (tabig) and the fineness of her sasa and kima-kima.
Her hands are thick and callused from years of harvesting, stained by dye. But
her hands are still steady, and her eye for color still unerring. She feels pride in
the fact that people often borrow her mats to learn from her and copy her
designs. (Maricris Jan Tobias)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-haja-amina-appi/)

TAWI-TAWI. Haja Amina Appi.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-
arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-haja-amina-appi/)

26
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

 Teofilo Garcia (Casque Maker, Ilocano, San Quintin, Abra, Awarded 2012)
Each time Teofilo Garcia leaves his farm in San Quintin, Abra, he makes it a
point to wear a tabungaw. People in the nearby towns of the province, in
neighboring Sta. Maria and Vigan in Ilocos Sur, and as far as Laoag in Ilocos
Norte sit up and take notice of his unique, functional and elegant headpiece that
shields him from the rain and the sun. A closer look would reveal that it is
made of the native gourd, hollowed out, polished, and varnished to a bright
orange sheen to improve its weather resistance. The inside is lined with finely
woven rattan matting, and the brim sports a subtle bamboo weave for accent.
Hundreds have sought him out at his home to order their own native all-
weather headgear. His clients have worn his work, sent them as gifts to their
relatives abroad, and showed them off as a masterpiece of Filipino
craftsmanship.
Since he learned the craft, he has not stopped innovating. Each handcrafted
tabungaw is the product of years of study and careful attention to the elements
that make up the entire piece. Previously, he used nito (vine trimmings) to
decorate the outside of the headgear and sourced it from Cagayan, but when his
relative who supplied him with the raw materials passed away, he decided to
experiment with more locally accessible materials. His training in weaving
baskets served him in good stead, and he was able to apply that skill when he
turned to bamboo as an alternative to nito.
He is also eager to explore new designs, and he has been innovating on his
traditional designs based on inspirations from his trips to the nearby provinces.
He has developed many patterns and built on the traditional patterns that he
learned when he was young. He is interested in developing new ways to show
contrast between the shades of matting, and how to keep the tabungaw
colorfast regardless of the weather. Years after he first learned how to make a
tabungaw, it still takes him a long time to perfect the casque because he is still
perfecting his art. (Maricris Jan Tobias)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-teofilo-garcia/)

ABRA. Teofilo Garcia.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-teofilo-garcia/)

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 27

12.0 Significant Artists from the Regions

 Magdalena Gamayo (Textile Weaver, Ilocano, Pinili, Ilocos Norte, Awarded

2012)
Magdalena has been relying on her instincts, practiced hands, and innate skills
for years, starting at the age 16, when she learned the art of weaving from her
aunt. She was never formally taught, but picked up the art on her own by
copying the patterns.
Magdalena has taught herself the traditional patterns of binakol, inuritan
(geometric design), kusikos (spiral forms similar to oranges), and sinan-sabong
(flowers), which is the most challenging pattern. She has also taught herself to
recreate designs, which is a useful skill particularly when she is only able to see
the design but does not have a sample of how it is done.
Magdalena’s handiworks are finer than most abel –her blankets have a very
high thread count and her designs are the most intricate and can sometimes take
up to five colors. Making sure the right colored threads are spaced evenly and
keeping accurate count is a challenge that Magdalena has always unerringly
met. The beauty of her designs lies in how delicate the patterns are, and yet
how uniform the weave. Magdalena’s calloused hands breathe life to her work
and her unique products are testament to how machines can never hope to
equal the human art. (Maricris Jan Tobias)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-
living-treasures-magdalena-gamayo/)

ILOCOS NORTE. Magdalena Gamayo.

(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/national-living-treasures-magdalena-gamayo/)

28
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTS FROM THE REGIONS

Supplementary Links to Videos and Readings

Videos
 “Pasinaya 2015 Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group” (10:45)
(http://alchetron.com/Ramon-Obusan-982084-W)
 “LIKHA and Bayanihan Alumni - Parangal, A Tribute Act 2” (2:22)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5MHiFGnyfs)
 “The 2012 GAMABA Awardees: Magdalena Gamayo and Teofilo Garcia” (4:44)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wrcF5CjjRo)

Readings
 “National Artists of the Philippines” (60:00)
(http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-
philippines/)
 “The Gentle Tausug and Noble Modernist” (10:00)
(http://www.artplus.ph/features/the-gentle-tausug-and-noble-modernist1)
 “Abueva: Father of Philippine modern sculpture” (10:00)
(http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/142937/abueva-father-of-philippine-modern-sculpture/)

Glossary

thespian actor

casque helmet

References
“National Artists of the Philippines”. National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Web. Oct
2016. <http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-
philippines/>

“Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan”, National Commission for Culture and the Arts. Web. Oct
2016. <http://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/gamaba/>

Merriam-Webster Dictionary Online

Philippine Contemporary Art in the Regions 29