GAWAD SA

MANLILIKHA NG
BAYAN (GAMABA)
NATIONAL LIVING TREASURES AWARD
Objectives:
• understand the importance of the national living
treasures in the country;
• deliver a speech/spoken poetry addressed to
GAMABA awardees;
• collaborate with group members in appreciating
and composing a speech for GAMABA awardees.
 In April 1992, the Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National
Living Treasures Awards was
institutionalized through RA No.
7355 (Manlilikha ng Bayan Act).
 NCCA
(NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS)

• Highest policy-making and coordinating body for

culture and arts of the state.
• Tasked with the administration and implementation of
the GAMABA award.
• The NCCA, through the GAMABA 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 the arts and
instill pride among our people about the genius of
the Manlilikha ng Bayan.
 The GAMABA is conferred on
Filipinos who are at the forefront of
the practice, preservation, and
promotion of the nation’s traditional
folk arts.
 Main objective

“To honor and support

traditional folk artists and to see to
it that their skills and crafts are
preserved.”
EMBLEM The award logo is a
representation of the
human form used in
traditional cloth. Below
the logo is the phrase,
“Manlilikha ng Bayan”
written in Baybayin, an
ancient Filipino script
used in the Philippines in
sixteen century.
Baybayin
 • Folk architecture • Textile and fiber
• Maritime transport
art
• Weaving • Pottery

Categories • Carving
• Other artistic
expressions of
of Filipino • Performing arts traditional culture
Traditional • Literature
Art • Graphic and plastic
arts
• Ornament
 Criteria
1. Should be a Filipino citizen or group of citizens belonging to
an indigenous or traditional cultural community anywhere in
the Philippines and engaged in Filipino traditional art.
2. Should have been engaged in the tradition and craft for a
significant period of time with at least 50 years of existence and
documentation.
3. Should have produced and performed of artistic, distinctive,
and superior quality.
 Criteria
4. Should possess mastery of the tools and materials that are
needed for the art and must have a reputation for being an art
master and craft maker in the community where he/she
belongs.

5. Should have passed on and/or will pass on the traditional

crafts and skills to other members of the community y virtue of
teaching
In case when a Manlilikha ng Bayan candidate is
incapable of teaching further his/her craft and skill due
to age infirmity:
a. He/she should have created a significant body of work and
has contributed to the development of the tradition and
craft.
b. He/she should have played a role in the preservation and
revitalization of the artistic tradition in the community.
c. He/she has been recognized as a master of his/her craft and
admired for his/her character and integrity in his/her
community.
THE PROCESS
1. THE PANEL

The GAMABA is administered by a committee, which is

assisted by an ad hoc panel of experts. The panel is composed
of a representative from each of the committees of the
Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional
Arts such as the Office of the Muslim Affairs (OMA), the
National Commision on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), and other
appropriate institutions.
THE PANEL
The ad hoc panel of reviewers is composed of five
members of the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan
Committee and four individuals identified by the
Committee among scholars, practitioners, and experts in
the traditional art.
2. NOMINATIONS
o members of the ad hoc panel of experts
o subcommissions on cultural communities
and traditional arts
o government and private institutions,
o universities
o persons knowledgeable of any of the
categories.
 3. THE SCREENING
A. The ad hoc search committees are deployed to various
priority areas in the country to conduct searches and
document the candidates’ art and craft.
B. The ad hoc panel of reviewers reevaluates the qualifications
of the candidates and submit their recommendation to the
NCCA Board of Commissioners.
C. Once selected, the President of the Philippines confers the
awardees in a public ceremony in Malacanang Palace.
Awards and Incentives
• specially designed medallion or plaque
• initial grant of 100, 000 pesos
• a 14, 000 pesos stipend/month
• cumulative amount of 750, 000 pesos for medical and
hospitalization benefits
• funeral assistance similar as those received by the National
Artists
 As envisioned under RA 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.
 The GAMABA Committee shall submit to
the NCCA the recommendations of the ad hoc
panel of reviewers for appropriate action.

The names of the awardees approved by the

NCCA Board shall be submitted to the President
of the Philippines for proclamation.
1. GINAW BILOG
Category: Artist and Poet (Ambahan)
Place of Birth: Panaytayan, Oriental Mindoro

o Promoter of ambahan (an oral tradition of poetic verses of the Mangyan).

o The ambahan is composed of 7-syllable lines that use metaphors to send a
message. It covers a variety of topics such as giving advice, courtship, farewells,
etc.
o Recorded the poetry in bamboo tubes and notebooks.
o His collections include those he received from his father and grandfather.
o This endeavor offered an unmistakable yet intangible perspective of the
Mangyan beliefs and culture.
2. MASINO INTARAY
Category: Music (basal or gong) and epic chanter (kulilal and
bagit)
Place of Birth: Brooke’s Point, Palawan
o He was a storyteller, epic chanter, and a master musician.

o Skilled with the traditional Palawan instrumentation and

accompaniments like:
1. kulilal (lyric love poem)
2. aroding (mouth harp)
3. babarak (ring flute)
4. bagit (instrumental music mimicking the movements of
nature, and most especially
5. the basal (ensemble of gong).
 He performed in successive nights such as:
•tultul (epics)
•sudsungit (narratives)
•tuturan (myths)
He used the basal in Palawan tribe’s various
rituals such as:
1. Tambilaw – ritual offering to their rice god
2. Tinapay – rice wine drinking ritual
The basal ensemble is composed of the following instruments:

a. gimbal – tubular drum providing the basic rhythm

b. sanang – pair of undersized gongs with boss and narrow
rims
c. agungs – usually numbered one to three; gongs that have
wide turned in rims and a prominent boss
d. tarak – percussion dance created by stamping of the feet
of the tribe’s young women.

*The basal ensemble is a perfect metaphor of the unity and

cooperation of the indigenous Palawan tribe.
3. SUMAON SULAIMAN
Category: Music (kudyapi)
Place of Birth: Mamasapano, Maguindanao

o Acclaimed master and teacher of the kudyapi.

o KUDYAPI – a popular solo instrument of the Maguindanaon (one of the
largest Islamic groups in the Philippines). It is two-stringed plucked lute that
comes in variety of shapes and forms (and has different names depending
on which cultural tribe you belong).
4. LANG DULAY
Category: Textile weaver (t’nalak)
Place of Birth: Lake Sebu, South Cotabato

oTraditional weaver from the T’boli tribe

o Have single-handedly saved the t’nalak tradition from
extinction.
o Had mastered hundreds of designs and each one is relevant to
the meaning and story it reveals. Her t’nalak is not just a cloth
but a reflection of the knowledge and aspirations of the T’boli.
She is considered a master of
the art for her quality
craftsmanship because of the
“fine even quality of the yarn,
the close interweaving of the
warp and weft, the traditional
forms and patterns, the
chromatic integrity of the dye
and the consistency of the
finish,” as described by NCCA.
Tinalak Weaving Process
1. It begins with the stripping of the stem of an abaca
plant to get the fibers for the textile.
2. Then, the thread is dried and tied strand by strand by
hand.
3. Thread is then mounted on a frame from which the
threads are decided as to which would be tied
together to resist the dye. These tied bundles of
abaca fibers would later on dictate the design of the
cloth.
 She had then used the grant and
monthly allowance she received to put up a
school for the women of her tribe to master
their crafts. Unfortunately, since she has
died, the funding from the government has
stopped and has put the school’s existence
in danger.
5. SALINTA MONON
CATEGORY: Weaver (abaca ikat or inabel)
Place of Birth: Bansalan, Davao del Sur

oinabel weaving - form of ikat weaving.

o She can recognize a design and its weaver with just
one look.
o Her work is known for their intricate designs and
quality.
oA typical Bogobo tubular skirt that measures 3.5
meters by 0.42 meters takes about 3-4 months to
finish.
SALINTA MONON
At the time of her award, she
and her sister were the only Bagobo
weavers left in their community.
She hoped that regardless of the
distractions and pressures of the
modern world, other women would
take up this traditional craft to
preserve and continue their ethnic
community’s cultural heritage.
6. Alonzo Saclag (2000)

Category: Musician, Dancer and Preservationist

Place of Birth: Lubugan, Kalinga Province

o Genius of Kalinga dance and performing art

o master the Kalinga musical instruments and ritualistic dance movements
o He
readily passed on his knowledge to the young in hopes that they too
may learn and appreciate their cultural heritage.
 Saclag’s Preservation Efforts
1. Revival of the gangsa or the Kalinga gong (which was at the brink
of disappearing).
2. He successfully petitioned that the capitol building be turned into
a museum where their cultural artifacts can be exhibited and
preserved, hence the creation of the Lubuagan branch of the
National Museum.
3. He campaigns in school to teach children the folk songs their
grandparents used to sing.
4. He lobbies at local radio stations to also promote and play the
traditional songs of the Kalinga.
5. He also established the “Kalinga Budong Dance Troupe” which
showcases the rich performing arts of the region.
Alonzo Saclag
He dreams that someday he would be able to create
a showcase Kalinga village where the rich culture and
artistry of his people can be shown. This village will serve
as an ecological safe haven where visitors can walk
around and hear and feel nature.
 7. Federico Caballero
Category: Epic chanter (sugidanon)
Place of Birth: Calinog, Iloilo

o Came from Panay-bukidnon tribe.

o Fondly known as “Nong Pedring”; a respected arbiter in
his community, dispensing advice to those who seek it.
o Has dedicated himself in the documentation and
preservation of his ethnic community’s oral traditions,
including his people’s epics.
o He quickly learned the ten epics of his community along
with other literature. He has then collaborated with
scholars and researchers in documenting epics like
“Humadapnon” and “Labaw Donggon”.
 Federico Caballero
o Hislove for his people’s epics began when he was a child. His mother
would chant these tales while swaying the crib and sometimes his
grandmother would chant these epics with his other siblings. The heroes
of these tales would strike his imagination and with it his interest in
community’s rich and colorful folktales grew.
o His passion and pride for his Panay-Bukidnon heritage has brought him
to many barangays, trying to convince the elderly to learn to read and
write, which they can use to write down their communities’ indigenous
beliefs, traditions and stories.
 8. Uwang Ahadas
Category: Musician (Yakan specifically kulintang,
kwitangan kayu, gabbang, agung and tuntungan
Place of Birth: Lamitan, Basilan

o Became blind when he was 5 years old.

o With the sense of hearing becoming a primary sense, music became an
integral part of his life.
o He is a Yakan, an ethnic community that has a rich musical heritage.
Music for them is part and parcel of their community life.
9. Darhata Sawabi
Category: Weaving (pis syabit)
Place of Birth: Parang, Sulu

o One of the most renowed pis syabit weaver (a woven traditional headgear of the
Tausug in Jolo).
o Weaving offers additional income to the Yakan women. Her skill in making these
handwoven garments has made her self-sufficient, often making her product sell more
than the normal market price.
o Her works have been preserved so that others who would take her craft could have
works for study and reference, Through the years, she has taken on several apprentices
who would continue her work after she has passed.
10. Eduardo Mutuc
Category: Metal smith or metal sculptor
(bronze and silver)
Place of Birth: Apalit, Pampanga
o An artist known for creating religious and secular art in silver, bronze and
wood; incorporates Spanish colonial designs.
o His works are often seen in intricately detailed retablos, altars, and carrosas or
parade floats. Many of his works are in the collections of churches and other
private collectors.
o One of his early works was a tabernacle commissioned by Monsignor Fidelis
Limcauco. The quality of his work caught the eye of other patrons and his
business has grown from there.
Pukpok Pilak
11. Haja Amina Appi
Category: Weaving (mat)
Place of Birth: Tandubas, Tawi-tawi

o Her creations are noted for their

complex and precise geometric motifs
that showcase her inherent eye for
color, design, proportion and
symmetry. Her designs can contain up
to 8 colors.
o Each of her creations require patience
and stamina since a single mat can
take as long as three months to make.
 The weaving process starts with the
harvest and selection of pandan leaves.
These leaves are stripped of their sharp
and thorny exterior and then sun-dried
and pressed. The leaves are then dyed
and woven.

As an uncompromising artist, Haja is

not contented with the dull commercial
dyes available but has instead developed
her own tint to create her bright and
vibrant mats.
She is not selfish with her
work but instead feels
great pride when people
learn and copy hear
designs. She is eager to
share and teach her
knowledge with other
practitioners of the craft.
12. Teofilo Garcia
Category: Casque maker (tabungaw)
Place of Birth: San Quintin, Abra

Tabungaw – a traditional casque or headpiece used to shield one from the

elements. It is traditionally found in the Northern Region of the Philippines.

His casques are made up of a hollowed polished native gourd (upo). The
inside is lined with fine woven rattan while the exterior is varnished with an
orange sheen and the brim decorated with bamboo weave.
 His works are both artistic and functional,
resulting in hundreds of orders. His well-made
tabungaws can even last for generations.

Unfortunately, he is the only one who has

mastered this craft as there has been little
interest from other artisans to create the
headgear.

He admits that even to this day, he is still

perfecting his craft and continuously
experimenting with different types of gourds
and materials.
14. Magdalena Gamayo
Category: Master weaver (inabel) Place of Birth: Pinili, Ilocos Norte

o One of the stalwarts of abel (blanket) weaving in Ilocos Norte.

o Her blankets are a cut above others, exhibiting high thread count and intricate,
colorful designs.
o Self-taught in the creation of the traditional patterns of her designs which
include:
a. the inuritan – geometric designs
b. kusikos – spiral patterns like that of oranges
c. sinanbong – flowers (the most difficult one)
Magdalena Gamayo
o She does not have samples; she recreates her
design from memory.
o Her years of weaving experience has given
her an instinctive feel of not just the quality of
threads but also the correct tension to use to
ensure a sturdy and smooth finished product.
Her work is described as intricate and precise
while intricate – characteristics that can never
be replicated by machine-woven fabrics.
 To do: ½ sheet of paper
• Create an AMBAHAN that talks about culture,
tradition and language of Western Visayas. Make
at least 10 lines.