By Christnel Angel Olo and Ellyza Salvador/UM Interns
THE NATIONAL Commission of Culture and the Arts (NCCA), together with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), urged Mindanao-based organizations and institutions to nominate local artists for the Order of National Artists (Order ng mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining).
“We are here to send a strong message that artistic excellence knows no geographical boundaries and our culture thrives in every cluster of our nation. We recognize the invaluable contributions of artists from Mindanao whose talents and creativity enriched the development of Philippine arts, namely: music, dance, theatre, visual arts, literature, film and broadcast arts, architecture, and allied arts and design,” Dennis Marasigan, CCP vice president and artistic director, said in a press conference on April 19 at SM Lanang.
Presently, among all the Philippine National Artists, only five originated from Mindanao while 67 were from Luzon, 35 from the National Capital Region, and nine from Visayas.
According to Proclamation No. 1001 of 1972, the Order of the National Artist (ONA) was established to bestow appropriate recognition and prestige on Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine Arts and Letters.
Furthermore, the NCCA clarified that only government and non-government cultural organizations and educational institutions, including private foundations and councils, can nominate for the ONA.
The criteria for ONA are living artists who were Filipino citizens at the time of nomination, as well as those who died after the establishment of the award in 1972 but were Filipino citizens at the time of their death; 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 a substantial body of work and/or consistently displayed excellence in the practice of their art form 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 Thirteen Artists Award and NCCA Alab ng Haraya; critical acclaim and/or reviews of their works; and respect and esteem from peers.
After the nomination, the NCCA and CCP will first screen and deliberate the list of nominees, then submit a recommendation to the President, and lastly, proceed to the awarding and conferment on June 12, 2025.
However, NCCA encouraged Mindanaoans to submit as early as possible to avoid last-minute issues, as the deadline for nominations will be on June 30.
For more information about the nomination requirements and guidelines, visit https://ncca.gov.ph/.
