VMA GLOBAL COLLEGE AND TRAINING CENTER, INC

High School Department

Learning Module

TEACHER: JOHN CARLO B. CONIENDO

GRADE LEVEL: 12
SUBJECT: CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM
THE REGIONS
UNIT TITLE: CONTEMPORARY ARTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
NO. CLASS HOURS: 4 HOURS

II. NATIONAL ARTISTS

LEARNING COMPETENCIES
1. Explains Filipino artists’ roles and identify their contribution to contemporary arts

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 NATIONAL ARTISTS

NATIONAL ARTISTS FOR DANCE, MUSIC, FILM, AND THEATER

Cinema/Film

Lamberto V. Avellana (February 12, 1915 –

April 25, 1991) Avellana was tagged as the
“The Boy Wonder of Philippine Movies” as
early as 1939. Kalderong Pilak was the first
film by a Filipino filmmaker shown in
Cannes International Film Festival.

Manuel Conde (October 9, 1915 –

August 11, 1985) Conde is known for
producing and directing films based on old
Filipino tales such as Siete Infantes de
Lara .(1950), Si Juan Tamad (1974), Ang
Ibong Adarna (1941). He also brought to
the silver screen stories from the other
parts of the worlds like Genghis Khan
(1950).

Eddie S. Romero (July 7, 1924 – May 28,

2013)
He is a screenwriter, film director and
producer who is behind the Filipino
classics such as “Ganito Kami

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Noon...Paano Kayo Ngayon?”, “Banta ng Kahapon” and “Aguila” as well as the 13-
part series “Noli Me Tangere”.

Lino Brocka (April 3, 1939 – May 22, 1991)

Catalino “Lino” Ortiz Brocka is recognized for
his films which explores the lives of people
in the marginalized sectors. Brocka also
directed for theater organizations such as
the Philippine Educational Theater
Association (PETA) and the Concerned
Artists of the Philippines (CAP).

Gerardo de Leon (September 12, 1913

– July 25, 1981)
De Leon is a prominent film maker in the
50’s and 60’s producing classics such as
“Daigdig ng Mga Api,” “Noli Me
Tangere,” “El Filibusterismo,”
“dyesebel” and “Sisa.”

Ishmael Bernal (September 30, 1938 –

June 2, 1996) Bernal, who was hailed by the
critics as “The Genius of the Philippine
Cinema,” is known for directing films that
projects the realities of the Filipinos. He
was hailed as 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.

Ronald Alan K. Poe (August 20, 1939 –

December 14, 2004) More known as
Fernando Poe, Jr. He is an icon in film
industry as an actor, director, writer and
producer. He starred in films like “Mga
Alabok sa Lupa” (1967),“Partida”.(1985),
“Ang Probinsyano” (1996), and among
others.

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 Dance

Francisca Reyes Aquino (March 9,

1899 – November 21, 1983) She was
known for her research on Philippine
folk dances, which later resulted to a
thesis entitled “Philippine Folk Dances
and Games.” It was distributed to public
and private schools.

Leonor Orosa Goquingco (July 24,

1917 – July 15, 2005) She was known
as the “Mother of Philippine Theater
Dance,” Goquingco blended folkloric and
Asian styles in ballet choreography. She
was a founding member of the
Philippine Ballet Theater and the
Honorary Chair of the Association of
Ballet Academies of the Philippines.

Ramon Obusan (June 16, 1938 –

December 21, 2006) A dancer,
choreographer, artistic director,
researcher, and documentary filmmaker.
He was able to promote Filipino
culture in other countries using the art
of dance through the Ramon Obusan
Folkloric Group.

Lucrecia Reyes – Urtula (June 29, 1929

– August 24, 1999) Reyes-Urtula was the
dance director of the Bayanihan
Philippine Dance Company, for which
she choreographed different
Philippine folk, ethnic dances,
pageants and festivals.

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Alice Reyes (October 14, 1942)
Reyes is known in blending styles and movements from Philippine indigenous dance,
classical ballet, and modern dance in expressing Filipino subject matters. This is said to
be the “contemporary dance language that is uniquely Filipino.”

Music

Antonino Buenaventura (May 4, 1904 – January

25, 1996) He was known for his marches including
the “Triumphal March,” “History Fantasy,”
“Echoes from the Philippines,” and “Ode to
Freedom.” He was a conductor of.the Philippine
Army Band. He wrote compositions for solo
instruments, symphonic and orchestral works, which
are based
on
Philippine folksongs.
Ernani Cuenco (May 10, 1936 – June 11,
1988) He was known for the following songs:
“Bato sa Buhangin,” “Gaano Kita Kamahal,”
“Inang Bayan,” “Isang Dalangin,” “Kalesa,”
and “Pilipinas.” These works brought
contemporary Filipino music to a higher level.
The song, “Gaano Kita Kamahal”, he added
elements of Kundiman. He played with the
Filipino Youth Symphony Orchestra and the
Manila Symphony Orchestra from 1960 to 1968.

Francisco Feliciano (February 19, 1941 –

September 19, 2014) His major works include
“Ashen Wings,” “Sikhay sa Kabila ng
Paalam,” and “Pamugun.” He was known for
the use of modal scales in his operas and
orchestral works. He used indigenous music in
his compositions.

Jovita Fuentes (February 15,

1895 – August 7, 1978) She was
best known for her portrayal of
Cio-cio San in Giacamo
Puccini’s Madame Butterfly in

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Italy in April 1925. When she returned to the Philippines, she established the Artists’
Guild of the Philippines in an effort to instill love for opera in her countrymen.

Jose Maceda (January 31, 1917 –

May 5, 2004) He conducted
researches and fieldwork to explore
Filipino traditional music further
and to understand the nature of
Philippine ethnic and traditional
music. His efforts.gave birth to a
huge number of recorded
Philippine ethnic and traditional
music.

Lucio San Pedro (February 11, 1913 – March 31,

2002) Best known for his compositions “Sa Ugoy ng
Duyan,” “Sa Mahal Kong Bayan,” “Dance of the
Fairies,” “Triumphal March,” and “Lahing
Kayumanggi,” Lucio San Pedro was the conductor
of the Peng Kong Grand Mason Concert Band,
the San Pedro Band of Angono, and the Benda
Angono Numero Uno. Working with these bands
and other town bands helped in the development of
a civic culture among Filipino communities.

Levi Celerio (April 30, 1910 – April 2,

2002) Celerio is most known for his
recognition as the only man who could
play music with a leaf in the Guinness
Book of World Records. He also earned
Lifetime Achievement Award of the Film
Academy of the Philippines for writing
songs for local movies. He was also
known as the dean of Filipino lyricists.

Felipe Padilla de Leon (May 1, 1912 –

December 5, 1992) He was known for
Filipinizing western music forms.
His.works, which include “Mariang
Maikling Overture,”. “Maynila Overture,”
“Payapang Daigdig,” and “Ako’y

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Pilipino,” expressed sentiments and aspirations of the Filipino in times of strife and
peace.

Lucrecia R. Kasilag (August 31, 1918 –

August 16, 2008) She was known for
fusing Filipino ethnic music with
Western musical influences. She was
also known for incorporating Filipino
indigenous musical instruments in
orchestral works.

Antonio J. Molina (December 16,

1894 – January 29, 1980) Molina was
known for introducing the pentatonic
scale, whole tone scale, linear
counterpoints and the use of
dominant ninths and eleventh
chords in Philippine music.

Ramon P. Santos (February 25, 1941)

Santos is a Filipino composer, musicologist and
ethnomusicologist who was made Chevalier de
I’Orde des Arts et Lettres in 1987. He helped in
advocating modern Philippine music that is still
based on early Asian practices and way of life.

Andrea Veneracion (July 11, 1928 –

July 9, 2013) She was the founder of
the world-renowned University of the
Philippines Madrigal Singers, or
simply the Philippine Madrigal

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Singers, which is the first choir in the world to win the European Grand Prix for
Choral Singing twice. Veneracion is also recognized as an important authority in the
development of Philippine choral music.

Theater

Daisy Avellana (January 26, 1917 – May 12,

2013) She co-founded the Barangay Theatre
Guild, together with her husband, National Artist
Lamberto Avellana, in 1939. This move made
theatre and dramatic arts popular in the
country. She was known as.director of films
“Diego Silang” (1968) and “Walang Sugat”
(1971).

Honorata “Atang” dela Rama

(January 11, 1902 – July 11, 1991)
She was named National Artist for
Theater and Music in 1987. She was
known as the Queen of Kundiman, and
the first actress to portray a 15-year-old in
the very first Tagalog film, which was the film
version of the Sarsuela “Dalagang Bukid.”

Salvador F. Bernal (January 7, 1945 –

October 26, 2011)
Honored as National Artist for Theater
Design in 2003, Bernal used local
materials including bamboo, abaca,
hemp twine, and rattan in theater design
for local productions.

Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero (January 22,

1910 – May 1, 1995) He served as the
director of UP Dramatic Club for 16
years since 1947. He founded the UP
Mobile Theater, which started the
concept of theater campus tour.

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 Severino Montano (January 3, 1915 –
December 12, 1980) He organized the
Arena Theater Playwriting Contest
which became the initial ground for
playwrights to showcase their talents in
writing while serving as Dean of
Instruction of the Philippine Normal
College.

REFERENCES
Cagampang, J. and Ladera, M. (2020).DEPED Learning Module: Contemporary Philippine Art
from the Region: Integrative Art as Applied to Contemporary Art.