GaMaBa Awards

(Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan)

The Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan, or
the National Living Treasures Award, is
conferred on Filipinos who are at the forefront
of the practice, preservation, and promotion of
the nations traditional folk arts.
Formalized in 1992, through Republic Act No.
7355, the Manlilikha ng Bayan Act.
The National Commission for the Culture and
the Arts oversees its implementation.
 The main objective of the award is to honor
and support traditional folk artists and to see
to it that that their skills and crafts are
preserved.
The award is tied with a program
that ensures the transfer of their skills to new
generations and the promotion of the craft
both locally and internationally.
In 2014, the Senate of the Philippines
adopted Senate Resolution No. (SRN)
765 aimed at recognizing the
accomplishments of the countrys living
treasures.
 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 the 16th century.
 Criteria
1. Should be a Filipino citizen or group of citizens
belonging to an indigenous / traditional cultural
community anywhere in the Philippines, engaged in
Filipino traditional art in the following categories: folk
architecture, maritime transport, weaving, carving,
performing arts, literature, graphic and plastic arts,
ornament, textile or fiber art, pottery and other artistic
expressions of traditional culture;
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;
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 by virtue of
teaching;
6. In case when a Manlilikha ng Bayan
candidate is incapable of teaching further
his/ her craft and skill due to age or infirmity;
He / she should have created a significant
body of work and has contributed to the
development of the tradition and craft
He / she should have played a role in the
preservation and revitalization of the artistic
tradition in the community.
He/ she has been recognized as a master of
his / her craft and admired for his character and
integrity in his / her community.
List of Awardees
Ginaw Bilog is a Hanunoo
Mangyan poet from
Mansalay, Oriental
Mindoro.
He is considered as a master
of the Ambahan poetry.
This wisdom is his key to
the understanding of the
Mangyan soul.
In 1993, he was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan award.
 Ambahan
Ambahan is 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 common place
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.
Masino Intaray was born
near Makagwa Valley. He
was a skilled and
proficient player of the
basal (gong), aroding
(mouth harp), and
babarak (ring flute).
He was also well-versed in
kulilal (songs) and bagit
(vocal music).
In 1993, he was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan award.
Samaon Sulaiman is
kutyapi master and
teacher of his instrument
in Libutan and other
barangays
of Maganoy town,
Mindanao.
He is proficient
in kulintang, agong,
gandingan, palendag,
and tambul.
In 1993, he was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan award.
Lang Dulay is a T'boli artist
from Lake Sebu, South
Cotabato. She is
considered as a traditional
weaver of "t'nalak" or
"tinalak" cloth. Her art is
considered excellent
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
In 1998, she was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan award.
Salinta Monon was a
Tagabawa-Bagobo
weaver from Bansalan,
Davao del Sur. She was
cited for demonstrating the
creative and expressive
aspects of the Bagobo
abaca ikat weaving called
inabal at the time when it
was threatened with
extinction.
In 1998, she was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan award.
Alonzo Saclag is a Kalinga
master of dance and the
performing arts from
Lubuagan, Kalinga. He
has also mastered the
dance patterns and
movements associated
with his peoples ritual.
He is the founder of the
Kalinga Budong Dance
Troupe.
In 2000, he was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan award.
Federico Caballero is a Sulod-
Bukidnon epic chanter
from Kalinog, Iloilo. He
ceaselessly work for the
documentation of the oral
literature, particularly the
epics, of his people.
He is considered as a bantugan.
He strives to dispense justice
in the community through his
work as a manughusay an
arbiter of conflicts.
In 2000, he was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan award.
Uwang Ahadas is
from Lamitan, Basilan.
He 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.
He is a hands-on-teacher to
those who wants to learn
playing Yakan instruments
including the
kwintangan, kayu,
and tuntungan.
In 2000, he was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng
Bayan award.
Darhata Sawabi is a
weaver of pis syabit -
the traditional cloth
tapestry worn as a
head covering by
the Tausug of Jolo,
from Barangay Parang,
in the island of Jolo,
Sulu.
In 2005, she was given
the Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan
award.
Eduardo Mutuc is
from Apalit, Pampanga.
He has dedicated his
life to creating religious
and secular art in
silver, bronze and
wood.
In 2005, he was given
the Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan
award.
Haja Amina Appi was
recognized as the
master mat weaver
among the Sama
indigenous
community of Ungos
Matata, Tandubas,
Tawi-Tawi.
In 2005, she was given
the Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan
award.
Teopilo Garcia is a hat
weaver from San
Quintin, Abra. He is
known for tabungaw,
which can last up to
three to four
generations if taken
care of properly.
In 2012, he was given the
Gawad sa Manlilikha
ng Bayan award.
Magdalena Gamis
a Filipino master
weaver who makes
inabel, an Ilokano
handwoven cloth.
In 2012, she was given
the Gawad sa
Manlilikha ng Bayan
award.
 Other Recognized Awards for Filipinos
Ani ng Dangal or "Harvest of Honors" is a
state recognition given by the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts under
the Office of the President of the Republic
of the Philippines. It is an annual event in
the Philippines celebrated as a highlight
and concluding rite of the Philippine Arts
Festival.
The Ani ng Dangal is given to a natural-born
Filipino artist or group that has reaped top
honors in international events.
The Palanca Awards aims to develop
Philippine Literature in the following
manner:
By providing incentives for writers to craft
their most outstanding literary works;
By being a treasury of the Philippines
literary gems from our gifted writers; and
To assist in their eventual dissemination to
our people, particularly students.
The Philippine National Book Awards, or
simply the National Book Awards, is
a Philippine literary award sponsored by
the NBDB (National Book Development
Board) and the MCC (Manila Critics'
Circle).
The yearly awards have been given since
1982 by the Manila Critics' Circle, starting
in 2008 the administration of the award
changed to the NBDB.
The Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas is
an award given by the Unyon ng mga
Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL).
UMPIL is the Writers' Union of the
Philippines (Filipino: Unyon ng mga
Manunulat sa Pilipinas, UMPIL) is an
organization of Filipino writers in the
Philippines.
Established in 1974, the organization was first
known by the English version of its name, the
Writers' Union of the Philippines.
It has the primary goal of promoting Philippine
literature, uniting writers in the Philippines, and
providing seminars, workshops, and symposia.
Ang Pedro Bucaneg Award ang
pinakamataas na pagkilalang iginagawad
ng Gunglo Dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano iti
Filipinas (GUMIL Filipinas) sa mga lalaking
manunulat na Ilokano. Iginagawad ito
doon sa mga tinitingalang lalaking
manunulat na Ilokano na nakapagbigay ng
natatanging ambag sa pag-unlad ng
panitikang Iluko.
 Thoughts to think about?
What other artist awards are
existing in the Philippines? In the
regions?
Are there other arts forms and artists
that are still unrecognized? Can we
identify them?
sa pagbabahagi ng
kaalaman
Mabuhay ang
SINING!