THE NATIONAL ARTISTS AWARD
The Order of the National Artists Award (Orden ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is the highest
national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development
of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and
Architecture and Allied Arts. The order is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and
the Arts (NCCA) and Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) and conferred by the President of the
Philippines upon recommendation by both institutions.
The Order of National Artists Award is one of the honors conferred by the Republic of the Philippines that
embodies the nations highest ideals in the humanities and aesthetic expression through the distinct
achievements of individual citizens. While the Republic bestows due recognition to these singular
achievements, it also honors its own cultural heritage, whose enrichment these achievements have
significantly effected, enhanced, and given direction.
These achievements are measured in terms of their vision, unusual insight, creativity and imagination,
technical proficiency of the highest order in expressing Filipino culture and traditions, history, way of life,
and aspirations.
Roster of National Artists
National Artist Year of Conferment Category
Fernando C. Amorsolo 1972 Visual Arts
Francisca Reyes Aquino 1973 Dance
Carlos V. Francisco 1973 Visual Arts
Amado V. Hernandez 1973 Literature
Antonio J. Molina 1973 Music
Juan F. Nakpil 1973 Architecture
Guillermo E. Tolentino 1973 Visual Arts
Jose Garcia Villa 1973 Literature
Napoleon V. Abueva 1976 Visual Arts
Pablo S. Antonio 1976 Architecture
Lamberto V. Avellana 1976 Theater/Film
Victorio C. Edades 1976 Visual Arts
Jovita Fuentes 1976 Music
Leonor Orosa Goquingco 1976 Dance
Nick Joaquin 1976 Literature
Vicente S. Manansala 1981 Visual Arts
Gerardo de Leon 1982 Film
Carlos P. Romulo 1982 Literature
Honorata Atang de la 1987 Theater/Music
Rama
Antonino R. 1988 Music
Buenaventura
Lucrecia Reyes-Urtula 1988 Dance
Lucrecia R. Kasilag 1989 Music
Francisco Arcellana 1990 Literature
Cesar T. Legaspi 1990 Visual Arts
Leandro V. Locsin 1990 Architecture
Hernando R. Ocampo 1991 Visual Arts
Lucio D. San Pedro 1991 Music
Lino O. Brocka 1997 Film/Broadcast Arts
Levi Celerio 1997 Music/Literature
Felipe Padilla de Leon 1997 Music
N.V.M. Gonzalez 1997 Literature
Wilfrido Ma. Guerrero 1997 Theater
Arturo R. Luz 1997 Visual Arts
Jose M. Maceda 1997 Music
Carlos L. Quirino 1997 Historical Literature
Rolando S. Tinio 1997 Theater/Literature
Daisy H. Avellana 1999 Theater
Ernani J. Cuenco 1999 Music
J. Elizalde Navarro 1999 Visual Arts
Edith L. Tiempo 1999 Literature
Andrea O. Veneracion 1999 Music
Ang Kiukok 2001 Visual Arts
Ishmael Bernal 2001 Film
F. Sionil Jose 2001 Literature
Severino Montano 2001 Theater
Virgilio S. Almario 2003 Literature
Salvador F. Bernal 2003 Theater and Design
Jose T. Joya 2003 Visual Arts
Alejandro R. Roces 2003 Literature
Eddie Romero 2003 Film/Broadcast Arts
Bienvenido Lumbera 2006 Literature
Ramon A. Obusan 2006 Dance
Benedicto R. Cabrera 2006 Visual Arts
Ildefonso P. Santos Jr. 2006 Architecture
Ronald Allan K. Poe 2006 Film
(Fernando Poe Jr.)
Ramon Valera 2006 Fashion Design
Abdulmari Asia Imao 2006 Visual Arts