CONTEMPORARY PHILIPPINE ARTS FROM THE

REGIONS LESSON 4.
GAWAD NG MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN(GAMABA)
A. MOST ESSENTIAL B. Specific Objectives
LEARNING
COMPETENCY: Cognitive
EXPLAIN FILIPINO • Identify various GAMABA (National Living Treasures) / National Artists
ARTISTS’ ROLES (Orden ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) based on their
location and artistic field
AND IDENTIFY THEIR
CONTRIBUTION Affective
TO • Display an appreciation to GAMABA (National Living Treasures)
CONTEMPORARY national artists’ contribution in his community and the contemporary
field of arts
ARTS
Psychomotor
(CAR11/12CAP-OC
-E-5) • Create a poem, spoken poetry or song expressing feelings of
gratitude and inspiration for national artists. What I
 Complete the sentence:

REVIEW OF
THE PAST Last time I learned
about/that________________________

LESSON:
this makes
me_______________________
now I understand
that___________________
HOW DOES ONE BECOME A MANLILIKHA NG BAYAN?
◼ a. He/she is an inhabitant of an indigenous/traditional cultural community anywhere in the Philippines that has
preserved indigenous customs, beliefs, rituals and traditions and/or has syncretized whatever external
elements that have influenced it.
◼ b. He/she must have engaged in a folk art tradition that has been in existence and documented for at least
fifty (50) years.
◼ c. He/she must have consistently performed or produced over a significant period, works of superior and
distinctive quality.
◼ d. He/she must possess a mastery of tools and materials needed by the art, and must have an established
reputation in the art as master and maker of works of extraordinary technical quality. e. He/she must have
passed on and/or will pass on to other members of the community their skills in the folk art for which the
community is traditionally known.
SOME OF THE GAMABA AWARDEES
UWANG AHADAS, MUSICIAN
Yakan musical instruments are not the easiest or most affordable to maintain, but
Uwang Ahadas of Lamitan, Basilan made it his life’s work to master hem. From an
early age, he and his siblings were encouraged to play these instruments, and he
developed a passion for them, training himself by observing older members of the
community.
At age 20, he broke tradition by reaching excellence in playing the kwintangan, an
instrument typically played by a woman. The instrument, made up of logs arranged
beneath a tree near a rice field, is used to call for abundant grains and rice
growth.
He is also dedicated to sharing his knowledge to younger folk;
his teaching style is hands-on and supportive, giving his students his full attention.
He was awarded in 2000.
MAGDALENA GAMAYO, TEXTILE WEAVER
Based in Pinili, Ilocos Norte, Magdalena Gamayo took up weaving when she was
16, guided by her aunt’s patterns. She received her first loom from her father
three years later, which she would end up using for 30 years.
She taught herself traditional patterns, such as kusikus (whirlwind), marurup
(Milky Way), and sinan paddak ti pusa (cat’s pawprint), building on the more
common inuritan (geometric design) and sinansabong (flowers). Gamayo’s skill
and instinct are none more apparent than they are in her ability to replicate
designs she’s only seen once. Her binakol, or woven cloth, continues to draw
praise and awe for its above average thread count and uniform weave. To keep
Ilocos’ abel weaving tradition alive, she teaches her practice to her cousin’s
daughter-in-law and sister-inlaw.
She was awarded in 2012.
 ◼ Having finished elementary, Eduardo Mutuc, a farmer
EDUARDO MUTUC,
METALSMITH AND at that time, became an apprentice to furniture carvers to earn
ARTIST additional income.
He had no prior knowledge of the work he was getting into, but
this did not stop him from expanding his experience and
becoming one of the most respected creators of religious and
secular art today.
He uses wood, silver, and bronze to create exquisitely detailed
and lifelike pieces of varying sizes: altars, mirrors, retablos, and
even carosas. Mutuc is based in Apalit, Pampanga.
He was awarded in 2004
TEOFILO GARCIA, ◼ In San Quintin, Abra, Teofilo Garcia would often walk
GOURD CASQUE ◼ around town wearing his gourd casques. Through word of
“TABUNGAW” MAKER mouth and his participation in the annual local harvest
festival, Garcia was able to introduce the tabungaw plant as
a good and sturdy material for functional, elegant, and
protective hats. He produces everything he needs — planting
and harvesting the gourds, splitting and refining rattan for
the lining, and weaving nito and bamboo for accents himself
and usually takes seven days to finish a hat.
◼ Awarded in 2012, he continues to experiment and work on
new designs
 ◼ In Lang Dulay’s family, the weaving of the t’nalak (a fine
abaca cloth) took place before or after farm work, when the
LANG DULAY, TEXTILE weather was cool and the conditions were better for the
WEAVER product. Dulay, who grew up in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato,
was taught to weave by her mother when she was 12.
◼ As demand grew for new designs, she persisted and kept
working with traditional patterns, even though they were
harder to complete — she knew around a hundred, including
bulinglangit (clouds), kabangi (butterfly), crocodiles, and
flowers. She valued purity, so much so that she never washed
her t’nalak with soap.
◼ She was awarded in 1998, and passed away in 2015
 ◼ A member of the Pala’wan tribe, musician and epic chanter
MASINO INTARAY, Masino Intaray was a master of the basal, a gong music
CHANTER AND ensemble played during rice cooking (tambilaw) and sharing
MUSICIAN (tinapay) rituals, which gather the community as they serve
offerings to Pala’wan rice god Ampo’t Paray.
◼ Intaray also performed the kulilal, a lyrical poem expressing
love, accompanied by two-stringed lute and bamboo zither,
and the bagit, an instrumental piece about nature. His
memory and determination guided him in chanting through
many successive nights, reciting epics, stories, myths of origin,
and the teachings of ancestors.
◼ Intaray, who was awarded in 1993, passed away in 2013.
 ◼ Darhata Sawabi’s mission was to lead young women towards
DARHATA SAWABI,
making a living out of her craft.
TEXTILE WEAVER
◼ The Parang, Sulu-based textile weaver’s primary creation
was the headpiece pis siyabit — pis stands for the pattern,
which is said to be derived from India’s mandala, depicting
spirituality through geometric forms, and siyabit refers to the
hook and technique. She gained recognition for the precision
of her work and her passion for preserving traditional
designs, as well as teaching the youth and was awarded in
2004. She passed away in 2005.
◼ For online learners, you can watch this YouTube video about the
GAMABA awardees: https://youtu.be/_9SDzVNkJhk
◼ https://www.slideshare.net/CandiceMay/gawad-sa-manlilikha-n
g-bayan.