The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CPP) announced the call for nominations for the Order of National Artist (ONA) during their Visayas-leg press conference at the Negros Museum in Bacolod City on Friday, March 8.
The press conference was led by NCCA Executive Director Oscar Casaysay, CCP Artistic Director and Vice President Dennis Marasigan, and NCCA Deputy Executive Director for Administration and Support Services Marichu Tellano as part of their information drive on one of the highest awards given to an artist in the country.
Casaysay said that the press conference held in Bacolod aims to send a strong message that artistic excellence knows no geographical boundaries.
He added that this is also one of their ways to urge submissions from the region as it is vital for the development of arts and culture in the country.
The establishment of ONA is stipulated under Proclamation No. 1011 issued in 1972, which aims to bestow appropriate recognition and prestige on Filipinos who have distinguished themselves and made outstanding contributions to Philippine Arts and Letters.
The award is administered by NCCA, CCP, and conferred by the President of the Philippines, which is also a way to acknowledge the artists who made significant contributions to the cultural heritage of the country.
The award, which is given every three years, has already proclaimed 81 National Artists in various disciplines of art including Dance, Music, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, Architecture and Allied Arts, and Design.
Among the previleges of a National Artist are the rank and title of National Artist, as proclaimed by the President of the Philippines, the National Artist gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and citation, a lifetime emolument and material and physical benefits comparable in value to those received by the highest officers of the land, among others.
Marasigan also said that the National Artist will receive a P200,000 cash prize and monthly stipend of P50,000.
The deadline for nomination is on June 30 this year and the requirements are posted in the NCCA Facebook page and website.*