ENHANCED LESSON FOR MODULE 4 & 5

After going through this lesson, the students are expected to:
1. identify the Manlilikha ng Bayan or GAMABA awardees and their specific contributions
in Philippine Art;
2. understands how traditional art affects the community and the arts of today
3. create a work the promotes traditional or local art

What is GAMABA?
 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) is another term for the National Living
Treasures Award
 Established in April, 1992 through Republic Act No. 7355
 This award is conferred to Filipino artists who practice preservation and promotion of the
nation’s traditional arts
 As envisioned under R.A. 7355, “Manlilikha ng Bayan” shall mean a citizen engaged in
any traditional art uniquely Filipino whose distinctive skills have reached such a high
level of technical and artistic excellence and have been passed on to and widely practiced
by the present generation in his/her community with the same degree of technical and
artistic competence. 

How does one become a Manlilikha ng Bayan?

To become a Manlilikha ng Bayan, an individual or group candidate must:

a. Possess a mastery of tools and materials needed for the traditional, folk art and be
a maker of works of extraordinary technical quality;
b. Have consistently produced works of superior quality over significant period;
c. Have engaged in a traditional and folk art which has been in existence and
documented for at least fifty (50) years;
d. Command respect and inspire admiration of the country with his character and
integrity;
e. Must have transferred and/or willing to transfer to other members of the
community the skills in the traditional and folk arts for which the community has
become nationally known.
f. However, a candidate who, due to age or infirmity, has left him/her/them
incapable of teaching further his/her/their craft, may still be recognized provided
that he/she/they must possess the qualifications as enumerated above.

What are the benefits and privileges of an awardee?

For the individual awardee:

a. The rank and title of Manlilikha ng Bayan, as proclaimed by the President of the
Philippines in accordance with Executive Order No. 236 or Honors Code of the
Philippines;
b. The GAMABA gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
(BSP) and citation;
 c. A lifetime emolument and materials and physical benefits comparable in value to
those received by the highest officers of the land such as:
 A minimum cash award of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000.00),
net of taxes.
 A minimum lifetime personal monthly stipend of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php
50,000.00).
 Medical and hospitalization benefits not exceeding Php 750,000.00 per
year.
d. A state funeral, the arrangements for and the expenses of which shall be borne by
the Government, upon the death of the Manlilikha ng Bayan; and
e. A place of honor, in line with protocol precedence, in state functions, national
commemoration ceremonies and all other cultural presentations.

For the group awardee:

a. The rank and title of Manlilikha ng Bayan, as proclaimed by the President of the
Philippines in accordance with Executive Order No. 236 or Honors Code of the
Philippines;
b. The GAMABA plaque for the group;
c. A one-time award of Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000.00), net of taxes;
d. The group shall designate its leader who will represent and attend events and
functions on behalf of the group. The said representative will also have a place of
honor, in line with protocol precedence, in state functions, national
commemoration ceremonies and all other cultural presentations.

Who are the GAMABA awardees?

1) Ginaw Bilog (d. 2003) – poet, Hanunuo Mangyan (Panatayan, Oriental Mindoro)
 Year of conferment: 1993
 He was awarded for faithfully preserving the Hanunuo Mangyan scipt and ambahan
poetry, a poem consisting of seven syllables which most of the time contains
messages of love and friendship.
2) Masino Intaray (d. 2013) – musician and story teller, Pala’wan (Brookes Point, Palawan)
 Year of conferment: 1993
 He was awarded for his exemplary skills in basal or gong music ensemble. He was
also recognized for his versatility as musician, poet, epic chanter and story teller of
the kulilal and bagit traditions of Palawan.
3) Samaon Sulaiman (d. 2001) musician, Mama sa Pano (Maguindanao)
 Year of conferment: 1993
 He achieved the highest level of excellence in the art of kudyapi playing. Learning to
play the kudyapi from his uncle when he was about 13 years old, he has since, at 35
become the most acclaimed kudyapi master and teacher of his instrument.
4) Lang Dulay (d. 2015) textile weaver, T’boli (Lake Sebu, South Cotabato)
 Year of conferment: 1998
 She was only 12 when she first learned how to weave. She has produced creations
which remain faithful to the T’boli tradition as manifested in the complexity of her
design, fineness of workmanship and quality of finish.
5) Salinta Monon (d. 2009) textile weaver, Tagbanwa Bagobo (Bansalan, Davao Del Sur)
 Year of conferment: 1998
 Practically, since she was born, Salinta Monon had watched her mother’s nimble
hands glide over the loom, weaving traditional Bagobo textiles. At 12 she presented
 herself to her mother, to be taught how to weave herself. She was awarded for fully
demonstrating the creative and expressive aspects of the Bagobo abaca ikat weaving
called inabal.
6) Alonzo Saclag – musician and dancer, Kalinga (Lubugan, Kalinga)
 Year of conferment: 2000
 He was recognized for his mastery of Kalinga dance and performing arts. Also, he
was awarded for his persistence to create and nurture a greater consciousness and
appreciation of Kalinga culture.
7) Federico Caballero – epic chanter, Sulod-Bukidnon (Calinog, Iloilo)
 Year of conferment: 2000
 His own love for his people’s folklore began when he was a small child. He ceaselessly
worked for the documentation of the epics of his people. He was awarded for his
mastery of chanting the sugidanon, the epic tradition of Central Panay.
8) Uwang Ahadas – musician, Yakan (Lamitan, Basilan)
 Year of conferment: 2000
 In spite of the dimming of his eyesight, he has devoted his life to the teaching of
Yakan musical traditions. He was recognized for his dexterity in playing Yakan
musical instruments such as kwintangan, gabbang agung among others.
9) Darhata Sawabi (d. 2005) textile weaver, Tausug (Parang, Sulu)
 Year of conferment: 2004
 She has preserved the art of pis syabit weaving, which is considered to be a difficult
art that even the preparation of the warp alone takes three days. This is also the
traditional cloth tapestry worn as head covering by the Tausug of Jolo.
10) Eduardo Mutuc – metal smith, Kapampangan (Apalit, Pampanga)
 Year of conferment: 2004
 He is an artist who has dedicated his life to creating religious and secular art in
silver, bronze and wood. His intricately detailed retablos, mirrors, altars, and carosas
are in churches and private collections.
11) Haja Amina Appi (d. 2013) – mat weaver, Sama (Tandubas, Tawi-tawi)
 Year of conferment: 2004
 She is recognized as the maser mat weaver among the Sama indigenous community.
Her colorful mats with their complex geometric patterns exhibit her precise sense of
design, proportion and symmetry and sensitivity to color. Her unique multi-colored
mats are protected by a plain white outer mat that serves as the mat’s backing. Her
functional and artistic creations take up to three months to make.
12) Teofilo Garcia – casque maker, Ilocano (San Quintin, Abra)
 Year of conferment: 2012
 He was recognized for his creation of tabungaw, the gourd hat he makes and wears.
It takes at least seven days to finish one tabungaw, assuming that all the materials
are available. He uses only simple hand tools that he designed himself and he is
involved in each stage of the production.

13) Magdalena Gamayo – textile weaver, Ilocano (Pinili, Ilocos Norte)

 Year of conferment: 2012
 Lola Magdalena Gamayo is an “inabel” maker. Inabel is the precise term for woven
cloth produced on the Ilocano wooden pedal loom and embodying the characteristic
attributes of being sturdy simple and functional. Lola Magdalena started her skills in
hand-weaving at the age of 16 during the World War II.
 14) Ambalang Ausalin – textile weaver, Yakan (Parangbasak, Basilan)
 Year of conferment: 2016
 She is respected for her commitment to safeguarding and promotion of weaving the
traditional Yakan textiles, especially the colorful “tennun” or tapestry weave. Her skill
is deemed incomparable. She possesses the complex knowledge of the entire weaving
process, aware at the same time of the cultural significance of each textile design.
15) Estelita Bantilan – mat weaver, Blaan (Malapatan, Saranggani)
 Year of conferment: 2016
 She is recognized for her contribution to the preservation and promotion of the Blaan
igem (mat weaving) culture. She is credited with creating "some of the biggest, most
subtly beautiful mats to be seen anywhere in Southeast Asia.
16) Yabing Masalon Dulo – textile weaver and dyer, Blaan (Landan, South Cotabato)
 Year of conferment: 2016
 She is the oldest weaving master of the traditional Blaan fabric, Tabih.  She is
credited with preserving the Blaan traditional mabal tabih art of ikat weaving and
dying. She began weaving at age 14 and is known for being very meticulous, envious
and protective of her craft.

ACTIVITIES:
 Let’s Evaluate!

Directions: Read each question carefully and write your answer on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. The Republic Act that institutionalized the giving of recognition to

Filipino artists who practice preservation and promotion of the nation’s traditional arts.
a. RA 7375 b. RA 7355 c. RA 3775 d. RA 5375
2. He is known for making a hat called tabungaw.
a. Teofilo Garcia b. Lang Dulay c. Alonzo Saclag d. Federico Caballero
3. The year of establishment of the GAMABA.
a. 1994 b. 1997 c. 1996 d. 1992
4. A master weaver who makes inabel; a Gawad ng Manlilikha ng
Bayan Award recipient from Pili, Ilocos Norte.
a. Estelita Bantilan b. Haja Amina Appi
c. Uwang Ahadas d. Magdalena Gamayo
5. What is the traditional Mangyan poem consisting of seven syllables
which most of the time contains messages of love and friendship called?
a. Ambahan b. Haiku c. Awit d. Korido
6. He is known as the “kudyapi master”.
a. Salinta Monon b. Samaon Sulaiman
c. Ginaw Bilog d. Eduardo Mutuc
7. This award aims to give recognition to Filipino artists who practice
preservation and promotion of the nation’s traditional arts.
a. Gawad sa Manananggol ng Bayan c. Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan
b. Gawad sa Mga Artista ng Bayan d. Gawad sa Manlililok ng Bayad
8. He is a Kalinga master of dance and the performing arts.
a. Alonzo Saclag b. Lang Dulay c. Masino Intaray d. Salinta Monon
9. Which is incorrect about the benefits and privileges of a GAMABA
awardee?
 a. They will be given a bronze-plated medallion
b. They will be called as the Manlilikha ng Bayan
c. Individual awardee will be given P200 000
d. A state funeral will be held upon the death of the awardee
10. A Manlilikha ng Bayan shall be engaged in a traditional and folk art
which has been in existence and documented for at least how many years?
a. 80 years b. 70 years c. 60 years d. 50 years
11. She is an excellent T’nalak weaver who was only 12 when she first
learned how to weave.
a. Salinta Monon b. Uwang Ahandas c. Lang Dulay d. Ambalang
Ausalin
12. A Tausug weaver who has preserved the art of pis syabit weaving.
a. Ambalanv Ausalin b. Yabing Masalon Dulo
c. Darhata Sawabi d. Haja Amina Appi
13. What is the Bagobo’s of Southern Mindanao abaca ikat weaving called?
a. Basal b. Inabal c. Tabih d. Inabel
14. A Kapampangan metalsmith who has dedicated his life to creating religious and secular
art in silver, bronze and wood.
a. Ginaw Bilog b. Eduardo Mutuc c. Uwang Ahadas d. Teofilo Garcia
15. To become a Manlilikha ng Bayan, an individual or group candidate must have the
following qualities except:
a. Must be 50 years old and above
b. Must be willing to transfer the skills in creating traditional and folk arts
c. Must possess mastery of tools and materials needed in the traditional arts
d. Must consistently produce works of superior quality

 Question to Ponder:
Now that you have known the people who continue to preserve our traditional and folk
art, as a student, what do you think is their role together with their works to the
community and to the emerging arts of today?

 Let’s Apply!
Name one traditional art form in your community. Create a poster in a 1/8 illustration
board showing your concept of promoting this traditional art form. Make your own title and a 2-
3 sentences description for your artwork.
Criteria:

Relevance to the theme 20%

Creativity 40%
Color Harmony and Visual Impact 20%
Originality 20%