Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda on Thursday, December 28 welcomed the proclamation of nine individuals as new cultural masters hailed by the National Living Treasures Award or Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) for their exemplary contribution to Philippine arts and culture. 

Legarda welcomed the nine awardees’ inclusion via Presidential Proclamation No. 427, s. 2023. 

“We are delighted to learn about the induction of these nine talented Filipino artists as the State recognized them for their unwavering contribution to the country's rich and diverse art and culture,” Legarda said.

“It is a constant reminder of their significance to our country's intangible cultural heritage, for their works are worthy for every Filipino to admire and emulate,” the senator said.

Republic Act (RA) No. 7355 or the Manlilikha ng Bayan Act establishes provisions for identifying and honoring GAMABA awardees and for the advancement and nurturing of traditional folk art, including the allocation of financial resources for these endeavors.

The nine individuals include Adelita Romualdo Bagcal (Ilocano Oral Traditions,) Abina Tawide Coguit (Agusan Manobo Embroidery,) and Haja Sakinur-ain Mugong Delasas (Sama Dance.)

Also included are Bundos Bansil Fara (T’boli Brasscasting, Marife Ravidas Ganahon (Higaonon Mat Weaving,) and Amparo Balansi Mabanag (Ga’dang Beadworks and Embroidery.)

Rounding out the illustrious list are Samporonia Pagsac Madanlo (Mandaya Textile Weaving,) Barbara Kibed Ofong (T’boli Textile Weaving,) and Rosie Godwino Sula (T’boli Chanting.)

Legarda said she is hopeful there would be more Manlilikha ng Bayan awardees in the coming years “so that they may be recognized for their work and teach the upcoming generations so there would be a knowledge transfer.”

Among the many laws passed by the four-term senator include RA No. 10908, or the Integrated History Act of 2016, and RA 11961, or the Cultural Mapping Law, which she principally sponsored and authored. 

The said law mandates local government units (LGUs) to conduct comprehensive cultural mapping of their areas, ensuring the identification and documentation of diverse cultural heritage resources for appreciation, conservation, and development.

Meanwhile, the proposed Cultural Education Program Act and a measure seeking to establish a Department of Culture, which will reorganize the National Commission on the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) into the Department of Culture, is still pending at the Senate. 

Other proposed laws include Senate Bill No. 831, or the Indigenous Community Conserved Territories and Areas Act; SBN 838, or the Resource Centers for Indigenous Peoples Act; SBN 839, or the Traditional Property Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act; and SBN 1249, or the Katutubong Tagapagtanggol Act of 2022.