National Living Treasures

• National Living Treasures


  Individuals recognized for their exceptional mastery of traditional arts and culture
• Ginaw Bilog


  • Born on January 3, 1953
  • Hanunoo Mangyan from Mansalay, Mindoro
  • Initiated the preservation of the Ambahan, a poetic literary form comprised of seven-syllable lines
  • Key to the exploration of the Mangyan soul
• Ambahan


  • A poetic literary form engraved in bamboos and the like using stylus or knives
  • Written in the pre-colonial baybayin script
• Masino Intaray


  • A gifted poet, epic-chanter, story-teller and musician from Makagwa Valley, Palawan
  • Master of traditional music instruments such as basal, kulilang bagit
  • Expert in the aroding (mouth harp) and babarak or ring flute
• Samaon Sulaiman


  • At age 35, the most honored kutyapi master and teacher in Maganoy, Mindanao
  • Proficient in the kulintang, agong or suspended bosses gong with wide rim, tambul gandingan or bossed gong with narrow rim, and palendag or lip-valley flute
• Lang Dulay


  • A master textile weaver from T'boli, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato
  • Learned to weave using Abaca fibers at age 12
• Salinta Monon


  • A Bagobo born on December 12, 1920 in Bansalan, Davao del sur
  • Desired to be taught how to weave at age 12
  • Developed a keen eye for traditional designs
  • Can still identify a design at a glance at age 65
• Alonzo Saclag


  • From Lubuagan, Kalinga
  • Devoted his energy on the preservation of artifacts such as the Kalinga gong or the gangsa to revive this dying treasures
• Frederico Caballero


  • An epic-chanter from Kalinog, Iloilo and from the mountains of Central Panay
  • Ceaselessly worked for the documentation of the epics and oral literature of his people
  • Preserved and promoted the encyclopedic folklore of Panay
• Uwang Ahadas


  • A Yakan from Lamitan, Basilan
  • Values musical instruments due to being nearly blind
  • Skills progressed from the gabbang (bamboo xylophone) to the agung, the kwintangan kayu, and later other more complex instruments
• Darhata Sawabi


  • A weaver of pis syabit, the traditional cloth tapestry worn as a head cover by the Tausugs of Jolo, Sulu
• Eduardo Mutuc


  • An artist from Apalit, Pampanga
  • Dedicated his life to creating religious and secular art in silver, bronze and wood
  • Created intricately detailed retablos, mirrors, altars, and carosas in churches and private collections
• GAMABA CATEGORIES

  • folk architecture
  • maritime transport
  • weaving carving
  • performing arts
  • literature
  • graphic and plastic arts
  • ornaments
  • textile or fabric art
  • pottery
• GAMABA Rewards

  • gold medallion
  • initial grant of Php 100,000
  • Php 10,000 monthly stipend
  • Additional personal allowance of Php 14,000
  • Php 750,000 medical annual benefits
  • Funeral assistance and tribute