Last March 23, 2026, I wrote about three super ladies—Cecile Licad, Lea Salonga, and Lisa Macuja-Elizalde—whose talents have carried the Philippine flag onto the global stage of the performing arts. Despite their achievements, none of them had been formally recognized as a “National Artist (NA).” Thus, I looked into the law and jurisprudence involved in the proclamation of NAs.
THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR CULTURE AND THE ARTS (NCCA)—created by Republic Act No. 7356 on April 3, 1992—administers the conferment of the award. Specifically, together with the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), the NCCA was granted by that law the sole prerogative to recommend to the president of the Philippines the “Order of National Artists” to Filipino citizens who have contributed to building a Filipino sense of nationhood through their art forms.
In Almario v. Executive Secretary (July 16, 2013), the Supreme Court held that the president’s discretion is limited to the names submitted by the NCCA and the CCP. The president cannot, under this law, confer the Order of National Artists upon anyone whose name is not included in the final list of NA nominees.
I will no longer inquire, nor will I belabor my “wonderment” why—despite Cecile’s universal excellence in music, Lea’s triumphs on the world’s most prestigious stages, and Lisa’s influence through ballet worldwide—these ladies have not landed in the final list.
Without in any way begrudging any of the NAs or belittling their achievements, and in fact, lauding them for their much-deserved awards, I believe that Cecile, Lea, and Lisa merit a separate category that recognizes a level of distinction that transcends national recognition.
Their achievements, indeed, acquire doctrinal relevance. Each has long been part of discussions surrounding the National Artist Award: Cecile in the field of music, Lea in both music and theater, and Lisa, in dance, but, to repeat, they have not been included in the final list submitted to the president for reasons I do not know and will not speculate on.
WHAT BECOMES EVIDENT, HOWEVER, IS THE PRESENCE OF AN INSTITUTIONAL GAP where recognition for globally distinguished Filipino artists ought to stand. I believe that the president can fill this gap by creating the “Order of Global Filipino Artists” or GFA via the issuance of an executive order specifically for artists of Philippine ancestry (meaning, one or both parents were Filipinos at the birth of the awardee) and giving the same, if not better, privileges and honors as the NAs. In time, Congress may institutionalize this category by granting congressional recognition to these globally distinguished Filipino artists.
Relevantly, I remember that former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. initiated the creation of the NA Award via Proclamation No. 1001 on April 27, 1972. This was later refined by Proclamation No. 1144 on May 15, 1973, and by Presidential Decree No. 208 on June 7, 1973, which laid the foundation for the conferment of the title “National Artist” and all the privileges attached thereto.
President Marcos Sr. likewise issued Proclamation No. 1151 on June 7, 1973, that established the “Award and Decoration for International Artists” intended for FOREIGN talents whose works have contributed to Philippine arts and culture. This proclamation rested on the premise that the arts and letters are universal media of expression free of the confines of geography and nationality. Those so honored were, when practicable, granted privileges similar to NAs during their stay in the Philippines.
Thus, in 1976 and 1977, pianist Van Cliburn (USA), prima ballerina Margot Fonteyn (UK), and ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev (USSR/France) were the first to be proclaimed as International Artists. In 1982, the renowned Russian cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich was also recognized following his performance at the CCP.
IN THIS LIGHT, THE NOTION OF AN “INTERNATIONAL ARTIST” MUST BE REIMAGINED. In my humble opinion, the current executive issuances and statutory framework do not fully recognize Filipino artists who belong to a distinct class, the Filipino diaspora, whose contributions to Philippine arts and culture are acclaimed not only within our shores but across the globe—the Global Filipino Artists.
After such honor is created by executive fiat and the super ladies selected as the first GFAs, I believe the conferment should be held at the Malacañan Palace, the CCP, or the Philippine International Convention Center, the very institutions that have long stood as the sanctuaries of our artistic heritage. More than a ceremonial recognition, the President may fittingly invite the three GFAs to perform and transform the conferment into a living testament to Filipino excellence before both the nation and the world.
And so, I say this without trepidation: the question is no longer whether they are worthy, as they have long proven that they are. The more compelling inquiry is whether our institutional frameworks can welcome a new dimension of artistic excellence that is global in reach, yet unmistakably, indelibly Filipino in essence.
—————-
Comments to chiefjusticepanganiban@hotmail.com
