ILOILO City – The search is on for Western Visayas’ next National Living Treasures, as cultural authorities called on communities across the region to bring forward master practitioners whose traditional knowledge and skills risk disappearing unless recognized, documented and passed on to succeeding generations.
The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) urged local government units, cultural organizations, academic institutions and communities to identify and nominate deserving traditional and indigenous artists for the 2026 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA), the country’s highest national recognition for outstanding practitioners of traditional and folk arts.
The appeal carries particular weight in Western Visayas following the death of Federico “Tuohan” Caballero, the region’s first GAMABA awardee, on Aug. 17, 2024, at age 88.
Caballero, a native of Barangay Garangan in Calinog, Iloilo, was declared a National Living Treasure in 2000 for his mastery of chanting the Sugidanon, the epic oral tradition of the Panay Bukidnon of Central Panay.
His death underscored the urgency of finding, recognizing and supporting a new generation of cultural bearers capable of keeping centuries-old traditions alive.
During a press conference at the University of the Philippines Visayas on Oct. 6, Renee Talaver, head of the NCCA’s Program Management Division, said the nationwide nomination campaign seeks to encourage communities themselves to identify cultural masters in their midst.
“On behalf of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, it is my honor to be with you all here for the 2026 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan call for nominations press conference,” Talaver said.
“GAMABA is the highest national recognition given to outstanding Filipino bearers and practitioners of traditional and folk arts,” she added.
Talaver said the award is not merely a recognition of artistic excellence but also honors the knowledge and traditions that cultural practitioners have protected and transmitted through generations.
“The GAMABA celebrates the spirit, skills and knowledge that our Manlilikha have safeguarded and continue to share with their communities and with the Filipino people,” she said.
She urged Western Visayans to search their own communities for cultural practitioners who have devoted their lives to preserving traditional knowledge.
“I hope that today’s event will help guide you in the nomination process and deepen your understanding of what it means to be a Manlilikha ng Bayan,” Talaver said.
“More importantly, I hope to encourage you to look within your own communities and recognize the individuals who have dedicated their lives to safeguarding, practicing and passing on our traditional knowledge and skills,” she added.
The NCCA said the effort is particularly important in Western Visayas, home to distinct indigenous traditions, including those of the Panay Bukidnon.
Among these is the Sugidanon, a body of lengthy epic narratives traditionally transmitted through chanting in an archaic language related to Kinaray-a.
“Through your nominations, we hope to bring greater attention to the bearers of our living traditions and help ensure that their knowledge continues to be valued, practiced and passed on to generations to come,” Talaver said.
Caballero played a pivotal role in ensuring that the Sugidanon survived beyond his generation. He worked with researchers and cultural workers, including UP Visayas anthropologist Dr. Alicia P. Magos, to document the Panay Bukidnon oral tradition.
He also helped establish the first School of Living Traditions in the Visayas in Barangay Garangan, where Panay Bukidnon traditional knowledge and practices were taught to younger members of the community.
Caballero was honored with traditional funerary rites by the Panay Bukidnon community and the NCCA in September 2024. A state funeral was also held at the Calinog Public Plaza in recognition of his contributions to preserving Panay Bukidnon culture.
Under the 2026 search, GAMABA may recognize practitioners in the five domains of intangible cultural heritage identified under the 2003 UNESCO Convention: oral traditions and expressions; performing arts; social practices, rituals and festive events; knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and traditional craftsmanship.
Candidates will undergo a three-level selection process involving the Council of Experts, an Ad Hoc Panel of Experts and the NCCA Board of Commissioners.
Those confirmed as Manlilikha ng Bayan will be recommended to the President for declaration as National Living Treasures.
Established under Republic Act No. 7355 in 1992, GAMABA honors traditional artists who have achieved exceptional mastery of their craft and continue to transmit their knowledge and practices to their communities.
Qualified nominators include non-government organizations, government agencies, LGUs, academic institutions, and church or religious groups.
Nomination dossiers may be submitted physically or virtually to the GAMABA Secretariat of the NCCA Awards and Recognition Office./PN
