These 10 new National Artists are shaping the Philippines’ creative legacy

Ten Filipino artists and cultural figures have been named National Artists, following President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signing of Proclamation No. 1414 on September 1.

The latest roster brings together artists whose practices have helped shape Philippine literature, visual culture, architecture, dance, design, cinema, theater, and music, including Nicanor Tiongson and the late Gregorio Brillantes for Literature, as well as Imelda Cajipe-Endaya and Nunelucio Alvarado for Visual Arts. Imelda also makes history as the first woman to receive the National Artist distinction in Visual Arts.

Completing the 10-member roster are architect Gabriel Formoso, dancer and choreographer Rafael “Nonoy” Froilan, designer and textile advocate Maria Beatriz “Patis” Tesoro, filmmaker and screenwriter Armando “Bing” Lao, theater lighting designer Teodoro Hilado, and composer and educator Alfredo Buenaventura.

Four of the honorees, such as Gabriel, Gregorio, Bing, and Teodoro, received the country’s highest artistic distinction posthumously.

The recognition comes four years after the Philippines last named a new group of National Artists, expanding a roster that now counts 91 recipients. The Order of the National Artists is the “highest national recognition granted to Filipinos who have made distinct and significant contributions to the arts and letters.”

To know more about the 10 newly added national artists, continue reading below. 

Nicanor Tiongson – Literature

A scholar, critic, playwright, and professor emeritus at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Nicanor Tiongson has dedicated decades to examining the stories, traditions, and cultural practices that shape Filipino identity.

Much of his work has focused on traditional Philippine theater, including the komedya and sinakulo, while his scholarship has also extended to the country’s film and theater landscape and its broader cultural history. His recent book, “Manong: The Life and Works of Gerardo de Leon,” further reflects his commitment to preserving and interpreting the legacies of Filipino artists.

A founding member of the “Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino,” Nicanor also previously served as artistic director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Through decades of research, criticism, and writing, he has helped build a deeper understanding of Philippine culture and make its artistic histories accessible to succeeding gnerations.

Gregorio Brillantes – Literature

Gregorio Brillantes, who was recognized posthumously, left behind a distinguished body of work as a fictionist, essayist, journalist, and editor. His writing, including “The Distance to Andromeda” and “Other Stories,” moved across faith, science fiction, and the complexities of Filipino life, establishing him as one of the country’s notable voices in short fiction.

A Palanca Awards Hall of Famer, Gregorio also held editorial roles at some of the Philippines’ major publications, where his influence extended beyond his own writing. Through both his literary work and mentorship, he helped shape the practice and perspective of succeeding generations of Filipino writers.

He died in September 2025 at the age of 92. 

Imelda Cajipe-Endaya – Visual Arts

Imelda Cajipe-Endaya has built a multidisciplinary practice around stories of womanhood, history, and the social realities of Filipino life.

Beginning her artistic journey as a printmaker in the 1970s, she eventually expanded into painting, mixed media, and installation, often bringing unconventional and familiar materials including sawali, fabric, and found objects into her work.

In an exclusive interview with adobo Magazine, Imelda spoke not as an artist chasing immediacy, but as a votary or one devoted by vow, to a lifelong practice where artistic discipline and social commitment are inseparable. 

Imelda has devoted her artistic career to exploring contemporary social issues through the lens of women’s empowerment. Her richly textured mixed-media works also tackle topics including cultural identity, migration and human rights. For Imelda, her work is not a succession of isolated projects, but an enduring act of devotion to women, migrants, and marginalized communities.

“It’s inseparable — making the work and my own womanhood, my artistry, my being a citizen and being of service to the community. It’s inseparable,” she told adobo magazine. 

This inseparability defines her votary position. Her art does not stand apart from her life; it extends from it. It is embedded in how she exists as a woman, a citizen, and an artist with acts of solidarity grounded in lived experience.

Nunelucio Alvarado – Visual Arts

Nunelucio Alvarado brings the realities of Negros Occidental’s working communities into the frame, creating socially engaged works that examine labor, inequality, and everyday life.

A native of Negros Occidental, Nunelucio is particularly known for paintings portraying sacadas, sugar workers, and agricultural laborers, giving visibility to the people and communities whose lives are closely tied to the region’s sugar industry.

He studied Fine Arts at the University of the Philippines-Diliman before pursuing advertising studies in Bacolod City. Beyond his own practice, Alvarado has also contributed to the growth of regional art communities when he co-founded “Pamilya Pintura” and established the “Pintor Kulapol” group, helping build platforms for artists working outside Metro Manila.

His contributions have earned major recognition, including the CCP Thirteen Artists Award and the Philip Morris ASEAN Arts Award Grand Prize.

Gabriel Formoso – Architecture

Gabriel Formoso, one of the first 100 architects in the Philippines, is among the architects who helped give modern Manila its visual and spatial character, approaching architecture with an understanding of how climate, function, and everyday life intersect.

After establishing his architectural firm in 1939, he developed a practice rooted in tropical functionalism, applying the approach across residential, commercial, and institutional projects. Works associated with his firm include the Asian Institute of Management building, Lepanto Building, Central Bank of the Philippines complex, and Valley Golf Club.

With this recognition, he is the seventh National Artist for Architecture, and the first in seven years to receive the honor. 

He died in 1996. 

Rafael “Nonoy” Froilan — Dance

Rafael “Nonoy” Froilan has spent decades helping define the place of male dancers in Philippine ballet, both onstage and in the classroom.

Born in Calbiga, Samar, Rafael initially pursued business administration at the University of the East before finding his path in dance. He joined Ballet Philippines and rose to become one of the company’s principal dancers in 1973, performing alongside some of the country’s most celebrated ballerinas.

His career eventually expanded beyond performance and into education. Rafael became part of the faculty of the Philippine High School for the Arts, while also sharing his expertise through master classes and dance workshops.

His contribution to Philippine dance also extends to cultural preservation. Through documenting regional dance traditions and continuing to mentor aspiring dancers, Rafael has helped ensure that Philippine movement traditions remain part of the country’s evolving artistic vocabulary.

Maria Beatriz “Patis” Tesoro — Design

Maria Beatriz “Patis” Tesoro, known as the “Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion,” has made Philippine heritage a living part of contemporary design, championing the textiles, techniques, and artisans behind Filipino craftsmanship.

A defining part of her practice has been her work with piña fabric, particularly at a time when the industry faced decline. In the 1980s, Patis helped develop training programs for a new generation of piña producers, contributing to the continuity of a craft deeply rooted in Philippine tradition.

Her approach to Filipino fashion has also reimagined traditional silhouettes for contemporary audiences. She brought pieces such as the baro’t saya and barong Tagalog into modern wardrobes through updated cuts, intricate embroidery, and embellishments, demonstrating how heritage can evolve without losing its cultural character.

For Patis, the beautiful Filipiniana is not a costume or a passing trend. It is a living, breathing expression of who we are. As global influences grow, Patis remains a steady champion for our cultural identity, warning that losing these traditional garments to Westernization is akin to losing the Filipino soul itself. She believes that “Filipiniana is Forever.” 

“One of the major identities of a nation is what the citizens wear, whether it is traditional or suited for the times. That is why ‘Filipiniana is Forever,’” she told adobo Magazine in an exclusive interview. 

Patis finds profound optimism in how young creatives are embracing local heritage. She saw them as the guardians who will ensure the Filipiniana remains a living expression of the nation, not just a historical costume. This new wave of designers recognizes that the national garment is not just a style choice, but a commitment to cultural authenticity.

“Continuing our traditions in clothing and embellishment will continue our face as a nation united. But not only that it gives livelihood to thousands of farmers, wives, children, and old people who are involved in this creative industry; therefore, it is necessary that Filipiniana is Forever.”

Armando “Bing” Lao – Film and Broadcast Arts

Armando “Bing” Lao helped shape Philippine independent cinema not only through the stories he brought to the screen, but through the filmmakers he taught to find stories in the world around them.

A screenwriter, educator, and longtime mentor, Bing developed the “Found Story” approach, encouraging writers and filmmakers to look closely at real people, places, and everyday situations as starting points for compelling narratives.

His screenwriting credits include “Kinatay” and Takaw Tukso, while he also supervised the screenplay for “Kubrador.” But perhaps one of his lasting contributions is his work as a teacher. Through the Found Story Screenwriting Workshop, he mentored more than 40 batches of aspiring filmmakers and writers, helping cultivate a community of storytellers who would go on to contribute to Philippine cinema.

He died in June 2024. 

Teodoro Hilado – Theater

Teodoro Hilado helped transform the way Philippine theater understood light, not simply as a backstage necessity, but as an artistic language of its own.

A pioneer of professional lighting design in the country, Teodoro spent years as technical director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, where he helped establish practices and standards for theatrical lighting and stage management.

His approach elevated lighting from a purely technical function into an integral part of storytelling. Through the careful use of illumination, shadow, color, and atmosphere, he demonstrated how the technical elements of a production could shape emotion and deepen the audience’s experience.

He died on December 23, 2015.

Alfredo S. Buenaventura — Music

Alfredo Buenaventura has spent a lifetime translating Filipino stories and musical traditions into the language of classical composition.

Born in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, the composer, conductor, and educator has created more than 50 major works, drawing inspiration from Philippine legends, epics, folklore, and folk music. Among his notable compositions are the operas “Maria Makiling” and “Diego Silang.”

His music brings together indigenous instruments and Filipino musical elements with classical and contemporary forms, creating compositions that place Philippine cultural narratives within a broader musical tradition.

Alfredo’s influence also extends to music education. As dean of the Centro Escolar University Conservatory of Music, he helped nurture and train generations of Filipino musicians while continuing to develop his own body of work.

A two-time recipient of the Republic Cultural Heritage Award, he has also seen his compositions performed internationally.

READ MORE:

Art as devotion: Imelda Cajipe Endaya’s creative practice as lifelong advocacy

Weaving the Filipino soul through design: Patis Tesoro on the importance of preserving the Filipiniana amid fast fashion culture

Honoring the life and legacy of National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts Nora Aunor with a necrological service

The post These 10 new National Artists are shaping the Philippines’ creative legacy appeared first on adobo Magazine Online.