Cheyenne Suarez

Marcos Jr. honors indigenous masters, urges youth to take pride in Filipino traditions

Article (news)

Harlene Delgado

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the conferment of the 2023 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures Award at the Metropolitan Theater on Wednesday, May 7.</p><p>The award is the highest honor bestowed by the government on individuals or groups “who have demonstrated outstanding skill and unwavering dedication in preserving and promoting traditional Filipino arts”.</p><p>In his speech, Marcos Jr. recognized the country’s timeless traditions preserved by the “stewards of cultural bearers”.</p><p>“May today’s ceremony serve as a powerful reminder of our collective duty to protect, preserve, and to pass on the cultural treasures entrusted to us,” Marcos Jr. said.</p><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1920003510864904694&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-05-07T09%3A50%3A59.176360%3A3ad606c3-3935-42d1-ad8b-9f0df9dea4e7%26action%3Dedit&amp;sessionId=9908257330ae859675931206a86e46e43a034789&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:600px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="1920003510864904694"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><p>“Sa ating mga Manlilikha ng Bayan, maraming salamat po sa pagtuturo ng kahalagahan ng ating katutubong kultura. Sa gitna ng makabagong mundo, kayo ang tinig ng ating pinagmulan,” he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/5/4/dot-suspends-tourism-activities-at-mt-pinatubo-1916">DOT suspends tourism activities at Mt. Pinatubo<br/></a></div><p>The chief executive also vowed that his administration will continue to honor cultural legacies and urged the youth to take pride of Filipino traditions.</p><p>“Be assured that this Administration, through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, will continue to champion traditional arts, indigenous knowledge, and cultural sustainability,” Marcos Jr. stated.</p><p>“Kasabay ng pangakong ito ay panawagan ko sa lahat ng Pilipino—lalong-lalo na sa ating mga kabataan—kilalanin natin at ipagmalaki natin ang sariling atin,” he noted.</p><p>Nine awardees were given honor for their unwavering dedication in preserving national heritage and promoting traditional arts.</p><p>The awardees are as follows:</p><p>- Adelita Romualdo Bagcal from Banna, Ilocos Norte (master of dallot or traditional form of sung poetry)</p><p>- Rosie Godwino Sula from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato (T&#x27;boli chanter of klawan and sudsung)</p><p>- Abina Tawide Coguit from La Paz, Agusan del Sur (Manobo artisan)</p><p>- Sakinur-ain Mugong Delasas from Bongao, Tawi-Tawi (Sama master of igal — a traditional dance form performed during weddings and religious celebrations)</p><p>- Bundos Bansil Fara also from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato (T&#x27;boli brasscaster who practices kemas)</p><p>- Marife Ravidas Ganahon from Malaybalay, Bukidnon (Higaonon mat weaver)</p><p>- Amparo Balansi Mabanag from Paracelis, Mountain Province (Ga&#x27;dang embroiderer)</p><p>- Samporonia Pagsac Madanlo from Caraga, Davao Oriental (Mandaya weaver of ikat or tie-dye weaving)</p><p>- Barbara Kibed Ofong from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato (T&#x27;boli master weaver of t&#x27;nalak, a sacred cloth)</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/2/28/ncip-slams-vlogger-diwata-for-cultural-appropriation-1230">NCIP slams Diwata for &#x27;cultural appropriation&#x27; over wearing traditional IP attire, questionable gestures</a></div><p>Each awardee received a gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, an initial grant of P200,000 upon conferment, and a lifetime monthly stipend of P50,000, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts said in its press release.</p>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the conferment of the 2023 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures Award at the Metropolitan Theater on Wednesday, May 7.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. led the conferment of the 2023 Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan or the National Living Treasures Award at the Metropolitan Theater on Wednesday, May 7.