What Is GAMABA? Gawad Sa Manlilikha Ng Bayan

GAMABA – In this topic, we will now know and discuss the meaning of GAMABA or the Gawad sa Manliliha ng Bayan.

Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan also known as the National Living Treasures, is the award given to a person or a group of artists that is recognized by the Philippine government for their contributions to the nation’s cultural heritage.

According to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), it was materialized as per the Republic Act No. 7355 or the Manlilikha ng Bayan Act in April 1992.

The NCCA was taked to administrate and implement the Award to the artists. They were also tasked to search for the finest traditional artists of the Philippines, to adopt a program that will secure the transfer of skills to others and shoulders measures to endorse the genuine appreciation and instill pride among Filipinos.

The award was first given to three outstanding artists in music and poetry in 1993. Its roots came from the 1988 National Folk Artists Award which was organized by the Rotary Club of Makati-Ayala.

RA 7355 would also imply that a citizen engaging in any traditional art which is uniquely Filipino whose distinctive skills will reach such a high level of technical and artistic excellence and is passed on to and widely practice by the generation of today in his/her community with the same level of technical and artistic competence.

Awardees of Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan