Honor most lacking

In September of last year, I sat with a small group of lifestyle journalists across from Cecile Licad, our own pride and joy as an internationally renowned musical artist — long acclaimed as a Pianist’s Pianist by The New Yorker and whose talent the National Artist Antonino Buenaventura said “comes only once in 100 years.”

Licad was a delight to talk to, in some ways still offering glimpses of the child that she was, yet giving us a vivid picture of her maturity as a pianist. What she has achieved, beginning her stellar career with a Chopin concerto at 11 years old, has been unheard of until now, even as many other musical talents have in their own ways brought recognition to the Philippines.

We laud them all, of course, when they perform here and when they banner global productions. Yet, in some ways that matter, we tend to take them for granted.

A few names cross my mind as I recall that afternoon with Cecile Licad.

There is, of course, Lea Salonga, whose name is uttered with reverence in both music and theater worldwide. Her awards are not just proof of her greatness — a Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World for her role alone in Miss Saigon. They are glaring reminders that we have not honored our own with quite the same distinction.

Sources say Salonga has been twice nominated for National Artist (for Music and for Theater), while Licad has been nominated once for Music.

One other personality I have interviewed in the past, who impressed me beyond her credentials, is Lisa Macuja. Her achievements as a ballet dancer, I believe, are surpassed only by her continued dedication to bringing the dance closer to Filipinos. She works very hard to this day to ensure continuity of the craft she loves through her school and collaborations with other musical artists and dance groups. She has helped nurture cultural appreciation for ballet in the Philippines.

Wondering why these three ladies in particular have not yet been given the highest honors they deserve in their own country, I delved into the process of naming the National Artists of the Philippines and came up with some questions: who decides on them, how do they decide and why are there so few women in the roster since it began in 1972?

Apparently, it is not an easy process for one to be considered for the Order of the National Artist.

Mounds of documents are needed to support a nomination, which include “a cover letter and board resolution, a notarized nomination form, a detailed curriculum vitae, a list of significant works, a high resolution photograph, a video documentation of the works, copies of published reviews, and the contact details of a nominated presenter who can discuss the nominee’s qualifications during deliberations,” as reported in this paper on 21 November 2025.

Throughout the 54 years since it was established by President Ferdinand Marcos Sr., a total of 81 artists in eight categories have been proclaimed National Artists. These categories are: Architecture, Dance, Design, Film and Broadcast Arts, Literature, Music, Theatre and Visual Arts.

Here is the kicker: only 16 of the 81 are women, while 65 are male. Call me a feminist, but I simply refuse to believe there are far less Filipina artists worthy of this honor.

I return to an article posted on our website last year, which purports to say that the process itself may be in dire need of a review.

“For half a century, picking the candidates for the Order of National Artist has been shrouded in secrecy like a sacred relic: deliberations are locked, votes sealed, names concealed until the President utters them in Malacañang,” it went.

“The reason given is that secrecy has the noble purpose of keeping politics from defiling the process — but it has achieved the opposite, which is a course that is full of skepticism.”

The fact is questions usually arise once names are published. Of course, there are naysayers and believers, but if the process is truly foolproof and credible, then one must disclose for full transparency in a society already scarred by politics and hidden agendas.

One would hope, given how the arts and culture have sustained us and kept us sane in a chaotic, uglified world, that our talents, our pride, our joy, would be given fair advantage for their work and consistency. They, and the Filipino people, deserve no less.