Answer:

WHAT IS A NATIONAL ARTIST?

A National Artist is a Filipino citizen who has been given the rank and title of National Artist in recognition of his or her significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts and letters.

The rank and title of National Artist is conferred by means of a Presidential Proclamation. It recognizes excellence in the fields of Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts, and Architecture or Allied Arts.

WHAT IS THE ORDER OF NATIONAL ARTISTS?

Those who have been proclaimed National Artists are given a Grand Collar symbolizing their status. Recipients of this Grand Collar make up the Order of National Artists. The Order of National Artists (Orden ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is thus a rank, a title, and a wearable award that represents the highest national recognition given to Filipinos who have made distinct contributions in the field of arts and letters. It is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), and is conferred by the President of the Philippines upon recommendation by both institutions.

As one of the Honors of the Philippines, it embodies the nation’s highest ideals in humanism and aesthetic expression through the distinct achievements of individual citizens. The Order of National Artists shares similarities with orders, decorations, and medals of other countries recognizing contributions to their national culture such as, the U.S. National Medal for the Arts, and the Order of Culture of Japan.

According to the rules of the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, the Order of National Artists should be conferred every three years.