Three ACC Grantees-- Alice Reyes (1969), Francisco Feliciano (1978, 1979, 2001)-posthumous, and Ramon Santos (1987), receives formal conferment of title as National Artists of the Philippines. 

President Benigno Aquino III leads the formal ceremonies at Malacañang Palace followed by a grand homage and program tribute at the Cultural Center of the Philippines next week for Reyes, Feliciano, and Santos along with three other awardees proclaimed in 2014 with the Order of National Artists of the Philippines. The National Artists Award  (Orden ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining) is the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of Philippine arts; namely, Music, Dance, Theater, Visual Arts, Literature, Film and Broadcast Arts,  and Architecture and Allied Arts.

Part of their individual proclamations respectively read:

“WHEREAS, the works and achievements of Alice Reyes have made a lasting impact on the development and promotion of contemporary dance in the Philippines.”

“WHEREAS, the works and achievements of Francisco F. Feliciano as a composer, conductor and educator have greatly contributed to bringing awareness to people all over the world of our country’s unique indigenous music. “

“WHEREAS, the works and achievements of Ramon P. Santos as a composer, conductor and musicologist have greatly contributed to the quest for new directions in music, taking as basis non-Western traditions in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.”

The other awardees include Francisco Coching (Visual Arts), Cirilo Bautista (Literature), and Jose Maria Zaragosa (Architecture and Allied Arts).

Pictured: Alice Reyes, Dr. Feliciano Francisco, Dr. Ramon Santos