Pormal nang ini-anunsyo ng Malacanang ang idineklarang sampung mga bagong hirang na Pambansang Alagad ng Sining o National Artist honorees ngayong 2026.
Nilagdaan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang sampung mga indibidwal sa iba’t-ibang disiplina ng sining at kultura under Proclamation No. 1414, s.2026.
Ang naturang pagkilala ang pinakamataas na karangalang ipinagkakaloob sa mga Filipino artists na nakapag-ambag ng malaki, relevant, kapaki-pakinabang na contributions sa larangan ng kultura at sining ng bansa.
Naririto ang 2026 National Artists:
Gabriel “Gabby” Formoso – Architecture
Rafael “Nonoy” Froilan – Dance
Maria Beatriz “Patis” Tesoro – Fashion Design / Design Arts
Armando “Bing” Lao – Film and Broadcast Arts
Gregorio Brillantes – Literature
Nicanor Tiongson – Literature
Alfredo S. Buenaventura – Music
Teodoro “Teddy” Hilado – Theater
Imelda Cajipe Endaya – Visual Arts (the first woman recognized in this specific category)
Nunelucio Alvarado – Visual Arts
Batay sa mga credentials ng mga bagong National Artists, si Nicanor Tiongson na hihirangin mula sa kategorya ng LITERATURE, ay professor emeritus mula sa the University of the Philippines (UP) Film Institute at dati ring dean ng UP College of Mass Communication in Diliman.
Siya ay artistic director at vice president ng Cultural Center of the Philippines, at founding member at dating chair ng Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino (Gawad URIAN).
Si Tiongson din ang awtor ng The Cinema of Manuel Conde, The Urian Anthology, and The Women of Malolos, at nag-edit ng 10-volume ng CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art. Nakapagsulat din siya ng mga plays o dula gaya ng Pilipinas Circa 1907, Basiila ng Malolos, Noli at Fili Dekada 2000, at Mabining Mandirigma.
Sa larangan pa din ng LITERATURE at gagawaran ng posthumous honors si Gregorio Brillantes. Itinuturing siyang “giant” ng contemporary Philippine literature “whose canonical body of work, particularly his short stories in English, has been studied and celebrated by generations of literature and humanities students and practitioners.”
92 years old siya ng mamatay noong Sept. 26, 2025.
Si Imelda Cajipe-Endaya naman ang magiging kauna-unahang babae na magiging NA sa larangan ng VISUAL ARTS.
Siya ang founding president ng Kasibulan, isang feminist arts organization since 1987, at unang editor ng Pananaw: Philippine Journal of Visual Arts, the first publication of its kind on Philippine art.
Itinuturing si Cajipe-Endaya bilang isa sa mga ‘pioneers of feminist art’ in the Philippines. “A printmaker, social realist painter, mixed-media and installation artist, curator, and art organizer, she is known for her advocacy for women and her focus on Philippine history and culture.”
Ayon pa sa mga tala, si Nunelucio Alvarado naman sa VISUAL ARTS category din ay isang celebrated artist para sa kanyang mga progresibong artworks “depicting the plight and struggles of the Negros-based “sakadas,” or laborers hired from outside the region.”
Ilan sa mga pamoso niyang awards ay gaya ng Thirteen Artists Award from the Cultural Center of the Philippines noong 1992 at ang Grand Prize sa Philip Morris Philippine Art Awards noong 1997 at 1999.
Ang kanyang mga likha ay ay ipinagmamalaki sa mga kilalang museums, kasama na ang the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, at ang Singapore Art Museum.
Sa larangan naman ng ARCHITECTURE ay napili si Gabriel Formoso.
Nakilala siya bilang nagdisenyo ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Complex in Manila (1970), the Asian Institute of Management (1970), and the former Metropolitan Museum of Manila along Roxas Boulevard (1976).
Kabilang din siya sa unang isang daan na mga architects sa Pilipinas “and was included in the preliminary shortlist of National Artist nominees for Architecture in 2003.”
Isa naman sa mga pioneers ng Ballet Philippines si Rafael Froilan na napili mula sa larangan ng DANCE.
“Froilan was known as the country’s premier danseur. He partnered with leading ballerinas of his time and was best remembered for his roles in groundbreaking dance productions. He was also regarded as one of the country’s most talented and prolific dancers and choreographers.”
Ang sikat namang fashion designer na si Maria Beatriz ‘Patis” Tesoro ay kinikilala bilang ‘the Grand Dame of Philippine Fashion.’ Sa larangan ng FASHION DESIGN/ DESIGN ARTS siya hihirangin bilang NA.”She devoted more than 30 years to preserving ethnic Filipino clothing, reviving the piña fabric industry, and promoting Filipino craftsmanship and fashion on the world stage.”
Ang award-winning screenplay na si Bing Lao na nakilala sa mga klasikong obra gaya ng Takaw-Tukso, Itanong Mo sa Buwan, at Kubrador, among others, ay hihirangin naman sa larangan ng FILM and BROADCAST ARTS.
“Recognized for his substantial body of work in Philippine cinema, Lao received several Gawad Urian awards, including Best Screenplay for Takaw-Tukso in 1987, Itanong Mo sa Buwan in 1989, Oras-Oras, Araw-Araw in 1990, and Tuhog in 2001. His films with director Brillante Mendoza, Serbis (2008) and Kinatay (2009), also competed at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.”
Gaya ni Gregorio Brillantes ng Literature, posthumously din ang gagawing paggawad kay Lao na namatay naman noong June 18, 2024, sa edad na 75.
Ang isa pang gagawaran ng posthumous honors ay si NA Teodoro Hilado sa larangan naman ng THEATER.
Nagsilbing technical director ng Cultural Center of the Philippines si Hilado mula 1969 to 1973 and as theater director of the Folk Arts Theater from 1973 to 1986.
“A pioneering figure in Philippine theater, Hilado was widely recognized as the father of lighting design in Philippine theater.”
Namatay naman siya sa sakit na brain cancer noong Dec. 23, 2015 sa edad na 77.
Ang ikasampung hihirangin mula sa kategorya ng MUSIC ay si Alfredo Buenaventura.
“Buenaventura is admired for his compositions, which include operas, symphonic poems, vocal works, and chamber music. He is known for masterpieces, compositions, and arrangements such as Lakambini and Mabuhay March.”
Tuwing ikaapat na taon pinipili at dumadaan sa mahabang proseso ng nomination at deliberation ang isang hihiranging National Artist na sinimulan noong 1972 sa bisa ng Presidential Proclamation No. 1001 on April 27, 1972.
Pinangungunahan ito ng magkasamang organisasyon ng National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA) at ng the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) bago ipinapasa sa nakaupong Presidente ng bansa ayon sa magiging rekomendasyon ng mga naturang organisasyon.
Bukod sa gold-plated medallion minted by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, tatanggap ang mga national artists ng cash award, a lifetime monthly stipend, life insurance, state funeral benefits, and a place of honor in state functions, national commemoration ceremonies, and cultural presentations.