MANILA, Philippines – The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) opened on Tuesday, August 1, the nominations for National Artists 2018.

Submissions will be accepted until September 30, 2017. The announcement of awardees will be on June 11, 2018.

Nominations are open in the following categories:

• Dance            
• Music        
• Theater
• Visual Arts    
• Literature    
• Film and Broadcast Arts
• Design           
• Architecture and Allied Arts

In a press conference at the NCCA office, NCCA deputy executive director Marichu Tellano said names that are submitted will be trimmed down through 3 levels of deliberations.

Officials said actress Nora Aunor can still be nominated, and will be automatically included in the last phase of the deliberations. 

Aunor was shortlisted as National Artist in, but President Benigno Aquino III removed her name from the list due to her past drug case. 

Update of accomplishments

“Hindi lang iyon nomination kung hindi na-elevate na talaga si Ms Nora Aunor doon sa list that was submitted previously to the President,” Chris Millado, vice president and artistic director of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, said.

(Hers was not just a nomination. Ms Nora Aunor was already included in the list submitted to the President [at the time].)

“But unfortunately, Malacañang did not approve and natanggal siya. For the information [of the public], may ganun talagang klaseng power ‘yung Malacañang na magtanggal sa listahan pero they cannot add. Puwede sila magtanggal, pero hindi mag-add.”

(But, unfortunately, Malacañang did not approve of it, and she was removed. For the information [of the public], Malacañang has the power to remove names from the list, but they cannot add.)

“Hindi na siya actually kailangan i-nominate. Automatically kasama na siya sa tinatawag nating final deliberation (She doesn’t need to be nominate again/ She is automatically part of what we call the final deliberation),” Millado said.

“Although, we need to inform the members of the first and second deliberations that she’s already included in the 3rd deliberation. So this will be a chance for those who nominated her and for the research team to practically update her accomplishments, kasi marami din nangyari (because so many things happened) between then and now.”

The National Artist Award is the highest award given to an individual who has contributed to the enrichment and development of the country’s culture and the arts. Past recipients include Ramon Valera, Virgilio Almario, Nick Joaquin, Alice Reyes, and Bienvenido Lumbera. – Rappler.com