Question & AnswerQ&A (PROCLAMATION NO. 1069)
The Constitution provides for State patronage of arts and letters, supporting the recognition and acknowledgment of preeminent achievements in the arts through declarations such as the National Artist awards.
The category known as National Artist was created under Proclamation No. 1001 dated April 27, 1972, establishing a formal recognition for outstanding contributions to the cultural heritage of the Philippines.
The President of the Republic of the Philippines has the authority to declare an individual as a National Artist, based on recommendations from the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
The declaration is supported by Proclamation No. 1001, as amended by Proclamation No. 1144 (May 15, 1973), Presidential Decree No. 208 (June 7, 1973), and Section 20, Chapter 7, Title I, Book III of Executive Order No. 292 (Administrative Code of 1987).
They are the recommending bodies that assess and endorse nominees to the President for declaration as National Artists, ensuring that selected individuals have made significant contributions to Filipino culture and arts.
'Posthumous' means that the recognition or award, in this case as National Artist, was given after the individual's death.
Fernando Poe, Jr. was recognized for his preeminent achievements in the field of Film which contributed to the artistic heritage of the Philippines.
State patronage refers to the government's policy of supporting, preserving, and developing Filipino culture and national identity through recognition of outstanding contributions to arts and letters.