This document highlights several individuals who are considered National Living Treasures for their expertise and efforts to preserve important Philippine cultural traditions of poetry, music, dance, and oral literature that are at risk of being lost. It describes specific contributions of each individual, including meticulously documenting endangered oral traditions, recording epics in extinct languages, establishing performance groups to promote cultural arts, and teaching musical instruments to new generations despite disabilities. Collectively, they work to maintain significant aspects of Philippine cultural heritage and pass them to scholars and artists.

1. T H E
N A T I O N AL
L I V I N G
T R E A S U R E S
F O R
PERFORMING
ARTS
N A T I O N AL
L I V I N G
T R E A S U R E S
more at slideshare.net/RomlaineOlaso1/presentations

2.  From Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro
 He took it upon himself to incessantly
record the ambahan poetry by the use of
bamboo tubes and old, dog-eared
notebooks passed on to him by family and
friends.
more at slideshare.net/RomlaineOlaso1/presentations
 The ambahan is a form of
poetic literature which is
made up of seven-syllable
lines used to communicate
messages through metaphors
and imagery.
 It is sung and contains
various messages ranging
from advice, to courtship, and
to farewell.

3.  This epic chanter from Calinog,
Iloilo, persistently works for the
documentation of oral literature.
 Caballero’s contribution is in the
recording of the dying oral
tradition of epics.
 He was able to document 10 epics
in a language that is no longer
spoken.

4.  This epic chanter from Calinog,
Iloilo, persistently works for the
documentation of oral literature.
 Caballero’s contribution is in the
recording of the dying oral
tradition of epics.
 He was able to document 10 epics
in a language that is no longer
spoken.
 He worked with the Bureau of
Nonformal Education and has
traveled to many paces in the
country to persuade the elders of
the importance of learning how to
read and write.
 Caballero is considered as
Bantugan, a person who has
achieved distinction. He makes
every effort to dispense justice in
the society through his work as a
manughusay-am intermediary of
conflicts.
 Caballero’s works makes the rich
tradition of the epic available to
scholars as well as contemporary
artists.

5.  A native of Makagawa Valley in
Brookes Point, Palawan.
 He was not just an exceptional
poet but also a musician, an
epic chanter, and a storyteller

6.  His extraordinary skills and
talent for playing various
customary music instruments
included the basal, kulilal and
bagit.
 Intaray’s unparalleled creative
talent, powerful memory, clear
intellect, and profound
spirituality allowed him to
chant majestically countless
tuturan (myths), tultul (epics),
and sudsungit (narratives)

7.  A master and teacher of Kudyapi in
Libutan and other barangays of Maganoy
Town, Maguindanao.
 The Kudyapi of Maguindanao is one of
the most sophisticated Philippine musical
instruments.
 His expertise in playing kudyapi was
evident in the briad repertoire that
included binalig, linapu, minna, and
dinadalay.
 He was also a popular town barber and
served as an imam in the Libutan
Mosque.

8.  A native from lubugan, kalinga
 He is a master of dance and performing
arts.
 The kalinga people take pride in his
incredible skills and talent because he
has mastered not only the Kalinga
musical instruments but also the dance
movements associated with his people’s
practice.
 Although he received no formal
instructions, he learned to hone his skills
through mere observation.
 His contribution to folk art and culture is
in heading the establishment if the
prestigious Kalinga Budong Dance
Troupe that tours here and abroad to
represent and initiate Kalinga performing
arts.
 Through the group’s performances,
Kalinga music and dance continue to
inspire contemporary artists.

9.  Belongs to the Yakan, an indigenous tribe
with high reverence to instrumental
music as it is related to life and
agricultural cycles, and social
undertakings
 Ahadas is an incredible artist form
Lamitan, Basilan
 He has near-blindedness, but this
disability does not hinder him from
honing his craft.

10.  As a matter of fact, his disability drew
him to music, which is his constant
companion
 He was a hands-on teacher to fascinated
and dedicated individuals who
wish to learn to play Yakan
instruments, which include
the famous kwitangan,
kayu, and tuntungan.