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Wang-Od, of course, is the super famous tattoo artist from Kalinga that everybody wants to have a tattoo by. Ligaya Fernando Amilbangsa, meanwhile is a traditional dance advocate. Both, says Sen. Miriam, deserve to be nominated for the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan.
The senator filed Senate Resolution No. 1602 to express the sense of the Senate to nominate both cultural figures. “The admirable contributions of these two women cannot go unnoticed,” the fierce lady senator said.
Her resolution is a response from the growing social media campaign to recognize Wang-Od as a national artist. After the Senate adopted a resolution commending Amilbangsa for winning the Ramon Magsaysay Award, Defensor-Santiago decided to include the traditional dancer as well.
“Both Wang-Od and Amilbangsa fulfill the minimum requirements to be honored as National Living Treasures,” the senator said.
If given the award, Wang-Od and Amilbangsa will be entitled to an initial grant of P100,000 and a lifetime stipend of PHP14,000 a month. They may also avail of up to PHP750,000 in medical and hospitalization benefits, and funeral assistance similar to that given national artists.
Only 13 recipients have been given the Gawad sa Manlilikha sa Bayan. These include T’boli princess Lang Dulay, known for producing intricately patterned T’nalak cloth from abaca; Iloilo epic chanter Frederico Caballero; and artist and poet Ginaw Bilog from Oriental Mindoro.
Photo: Screengrabs
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