ILOILO CITY – The local government of Iloilo City is advancing efforts to nominate violin virtuoso Gilopez Kabayao for the "Order of the National Artist," focusing on his significant contributions to Philippine culture and the arts.
According to Philippines News Agency, the City Council received a formal endorsement to consider Kabayao's nomination, recognizing his extensive impact on the arts, particularly in violin mastery. This recommendation is part of a resolution being prepared by the Sangguniang Panlungsod, with the Committee on Tourism, Culture and Historical Affairs, led by Councilor Rudolph Jeffrey Ganzon, tasked to examine the proposal. The mayor highlighted Kabayao's deep resonance within the nation's cultural heritage and his role in inspiring both local and international audiences.
The initiative to nominate Kabayao was initially put forward by the Iloilo Dinagyang Foundation, Inc. (IDFI) in December of the previous year. The foundation, dedicated to preserving and promoting the Ilonggo identity, cited Kabayao’s seven decades of exceptional and consistent artistic excellence. Kabayao, born in 1929 in Negros Occidental with roots in Iloilo, made history as the first Filipino to perform at Carnegie Hall in New York and has received multiple accolades including a Presidential Award of Merit and the President Ramon Magsaysay Award.
Known as the "Father of Outreach for Classical Music," Kabayao has been instrumental in democratizing classical music in the Philippines, performing in diverse and often remote locations across the country from the 1950s onward. Even in his 90s, he continues to perform complex pieces with precision and passion, as noted by Joy de Leon, deputy assistant to the IDFI president.
The Order of National Artists, the highest national recognition given to Filipino individuals who have made significant contributions to the growth of Philippine arts, is jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), and conferred by the President of the Philippines.