Malacañang has conferred the highest recognition to eight individuals for their distinct contribution to the development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture with President Rodrigo Roa Duterte naming new members of the Order of the National Artists (ONA) of the Philippines.
Multi-awarded actress Nora Cabaltera Villamayor (aka Nora Aunor) was bestowed the National Artist for Film and Broadcast Arts, sharing the honor with highly-acclaimed screenwriter Ricky Lee and the late legendary director Marilou Diaz-Abaya while the other awardees were Fides Cuyugan-Asensio for Music, Gémino Abad for Literature, Tony Mabesa for Theater, Agnes Locsin for Dance and Salvacion Lim Higgins for Fashion.
RELATED STORY: Susan Roces, Vilma Santos, Gloria Romero, Nora Aunor thank PH authorities for inclusion in commemorative stamps
This is the second set of National Artists named by President Duterte and the first since 2018 with the Order of National Artist, established under Proclamation No. 1001 and signed in 1972, jointly administered by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCAA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines and conferred by the country’s president upon the recommendation of both institutions.
As an actress, Nora Aunor (born Nora Cabaltera Villamayor in 1953) has won virtually every Philippine acting award and is known for for films such as “Himala,” “Ang Totoong Buhay ni Pacita M.,” “The Flor Contemplacion Story,” and her most recent film, 2018’s “Thy Womb.”
