Republic Act No. 7356 (National Commission for Culture and the Arts Act of 1992)
Also known as: NCCA Law · National Commission for Culture and the Arts Act · RA 7356
Definition
Republic Act No. 7356, signed on 3 April 1992, created the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), the Philippines’ overall policy-making and coordinating body for culture and the arts. The law consolidated cultural governance under a commission attached to the Office of the President, with subcommissions for the arts, cultural heritage, and cultural dissemination, and institutionalized mechanisms such as the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasures Award) and a national grants program for cultural projects.
Identities
| Database | Identifier |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | National Commission for Culture and the Arts |
| Wikidata | Q3707497 |
| DBpedia | http://dbpedia.org/resource/National_Commission_for_Culture_and_the_Arts |
Also Known As
- NCCA Law
- National Commission for Culture and the Arts Act
- RA 7356
Examples and Analogies
The NCCA functions like a ministry or arts council of other countries—for instance, the National Endowment for the Arts in the United States—combining grant-giving, policy, and recognition. A weaver from a highland community conferred the GAMABA award, or a theater company funding a production through a competitive NCCA grant, shows the law’s programs operating.
Usage Scenarios
The law applies when artists and cultural workers apply for project grants, when communities nominate master traditional artists for the GAMABA, when the NCCA coordinates the celebration of National Arts Month every February, and when the commission vets and supports the country’s UNESCO nominations and cultural property declarations.
Strategies
The NCCA’s strategy under the Act uses sectoral committees of practitioners to set priorities, decentralizes cultural programming through regional and local partnerships, conserves heritage alongside the National Museum and National Historical Commission, and leverages the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts for sustained support.
Security and Safety Measures
Accountability measures include competitive, peer-reviewed grant processes, liquidation audits of cultural projects, and legal protection for awardees and cultural workers. The commission also assists in guarding heritage through its secretariat role in implementing the National Cultural Heritage Act.
Historical Context
Before 1992, cultural agencies operated separately without an umbrella body, a setup criticized after the country’s centennial approached and cultural policy needed coherence. President Corazon Aquino’s executive orders prepared the ground, and the Ramos-era law gave the NCCA permanence, expanded membership, and its endowment fund.
Challenges and Controversies
Criticisms include chronic underfunding relative to the country’s cultural needs, Manila-centric programming complaints, and periodic controversies over awards—as in the 2009 National Artist issue, when presidential insertions into the honor list drew protests and litigation that ultimately invalidated the additions. The commission continues to balance artistic freedom, heritage conservation, and state priorities.
Related Topic
Cultural Center of the Philippines