Press Release - Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa co-sponsorship speech

Proposed Senate Resolution No. 959
Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) Award

Mr. President, my dear colleagues, I am honored to rise and co-sponsor Proposed Senate Resolution No. 959, congratulating and commending the 9 recipients of the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) Award, or the National Living Treasures Award for 2023, for their exemplary contributions to the promotion and safeguarding of our Philippine cultural heritage.

"I am a Filipino-inheritor of a glorious past, hostage to the uncertain future. As such I must prove equal to a two-fold task-the task of meeting my responsibility to the past, and the task of performing my obligation to the future." Powerful words, Mr. President, from the great Carlos P. Romulo.

These very words strike at the very heart of what each GAMABA Awardee has achieved for the Filipino nation. Each one of them has recognized their responsibility to the past, by preserving their traditional art to the best of their ability, and has performed their responsibility to the future, by passing it on to their communities.

Ika nga ng awiting "Ako Ay Pilipino": Ako ay Pilipino, taas-noo kahit kanino. At dahil sa ating mga GAMABA o National Living Treasures awardee, mas lalong nabibigyang buhay at sigla ang ating pagiging Pilipino. On a more personal note, Mr. President, my heart swells with pride and joy, because out of 9 awardees, 7 of them are from Mindanao, Mr. President. Hindi lang basta majority. Ito'y super majority. What a wonderful time it is to be a Mindanawon, and of course, to be a Filipino.

Buong puso po akong nagpapasalamat sa kanilang lahat.

Thank you, Mr. President.