The National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA) is the official government agency for culture in the Philippines. It is the overall policy making body, coordinating, and grants giving agency for the preservation, development and promotion of Philippine arts and culture; an executing agency for the policies it formulates; and task to administering the National Endowment Fund for Culture and the Arts (NEFCA) – fund exclusively for the implementation of culture and arts programs and projects.
On April 3, 1992, under the new constitution, Congress enacted Republic Act No. 7356 which institutionalized the establishment of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The coordination among the cultural agencies was strengthened by the virtue of Executive Order No. 80, which placed the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Historical Institute (now, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines), the National Museum, The National Library (now, The National Library of the Philippines), and the Records, Management, and Archives Office (now, the National Archives of the Philippines) under the NCCA umbrella. Further, through Republic Act No. 9155, administratively attached the earlier aforementioned five cultural agencies to the NCCA, including now the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino / Commission on the Filipino Language.
The Commission together with the 6 cultural agencies works with the principle of partnership, collaboration and shared responsibility in achieving effectively and efficiently the implementation of cultural programs as well as maximising of resources.This said law mandated the formulation of national cultural policies and programs according to the following principles:
pluralistic, fostering deep respect for the cultural identity of each locality, region or ethno-linguistic locality, as well as elements assimilated from other cultures through the natural process of acculturation;
democratic, encouraging and supporting the participation of the vast masses of our people in its programs and projects;
non-partisan, open to all people and institution, regardless of creed, affiliation, ideology, ethnic origin, age, gender or class, with no organized group or sector having monopoly of its services; and
liberative, having concern for the decolonization and emancipation of the Filipino psyche in order to ensure the full flowering of Filipino culture.
The establishment of the NCCA prompted the cultural agencies that were attached to it, by virtue of the same law, to review its existing mandates and programs to harmonize the delivery of cultural services. CCP, for its part, transformed itself to become the national coordinating center for the performing arts. It also sought to remove its "elitist" image by strengthening its outreach programs and developing partnerships with local arts councils.
Affiliated Cultural Agencies
The government’s support for cultural development is particularly highlighted by the passage of R.A. 7356 that created the NCCA. The coordination among the cultural agencies was strengthened by the virtue of Executive Order No. 80, which placed the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the National Historical Institute (now, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines), the National Museum of the Philippines, The National Library (now, The National Library of the Philippines), and the Records, Management, and Archives Office (now, the National Archives of the Philippines) under the NCCA umbrella. Further, through Republic Act No. 9155, administratively attached the earlier aforementioned five cultural agencies to the NCCA, including now the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (Commission on the Filipino Language).
CULTURAL CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES
Website: culturalcenter.gov.ph
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) is the national center for the performing arts. It is mandated to promote excellence in the arts through the initiation and implementation of activities that aim to improve and elevate standards among cultural workers, artists, and audiences and to recognize the multiplicity and differences of aesthetic experiences and standards encompassing the arts from grassroots to those formulated by academy-trained artists.
It houses several venues for the performing arts as well as areas for both permanent and changing exhibits. It serves as home for the country’s premier performing arts groups such as the Ballet Philippines, the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, Tanghalang Pilipino and others.
KOMISYON SA WIKANG FILIPINO
Website: kwf.gov.ph
Established by virtue of Republic Act. 7104 (August 14, 1991) as mandated in the Constitution of the Philippines, the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) is tasked to undertake, coordinate and promote researches for the development, propagation, and preservation of Filipino and other Philippine languages. It is the mission of the KWF to formulate, coordinate and implement research programs/projects to enhance the further development and enrichment of Filipino as a medium of general communication as well as for intellectual pursuits. It is the KWF’s vision to make Filipino a modern language, which can be used as an effective instrument for national development.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE PHILIPPINES
Website: nationalarchives.gov.ph
The National Archives of the Philippines (Pambansang Sinupan ng Pilipinas) is the official repository of the nation’s permanent records and records of archival and historical value. It is mandated to plan, develop and coordinate government-wide programs, policies, rules, and regulations governing the use, storage and disposition of current and non-current records as well as to render assistance to government agencies for the retrieval of vital documents.
NATIONAL HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF THE PHILIPPINES
Website: nhcp.gov.ph
The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) was created in 1972 initially as the National Historical Institute to integrate the diverse functions of various historical agencies. NHCP now, by virtue of R.A.10086, is responsible for the conservation and preservation of the country’s historical legacies. Its major thrusts encompass an ambitious cultural program on historical studies, curatorial works, architectural conservation, Philippine heraldry, historical information dissemination activities, restoration and preservation of relics and memorabilia of heroes and other renowned Filipinos. The NHCP continues to undertake the commemoration of significant events and personages in Philippine history and safeguard the blazoning of the national government and its political divisions and instrumentalities.
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Website: web.nlp.gov.ph
The National Library of the Philippines (NLP) serves as the country’s premier repository of printed and recorded materials which reflect the intellectual, literary and cultural heritage of the Philippines as well as the knowledge and wisdom of peoples elsewhere in the world.
While acquiring and maintaining a comprehensive national collection of library resources, the NLP promotes access to these research and information materials and makes them available for the use of the present and future generations of Filipinos.
The NLP aims to acquire and preserve all Filipiniana materials; provide national and international bibliographic services; organize, supervise and develop the public libraries and information centers throughout the country; and provide information, reference, and research resources to the public.
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE PHILIPPINES
Website: nationalmuseum.gov.ph
The National Museum (NM) is tasked with the preservation, conservation and protection of movable and immovable cultural properties and for the enjoyment of present and future generations. To accomplish this, the National Museum offers publications, exhibitions, library services, seminar workshops, and others. The National Museum has three major goals. As an educational institution, the National Museum disseminates scientific and technical knowledge in more understandable and practical forms through lectures, exhibitions, interviews, and publications for students and the general public.
As a scientific organization, it conducts basic research programs combining integrated laboratory and fieldwork in anthropology, archaeology, botany, and zoology. It maintains reference collections on these disciplines to promote scientific studies in the Philippines. As a cultural center, the National Museum has taken the lead in the study and preservation of the nation’s rich artistic, historic, and cultural heritage.