Why not Cecile, Lea, and Lisa
I have featured empowered women in the judiciary (“Women power at SC rites,” 10/11/15) and in the private corporate sector (“Seven empowered women,” 01/26/26). During this National Women’s Month, I will spotlight women in the performing arts, not because they need it, for they have long shone brightly through their artistry, but to share my opinion on why they deserve the highest recognition from the very country they have honored throughout their lives.
THREE WOMEN HAVE CONSISTENTLY LIFTED THE PHILIPPINE FLAG higher than most of us ever dreamed possible. Inexplicably, the highest state recognition in the arts—the Order of National Artist—has yet to be conferred on child prodigy Cecile Licad, Broadway icon Lea Salonga, and prima ballerina Lisa Macuja-Elizalde.
With due respect to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), whose task is to give such honors, the time has come to right this oversight. These women are not merely exceptional; they are living embodiments of Filipino excellence who have earned the respect and admiration of the world. They have made a lasting impact on succeeding generations of artists. To withhold from them the title of “National Artist” is to deny ourselves the pride we so richly deserve.
Let me begin with Cecile Licad. At seven, she formally debuted, and at 20, she won the prestigious Leventritt Gold Medal in New York—the first Filipino to do so—and has since stunned audiences with her interpretations of Chopin, Rachmaninoff, and Tchaikovsky, among others. She performed with the world’s greatest orchestras and conductors, from the Philippine Philharmonic to the New York Philharmonic to the London Philharmonic. Critics have called her “a pianist’s pianist.”
According to business leader Lin Ilusorio Bildner, “she inspired young musicians through master classes and benefit concerts.” Indeed, she has reached the hearts of people in grassroots communities. Her artistry is not loud; it is profound. It reflects discipline, intellect, and a love for music that transcends borders. Truly, it is an artistry that cannot be confined locally, for it resonates across the world.
Next is Lea Salonga. From the musical “The King and I,” where she started at a tender age, she has grown into a global phenomenon. She is the first Asian to win the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (“Miss Saigon”), the first to voice two Disney princesses (Mulan and Jasmine), and the recipient of an Olivier, a Drama Desk, and countless other honors. She has performed in sold-out concerts across continents. Recently, she was honored with a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame Class of 2026, on which my family and I strolled during the holidays.
Lea did not simply “make it” abroad; she carried the Philippines with her. Every time she sang, she held audiences in breathless silence only to release them into acclamation at the final note. She has opened doors for countless young talents across the international and local theaters. She is, quite simply, a national gem.
And then there is Lisa Macuja-Elizalde—the first Filipina to become a prima ballerina in an international classical company and the first foreign soloist ever accepted into Russia’s legendary Kirov Ballet. For decades, she has danced the great classical roles with unmatched grace and power. Upon returning home, she founded Ballet Manila and brought world-class ballet to ordinary Filipinos.
Late Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago authored a Senate resolution nominating Lisa for National Artist in recognition of her immense contributions to Philippine culture and arts and for bringing ballet closer to the hearts of Filipinos. That was 14 years ago. Since then, Lisa has continued to serve the country with the same passion, now celebrating her 40th homecoming milestone.
WHY DO THESE THREE MATTER so much during Women’s Month? Because they prove that Filipino women do not need to wait for permission to conquer the world. I do not have enough space to present the enormous work and influence these three women have done.
They studied, sacrificed, competed against the best, and won the hearts of Filipinos longing for a sense of national pride. They have become role models not only for girls who dream of the stage or the concert hall but for every Filipino who believes excellence has no gender.
The Order of National Artists was created precisely to honor such individuals while they are still alive and able to inspire. We have rightly honored the late Lucrecia Kasilag, Andrea Veneracion, and others. But living legends walk among us. The existing selection criteria must be screened with fresh eyes—allowing layers of judgment to shed the limiting weight of the past.
To proclaim Cecile, Lea, and Lisa now would send a powerful message that we value our artists, that we refuse to take their light for granted, and that women who bring glory to the nation deserve the nation’s highest artistic accolade.
I respectfully urge the NCCA, the CCP, and Malacañang to consider this humble opinion. The world already knows their worth. It is time the Philippines officially does too.
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