▁Order ▁of ▁National ▁Art ists ▁to ▁seven ▁individuals ▁in ▁July , ▁ 2 0 0 9 . ▁ ▁Cont ro vers y ▁arose ▁from ▁the ▁revel ation ▁that ▁music ian ▁Ram on ▁Santos ▁had ▁been ▁dropped ▁from ▁the ▁list ▁of ▁nom ine es ▁short - list ed ▁in ▁May ▁that ▁year ▁by ▁the ▁selection ▁committee , ▁and ▁four ▁other ▁individuals ▁had ▁been ▁nominated ▁to ▁the ▁title ▁via ▁" Pres ident ’ s ▁pr er og ative ": ▁Cec ille ▁Gu id ote - Al vare z ▁( The ater ), ▁Mag no ▁Jose ▁" Car lo ” ▁Cap ar as ▁( Visual ▁Arts ▁and ▁Film ), ▁Francisco ▁Ma ñ osa ▁( Arch itecture ), ▁and ▁Jose ▁“ P ito y ” ▁Mor eno ▁( F ashion ▁Design ) ▁ ▁M embers ▁of ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁art ▁community , ▁including ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁living ▁National ▁Art ists ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines , ▁protest ed ▁that ▁the ▁pro clam ation ▁polit ic ized ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁National ▁artist , ▁and ▁made ▁it ▁" a ▁way ▁for ▁President ▁Gl oria ▁Mac ap ag al - Ar roy o ▁to ▁accommod ate ▁her ▁al lies ." ▁ ▁Film ▁director ▁Edd ie ▁Rom ero , ▁himself ▁a ▁National ▁Art ist ▁for ▁Film ▁and ▁the ▁Broadcast ▁Arts , ▁explained ▁in ▁an ▁interview ▁that ▁the ▁rules ▁allow ▁the ▁President ▁to ▁pick ▁a ▁National ▁Art ist . ▁ ▁He ▁noted , ▁however , ▁that : ▁“ It ▁seems ▁it ’ s ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁the ▁president ial ▁pr er og ative ▁was