, ▁the ▁selection ▁process ▁had ▁always ▁involved ▁the ▁participation ▁of ▁three ▁comm itte es ▁- ▁those ▁of ▁the ▁C CP , ▁the ▁N CC A ▁and ▁the ▁Mal ac añ ang ▁hon ors ▁committee , ▁whose ▁head ▁was ▁Executive ▁Secretary ▁Edu ardo ▁Er m ita . ▁ ▁Prom inent ▁protest ors ▁Living ▁National ▁Art ists ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁who ▁have ▁protest ed ▁the ▁pro clam ation ▁of ▁the ▁four ▁new ▁National ▁Art ists ▁include : ▁Edd ie ▁Rom ero ▁F . ▁S ion il ▁Jose ▁Art uro ▁Lu z ▁Bien ven ido ▁L umber a ▁Vir g ilio ▁Al m ario ▁Ben C ab ▁Salvador ▁Bern al ▁ ▁Other ▁prominent ▁critics ▁include ▁prominent ▁Filip ino ▁Com ic ▁Book ▁artist ▁Ger ry ▁Al angu il an , ▁multiple ▁Pal an ca ▁Award ▁la ure ate ▁L ourd ▁de ▁V ey ra , ▁Film ▁Academy ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁Director ▁General ▁Leo ▁Mart ine z ▁( who ▁had ▁played ▁a ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁original ▁nom ination ▁process ). ▁ ▁Def ense ▁ ▁Ar roy o ▁Administration ▁The ▁Ar roy o ▁administration ▁was ▁quick ▁to ▁defend ▁its ▁choices ▁of ▁individuals ▁to ▁be ▁named ▁to ▁the ▁Order ▁of ▁National ▁Art ists . ▁Act ing ▁Executive ▁Secretary ▁and ▁President ial ▁political ▁advis er ▁Gabriel ▁Cla udio ▁told ▁rep or ters ▁that : ▁" I ▁think ▁we ▁can ▁defend ▁[ the ir ] ▁track ▁record ▁and ▁qual ifications ▁and ▁reasons ▁[ for ▁their ▁selection ]. ” ▁He ▁also ▁said ▁the ▁administration ▁would ▁“ stand ▁by ▁the ▁qual ifications , ▁qual