▁Filip ino ▁chair ▁Joe ▁Lad ▁Santos , ▁and ▁Poly techn ic ▁University ▁of ▁the ▁Philippines ▁president ▁D ante ▁G ue var ra . ▁ ▁Cec illa ▁Gu id ote - Al vare z ▁Gu id ote - Al vare z ▁also ▁def ended ▁her ▁qual ifications ▁for ▁receiving ▁the ▁award . ▁ ▁“ Before ▁you ▁make ▁a ▁judgment ," ▁she ▁said , ▁" read ▁my ▁achiev ements ▁first ▁as ▁an ▁artist . ▁Was ▁I ▁an ▁id iot ▁before ▁I ▁became ▁a ▁national ▁artist ?" ▁ ▁As ▁proof ▁of ▁her ▁achiev ements , ▁she ▁c ited ▁previous ▁awards , ▁including ▁the ▁Ram on ▁M ags ays ay ▁public ▁service ▁award ▁for ▁the ▁arts , ▁the ▁C CP ▁G aw ad ▁S ining ▁Award ▁for ▁Liter ature , ▁and ▁the ▁Out standing ▁Women ▁in ▁the ▁Nation ' s ▁Services ▁award . ▁ ▁She ▁also ▁c ited ▁her ▁important ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁Philipp ine ▁the ater , ▁having ▁founded ▁the ▁Philipp ine ▁Edu c ational ▁Theatre ▁Association ▁( P ET A ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 7 . ▁She ▁assert ed ▁that ▁the ▁President ▁had ▁the ▁pr er og ative ▁to ▁name ▁national ▁artists ▁who ▁were ▁not ▁named ▁in ▁the ▁selection ▁committee ' s ▁short list , ▁and ▁denied ▁lo bb ying ▁for ▁the ▁award , ▁saying ▁that ▁President ▁Ar roy o ▁had ▁“ ne ver ▁talked ▁to ▁[ her ] ▁about ▁it ." ▁ ▁Sign ific ant ▁events ▁On ▁July ▁ 2 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁it ▁was