KORONADAL CITY, South Cotabato (PIA) -- The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) now welcomes entries for project proposals from individuals and organizations for its 2023 Competitive Grants Program.

NCCA says proposals can be emailed to ppfpd@ncca.gov.ph. until August 31, 2022. Approved proposals will be granted a project fund of P100,000 to P200,000.  

In an interview with the Philippine Information Agency, Michael Angelo Yambok, NCCA Tboli/Ubo cluster head, said NCCA is providing funds every year for projects in line with the preservation, development, and promotion of Philippine arts and culture.

“It is a competitive grant, meaning merit based po ito. It could be indigenous peoples’ organizations, civil society organizations, academe and any community based groups as long as it’s being recognized by the government,” Yambok said.

Yambok, who is also the vice-chair of the National Committee on Southern Cultural Execom said that they will be focusing on some 10 projects this year.

These include Consultation/Forum on Intangible Cultural Heritage Safeguarding; Recovery Program: Forum on Health-Related Risks and Disasters in the Communities; Publication of Resource Books on Traditional Skills and Practices; Documentation of Intangible Human Heritage; Annonated Bibliography of Studies and Literature on Indigenous and Traditional Practices; Strategic Planning on the Integration of Traditional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Strategies in LGUs; Ethno-Botany and Ethno-Medicine Healing Techonology Transfer; and Training on Managing and Integrating Cultural Values in Governance.

For instructions and specific details, participants may visit NCCA's website and download the official form and full guidelines at https://ncca.gov.ph/about-ncca-3/grants-program/. (PIA XII)