presented the award in 2005 at the
Malacañang Palace. The Pama-As Gintong Bai Award was established as a joint initiative between the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Culture. The award's inception was a direct response to Presidential Proclamation No. 622, issued on April 29, 2004, which designated 2005 as the "Centennial Year of the Feminist Movement of the Philippines." Under the theme "A Salute to Women in the Arts and Heritage Preservation," the inaugural ceremony was held at the Rizal Hall of
Malacañang Palace on July 7, 2005, where President
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo conferred the honors. According to NCCA Executive Director Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, the award was intended to parallel the
UNESCO-
International Theater Institute’s global recognition of women artists and served as a state-level acknowledgment of women’s roles in nation-building. The selection process was conducted by a board of judges led by
National Museum director Corazon Alvina,
National Library director
Prudenciana Cruz, and various NCCA commissioners. The recipients were each presented with a certificate of recognition, a specially hand-embroidered jusi handkerchief, and a cash grant of ₱10,000. == Recipients ==