Botong Francisco painting eyed for transfer to Singapore

NCCA invites public comments until September 30, 2026, to decide if the artwork loses its protected status for export.

A major 1946 painting by National Artist Carlos “Botong” Francisco could permanently leave the Philippines after the National Gallery Singapore expressed interest in acquiring the work.

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is now considering a petition that could clear the way for the permanent export and transfer of “Kalantiao at Lubluban,” a large oil-on-canvas painting by one of the Philippines’ pioneering modern artists.

Jaime Alfonso Larena Ponce de Leon, owner of the artwork and associated with Leon Gallery, filed the petition seeking to lift its presumed status as an Important Cultural Property (ICP). Removing that presumption would allow the issuance of a permanent export permit.

According to the petition, the National Gallery Singapore expressed “keen interest” in acquiring the painting in early 2026, provided that Philippine authorities allow its export and conveyance to Singapore.

The documents also reveal more about the rarely seen work.

“Kalantiao at Lubluban” was painted by Francisco in 1946 and measures approximately 194 by 245 centimeters, or nearly eight feet wide. Its medium is oil on canvas.

The petition says Francisco created the painting as part of his personal collection. Significantly, it states that from the time of its purchase by its current owner until the filing of the petition, the artwork is “known to have not been exhibited/displayed in public.”

Its authenticity, according to the petition, is supported by a notarized affidavit and Certificate of Authenticity issued by independent curator Lisa Guerrero Nakpil, who specializes in mid-century Filipino art.

Francisco died in 1969 and was proclaimed National Artist for Visual Arts in 1973. He is widely regarded as the country’s foremost muralist and one of the pioneers of modern Philippine art.

Because works by National Artists are presumed to be Important Cultural Properties, permanently taking the painting out of the Philippines requires government clearance.

Ponce de Leon argues that “Kalantiao at Lubluban” does not possess the “exceptional cultural, artistic, and historical significance” required of an ICP and has not been individually declared one. The petition further maintains that transferring it to the National Gallery Singapore would not diminish the prevalence of Francisco’s works in the Philippines or the country’s national patrimony.

The NCCA has now opened the issue to the Filipino public, inviting people concerned with or affected by the proposed removal of the painting’s protected status to submit written support or opposition.

Comments will be accepted until September 30, 2026.

The NCCA’s eventual decision could determine whether the nearly eight-foot-wide Botong Francisco work remains in the Philippines—or is permanently transferred to Singapore.

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