MANILA -- Multi-awarded composer Ryan Cayabyab, who was conferred the National Artist for Music award last October 25, still finds it unbelievable up to now that he was elevated to an esteemed league of local artists.

Cayabyab, who penned countless beautiful songs and well-loved musicals, admits the National Artist award was totally unexpected for him. For two years, the Organisasyon ng Pilipinong Mang-aawit (OPM) led by Ogie Alcasid, consistently tried to push Cayabyab to be nominated.

This year, there was a group led by Celeste Legaspi, who tried to collate documents and nominate him again.

“I think this is probably the third time they tried, unknown to my knowledge,” Cayabyab disclosed. “They feel we need to have a representative National Artist who is still alive, who’s part of us and can inspire us. That’s why they pushed it. I didn’t know what they basically did or how they did it.”

On October 23, a Monday, Cayabyab was surprised when he received a call from the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). “I was told, ‘Mr. C, you have to be in Malacanang on Wednesday.’ I asked, ‘Why?’ 'This is about the National Artist award.’ Ganu’n lang. Pati yata sila nabulabog.”

In two days, Cayabyab received the National Artist Award for Music in formal ceremonies with President Rodrigo Duterte in Malacanang. The other awardees included filmmaker Kidlat Tahimik (Cinema), architect Francisco Manosa (Architecture), historian and literary critic Resil Mojares and fictionist Ramon Muzones (both for Literature), playwright Amelia Lapena Bonifacio (Theater) and cartoonist Larry Alcala (Visual Arts).

When Cayabyab received the award, “I was thinking kung lutang ako o hindi,” he said. “I kept asking myself, ‘Is this true or not?’

“Today, when people ask me, ‘How does it feel that you are now a National Artist?’ I always tell them, ‘The same. As usual.’ Maybe it will still take some time to sink in. Hindi pa rin talaga nagsi-sink in sa akin.”

On the day Cayabyab received the award, a writer-friend sent him a text message to congratulate him and enumerated the benefits that a National Artist will receive regularly. He immediately laughed out loud.

He was informed the CCP inaugural for National Artists is in May next year. “Maybe that’s the only time I will feel na National Artist na ako,” he smilingly said. “Maybe when there are events that I have to attend as National Artist.”

However, he noticed that while the public hardly approached him before, they are more open now in congratulating him.

“Maybe before, nahihiya lang sila to approach me because they had nothing to say,” he said. “But now, a lot of people always come up to me. Our village, nagpalagay pa ng tarp sa entrance, sa may security, to congratulate me.”

When Cayabyab and his wife, Emy, were coming home from Hong Kong last November 25, after attending an a capella competition, the purser of Philippine Airlines approached them on the Economy class of the plane, quite apologetically.

“Kami naman, we always traveled on economy,” Cayabyab said. “But the purser said, ‘Sir, nandito pala kayo. Pasensiya na kayo, masikip ho tayo. Hindi po namin kayo ma-upgrade.’"

When the doors of the plane were closed before take-off, Cayabyab and his wife were transferred to Premium Economy seats. “The purser told me, ‘Sir, nakakahiya naman, National Artist kayo.’ That time, na-feel ko na.”

The couple arrived on a Sunday, but Cayabyab had to leave again the following day for Brisbane, Australia to attend the Asia-Pacific Screen Awards for “Larawan.” He was with Celeste Legaspi and Girlie Rodis.

“When I was in the gate, there was a Filipino flight attendant of Qantas who approached me and said, ‘Sorry po. The flight is full. But we’re trying to get you three empty seats at the back of the plane, so you can be more comfortable.’ I told him, ‘Huwag mo na akong problemahin. Okay lang ako.”

Being a National Artist, Cayabyab is apparently being accorded little perks occasionally. Yet, he doesn’t want to expect anything and he refuses to put the title to his head.

“That’s my mantra,” he said. “Never expect anything. So when there’s a nice turn of events, it will be a surprise and you’ll feel better.”