Death of the National Artists Awards?

I wasn't going to blog about this, as the blogs I follow (Jessica, Gibbs and CANVAS) have already mentioned it, but I got this forwarded text message:

Frm National Artist Virgilio Almario: Saddened to inform you of the Death of the National Artists Awards. Date and time for the Necrological Service to be announced. Pagdadalamhati sa Kamatayan ng Gawad Pambansang Alagad ng Sining. Pls forward to all concerned.

Perhaps not all of us are concerned, but surely we have opinions on this.