The Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts, more commonly known as the Gawad Buhay, are awards presented annually by Philstage, an organization of performing arts companies in the Philippines, at the National Theater in the Cultural Center of the Philippines to recognize outstanding performance in Philippine theater.
Its primary mission was to promote the performing arts industry in the country, lobbying laws and policies that protects professionals.
[3][4] One of the requirement for a company to join Philstage is to have staged at least three productions, and be in existence for at least three years.
[4] In 2008, Philstage established Gawad Buhay, becoming the country's first and only industry awards in theater.
The first edition was held on February 18, 2009, at the Aurelio Tolentino Theater of the Tanghalang Pambansa.