Ca(8-y)MnyNaGd(1-x)Cex(PO4)(6)F-2 (CNGF: xCe(3+), yMn(2+)) (0 <= x <= 0.05, 0 <= y <= 0.16) phosphors were synthesized by solid state reaction. The crystal structure was determined to be apatite-type by XRD refinement. The PLE and PL spectra showed that the energy transfer occurs between Gd3+ to Mn2+ and Ce3+ to Mn2+. And the energy transfer efficiency from Gd3+ to Mn2+ and Ce3+ to Mn2+ in CNGF had been analyzed. The research result revealed that the electric dipole-quadrupole interaction predominates in energy transfer mechanism from Ce3+ to Mn2+ in CNGF. The corresponding CIE coordinates revealed that CNGF: 0.02Ce(3+), yMn(2+) could be a good yellow phosphor. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.