Sen. Legarda, NCCA launch 4th season of "Dayaw" on ANC

The Philippines' national living treasures take the spotlight in the new season of the documentary series "Dayaw," anchored by Senator Loren Legarda on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel.

The fourth season of "Dayaw" premieres on January 4, 2018, 6:00 pm, offering six new episodes that focus on our culture bearers, Filipinos who mastered their craft and devoted their entire lives to keep their traditions alive, serving as "sisidlan" or living vessels that bear the wealth of our tangible and intangible heritage.

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Legarda, National Commission for Culture and the Arts' (NCCA) Dangal ng Haraya Patron of Arts and Culture, hopes to further inspire the Filipino audience to appreciate and love our own culture through this new season of the program.

"As I was going through my spiels for the show, I realized that all of us are also 'sisidlan.' We are all vessels of heritage and cultural knowledge if only we appreciate, learn and embrace our culture and make its preservation a part of our legacy to future Filipinos," said Legarda.

In the first three episodes, "Dayaw" features recipients of the Gawad sa Manlilikha ng Bayan (GAMABA) or the National Living Treasures Award, a distinction accorded by the Philippine government to the finest traditional artists of the land.

Viewers get to see the lives and contributions of Maguindanao Kudyapi virtuoso Samaon Sulaiman, Pala'wan musician and epic chanter Masino Intaray, Hanunuo Mangyan poet and master of syllabary Ginaw Bilog, T'boli master weaver Lang Dulay, Tagabawa Bagobo master weaver Salinta Monon, Sama mat weaver Haja Amina Appi and Tausug textile weaver Darhata Sawabi, all of whom have already passed on; as well as the remaining living GAMABA awardees—Kalinga musician and dancer Alonzo Saclag, Panay Bukidnon epic chanter Federico Caballero, Yakan musician Uwang Ahadas, Kapampangan metalsmith Eduardo Mutuc, Ilocano casque maker Teofilo Garcia, and Ilocano textile weaver Magdalena Gamayo.

The other episodes explore other "Living Treasures," masters of other indigenous art forms, men and women who have chosen to study, record, document, and teach these artistic traditions to a greater audience and continue to nurture and pass on the important knowledge and techniques to future generations.

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The last episode for the season is entitled, "Rediscovering Traditions", which will allow viewers to discover a pocket of culture that has survived and thrived amid modern encroachment.

"Dayaw" is a project of Legarda in partnership with the NCCA, the prime government arm dedicated to the promotion of Philippine arts and culture, and ANC, the country's premier 24/7 all-English cable news channel.

Legarda said this partnership has strengthened throughout the years and has reaped good feedback on the show for its breathtaking visuals and its compelling storytelling.

"The synergy between the NCCA and ANC has enhanced through the years and this helps in making 'Dayaw' more successful. The ANC team has imbibed the importance of these cultural treasures and the partnership with NCCA has really made 'Dayaw' an effective tool to communicate to a wider audience. 'Dayaw' is our gift to the Filipino people. It is our way of embracing our duty as 'sisidlan' or vessels of our heritage," she said.

Join Sen. Loren Legarda in another season of "Dayaw" on ANC with livestreaming on‪ the ABS-CBN News website and the channel’s official Facebook page, every Thursday, 6:00 pm, starting January 4. For more information on "Dayaw", visit the official Facebook account of NCCA, the ANC site, or follow ANC on Facebook and Twitter.