The local government of Banna, Ilocos Norte on Thursday urged the municipality’s youth to keep oral traditions alive for future generations.

In time for the celebration of National Heritage Month this May, re-elected Banna Mayor Mary Chrislyn Abadilla told the youth to adapt oral tradition to contemporary realities and take inspiration from Manlilikha ng Bayan Adelita Bagcal, a master of oral traditions in Banna.

Through Proclamation No. 427, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. named Bagcal, a “dallot” (native chant) master, as “Manlilikha ng Bayan” or national living treasure.

The award was formally conferred to Bagcal by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) on May 7, 2025.

“With Manlilikha ng Bayan Adelita Bagcal as our inspiration, I urge you to take a deeper interest in our oral traditions. These chants, poems, myths, and epics have been the lifeblood of our culture, handed down from one generation to the next,” Abadilla said in a statement on Thursday.

Abadilla acknowledged that oral traditions could fade away if no action is done to keep them alive.

She suggested that with the help of all concerned stakeholders including the Department of Education, these oral traditions can be transformed into digital storytelling, film, music, spoken word, or animation.

For her part, Bagcal expressed her gratitude for her conferment as she hopes to live longer to pass down the fading tradition of “dallot” to the younger generation.

Aside from “dallot,” Bagcal is also an expert in “duayya” (Ilokano lullaby) and “dung-aw” (mourning ritual). (PNA)