How was life before today’s business districts, townships, and executive villages? On the eighth season of “Dayaw” on ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel, Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda will look back at how our ancestors planned their urban centers and maintained a sense of order for communities.

The award-winning documentary series about Filipino culture and heritage returns with six new episodes,” tonight (February 27) at 8:30 pm, with livestreaming on the ANC Facebook page.

With the theme “Doon Po Sa Amin (Built Heritage in our Old Towns), “Dayaw” Season 8 will take viewers to heritage sites and old urban centers in the Philippines that would show the community planning our ancestors did to create spaces for communities and their economic and cultural activities.

In the first episode titled “Old Manila,” Legarda will tell how our forefathers adapted to and survived the culture of the colonizers as she explains the Law of Indies. It is a plan enforced in all the colonies of Spain and which was the template in building our oldest cities.

“Dayaw” will also revisit the history of urban centers Binondo and Escolta, the heritage towns of Bulacan, and voice out the stories of residents in developing towns of Biñan and Pila in Laguna, and of lovers of heritage treasures of Taal in Batangas and Sariaya in Quezon.

Finally, on the sixth episode, “Dayaw” will steer the discussion to Malabon and Pateros, where fluvial parades honoring their patrons are proof that great faith is borne on the waters of heritage.

Legarda stressed the importance of protecting our heritage sites as this will not only preserve our identity as a nation, but can also boost our economy.

“Our historical sites are the embodiment of our culture and values.

These tangible treasures molded our nationalistic identity and defined us as Filipinos. Protecting these sites and maintaining their integrity are a continuing source of Filipino pride. The more authentic, distinctive, artistically excellent, and beautifully conserved our heritage sites are, the more internationally prestigious and economically precious they are,” she said.

“Dayaw” is a partnership between ANC and the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. It is a concept of Deputy Speaker and Antique Representative Loren Legarda, NCCA’s Dangal ng Haraya Patron of Arts and Culture awardee.

Get to know more about our ancestors and learn from their ways on “Dayaw” Season 8 starting tonight, Thursday (February 27), 8:30 pm on ANC on cable and the ANC Facebook.

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