MANILA, (PIA) — The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), through its Subcommission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts (SCCTA), will celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Month with the annual Dayaw festival from October 3 to 5, 2024, at Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.
The event, in partnership with Klowil Kem Libon Ong, Inc., aims to highlight the rich cultural heritage of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) from across the Philippines. Dayaw, an Ilokano word meaning “celebration,” is the SCCTA’s flagship program and forms part of the nationwide observance of Presidential Proclamation 1906, which designates October as National Indigenous Peoples Month.
This year’s theme, “Katutubong Filipino: Pagtibayin ang Tagumpay 2030” (Indigenous Filipinos: Strengthening the Success by 2030), underscores the role of IPs in shaping the country’s progress toward achieving sustainable cultural development by 2030. The festival will celebrate the accomplishments of cultural communities while focusing on preserving intangible cultural heritage (ICH).
The opening ceremony, set for October 3, will feature prominent guests, including Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, NCCA Chair Victorino Manalo, NCCA Executive Director Eric B. Zerrudo, and South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., alongside Lake Sebu Mayor Remie M. Unggol. A cultural parade is expected to kick off the festivities.
In-person activities will include performances by cultural masters, promotion of Manlilikha ng Bayan (National Living Treasures), and demonstrations of traditional arts and crafts through outreach programs in select locations across Lake Sebu and South Cotabato. Various cultural communities will also showcase their unique traditions, including food and attire, through live demonstrations.
The festival will culminate on October 5 with the Dayaw Indigenous Peoples Forum at the Lake Sebu Municipal Gymnasium. Discussions on cultural preservation, performances, and traditional attire demonstrations will follow, along with closing ceremonies.
Approximately 270 representatives from various Indigenous Peoples and Cultural Communities are expected to attend, with the event streamed on social media to ensure broad participation.
For more information on the Dayaw festival, inquiries can be sent to [email protected] or [email protected]. Further details are available on the NCCA website and Facebook page @NCCAOfficial. (JCO/PIA-NCR)
