Importance of 'pagmamano': 'Pamana' aims to show forgotten Filipino traditions
MANILA, Philippines — "Pamana: Exploring Filipino Legacy" will start airing this weekend as host Pink Rose Tolentino Santiago and co-host Nathan de Leon give viewers a glimpse of Philippine patrimony and how things used to be.
"Filipino traditions seem to have been forgotten and/or practiced by today's generation. These include the kissing of the hands (pagmamano) and the exclusion of young people in adult conversations. I am excited to host this kind of show especially that it has an advocacy for Filipino culture and the arts," said Santiago, who is fondly known as "Pink Rose."
"Pamana" will have episodes that delve into Filipino food and fashion, as showcased in the barong and terno that will be torn by its hosts every week.
"We would also tell our audience how complicated modern living has become and how expensive it is to be living in the city, as against the olden days," Pink Rose continued.
"Our show will show archetypes of the Filipino legacy. Guest speakers will be defining our patrimony on a psychological level, following the thought processes of Carl Gustav Jung. The Filipino is an islander. As such, he is a bearer of news when he travels from place to place. This is how oral tradition and word of mouth evolved; gossip, too!
De Leon shared how the show attempts to look into Filipinos' common behaviors that can be traced back to the customs of the early years.
"This also explains why we are revelers as a people (masayahin) and how we are inclined towards celebrating fiestas and festivals," shared de Leon, who is also the co-founder of the Philippine Heritage Society (PHS).
Pushing for Filipino patrimony
In October, the organization will hold its annual ball to raise funds for its chosen recipients. Last year, PHS helped opera singers from Baguio. This year, it aims to help San Sebastian College.
The PHS started with 15 pioneering members but they hope to open club membership to every province around the archipelago. During last year's annual ball, which also served as an awards night, their honorees included former First Lady Imelda Romualdez-Marcos, prima ballerina Lisa Macuja, as well as established brands, like restaurant Aristocrat and Mama Sita, a food brand known for advocating for Filipino gastronomy.
Santiago and De Leon are pioneers of the PHS. Organized in July 2022, the organization is inspired by the concept of the European salon, tertulla, which is an intimate gathering of affluent art lovers.
"'Pamana' will be part of the second season of the 'Circle of Influencers' show. There will be 13 episodes in total. This is another answered prayer! 'Pamana' will be one of three segments that I thought would be perfect for our existing show," said show director Jag Cruz.
The pilot episode of "Pamana: Exploring Filipino Legacy" airs today, July 8, when "Circle of Influencers" begins airing its second season on Light TV, a cable channel service operating under the Zoe Broadcasting Network. It will be simulcast over the Mabuhay PH digital network, the Pink Rose vlog, as well as Link Channel 77, Cignal Channel 183 and Sky Cable channel 230.
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