Dayo: Animated Philippine Culture
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(UPDATE: Congratulations to Dayo for winning four MMFF awards:
- Best Sound: Albert Idioma and Whannie Dellosa – Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia
- Best Visual Effects: Robert Quilao – Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia
- Best Musical Score: Jessie Lazatin – Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia
- Best Theme Song: Lipad by Jessie Lasaten and Artemio Abad Jr., performed by Lea Salonga – Dayo: Sa Mundo ng Elementalia
Congratulations to Baler for winning 10 of the 21 trophies at the MMFF.
Please watch the entries in the 34th Metro Manila Film Festival, ok? Now where was I? Oh, about Dayo, the movie…)
Saw the animated movie “Dayo” and when I heard the voice of Toti, one of Anna the manananggal’s bodyguards, I wondered: “Hmmm… which voice actor sounds like Mike Enriquez?” I knew I had heard that voice before. And no, it wasn’t on 24 Oras.
Could it be… Pocholo Gonzales? 
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Nova Villa lent her voice to the project. I also enjoyed some of the lines of Peque Gallaga where he gives hope to people embarking on near-impossible quests. And I marveled at how Katrina Legaspi and Nash Aguas, with the magic of their voices, helped make this animated fantasy movie feel sooo Pinoy! Talk about Philippine culture on screen!
Philippine Culture and Dayo
What does “dayo” mean? It can refer to a foreigner, an outsider, a newcomer… Someone who does not belong in your community, yet whose presence affects your way of living.
I remember those summers when we had to fight for the right to use the basketball court in the subdivision where we lived. If our neighbor or someone from our subdivision reached the basketball first, our barkada will just patiently wait for them to complete their game.
But when outsiders or people from other subdivisions would go to our courts (perhaps due to their equally crowded basketball courts) to play, we would fume and ask those “dayos” to go away. They were outsiders who were eating up our basketball time.
So for certain aspects of our culture here in the Philippines, “dayo” does not just refer to an outsider. It can also have certain negative connotations.
In the movie “Dayo”, Bubuy (voiced by Nash Aguas) is the outsider of Elementalia, the world of elementals (mythical or not so mythical creatures brought to life in various horror stories grandmothers, aunts, and moms tell their misbehaving children when the dying rays of the sun fade into a purply, inky evening). Certain inhabitants of Elementalia wish ill of Buboy.
And no, it isn’t because of basketball.
(If you want to learn more about the voices behind Dayo, please see Cholo’s blog.)
Anyway, here’s a quick listing of other aspects of life in the Philippines which you will see in the movie:
- Respect for elders
- School, bullies, meryenda (afternoon snack), utang (debt)
- Fear, superstitions, balete trees
- Philippine mythical creatures: manananggal, tikbalang, kapre
- Role of men in a matriarchal society
- Fathers, daughters, yayas (nanny)
- Fear, adversity, triumph
Before I forget, please check out the Dayo Movie Posters, and if you haven’t watched the movie, please go see it!
Dayo: Movie Trailer
Dayo: Official Site
http://www.dayomovie.com
Related posts:
First posted on Saturday, 27 Dec 2008
Tags: philippine culture
Hey bro, I love your article about DAYO. Thank you very much for supporting DAYO and hope it will make it to the blockbuster. Thanks for mentioning my name. Long time no see. hope to see you soon.
Best regards. MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Happy New Year, Cholo!
Yep, that pretty much nailed what Dayo is, and how enjoyable it is to watch the movie.
About the ads, I just lol’d at them. I tried suppressing my laughter from getting any louder in the cinema house every time I see “ads” in the movie. It’s just ridiculous and waaay straight-forwards. It’s an “IN-YOUR-FACE” advertising that irked me.
Nonetheless, Dayo is such a good movie to watch. I even watched it twice just to re-experience the movie again (after researching more about what’s inside the movie of course). I get to appreciate the movie more.
Ana’s just awesome. She’s my favorite character of all the characters in Dayo. She’s just, as you say, perky and lovable. Her taglish speak is just goes well with her. Even though it annoys from time to time, it’s overshadowed by her looks and personality. I just love her
And yeah. Hopefully, more kids (hopefully adults) get to watch Dayo.
Best Musical Score, Best Theme Song & Executive Producer:
JESSIE LASATEN is the correct name and not Jessie Lazatin
Please check your sources.