Federico Caballero: Preserving

Panay-Bukidnon Epics

Exploring the Life and Contributions of a Cultural

Guardian
Importance of stories in preserving culture

Stories are more than mere narratives; they are

the lifeblood of cultural identity and heritage.
Across civilizations and through generations,
stories serve as vessels that encapsulate the
essence of humanity—our beliefs, values, and
collective wisdom.
Early Life
Born on December
25, 1938, Caballero
is of the Panay-
Bukidnon people
from the Central
Panay mountains.
Work

He is known for his work on the

documentation of the oral literature,
particularly the ten epics. These epics are
rendered in an extinct language related to
Kinaray.
Work
Caballero, who is also called Nong Pedring, learned
about epics from his mother and his grandmother,
Anggoy Omil who would chant these to him and his
siblings as a lullaby. When Anggoy and his mother
died, he went on to continue the traditions and
documented these epics which are referred to as the
Labaw Dunggon and Humadapnon epics with
researchers.
Awards
The National Commission for Culture and the
Arts recognized him as a National Living
Treasure in the year 2000 for "weaving the
fabric of oral tradition"The National
Commission for Culture and the Arts
recognized him as a National Living Treasure in
the year 2000 for "weaving the fabric of oral
tradition"
Example of Panay-Bukidnon Chant
THANK YOU!