Studio Cut

During the 1990s, documentaries were an unheard of genre in the Philippine broadcast industry. The usual melodramas, talk shows and news magazine programs dominated the airwaves, raking in ratings and awards for TV networks.

Before the decade ended, GMA News and Public Affairs thought it was already time to produce a weekly documentary show. On January 18, 1999, I-Witness, the country’s first documentary series, aired on Philippine television.
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“Bato-Bato Sa Dagat”

Jay Taruc’s I-Witness Documentary
Airing Date: August 17, 2009

The production of hollow blocks has been a profitable business for two neighboring towns in Leyte for the past two decades. Buyers from all places flock to San Rafael and San Jose just to buy their product. Residents here claim they have the sturdiest hollow blocks because of the ingredients that they use — black sand and a special variety of pebble that locals call ormegon.
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