ABS-CBN senior correspondent Ces Oreña-Drilon puts the spotlight on Filipinos' courage and fighting spirit on "I Survived," a 45-minute docu-drama featuring different stories of survival premiering this Thursday (March 19) after "Bandila" on ABS-CBN.

"The show's objective is to highlight the Filipinos' courage, strength and persistence to counter odds, and face danger. We want to show our viewers how the human spirit can power you through the most difficult situations," said Ces, who makes a return as solo anchor with "I Survived."

Ces will go face-to-face with people who lived through life-threatening circumstances such as disasters, crime, accidents, adventures, and risky journeys, just like she did in June 2008.

She and her cameramen, Angelo Valderrama and Jimmy Encarnacion, hit the headlines when they were kidnapped by a unit of the Abu Sayyaf Group while pursuing a story in Sulu, Mindanao last year.

"Going to Sulu and other hazard zones, including the risk of getting in harm's way is all part of the job.  I only hope I enrich myself and my commitment to journalism because of it," said Ces, who counts 23 years already in the industry.

She proved that trying incidents like her experience can make a person stronger, wiser, and more appreciative of life. Ces is best remembered for her gutsy reportage of important national and local events that took her right in the middle of the story, such as the execution of police officer Joe Pring by the Alex Boncayao Brigade and the Manila Peninsula siege in 2007 where she bravely stood ground to cover the important event for the public to know what was happening.

Trapped miner

On Thursday, "I Survived" will follow Ces as she covers and interviews Jeyson Himmayod, one of the miners trapped by flashfloods in a mine in Itogon, Benguet.

The program will relive Jeyson's experience with dramatizations so viewers can see how, in his hunger, he tried to eat his T-shirt, and how he had to bear with watching members of his family die in the depths of the mine while they remained trapped.

With a mixture of real footage and reenactments, viewers will be able to feel the struggle the miners went through, as their relief when despite incredible odds, they were rescued and survived.

Also in line in the program are survivor stories from the sinking of MV Princess of the Stars, fishermen lost at sea, rescued mountaineers, and victims of crime who were able to get away alive.

Join Ces Oreña Drilon this Thursday (March 19) for the first episode of "I Survived" after "Bandila" on ABS-CBN.