No More Groping: Indigenous People’s Commission Issues Reminder to Apo Whang-Od and Her Visitors

Poul Tiongco first heard about Apo Whang Od around 2005 after he saw a documentary program on TV about tribal tattoo artists. Having gotten tattoos since he was 14, Tiongco was intrigued and wanted to go see Apo Whang-Od himself.

At the time, going to Whang Od’s hometown of Buscalan, Kalinga was intensely difficult; there was hardly any public transport and the roads were few and in some case, nonexistent. So Tiongco wouldn’t make the trek to see the legendary tattoo artist until years later, in 2011.

According to Tiongco, the first thing that Apo Whang Od, whose real name is Maria Oggay, did when they met was reach for his private parts.

“It was playful and funny,” he says. “It wasn’t a big deal.”

Tiongco’s story is just one of countless similar experiences from male visitors who make the long journey to meet and get a tattoo from Apo Whang-Od. For years it’s been kind of an open secret; there are numerous blogs and vlogs from local and foreign tourists detailing this aspect of visiting the local cultural icon. There are even websites devoted to compiling photos of the elderly tattoo artist in the act of touching her male visitors’ groin area.

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Going viral

But in March this year, Apo Whang Od’s well-documented habit exploded into the national consciousness after an encounter with superstar celebrity Piolo Pascual. Viral clips showed the tattoo artist reaching over and groping Pascual’s genitals while they were both seated. The incident drew widespread attention and various reactions—everything from amusement and jealousy to wide-eyed shock and condemnation. A majority of people commenting on social media seemed to dismiss the incident as nothing more than harmless fun—a little old lady’s unorthodox way of greeting her male guests. 

But there were some who disapproved of the revered icon’s actions, calling it problematic at best and criminal at worst.

One person I spoke to, who also experienced being groped by Apo Whang Od many years ago, said he was traumatized by the experience.

“I felt violated, and it felt like there was very little recourse for retaliation,” says the thirtysomething man who declined to be identified. “This is a big blind spot/double standard for supposed woke/cancel culture. Her identity both as an elderly woman and an ethnic minority affords her some level of immunity.”

“I understand some people might have a different take on what happened,” Tiongco says. “But for me, I don’t see anything wrong with it. She was just being playful. Bakit mo lalagyan ng malisya?”

No harm meant

While many have already voiced their opinion, we asked the National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) for its take about this clearly divisive issue. For context, the NCIP is the government agency that is responsible for protecting the rights of the country’s indigenous peoples.

Esquire Philippines reached out to the NCIP soon after the incident between Whang Od and Pascual made headlines. In a letter we received over a month later, NCIP Chairperson Jennifer Pia Sibug-Las said the agency directed its Regional and Provincial Offices to conduct a “validation interview” with Whang-Od. According to the report attached to the letter, the interview took place on April 1, 2024 at the mambabatok’s residence in Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga.

Apo Whang Od with the NCIP investigation team: Whang Od (Maria Oggay), Rudy Oggay, Brgy Captain Marcos Goyagoy Sr., Archie Baccoy of the NCIP Kalinga, IPMR Johnny Bagtang

Photo by NCIP.

When asked why she seemed to delight in touching the private parts of her male clients, Whang-Od had this to say (translated in English by the NCIP from her native language): “I don’t do it for my own gratification. I only do it when I’m asked to. At times I’m asked by a woman to grope my client who happens to be her partner, boyfriend, or husband.” 

Apo Whang Od also related specific instances when she was requested by guests to perform the act.

“One time a mother asked me to grope…her son saying, “Anak ko ya, hawakan mo.

“More often, the tour guides organizers and onlookers conspire and ask me to grope their guest, friend or associate.

“Once I was told by a woman to grope her partner who was clad in denim pants, which I refused. The man came back later wearing loose shorts with the same woman and request.

The cultural icon also addressed the controversy surrounding her and Pascual. 

“With Mr. Piolo Pascual, we were supposed to pose for a photo when someone from the audience reminded me to act in such a manner, which was affirmed by two young females in his company. I asked him (Piolo) by gesturing to the women to which he said, kapatid. These women encouraged my act by saying, Hawakan mo, Apo.

According to the NCIP transcript of the conversation, Whang Od insists she does not engage in the practice just because she wants to.

“You see, I don’t freely do it,” she says. “There happens to be times when I feel drowsy in the early afternoon that I oblige just to make the spectators roar in laughter and incite chatter around me.

“When I’ve had enough of people asking me, I oblige just to make them stop.

“Let it be known that I intend no harm in doing it,” she added. “I only did it to foreigners who understand my playful nature. Consequently, the local tourists boarded on the trend.”

In the NCIP report, Apo Whang Od’s younger brother Rudy Oggay offered that his sister “must stop with her playful quirks as it is perceived lewd by others. He convinced his elder sister by stating that while she intends no harm to her visitors, her actions may harm her image as a legendary mambabatok.”

When she was asked if she would do it again, Whang Od replied, “If my actions are abhorred, I submit that I must then stop.”

The NCIP’s response

In addition to the validation report, the six-page NCIP report submitted to Esquire Philippines also included a position paper of the NCIP as well as answers to interview questions I sent to the agency.

“To lay things in proper context may it be clear that we do not condone but rather abhor the latest caress,” says Atty. Geoffry Calderon, acting provincial officer of the NCIP Kalinga. “We, Kalinga as a whole were never remiss of our obligation in reminding Apo Whang-Od including her relatives to refrain from doing such intolerable or profane act though for fun or without any lewd or sexual desire because certainly it will create different reactions depending on orientation and perception.”

On the question of whether the agency was aware of Whang Od’s longtime practice of groping her male visitors, Calderon confirmed that they knew about her actions. “We are aware of these deeds by Apo Whang-Od because they are well-documented (videorecorded) and published in social media.

“While we commend her being the last mambabatok, her touching of the private parts of any male visitors though with the consent, express or implied of the latter, are beyond condonation. For emphasis, the first incident alone made us notify her relatives and tribemates to advice Apo Whang-Od not to repeat the irritating or amusing (for some) incidents.”

The NCIP's Archie Baccoy speaks to Apo Whang-Od about the viral incident with Piolo Pascual

Photo by NCIP.

“Just like the prior incidents…we are irked too and so do not condone the latest incident,’ he added. “While it may be funny and cute for some, ours is not the same (opinion). We respect those who says it is cute and funny and so who are we to say otherwise. We perceive it afoul to decency. She is now an international figure whose actions will surely influence specially the younger generations…(who) after watching the video might literally and readily conclude that it is alright and legally tenable. A scenario that we want to preempt.”

Some have made the point that, if the genders were reversed and that if Apo Whang Od were a man groping his female visitors, we would be having a very different conversation today. Calderon also addressed this point.

“Truly if it were a man groping a woman would mean incarceration,” he said, adding that there are some men who argue that, “Pag lalake naghaplos, bilanggo. Nasaan ang hustisya? (If it were a man who groped, that means prison. Where is justice?" 

“In the incident involving actor Piolo Pascual, some are reacting “sana all,” (hopefully all) in tacit approbation, while some are reacting the opposite. Mix reactions does not sway our antithesis discernment on the matter.”

Reviewing videos that captured the interaction between Whang-Od and Pascual, the NCIP said it found nothing objectionable about the incident, saying that the groping was entirely consensual, judging by “the cheering attendees,” and Pascual’s own reaction. An important point also, the NCIP said, is that Pascual did not lodge a complaint about the incident, and neither did he issue any statement of feeling uncomfortable. 

However, on the question of other men who felt otherwise—those who did feel uncomfortable or violated and did not view Whang-Od’s actions as funny—the NCIP declined to comment as Calderon said the agency would need more information and “factual circumstances.”

Calderon ended his position paper with a stern reminder not just to Whang-od but to her visitors.

“It is highly recommended that Apo Whang Od be repeatedly reminded to refrain from doing the same act,” he said. “The support of the whole village is also solicited so that they shall be united in reminding Apo Whang Od. Lastly, all visitors must also be reminded not to allow themselves as subject and that they shall be warned not to drag, influence, or induce Apo Whang Od to do groping (sic). Whether it is for fun or amusement as antidote to stress is misplaced argument.”