Entertainment
#FangirlGoal: Whang-od meets Coco Martin
It’s not easy for backpackers to travel for almost 10 hours from Manila, followed by another 3-hour trip on top of a jeepney, and 2-3 hours footslog just to get a tattoo from the iconic traditional tattoo artist in Kalinga, Whang-od Oggay.
But this seemed to be as easy as pie for Apo Whang-od when she left her humble abode in the hillock for a while, by such remarkable chance, to visit her idol Coco Martin.
Coco Martin, who stars in a 2015 Philippine action drama television series “Ang Probinsyano [The Man from the Province],” welcomed Whang-od with a very tight hug as the two meet each other yesterday, October 18.
With a bouquet of flowers in her hand, tears of joy trickled down on Whang-od’s cheeks as her wish to meet the actor in person finally came true.
In an Instagram photo shared by ABS-CBN News reporter Jeff Fernando, the traditional tattooist was fetch through a helicopter from Buscalan, Kalinga.
“100 year old tatoo artist Whang Od Oggay, dumating na sa Manila para sa personal nilang pagkikita ni Coco Martin [100 year-old tattoo artist Whang Od Oggay has arrived in Manila to personally meet Coco Martin].”
In his Instagram account, Martin also shared few photos and video clips of their meeting.
Before the tattoo artist and the actor bid each other goodbye, Martin accompanied Whang-od to her vehicle and told her to be careful on her way back. The actor also thanked the tattooist and gave her a warm hug as they end their meeting.
Whang-od is believed to be “The Last Mambabatok [Traditional Kalinga tattoist]” from the Butbut tribe of Buscalan and the oldest tattoo artist in the Philippines. Long-haul travel won’t stop tourists from gettinga tattoo made by Whang-od.
According to her nieces, Whang-od is a huge fan of Coco Martin. Whang-od said earlier that she want to put a tattoo on Martin.
Last September 1, Martin shared a video on his Instagram account where the Kalinga elder was seen expressing how much she wants the actor to visit her in Buscalan.
She also received a signed portrait of the actor as personal gift, along with a brand new pillow and shirt from the ABS-CBN store.
