Apo Whang-Od, tagged as the oldest living mambabatok or traditional tattoo artist, was a scene stealer when she was conferred the Presidential Medal of Merit in Malacañang on February 14, 2024, Valentine’s Day.
She donned a white sweater over her traditional Kalinga outfit and a striking blue cat-eye framed eyeglasses.
Unbeknownst to many, the story behind those eyeglasses—which have been in Apo Whang-Od’s possession for six months—is equally colorful.
(President Bongbong Marcos awarding Apo Whang-Od the Presidential Merit Award. Also in photo: Whang-Od's grandniece Grace Palicas.)
They were given to her by Iris Viacrusis, 53, a Filipino-American fashion designer who went to Apo Whang-Od’s village last year to get a tattoo.
After getting tattooed by the much-celebrated tattoo artist, Iris asked Apo Whang-Od about the gift she wanted.
Apo Whang-Od made a hand gesture, which Iris easily understood.
The latter rummaged inside his bag and found his reading eyeglasses.
He gave them to Apo Whang-Od, whose face lit up after wearing them.
Iris realized that Apo Whang-Od actually has poor eyesight.
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FIL-AM DESIGNER AND PHILATHROPIST meets apo whang-od
Iris, who is based in Hawaii, is an emerging fashion designer who promotes clothing materials from Asia, specifically the Philippines.
He studied fashion design in the U.S. and in France.
His clothing line, Iris Gil Designs, specializes in creating formal outfits and advocates “Habi at Baro,” a campaign that largely promotes Philippine textile, traditional and cultural Filipino outfits.
PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) spoke to Iris via call in the early hours of February 21, 2024, while he was waiting to embark on the train en route to Washington, D.C. from New York.
He told PEP.ph the interesting story of how his reading eyeglasses came into the possession of Apo Whang-Od.
When he returned to the Philippines in August 2023, Iris did charity work, giving school supplies to kids in the region.
He was also scheduled to meet a local weaver in Kalinga, but the meeting was cancelled because the latter got sick.
Iris decided to drive to Buscalan, Tinglayan, Kalinga Apayao and visit Apo Whang-Od.
“It just so happened kasi na I was going to Bontoc, and then we were supposed to actually meet a weaver. E, nagkasakit yung weaver.
“Tapos sabi ko, ‘Okay, open yung road to Buscalan.’ Sabi ko, ‘Sige, diretso na lang tayo doon [Bontoc].’
He arrived at the village of Apo Whang-Od in Butbut Tribe the night before he got inked.
“Nag-ano siya, nanonood siya ng teleseryes. Tapos, malapit na malapit siya doon sa TV.
“And then, nag-aano siya, nagbabalat ng white beans, it’s one of the few things na kinakain niya.”
The next day, Iris got tattooed by Apo Whang-Od. But he noticed that the batok she was using was piercing a little hard on his skin.
“Parang malalim yung tinik, yung tina-tap niya yung tinik, parang medyo malalim na. But, anyway, I wasn't sure kung talagang gano'n lang siya mag-tattoo.”
Iris suggested that this was probably another indication of Apo Whang-Od's frail eyesight.
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(Fil-Am fashion designer Iris Viacrusis getting inked by Apo Whang-Od.)
Iris gave Apo Whang-Od a colorful malong from Hawaii.
“It's a nice design na medyo parang tribal nga yung design, so, nagustuhan niya.”
With the help of a relative as a translator, Iris asked Apo Whang-Od what gift she would like to receive from Iris the next time he returns.
Apo Whang-Od told Iris not to bring her lipstick anymore.
Iris explained, “From previous articles na lumalabas tungkol sa kanya, na mahilig nga siya sa lipstick, so lagi siya dinadalhan ng lipstick [ng mga bumibisita].
“Tapos, after I asked the question, ang sabi niya, nag-gesture siya. Ginawa niyang bilog yung daliri niya, tapos nilagay niya sa mata niya," he said, immediately comprehending what Apo Whang-Od meant.
“And then, ‘Ohhh, kailangan niya ng salamin.’ So, you know, tapos nag-oo siya. And then tinranslate nung ibang mga kamag-anak niya, ‘Oo, salamin.’
“So ngayon naghalungkat ako sa bag ko. Tapos yun nga, yun ang nadampot ko [reading glasses ko]," Iris continued.
He handed them over to Apo Whang-Od.
“Sabi ko, 'Apo, ito, subukan mo ito kung makakatulong sa iyo.’
“So, sabi niya, ‘Ito, okay ito, maliwanag.' Tapos lumingon siya dun sa mga taong nakapila. Madaming nakapila na magpapa-tattoo sa kanya.”
“Tapos lahat ng mga tao, ‘Ay, ang ganda ni Apo.' Kasi yung frame nga nung glasses is blue. Kasi nga she's known as a very colorful person.
“So lalo siya natuwa na madami nagko-comment na ang ganda niya.
“Tapos, hinawakan niya yung balikat ko. Sabi niya, ‘Puwede ba sa akin na lang ito?’ sabi niya na sa akin,” Iris recounted with a laugh.
He responded and told her that he was more than willing to give them to her.
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WHY APO WAS NOT BROUGHT TO THE EYE DOCTOR
Iris had his own thoughts on the probable reason Apo Whang-Od was not brought to see an eye doctor.
He related to PEP.ph, “So, aside from hirap na siya maglakad, hindi na siya makakababa at makakaakyat.
Iris said the geographic location of their village isn’t for the faint-hearted.
“Walang tulay. So, mayroon siyang gauge na bababaan mo, tapos tawid ka ng ilog, tapos aakyat ka sa village nila."
He added that the nearest town from their village could take one-and-a-half hours on foot, notwithstanding the challenging terrain.
As a matter of fact, in order to receive her Presidential Merit Medal, Apo Whang-Od had to trek to a nearby location from their village to ride a helicopter operated by the Philippine Air Force staff.
Apo Whang-Od was seen wearing the blue eyeglasses on her ride to the chopper that took them to Malacañang.
(Apo Whang-Od in her blue eyeglasses and her grandniece being secured by the Philippine Air Force soldiers. Apo is flown that day to Malacañang for her Presidential Merit Award.)
NOTHING SPECIAL ABOUT THE EYEGLASSES
Iris told PEP.ph that there was really nothing special about the blue reading glasses.
He bought them from a drugstore in Hawaii for $10 (PHP560).
“Hindi siya mamahalin. Kasi nga ginagamit ko siya pag nagtatahi ako, pag nagbabasa na ako.”
In a separate interview, Iris mentioned that he hopes to return next year and bring with him an eye doctor, who can prescribe proper eyeglasses to Apo Whang-Od.
The reading eyeglasses may appear simple, and yet, they may be what Apo Whang-Od essentially needs at the moment.
“I was happy na I got to give her such a gesture,” said Iris about the eyeglasses he gifted Apo Whang-Od.
(Iris [right] when he visited Apo Whang-Od in August 2023.)
He mentioned that a photo of Apo Whang-Od wearing the blue eyeglasses was featured in the digital magazine that put her on its cover.
Iris could not be any happier that his random decision to visit Apo Whang-Od was productive for both of them: him seeing the renowned tattoo artist, and the latter getting an item to help her see clearly.
“So, ano lang talaga, yung talagang serendipity na maganda yung glasses na dala ko, it suits her personality. Tapos talagang kailangan niya nga," Iris said.
He added, “Nothing profound [about it] other than a coincidence that the glasses… kasi, lagi ako nawawalan ng glasses, so, lagi akong maraming extra.”
Iris interjected that old ladies have a special place in his heart. And thanks to his eagerness to communicate with Apo Whang-Od despite the dialect barrier, he learned about an overlooked condition that may have been troubling her for quite some time.
“Very endearing ako sa mga lola. So, that's why mausisa ako na ganoon nga, ‘Ano’ng kailangan niyo?’ Or something like that, kung makakatulong ako, by all means…
“Especially kasi nga yung ginagawa [as a mambabatok], she really needs to see clearly," Iris stressed.
Additionally, more than any award or recognition, or magazine or TV feature, those blue eyeglasses could prove to be more useful to Apo Whang-Od in her everyday life, even just as simple as to visually appreciate the teleseryes she loves to watch.