Baguio bans Pangilinan due to Igorot joke

abs-cbnNEWS.com | 05/15/2009 8:39 PM

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Despite her numerous apologies, Candy Pangilinan was declared an "unwelcome vistor" in Baguio City after she cracked a joke that implied that Igorots are not people.

In a special session held by the Baguio City council on Friday, Pangilinan was declared "persona non grata" by a majority vote. Councilor Tomas Balisong, currently the acting vice mayor, said that the declaration was in reaction to Pangilinan's "ethnic slur."

Pangilinan's joke, which was heard during her stand-up comedy act held in SM Baguio last Saturday, was: "Tao po ako, hindi po ako Igorot."

This drew strong criticisms from the Igorot community. "It is a slur, an insult to us Igorots," said Atty. Jose Molintas, a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Almost all the Baguio Councilors approved the motion passed by Councilor Greg Bagbagen declaring the comedienne an unwanted visitor to the summer capital. This also banned Pangilinan's movies from being shown in the city's theaters. Only Councilor Galo Weygan, also an Igorot, abstained from voting.

Many Baguio locals supported the move, saying they were deeply insulted by Pangilinan's comment. "Dapat maramdaman niya ang maging isang Igorot para alam niya ang sinasabi niya," said Annie Domiguay, a Baguio resident.

Mistake

Pangilinan's manager and cousin Angeli Pangilinan-Valenciano, meanwhile, appealed to the public to sympathize with Pangilinan, insisting that the comedienne had been sincere in her apologies.

To prove this, Valenciano said Pangilinan's group is planning to launch a fund-raiser to benefit Cordillerans. "We never meant to hurt anybody," Valenciano said.

Appearing weary and tearful before cameras on Thursday, Pangilinan said she regretted her blunder. She said she delivered the line incorrectly due to lack of sleep and rest, since she had just flown back to the country from Guam.

“If you were there and had finished the show, you would have heard me acknowledge my blunder. I apologized and explained myself. I even went on to uplift the Benguet or Igorot community,” she said.

She added: “I am very proud of their contribution to the society. I, as a person and a Filipino, would never intentionally discriminate nor disrespect my roots, my ancestors, and my fellow Filipinos.”

Before Pangilinan, the last person to have been declared "persona non grata" by the city council was reportedly former Cordillera People's Liberation Army leader Mailed Molina after he and his fellow rebels marched into Baguio bearing their firearms.

as of 05/15/2009 8:40 PM

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Comments

Ignorance Doesn't Pay!

I do appreciate Candy Pangilinan's apology on national television. But I was really insulted when she was trying to insinuate that being an Igorot is not equated to being a human. So what are we then?

What I would like to stress here is for her to learn about who really the Igorots are. But since she's no longer welcome here in Baguio, how can she learn about us? Well, may be she should open her history books. I've heard she's a UP graduate so we expect her to know better.But how come the lessons regarding history and culture are unfamiliar to her?

Saying sorry is not the end of it. That's why they came up with the idea of fund-raising. But I suggest she should do more studying, more reading and research about IGOROTS instead. Then, when she finally has all the knowledge, she should share it to the other ignorant people out there, enlighten their minds and make them aware of the realities regarding the IGOROTS.

This should serve as a lesson not only to you Ms. Candy but also to the other unlearneds out there....

Submitted by reyndrops on Sun, 05/24/2009 - 22:34.

AMENNNNN

AMEN to that!! kaya kayong mga ignorante sa sarili niyong bansa e now alam niyo na kung sino ang mga igorot. they are the unconquered ones (syempre kasi mas matatapang at magagaling siguro sila and mas patriot pa). the igorots are the ones who first populated , improved and maintain baguio city and made it as one of the most famous tourist destination in the country. the Igorots are the ones who produces the famous strawberies that you crave for everytime you come to baguio. they are the ones who produces the major supply of vegetables in metro manila like the cabbage, baguio beans, potatoes, etc. not only in metromanila but also in mindanao. there are many igorots there who contributes a lot to the growing economy of mindanao. igorots ang gumawa ng famous banaue rice terraces na ating ipinagmamalaki sa buong mundo and one of the top tourist spot in the country that boosts our tourism industry. the famous tourist destination Sagada Caves is a place of the igorots (if you go there pls speak in english ok)... so just imagine the Philippines without the Igorots? mga igorot ang nag capture or nagpasuko kay yamashita that eventually ended the 2nd world war. maraming igorot ang nagbuwis ng kanilang mga buhay para lang labanan ang mga dayuhang sumakop sa atin that eventually led to our Phil. independence. Baguio city is a native home to the igorot people. huwag niyong hanapin ang igorot when you go to baguio kasi igorotsang nasasalubong niyo sa daan ok... understood mga kapatid na ignorante? ( mabuti ang maliwanag)... now you are learning... marami pa kayong dapat malaman at matutunan about the igorot people and its your part naman to research.

in the real sense, FILIPINO means the ones who surrendered their sovereignty to their colonizers. the igorots and the moro (muslim brothers) of mindanao never surrendered their sovereignty accordingly so maybe that would justify the statement of mr. romulo that igorots are not filipinos coz they're the unconquered ones but still they are humans unlike to ms candy's claim that we igorots dont belong to the homo sapien.

so to all those IGNORANT co-filipinos in the Philippines and all over the world i guess its high time for you to know who the Igorots really are.... i say WORLD PEACE!!! :)

Submitted by igorotztribalwar on Wed, 05/20/2009 - 10:50.

To: wittyigorot

I'm sorry,please reread my comments,I think you misunderstood it,(",)

Submitted by yl17 on Tue, 05/19/2009 - 19:17.

To Yl17

Bakit ba lagi mong iginigiit na ang kaming mga Igorot eh ayaw patawag na Igorot at saan mo naman nakuha ang idea mong iyan. Before insisting such comments dapat inaral mong maigi ang mga pinagsasabi mo. Baka naman meron kang na meet na isang Igorot na ganon eh generalized mo na.

Submitted by wittyigorot on Tue, 05/19/2009 - 13:51.

CHOPSUEY!!!!

alam niyo ba na pag walang IGOROT, walng patatas, repolyo, beans, carrot, radish,sayote,wombok, petchay,celery, ..strawberries.. etc aba!! we're providing all of these..malaki ang contribution namin sa ating bansang Pilipinas...so don't discriminate us..out there not all but out there!!pasalamat kau..mababa ang vegetables at nakakabili kau..hehehe...SAAN TAYO KUKUHA NG PANG CHOP SUEY KUNG AYAW NIO KAMING KILALANING TAO...heheh./kaya out there instead of kung ano ano ang tingin nio sa amin...let's just support! para may gana at lakas pa kaming magtanim to provide and help our poor country Philippines!!!

Submitted by igorotztribalwar on Mon, 05/18/2009 - 21:10.

It Wasn't Funny.

It is not something to be laughed at, joked about, taken lightly and forgiven easily.

I agree with lxp's comment. We are not ashamed to be called Igorots, for it is a name we carry with pride,respect and responsibility. We do not appreciate when narrow-minded people use the term in a derogatory way.

Being tired was a lame excuse. Aside from that, she delivered those insulting lines TWICE. She was greeted with silence the first time she said her so-called "joke" and she should've had the presence of mind to think of a reason why that is so. Instead, she repeated it again.

A majority of Filipinos have absolutely no understanding of why this is a major issue to Igorots and that is mainly due to the fact that they are not educated to what our culture means to us. The local government of Baguio was in the right when they issued the persona non grata.

As for Ms. Pangilinan and people like herself, understand that an apology with tears will not suffice. She needs to educate herself in terms of knowing our culture better.

Submitted by giada on Mon, 05/18/2009 - 17:26.

Why in the world do you

Why in the world do you insist that we are ashamed to be called Igorot and would prepare to be called native? We were never ashamed nor scared to be identified as one, besides we’re always proud.
The action of the Baguio council should be look at in a different side and not just confined into what others have been insisting na “nagsorry na siya”. It was given to teach her a lesson and it serves as a warning to others in the future. At first I also thought it was somehow too much but upon exchanging thoughts to those who particularly grew up there and have a profound understanding of the history of our people I came to understand more and I can say, the issue was fairly dealt with. It is simply a (continuing) campaign to educate people and eventually to erase the wrong perception of others.

We are no different from others specifically the other indigenous group in this country but I can say we know how to fight for our rights and this is an example for such.

Submitted by lxp on Mon, 05/18/2009 - 14:49.

pinoynganaman

right ganuon mo sila kakila, look, that was in the early 90's, do you really think nothing has change?we are already in the 20th century and a lot of things has happended and obviously has changed.,,About Ifugao,have you tried it or naniniwala ka lang sa bulung bulungan?Why don't you ask your parents baka Igorot ka rin??hindi mo lang alam?

Submitted by yl17 on Mon, 05/18/2009 - 05:37.

ganito yan

kung ang african-american ay tinawag mo o nagbiro ng negros, racial slur ito, gusto nila black at kung ang IGOROT ay tinawag mo o nagbiro ka sa pangalan ng tribo nilang IGOROT, racial slur din daw ito, dapat Native ang tawag sa kanila..

Submitted by pinoynganaman on Mon, 05/18/2009 - 05:23.

ganito yan

Submitted by pinoynganaman on Mon, 05/18/2009 - 05:23.

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