Nas Academy said Sunday it would stop operations in the Philippines amid the controversy involving its contract with Kalinga traditional Filipina tattoo artist Whang-Od – which has been criticized by a legislator.
In a Facebook post, the online learning platform said it started Nas Academy thinking everybody should become a teacher.
“We wanted everyone inside and outside the Philippines to become a teacher, because knowledge is the only thing that increases when you give it away,” it said.
“Sadly, some of our intentions have been misunderstood, as we can see with Whang-Od Academy. But our goal has always been to help peoplebecome teachers, with their input and consent,” the statement added.
Amid allegations of exploitation of renowned Apo Whang-Od by popular Palestinian-Israeli vlogger Nuseir Yassin of Nas Daily, AMIN party-list Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan wants respect to Whang-Od’s legacy.
“This controversy calls for respect and protection of cultural heritage and legacy of Apo Whang Od and the Butbot tribe. Apo Whang Od is our revered and oldest mambabatok in Kalinga. She was awarded the prestigious Dangal ng Haraya Award in 2018 by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and is nominated for the National Living Treasures Award (Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan),” she said in a statement.
Born Whang-od Oggay, she is described as the last and oldest mambabatok from Buscalan, Tinglayan in Kalinga.
“We may have the Indigenous Peoples’ Right Act (IPRA) of 2007 (or Republic Act No. 9371); unfortunately, it does not provide specific provisions that protects the intellectual rights of the Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs),” Sangcopan said.
“Thus, we call for the immediate passage of the bill that seeks to safeguard and promote Community Intellectual Rights of ICCs/IPs, which is currently pending in the House of Representatives,” she added.
“I had the opportunity to lead the Technical Working Group last June where we drafted the substitute bill of House Bill 7811 authored by DS Loren Legarda, which is now entitled to be An Act
Promoting and Safeguarding Community Intellectual Rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities and Indigenous Peoples,” she further stated.
The vlogger created the Whang Od academy that offered courses on traditional tattoo making, saying the Filipina tattoo artist consented to the deal by affixing her thumbmark to a contract prepared by Nas Daily.
“We believe that with this landmark piece of legislation, we will be able to preserve, protect, and develop the past, present, and future manifestations of the cultures of ICCs/IPs, as well as their right to the restitution of cultural, intellectual, religious, and spiritual property taken without their free, prior and informed consent or in violation of their laws, traditions, and customs,” Sangcopan said.
“One of the key provisions of the substitute bill is the creation of a registry under the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples wherein indigenous knowledge systems and practices are to be registered and recorded. It also entitles indigenous communities and IPs to royalties and other benefits as may be negotiated, for the use of their CIRs outside of their community, thus preventing abuses and exploitations of their CIRs as the family of Apo Whang Od and the Butbot tribe are facing right now,” she noted.