NCIP to review Whang-Od's alleged contract with Nas Daily, exec says

The supposed signing of contract by Whang-Od with Nas Daily will be investigated following the fresh allegations of exploitation against the Palestinian-Israeli vlogger, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) - Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) said on Thursday.

To recall, Nas Daily drew flak after Whang-Od's grandniece Gracia Palicas publicly criticized the vlogger for "taking advantage of their culture." 

In a now deleted post,  Gracia said Whang-Od is not aware of any contracts about the Whang-Od Academy posted on Nas Daily's website, which offered courses on making traditional tattoos.

Later on, Nas Daily showed a video of Whang-Od signing a contract on establishing the Whang-Od Academy using her thumb print.

But according to Attorney Marlon Bosantog of NCIP-CAR, they will review if there was an informed consent on the said contract between Nas Daily and Whang-Od.

He further stressed that indigenous peoples have intellectual property claims in the art of Whang-Od.

"Bandying on social media a contract is not proof of compliance. The NCIP will make our review and onsite validation and interview, whether the Free, Prior, and Informed Consent process should have then been implemented on this incident," said Bosantog in a Facebook post.

Bosantog also welcomed the promotion and protection of culture in the country but noted that it is illegal to monetize cultural practices without consent.

"However, attempts to monetize without consent, diminish, and demean such practices and even its Peoples, will be dealt with harshly by appropriate penal laws," he said.

"Please continue to stand and speak with us as we continue to mainstream Indigenous Concerns," Bosantog also said.—LDF, GMA News