Pinuna ni dating Ifugao representative at naging kandidato sa pagkasenador na si Teddy Baguilat, Jr. ang mali umanong pagkakasuot sa bahag, isang uri ng tradisyunal na kasuotan sa Cordillera, ng mga kandidato ng "Man of the World 2022", na ginamit nila sa pre-pageant competition.
Tinawag ito ni Baguilat, Jr. na "misrepresentation of indigenous people culture".
"4Th Man of the World Pageant Swimwear and Bahag competition. Mali ang paggamit nila ng bahag. Ginawang sex toy. Talo kayo sa akin (but this was 19 years ago n 30 pounds lighter hehe). Pero talo sana kayo. Kung kinareer ko lang," pabirong banat ng dating Ifugao representative sa kaniyang tweet noong Hunyo 13.
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"Seriously, due diligence lang. Especially in portraying IKSP and IP culture by non-IPs," ayon pa sa kaniya, sa isa pang hiwalay na tweet.
Hindi lamang si Baguilat ang nanita sa naganap na pageant kundi maging ang iba pang netizen kagaya na lamang sa mababasa sa Facebook page na 'Takder'.
"The Man of the World swimwear 'Bahag' competition was done in bad taste. Though this is not a letter of condemnation, we implore the organizers of The Man of the World pageantry to immerse themselves with the indigenous communities of the Philippines, especially the Cordillera."
"We hope that through an apology by the organizers and responsible officials, we can correct this cultural appropriation.
Our mountains have safeguarded our culture for hundreds of years. The Cordilleran people will be more than willing to share these as long as it is done properly and respectfully."
"We should then integrate and learn their ways firsthand. This way, we can understand that cultures older than us should not be used to sexualize or objectify people."
"When we wear our cultural attires, we wear our identity, our history, and our people – we hope that we can use events such as pageantry to make them understand that the practice of our tradition and culture is not a spectacle that should be reduced for others’ entertainment. We are not commodities but human beings."
"Our indigenous cultural attires represent our rich history and identity. It is worn with pride during wars, weddings, harvests, and other important milestones in our communities. The designs are symbols of our struggles and have weaved our way of life."
Samantala, sa isang opisyal na pahayag naman ay nilinaw ng National Commission on Indigenous Peoples o NCIP na bagama't pinupuri nila ang pagnanais ng organizers na itampok ang bahag, hindi umano ito dumaan sa kanilang pag-apruba.
"While we commend the noble intention of the organizers to showcase the rich culture of the Cordilleras through the wearing of these bahag, we cannot however undermine the indigenous peoples when they cry foul on matters affecting their culture," anila.
Samantala, wala pang tugon, rekasiyon, o pahayag ang pamunuan ng "Man of the World 2022" tungkol sa isyu.
