Teddy Baguilat calls out male pageant for misuse of traditional bahag

MANILA — Former Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr. publicly called out the Man of the World pageant for misusing the bahag traditional garment.

In a Twitter post, the indigenous rights advocate and former senatorial candidate pointed out that the bahag was worn like a "sex toy" during the competition.

"Mali ang paggamit nila ng bahag. Ginawang sex toy," he said.

The former lawmaker also posted an old photo of him in bahag as his way of showing the proper way to wear the garment.

"Talo kayo sa akin," he said of his photo, which was taken nearly two decades ago.

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, #MisrepresentationOfIPCulture pic.twitter.com/fK0ajp1nDW

— Teddy B. Baguilat (@TeddyBaguilatJr) June 13, 2022

Indigenous rights group organization Takder earlier said that Man of the World's bahag competition was "done in bad taste," and called on organizers to apologize and correct the "cultural appropriation."

• Male pageant called out for misuse of traditional bahag

The National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) also weighed in on the matter, saying the bahag should be "accorded the highest respect by wearing them properly and for the purpose they were made."

NCIP also denied statements from alleged organizers that the use of the bahag during the contest was cleared by the commission.

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