Today marks the 109th birthday of the legendary Kalinga mambabatok, Whang-od Oggay, fondly known as Apo Whang-Od. For more than a century, she has dedicated her life to preserving the traditional art of batok or the ancient hand-tapped tattooing practice of the Butbut people in Buscalan, Kalinga.
Born in the quiet mountain village, Apo Whang-Od remains the country’s oldest traditional tattooist and one of the most powerful symbols of Filipino heritage. Over the years, Buscalan has drawn visitors from across the globe. Among those who made the journey are well-known celebrities who sought not just a tattoo, but a meaningful encounter with the legendary tattooist.
Here are some of the celebrities who have been inked by Apo Whang-Od:
Jo Koy
Filipino-American comedian Jo Koy traveled to the remote village of Buscalan during his 2025 visit to the Philippines to receive a tattoo from Apo Whang-Od. He shared photos on social media, including a heartwarming snap of the legendary tattooist wearing a hoodie from his “Just Being Koy” tour.
READ: Fil-Am comedian Jo Koy gets a tattoo from Apo Whang-od
Michelle Dee
Beauty queen and actress Michelle Dee received Apo Whang-Od’s signature three-dot tattoo. The meeting was especially meaningful for Michelle, who previously honored the mambabatok during the 2023 Miss Universe pageant by wearing a black gown inspired by traditional Kalinga tattoo patterns.
READ: Michelle Dee gets tattooed by Apo Whang-od before her Miss Universe PH reign concludes
Piolo Pascual
Kapamilya actor Piolo Pascual received the three-dot tattoo from Apo Whang-Od in 2024. He also had a compass design done by her nephew. In a previous interview, Piolo described the experience, from the trek to Buscalan to witnessing the younger generation of mambabatoks, as a special one.
Zeinab Harake
Content creator Zeinab Harake visited Buscalan in 2024 with her sister, Rana Harake. She documented their journey on YouTube and shared how starstruck she felt meeting Apo Whang-Od in person.
Rhian Ramos
Rhian Ramos has three tattoos hand-tapped by Apo Whang-Od. In 2017, she shared that one of her designs was conceptualized by her and personally inked by the legendary tattooist, placed above her existing hawk and scorpion designs.
Paolo Ballesteros and Maine Mendoza
In 2019, the noontime show hosts revealed they were tattooed by Apo Whang-Od during a Lenten special shoot in Kalinga. They later shared stories of their hike up to the village and their memorable encounter with the mambabatok.
Kim Atienza and daughter Emman Atienza
Kim Atienza had his first tattoo made by Apo Whang-Od in 2018. The television host got his cross tattoo, symbolizing his relationship with God, by the tattooist on her 101st birthday and Matanglawin’s 10th anniversary.
Kuya Kim’s late daughter and social media personality Emman Atienza got her tattoo from Apo Whang-Od in 2025.
Drew Arellano
Travel host Drew Arellano got his tattoo from Apo Whang-Od in 2014. Despite the brief pain, he described it as “a lifetime worth of remembering another adventure.”
Ryzza Mae Dizon
Television host-actress Ryzza Mae Dizon also had the three dots pattern from Apo Whang-Od as she went to Buscalan in 2024.
Chelsea Manalo
Miss Universe Philippines 2024 Chelsea Manalo received a three-dot tattoo on her ribs from Apo Whang-Od, along with a “prayer” tattoo by Whang-Od’s granddaughter, Elyang. She described the experience as “receiving a piece of history.”
Liza Diño
Liza Diño, along with partner Ice Seguerra, traveled to Buscalan to visit Apo Whang-Od who at the time was reported suffering from an illness and refused to go to a hospital. Liza then got her first tattoo from the mambabatok who was already well when they came. She called her tattoo a “badge of honor.”
READ: LOOK: Liza Dino gets traditional tattoo
As Apo Whang-Od celebrates another year, her legacy continues to reach far beyond the mountains of Kalinga. Each tattoo she creates carries history, identity, and respect for the country’s rich culture and traditions.