“Ang Probinsyano” star Coco Martin on Saturday admitted that he gave Whang-od, Kalinga’s oldest traditional tattoo artist, a gift before they parted ways last week.
“I gave her a matching pair of necklace and earrings as sort of a remembrance,” Martin told reporters in Filipino, but declined to say what the jewelry looked like and how much they cost.
“I gave her a matching set because she likes putting on lipstick, so I thought of a gift that would match.”
The “Ang Panday” producer and director also treated the 100-year old artist to a restaurant before she left Metro Manila.
“We ordered fish and vegetables for her because we thought she might want it, but she only ate rice, water, and some salt,” the actor said.
“Maybe their food [in Buscalan] is really healthy and there’s no stress there, maybe that’s also her way of prolonging her life.”
Whang-od, a self-confessed fan of Martin’s primetime show, met the actor last week when she flew in to Manila for a trade and tourism expo.
Prior to their meet-up, Martin sent a signed pillow and photo to Whang-ud’s Buscalan home after fans of the actor noticed that she collected shirts, posters, and even a life-size standee of “Cardo”, Martin’s character in “Ang Probinsyano.”
Martin said he plans to travel to Kalinga soon to get a tattoo from Whang-ud.
“I’m a little ashamed because she’s the one who went all the way to Manila… I told her I’ll be the one to drop her a visit next time,” he said.
Whang-od earlier said she’ll give the actor a python or a centipede tattoo as it is a traditional symbol for brave warriors.
Story: ABS-CBN News, English translation added
