LOOK: Michelle Dee gets inked by Apo Whang-Od: 'Finally!'
Miss Universe Philippines 2023 Michelle Dee just had her full-circle moment as she finally gets tattooed by the legendary mambabatok of Kalinga, Apo Whang-Od.
On her Instagram post on Wednesday, May 1, the beauty queen shared a short clip of her tattoo session with Whang-Od.
“Finally!! 🥹 #APOxMMD #FILIPINAS #ApoWhangOd,” she wrote. She then expressed thanks to her creative team, Personifi for making the trip possible.
In her reposted Instagram stories, Michelle was seen exploring Kalinga with her team, as well as her special moment with the legendary traditional tattoo artist where they were seen performing a cultural dance.
@eljohnmendoza via @michelledee / Instagram story
She also shared a TikTok video of herself joining the Pantropiko dance craze with Kalinga’s cultural artists.
Fans and celebrities expressed their support in the post’s comments section.
“Yeeeeeaaahhhhsssss!!” Jericho Rosales wrote.
“[BEAUTY] QUEEN SA SALITA AT GAWA! Mahal ka namin [Michelle Dee],” an Instagram user commented.
“Full circle moment,” beauty queen Emmanuelle Vera also commented.
Michelle stood out during the finals of the Miss Universe 2023 competition wearing an all-black evening gown by Mark Bumgarner, with a design inspired by the works of Apo Whang-Od.
She also wore another version of the dress during her homecoming parade in December 2023.
Michelle concluded her Miss Universe journey in the Top 10. Although she did not clinch the country's fifth crown in the competition, her remarkable journey culminated in four special awards: Best in National Costume, Fan Vote Winner, the coveted Gold in the "Voice for Change" category, and the "Spirit of Carnival" award.
Whang-Od is the oldest living mambabatok and is part of the Butbut people of the larger Kalinga ethnic group. She is known for hand-tapping tattoos, which she has been doing since the age of 15. In February 2024, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit for her contributions to preserving Kalinga’s traditional tattoo.