ABS-CBN Statement On Agreement Between CHED Commissioner, IP Leaders On Use Of "Bagani"

Here’s how ABS-CBN, CHED Commissioner, and IP leaders resolved issue about using the term “Bagani”.

BAGANI – The ABS-CBN network finally releases a statement on resolving the issue about the use of the term “Bagani” between the CHED Commissioner and IP leaders.

According to a previous article, CHED commissioner and the undersigned through a letter “would like to seek immediate clarification and explanation from ABS-CBN as to how and why the term ‘Bagani’, which is an Indigenous Peoples terminology and endemic only to IPs [Indigenous Peoples], ended up used in a teleserye that I suspect is devoid of real meaning and substance.”

On the letter, CHED Commissioner was deeply bothered about the portrayal of ‘Bagani’ in a teleserye as being a ‘bayani with magical powers.’”

Furthermore, he reiterated, “It is not enough for writers and producers of movies and teleseryes to come up with concepts, titles, and characters that would sell and create blockbusters yet carry with them half-truths and lies that destroy and negate the real essence of an IP terminology, as in the case of Bagani, and instead bring injustice to the 14 million Filipino IPs.”

Thus, with the rounding issue, the various parties have come up to a common ground where they both agreed to use the term Bagani.

Based on the official press statement release of the above-stated network, they have stated, “After hearing all sides, all parties have come to an understanding that the use of ‘Bagani’ is in good faith.”

The network has then aacknowledged, “There are real Baganis among IPs,” ABS-CBN acknowledged. “They are the IP’s warriors who protect entire communities and ancestral domains from external threats and armed intrusions. They are looked up to by IPs as armed vanguards willing to die for communities to thrive and live in peace.”

“They are among the inspirations used by ABS-CBN in coming up with the fantaserye entitled ‘Bagani’.”

Read the full statement below: