Clash of the Projects: Project Nightfall slams Cacao Project founder over Nas Daily issue

MANILA, Philippines — Agon Hare or more popularly known as Project Nightfall released a video today that talked about his recollection on the 2019 incident involving fellow content creator Nas Daily and The Cacao Project founder Louise de Guzman Mabulo.

He also spoke about "Pinoy baiting" which arose as one of the topics from the issue involving Mabulo and Nas Daily.

On his Facebook post, he wrote as caption that he could have just stayed silent since his name was not directly attached to the controversy. He said he hoped those who would watch his seven-minute, 51-second video would spend time too in understanding why the issue hurts him. He also wrote that he had not done anything to deserve such a "HEAVY online bullying."

"I am recording this video because it makes me sad that there are people out there who right now lost their respect for me for something I'm not even a part of!" he was heard saying in the video that had an English subtitle.

He proceeded to say that it had been two years since he worked on anything directly with Nas Daily, a fellow content creator famous for one-minute videos. Nas Daily is founded by Nuseir Yassin.

Project Nightfall and Nas Daily were among the content creators/vloggers who visited Mabulo in San Fernando, Camarines Sur to make a feature on Mabulo's The Cacao Project in 2019.

Related: Filipina shares 2019 experience with Nas Daily; vlogger fights back

"For a long time now, I have fully focused on the Project Nightfall Organization! That is the only way I managed to grow it to so many people from all around the world. But some people still group me and Nas like we're the same person working on the same things. We're not," he stressed.

According to his website, Project Nightfall "began as a social media channel, spreading awareness about sensitive and important topics around the world."

Today, it has "grown far beyond one man" and become a social movement. It said that the site garners an "average 500,000,000 views every month, have a truly globally diverse audience, and are known for discussing uncomfortable topics."

After clarifying his relationship with Nas Daily, he began recounting their 2019 experience and said he needed to address the viral post.

"A post from Louise who wrote a lot of bad stuff about things that my friend Nas allegedly said two years ago. Guess what?

"I was there. I went there to work on a video about Louise, too, so I can give you my version and trust me, I could've just stayed silent and in a few days forget about this but if there's one thing that I really dislike it's when people build their careers while taking other people down. It's very unfair, and so I need to tell you what happened exactly," he said.

He claimed the details of Mabulo's viral Facebook post on August 5 "are not strong from a logical point of view." Mabulo posted a reply post to Nas Daily's reaction to her post on the same day.

In that post, Mabulo said that it will be the last that people will hear from her regarding the issue. Her father, San Fernando, Camarines Sur Mayor Fermin Mabulo, also posted in his own Facebook page his recollection of the incident.

There was no mention of Project Nightfall in all of Louise's posts. He was seen commenting on the statement post of Nas on the Facebook page of Nas Daily Tagalog.

"Can you imagine anyone with millions of fans from all around the world, a public figure to say highly offensive stuff in front of a total stranger?" Project Nightfall said, dispelling Mabulo's allegations that she heard Nas insult Filipinos during their 2019 visit.

Hare denied some of the controversial remarks allegedly uttered by Nas Daily in front of them while shooting the video.  

"I have never heard him say any of these words! Because if he actually said them, I would be the first person to hold him accountable," he said.

He added his surprise at how people easily believed anything written on the Internet "without any recording, without any actual proof." He also noted how the post had "mostly disabled comments."

"The video about Louise was one of the biggest surprises I have ever experienced on my journey. We took a few hours long plane to fly only for that video. Few hours flight!
It was a story that has even been covered by the UN (United Nations) so we thought it must be verified. Normally we wouldn't take a plane for one video," he said.

He recalled starting the recording with "great energy" and that he found Louise a "great young woman with very good energy." He added that she was "a little bit shy but very, very smart!"

"Like I cannot say anything bad about her based on that day," he added.

They then went around and took videos of her cocoa plantation, noting how the trees were beautiful.

"Everything was going well in the area she invited us to. But the moment we left her plantation, we started facing a lot of problems.

"Her program was meant to help farmers grow cocoa trees, instead of coconut trees, so they can make more money, and so we went to see farmers growing these trees! But the problem was that they were all dying. Tiny, dying trees. They looked nothing like those around Louise's plantation from one farmer to another farmer.

"We were driving in between for a few hours and couldn't find even one good-looking, healthy tree! And that's when we faced the dilemma. That was so tough!" he said.

He remarked that for them who took a long flight for hours just to go to San Fernando, the last thing they want to do was quit.

"But we had to because the video would be a lie and so we left," he said.

He was shocked to hear about Louise's viral post two years later.

"Thousands of people in the Philippines have something against me for no reason and it's especially painful because most of my team is Filipino," he said.

Addressing the 'Pinoy baiting' issue

Hare proceeded to say that he and his team love it when they have an opportunity to do something good for the Philippines.

"And when we do that, now people are saying that it's 'Pinoy bait.' How can you say that?!

"I mean, we made 25 out of 600 videos about the Philippines. That's less than 5% of the videos I ever released about the Philippines," he said.

He added that he have said many times that he loves the mentality of Filipinos. From the first day he visited, he always felt that he shares the same positive energy as the Filipinos. He commended the youthful, warm and welcoming vibe of Filipinos.

He continued by airing his disappointment at the turn of events that he saw himself in especially since Project Nightfall Organization has been initiating projects around the world, including plans to open a care house in the Philippines.

It is these initiatives that made him decide to record the video.

"That's why I decided to record this video and clear my name, and tell you what happened from my standpoint because if I remain silent, it's as if I am guilty of something," he said.

He said that although it saddens him, he understands those who decide to unfollow and leave Project Nightfall's mission. He said people are free to do that.

"The real problem is though that I'm getting so much negativity from this side of the world right now. So many bad comments. So many negative messages and it's especially hurtful because I know it's a lie and I know I have not done anything wrong," he said.

He closed his video by thanking those who took the time to watch it. He hoped that some people will be able to understand the incident from his point of view and said that he loves his viewers and hopes to come out of it "stronger."

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