Miss Universe Philippines is in hot water after a Filipino designer revealed that he was not paid by the organization for the trophies he designed for this year’s pageant.
In a Facebook post, Jef Albea said that the organization “refused” to pay him for the efforts he made for the pageant.
He then declared that he would not accept any payments from MUPH and only ask them to learn how to respect the craft of being an artist.
According to him, he prioritized his project with MUPH and wasted many opportunities so he could complete his task.
“MISS UNIVERSE vanished into thin air. They refused to pay me for the trophies I designed and crafted for the coronation night. All the effort, dedication and passion I put in creating these pieces, ended up ignored and disregarded when payment was due,” Albea said.
“I do not need nor will I accept a single centavo from the organization anymore. What I need now is for them to learn that ARTISTS DESERVE RESPECT. We pour our hearts and souls into our creations. Our ideas don’t just appear from thin air just to work for an xdeal. They are the result of intense thought, deep emotions, and sleepless nights. Not to mention, opportunities missed, money and years spent honing our craft,” he added.
As of writing, Miss Universe Philippines has yet to give a statement on the issue.