MANILA, Philippines – Filipino visual artist Jef Albea took to social media on Wednesday evening, June 12, to air his grievances against the Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) Organization for its alleged unsettled payments of his pieces for the 2024 pageant.
Albea was listed as the official trophy designer for the MUPH 2024 pageant, whose coronation night was held on May 22.
Sharing a photo of the trophies he designed and crafted for the pageant, Albea claimed that the MUPH organization “refused to pay” him.
“All the effort, dedication and passion I put into creating these pieces, ended up ignored and disregarded when payment was due,” he said.
Now that he has publicized his sentiments, Albea said that he won’t be needing nor accepting “a single centavo” from the MUPH organization, adding that artists should be treated with respect.
He emphasized that artists put a lot of effort in honing their respective craft, and their creations shouldn’t just be part of an exchange deal.
“I fiercely advocate for my fellow artists with unwavering passion, not all artists can take and afford this mistreatment,” he ended his post.
As of writing, the MUPH organization has yet to release a statement in response to Albea’s post. – Rappler.com