Production head of Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) Borg Roxas has addressed recent allegations made by trophy designer Jef Albea regarding unpaid fees for trophies crafted for the pageant’s coronation night.
On June 12, Albea publicly claimed on social media that MUPH had failed to compensate him for his work on the trophies used during the event held on May 22.
He expressed his frustration, stating, “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 further declared that he no longer wished to receive any payment from MUPH, emphasizing his desire for artists to be respected. “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.”
In response, Roxas clarified that the delay in payment was due to a lack of necessary documentation from Albea. “Lahat ng suppliers nagpapadala ng billing statement at invoice prior to May 22 para aligned na lahat. Nauuna nabayaran yung nagpapadala agad kasi may paperwork,” Roxas explained in a Facebook post.
He further elaborated, “Hindi sya nakasama sa May 30 cut off kasi walang papers. Kaya sa June 15 cut off sya nakasama kasi magkausap sila ng staff.” Roxas emphasized that the production staff continued to engage with Albea, even on the day he posted his complaint on social media.
“Pero kahit ganun man, wala naman TINATAKASAN,” Roxas asserted, adding that MUPH is committed to resolving all payments. He reiterated that the organization is not at fault and assured that all outstanding payments would be settled.
