The Facebook timeline was filled of different allegations and stories of the candidates from the previously inaugurated Miss Universe Palawan 2022 event, plus, various comments of the Palaweño netizens on the night of the coronation, but most of the stories came from the Miss Universe Palawan 2021, Klaidel Hope Concepcion, who shared several attested experiences under the care of the said charity.
The Miss Universe Palawan 2021’s sentiments stemmed from a previous article made by one of the city’s known media entities, about the “first-ever” Palawan queen.
In the article of the said media company, the 4th queen, Araceli bet Luisa Gallardo is considered as the “first-ever” queen, as Miss Palawan Charities Inc. have already clutched its partnership with the national pageantry organization of Miss Universe Philippines, leading them to change the title name from “Miss Universe Palawan” to “Miss Palawan Universe”.
The post made several Palaweños to question the activities going on inside the charity organization, steering the Miss Universe Palawan 2021 queen to start posting receipts of some conversations and stories of what she faced during her reign.
With the issue, this has led Concepcion to question the legitimacy of the pageantry organization.
Here is one of the Facebook posts made by the Miss Universe 2021 queen:
“[LEGITIMACY OF MISS PALAWAN 2021, WHICH CROWNED UNIVERSE, WORLD, AND EARTH QUEENS]
Edi inamin niyo rin that the three-crown coronation last year for Miss Palawan Universe, Miss Palawan World, and Miss Palawan Earth –is all a farce.
You can’t pay for franchises and yet you used the names of the national/international pageants. HOW EPIC, “MPCI.”
Miss Palawan World suffered screening and hoping to get into Miss World Philippines because of you. You gave false hopes na diretso na sa final candidates once a candidate wins a title crown in Miss Palawan 2021. WHAT A JOKE. WHAT A SCAM. My batch suffered illegitimacy because of your doing. TIGIL NIYO PO ANG PANGLOLOKO NA YAN PLEASE, Bong S Villanueva.
You even disassociated with my batch’s first runner up because she doesn’t want to be under your management. BECAUSE SHE HAS THE RIGHT TO. The winners of my batch weren’t furnished nor did we sign any contract with “MISS PALAWAN CHARITIES INCORPORATED.”
We are forced to ask, IS MISS PALAWAN CHARITIES INCORPORATED EVEN A LEGITIMATE ORGANIZATION WITH A JURIDICAL PERSONALITY?”
In an exclusive interview with the Miss Universe Palawan 2021, Concepcion shared about the cuts that were made in her supposed prizes from last year’s win, all for the sake of the taxes.
Few months before the coronation, she also took time to discuss the MUP 2021 screening timeline wherein she was once a pending candidate until she lost weight.
Some time after, she then recalled that they were given a contract containing several agreements before they get to the catwalk, signifying that they are already “cleared’ to compete.
“Yung nasa contract is the agreement of what will happen regarding prize money for special prizes, so that includes national costume, best in long gown, best in swimsuit, tsaka yung GSMAXX choice award. So nakalagay dun sa kontrata na 32% daw ang ibabawas for “tax”, yun yung implied,” the MUP 2021 said.
“That actually leads us to the question na, “Rehistrado ba yung organization?” because we’ve been using Miss Palawan Charities Inc.,” Concepcion added.
“I think since 2018 and by publicly-available documents and with asking questions din with the organizer, I was discussing it with him (Bong Villanueva), “on process” pa daw ang registration ng Miss Palawan Charities Inc. with the SEC,”
“So given that, they do not have the right to use “Charities Incorporated” in their name, at wala rin po silang karapatan na mag-bawas ng tax dahil kung di ka registered, hindi ka nagreremit sa BIR,” she said, also furnishing Palawan Daily a copy of a document signifying that the Miss Palawan Charities Inc. has not been issued of any permit or license from the city Permits and Licensing Division and the Office of the City Treasurer.
Concepcion also said that even if the charities and the said incorporation possess such permits, the prizes should still be fully given to the candidates and the candidates should be the ones to remit the so-called tax cuts to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
“I actually won “Best in National Costume” for the pageant last year, and the prize was Php 75,000, so minus their 32% cut, nabawasan po ako ng Php 29,000. I-brief ko po kayo kung anong nangyayari sa pera-pera na ganun with the candidates,” she started.
“So, Php 75,000 minus 29, I would be 50-50 with the designer, done. My 50%, magsi-60 40 pa kami ng team ko, that includes my ex-handler, hair and makeup,”
“So kanila pa yung 40, dun sa 60-40, nung 50% ko na na kasama yung designer na binawasan pa nung org ng 32%, so ganun talaga,” the 2021 queen said, also highlighting that the other winners from the last year’s Miss Universe Palawan could also attest on the 32% cut of from their prizes.
It was also in the same year of her win, 2021, when Concepcion declared her deferring on being sent to the national pageant as she would want to focus more on the remaining one year before attaining her undergraduate degree in college.
“Malakas yung loob ko kasi wala namang kontrata with the organizatrion, and also medyo may kutob na ako, “Ah, baka hindi ako ma-handle, ma-supporta, all throughout,” said Concepcion, recalling her previous competition in the nationals, Miss Philippines Earth 2017 wherein she had difficulties on having no proper handler or an organization itself.
The MUP 2021 queen further reiterated that the supposed prize for the title was Php 50,000, while it is Php 25,000 for Miss World Palawan and Miss Earth Palawan, respectively.
“Nabigay kay Jam (Miss World Palawan) at Xena Bunio (Miss Earth Palawan), fully, yung Php 25,000 nila. Sakin, Php 30,000 lang, so nagtanong ako agad, “Paano po yung 20k?” she said.
“Yung una, sabi sakin, “Ah, sweldo-type yung magiging mangyayari. As you go to the events, do the shoots, icocompensate ka monthly, ganyan din yung galawan sa Binibining Pilipinas,” said the MUP 2021 queen, a conversation between him and Miss Palawan Charities 2021 Chief Executive Officer, Edgardo “Bong” S. Villanueva.
However, as time went on during her reign, the remaining Php 20,000 of Concepcion’s prize was allotted for her “National Fund”, but could be remembered that she had already put off joining Miss Universe Philippines following her win.
“So I asked them, I asked Bong Vilanueva, kung “Bakit po yung sakin, bawas? E expected kaming tatlo, Xena and Jam, to compete nationally? Bakit ako lang yung kinaltasan?”
“At sa lahat ng publicity, nakalagay, Php 50,000 cash prize for the title, so dapat off the bat, right after the competition, it would be awarded, kasi walang prior terms na ganun yung mangyayari,”
“And it was just out of my kind heart nung nagkapirmahan kami ng contract with four witnesses na after I passed on the crown, saka niya sakin ibibigay yung Php 20,000,”
“Now, when I was involved in the activities for this year, nakapagrequest na ko sa kanya ng Php 5,000, at actually hindi niya pa nabigay nang buo right off the bat, parang 2, 3k muna, saka niya sinunod yung 2k, 2-3 days after,” she added.
The 4th Miss Universe Palawan queen was hailed last Saturday, February 26, 2022, at the People’s Amphitheater, Mendoza Park.
It was Miss Universe Philippines 2021, Beatrice Luigi Gomez, who crowned the new MUP 2022 queen, differing from the usual tradition of having the reigning queen of the title to pass on the crown.
Concepcion also shared on a Facebook post that she did not have the chance to do her farewell walk and message on the grand coronation night last Saturday.
As of this writing, Palawan Daily still has no statement from Miss Palawan Charities Inc.’s CEO and founder, Edgardo “Bong” S. Villanueva.