POST-CONCERT OFFICIAL STATEMENT
MAMAMOO WORLD TOUR
[MY CON] - MANILA
hello!
This is Mamamoo Philippines (MMMPH). We have created this canvasite to house our official statements on some of the issues and concerns raised by Filipino Moos. We will be using this platform so we can provide pieces of evidence to better support our side and situation.
In accordance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012, we have secured the consent of the people and entities involved for MMMPH to post our private conversations here. Unfortunately, we will not be releasing proof of Wilbros Live's (WL) answers on our conversation thread. A WL staff also declined the request to post screenshots of our admin's conversation with her. However, we will post the messages we have sent them for everyone's reference.
Nevertheless, MMMPH affirms that all statements here are true and verified. No image nor evidence has been tampered with, and names, accounts, and other personal information are redacted for safety and security reasons. Despite the negative reactions and discredit our organization received online, we do not wish that upon anyone or any organization.
These statements do NOT intend to solely blame other entities involved nor attack fellow Moos who became vocal with their concerns. We hold ourselves accountable for our lapses and firmly admit our mistakes. However, we do hope that you would read until the end to understand our side.
Thank you for being patient with us as we took the time in developing these statements to avoid any form of inaccuracies, verify each statement, and be careful with the words we choose.
Issue #1: Issuance of Unofficial Queueing Numbers for Gen Ad Section
Disclaimer: The allocated times in each statement are approximated and follows Philippine Time (PHT).
09 February: To ensure order and peace for the Gen Ad section attendees, MMMPH asked about issuing Unofficial Queuing Numbers (UQNs), to which WL approved (as shown below). We also informed them that we will be issuing UQNs starting at 8:00 am onwards on D-Day.
NOTE: This message has been replied to by Wilbros and the whole exchange will not be released.
11 February: MMMPH posted UQN issuance guidelines, and assigned staff and volunteers to their specific designations.
12 February, 8:00 am: Despite the preparations we arranged for the D-Day, we still experienced lapses because of unforeseen circumstances (eg. tardiness of volunteers and staff, issues about staffing); banners were not immediately transported to the Yellow Gate and the UQN has not been turned over. For that, we do sincerely apologize to those who went early at Araneta and waited for the distribution. We also advised Gen Ad Moos to return to Yellow Gate before 3:00 pm since the security prohibits loitering in the area.
12 February, 2:00 pm: Red Knights Crowd Management Services, a crowd control management hired by Wilbros for the event, informed us that they will not be honoring the UQN we were issuing. They claimed they were not informed by Wilbros about this and refused any help from the staff. The security was also insistent that it was their job to handle the queueing. Since tension was clearly becoming evident, our admin reached out to a WL staff and explained the issue. Unfortunately, there was a miscommunication between Wilbros and the security regarding the UQN. While our admin reasoned that a different WL staff approved it via Twitter DM, the said staff did affirm to do something about the situation.
12 February, before 3:00 pm: The bouncers were already commanding Moos to proceed inside Yellow Gate when our admin received information from a WL staff that they already coordinated with the security team to honor our UQN. Our admin talked with the head of security and waited for this info from WL to reach him. However, our admin received no update from WL after 5 minutes and left Yellow Gate to assist other volunteers. At this point, the UQN was disregarded, but banners were still distributed for Moos.
We do apologize to those who lined up early and followed our guidelines to the letter but ended up being behind the queue. Since Wilbros initially approved our UQN, we thought everything would go as planned. Miscommunication between the organizers and security has affected our initiative and for that, we are sorry that we have not been able to implement it well. We still hoped that all Gen Ad attendees enjoyed the concert despite experiencing these issues.
Issue #2: Fanprojects
Sub-Issue A: Message Banners Distribution
Disclaimer: The allocated times in each statement are approximated and follows Philippine Time (PHT).
NOTE: Names of the staff and volunteers are redacted for privacy purposes.
We created this timetable (as shown above) to take note of the preferred tasks of our staff and volunteers. As we do not want to demand their whole pre-con time for banner distribution and booth duties, and to consider that they may have other engagements during that time (like CSE, freebies, meet-ups, etc.), we let everyone choose their schedules.
Although this was not strictly followed, everyone was ready to help each other. And for that, we are really grateful to our fellow staff and volunteers. The message banner distribution did not stop until the concert-goers, together with the volunteers and staff, officially entered the coliseum. We are aware that there were fans who did not get their message banners as we only printed approx. 8,500 copies. We were also unable to track those who got more than one (1) banner.
We were not given early access pass by RBW and Wilbros to the venue for the purpose of distributing the banners and put them on your seats, which would have been easier for our staff. However, we understand that RBW and Mamamoo do not want fans inside the venue during their tech rehearsals.
We believe that even with the lack of manpower, we were able to distribute most of the banners. However, our deepest apologies to some fans who we were unable to reach and distribute banners to. If you would like to print your own banners, let us know so we can send to you the design.
Moving forward, MMMPH will make sure that there are enough volunteers to undertake big tasks like this. We will also consider having Team Labas volunteers to help us.
Sub-Issue B: Food Support for Moos (Taho & Ice Cream)
Food support for Moos aimed to provide taho and ice cream for free to attendees. This was disapproved because of the following reasons:
- Araneta does not allow food or drinks selling; and
- Araneta already has food stores.
MMMPH pushed to Wilbros and Araneta to reconsider the project since it will be for free. However, they reaffirmed their disapproval.
Because of this unfortunate development, our admins updated the fanproject slide, stating that the project was disapproved. The budgeting tab of the fundraising excel was also updated, informing donors that the budget for "Food Support for Moos" will be transferred to "Cloth Banners", our plan b.
Sub-Issue C: Cloth Banners, Airport Tarp and Team Airport
Team Airport was one of the fanprojects that we submitted to WL and RBW. However, they have disapproved our request to know their flights so we could welcome them. Regardless, MMMPH tried to find ways and connect with Malaysian Moos so that we can be informed of their departure and assume their arrival. Since we were also prohibited from sharing the assumed flight details of Mamamoo, we cannot post them on our social media accounts. We did, however, discreetly shared it with some of the Moos and volunteers.
With these circumstances, it was concluded to pursue the cloth banners and airport tarpaulin, which were printed ahead of time and were all brought to Araneta for Team Airport.
The initial information received was that they would be arriving at 5:00 am. Team Airport was supposed to meet up at 2:00 am at the nearest fast food restaurant but we have received information that their departure from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia would be at 8:00 am, which would make their arrival at NAIA around 12:00 nn. Because of this, the tarpaulin and banners were not used as we, the admins and volunteers who were in charge of distributing the cloth banners to Team Airport, should have to be at Araneta by 8:00 am for their assigned tasks. However, once we have confirmed the flights of our girls, we quickly disseminated the information to everyone through our Telegram Chat.
We apologize for not being able to publicly share their flight details as these are private information and against the instructions of both WL and RBW. We also admit that the materials were not used for the purpose they were made for as we did not foresee the flight changes of Mamamoo.
As Plan B, 30 pieces of the cloth banners were turned over to CSE donors to be used as raffle prizes. The rest will be raffled to volunteers, staff and sponsors.
Sub-Issue D: Food Support for Mamamoo
MMMPH asked WL about giving food support to Mamamoo and RBW staff. On 15 January, we were advised not to send food or perishable items as these would [en verbatim] "just go to waste." Cake, however, was approved but they won't be able to bring and consume it.
We asked for consideration on giving sealed local food instead, which Wilbros gave a thumbs-up. This is why it was included in our fanprojects slides (as seen above), and staff were assigned to initially prepare it.
Keep in mind that MMMPH did crowdsourcing for fanproject ideas which are compiled here. We also received a lot of creative ideas via Twitter DM. However, we hope Moos would understand why we had to make decisions that resulted in their ideas being disregarded because we only followed what Wilbros and RBW advised.
These are one of the creative ideas we received from Moos that we unfortunately disregarded because of WL and RBW's instructions.
When we received the decisions of RBW about our fanprojects on 2 February, no comments were left on the food support slides (as shown below).
Screenshots of presentations with RBW's feedback (left/top) vs. without RBW's feedback (right/below).
We also sent a follow-up message to Wilbros more than once via email and DM regarding the projects, but we were discouraged from pursuing it. Wilbros told us that we don't need to send food because they [en verbatim] "spoil their artists," and already provided catering services backstage.
It was only on 10 February that our admins decided to still push through with limited food support against the advice of Wilbros. No alcoholic drinks were purchased and lesser snacks were bought than what was intended, making us unable to give snacks for RBW staff.
The team's original plan in January was to buy an M standee in Shopee (see image on the right), but with sealed food inside. However, due to time constraints, only the concept was followed as materials have to be ordered online. The team started doing this only a day before the concert, from 7:00 pm to 2:00 am. To clarify the purchase of materials during D-day, it was because we ran out of foil and other materials the night before.
Even though our team exerted their best efforts to implement this project well, we admit that our execution and decisions were rushed and impulsive. We deeply apologize to Moos who were disappointed with the concept and our final output.
Moving forward, MMMPH will be more flexible to changes, prepare alternate plans, and avoid making impulsive decisions that could lead to projects being executed poorly.
We are honestly disheartened to see comments like these from our fellow Moos. Our team, especially those staff who stayed up all night to work on the standee, took it to heart. MMMPH accepts constructive criticisms and suggestions from Moos to help us improve as a local fanbase for Mamamoo, but we also discourage receiving offensive comments as these only offer impractical subjective feedback, and may come out as destructive.
Issue #3: Afterparty
Sub-issue A: Overbooking at Spectroom
Disclaimer: The allocated times in each statement are approximated and follows Philippine Time (PHT).
23 January, 8:00 pm: MMMPH went to SpectRoom to have an ocular visit as both organizers agreed to push through with the venue. A contract agreement, which will remain confidential, was provided by the management, indicating that the maximum capacity of the venue is 150 (excluding the suppliers such as caterers, event planners, photographers, etc.). We also have requested that the management arrange the tables, remove the couch, and use cocktail tables in front of the DJ booth to ensure that there will be ample space for the guests to move around.
29 January, 3:00 pm: MMMPH provided a copy of the drink set menu to SpectRoom through Facebook Messenger so they could prepare accordingly.
12 February: K-Pop Stans for Good Governance (KS4GG) arrived at the venue to facilitate registration from 11:00 pm
Partial screenshot of our communication with SpectRoom via Facebook Messenger.
onwards. One of the MMMPH admins arrived at the venue past 11:00 pm as the concert finished past 10:30 pm, and some of the staff attended the send-off party. Upon arrival, KS4GG informed us that many guests had already arrived, and the team had to clarify the table arrangement with the management.
Despite the verbal agreement exchanged beforehand with the venue management, the table management was not followed. But since the guests were already inside the venue, the venue management suggested to set up additional tables and chairs to take place of the photobooth once it was done. As we have also missed reminding the management regarding the discussed table arrangement, it resulted in overcrowding.
It is our shortcoming that we only provided a verbal agreement regarding the table management, and for that, we apologize to those who went to the SpectRoom after party. We admit that it could have been managed better, so miscommunication between the organizers and venue management could have been avoided. Rest assured that we took note of this incident and will do our best to improve and learn from it. All the feedback regarding the venue and event will also be forwarded to SpectRoom accordingly.
Sub-issue B: Security Issues at Spectroom
As the venue location is within the vicinity of Cubao, we are aware that the neighborhood is a community of different bars and clubs. It is the nearest venue available that can accommodate the number of guests we were expecting at a reasonable price beyond 10:00 pm. We made sure to post important details, including the venue location, to ensure people who are interested in coming will have ample time to research the location.
When we had our ocular visit, there were people outside guarding the place. It was also stipulated (on the contract) that security personnel would be provided to safeguard the venue. However, it has come to our attention that there were incidents of catcalling and security issues at the venue.
We are also aware that there is only one entrance and exit. Only the second floor of the building is being used and available as they are cleaning the ground floor for a planned renovation this year.
We did consider other venues like Chill Top Bar and Resto in Cubao, which is more spacious. However, their rate is more expensive than that of SpectRoom, requiring ₱200,000 payment for 150 pax and making the registration fee with approx. ₱1,300. Their hours are also fixed (6:00 pm to 1:00 am only) which did not work with our desired schedule.
We are really sorry that some guests had to experience such terrible situations and feared for their safety. Rest assured that it is never our intention to compromise our co-Moos' safety and security, and that these incidents will be forwarded to SpectRoom appropriately.
Moving forward, we'll always prioritize our fellow Moos' well-being when choosing our venues and planning our events.
Sub-issue C: SamgyupDay Issues
1. Per initial check with the branch, they confirmed the availability of the venue and capacity of up to 400 pax (over the phone per staff R). Discussions were done via phone as MMMPH staff was engaged with personal businesses at that time. The goal then was to secure a place for a possibly huge number of pax.
2. Branch booking for exclusive use is subject to downpayment per the confirmed number of slots, with approval of the store per number of headcounts and no refund in case of cancellation/absence during the booked schedule. Following store policy, registration forms were created with instructions detailing the same.
3. Food arrangement: the restaurant is buffet style and not service style. Customers were asked to get their meats and other menus from their buffet table and then return to their respective seats. We apologized for overlooking this information in our registration form, and not announcing this prior to the event.
4. On the first day of registration, we received 200 registrants and confirmed the number with the store, pending a final number of pax. Their branch attendant requested approval for 200 pax with the store manager and requested a downpayment for the same (50%) from MMMPH. Since registrants already paid the full amount, we paid the branch in full to secure transactions for the first 200 pax.
5. Upon entry, all are required to list down names in the store's log book. With 241 names listed, MMMPH settled payment before leaving the venue. However, per reviewing their logbook vs. registration form, there were customers who did not list their names on the store's logbook but confirmed their attendance with our registration form, making the total customers to 254 pax. Payment for additional 13 pax has also been settled with the branch by MMMPH.
6. The rate per pax over phone transaction has been noted at 350 pesos, but later confirmed at 349 pesos during payment to the branch.
7. Regarding concerns regarding the seating arrangements, some Moos already seated still had vacant chairs at their tables so we asked to allow other Moos to join them. We went through every table and assisted all who came.
8. Regarding the long queue at the place, it was purely for verification purposes. Per registration, one Moo may purchase slots for multiple people so we wanted to make sure that each attendee is accounted for. We asked only one representative from their group while others could already start with getting the food.
Sub-issue D: Refunds
We still have to discuss this with the team and further communication will be sent via email to those Moos concerned. Please wait for our update. Thank you!
We apologize for the unfavorable experiences encountered by Moos during this event. Our team has taken into account the feedback shared and will ensure that better organization will be done in the future.
Sub-issue E: Overcommitment
We admit that what OP said in this tweet is true. With fewer staff and volunteers and more projects planned, we have overcommitted and stretched our manpower too thin, to the point that it has become quantity over quality. Our only intention was to please Moos who were requesting more after-parties, and this resulted in our events being disappointments to attendees. And for that, we are truly sorry.
Issue #4: Staffing
Call for Volunteers and Lack of Staff - We saw that Moos are curious about the profile of the admins and the lack of volunteers. We will not disclose any of their personal identity to abide by the Data Privacy Act of 2012, but we can declare that some admins were already staff way back in 2015, and the last staff hiring that we had was in 2021. Not all admin and staff are consistently active throughout the years. For the concert, we also have staff who did not participate in our engagements due to their busy schedules and we cannot compel them to be active and contribute.
Moo Volunteer Group was organized before the ticket selling. All Ticketnet outlets have volunteers assigned. These are the same volunteers that we have tapped to help us during D-day. Some recommitted, and others did not, which is acceptable to us. We also requested current volunteers to encourage and invite other Moo friends, whom they can vouch for, as volunteers. Please refer to the screenshots below.
Additionally, MMMPH had also worked with other Mamamoo fanbase groups from the course of ticket selling up to the concert day. Examples would be Mootulungan whom we helped with their online busking activities and MooMindanao who initiated fundraising as well. We also reached out to Yesulbang and WindflowerPH, who initiated giving their merch as gifts for the girls.
Lack of Communication - On 20 February, a Twitter Space was hosted by a fellow Moo. A GFX volunteer opened the issue about their experience working with our GFX team. We have reached out to the person concerned privately, and MMMPH's GFX Team Head took full responsibility for canceling scheduled meetings and not being able to communicate effectively on some important matters. We also apologize to all our volunteers who witnessed our lapses behind the scenes but had always shown initiative and determination for everything to be successful. We are and always will be thankful for your support, passion, and patience with MMMPH.
We saw a suggestion of tapping other Filipino Moo fanbases whom we can collaborate with and can assign projects/tasks to reduce MMMPH's responsibilities. This will be noted and considered in the future. We have realized that although we have helped promote volunteer-initiated activities of our fellow moos, we did not maximize our partnerships with them. We were also unable to tap other moos as we were contented with the volunteers that we have. Despite all these issues, please know that MMMPH greatly welcomes volunteers and initiatives and are always willing to help, promote and participate in these activities (as long as it is aligned with the goals of our fanclub).
Issue #5: VIP Souvenir Kit
Around 3 weeks before D-day, it was clear that there would be no additional benefits for the concert-goers. There was also a request from many VIP goers to prepare a souvenir kit which they would be willing to pay for. This is because in other K-pop concerts, soundcheck goers were either given IDs or wristbands as an additional benefit. Surveys were then made to get an interest check for the VIP souvenir kit then the GFX team, with the help of some willing VIP volunteers, prepared designs and eventually order forms were released 2 weeks before the concert.
Distribution Proper: Based on the agreement with Araneta Management, they would be setting up the booth starting at 8:00 am. However, Araneta staff in charge of concert ingress were unaware of the setup, resulting in the delay of the distribution. We were only able to secure both the booth and components of the kit at 9:00 am. Those who came before the booth setup lined up orderly prior to the distribution. Two (2) lanes were organized to speed up distribution.
Timeline: We were entertaining inquiries and distributing souvenir kits until 3:30 pm, even though the original schedule was only until 3:00 pm. Our admins only stopped because we were informed that the soundcheck will not be reserved seating, so we rushed inside the venue.
Unclaimed Kits: We believe that we have allotted ample time for those claiming the souvenir kits. As for claiming after the concert, this was not allowed as the MMMPH's booth had to pack up when all gates opened at 5pm. The unclaimed kits would be shipped at the buyer's expense.
Issue #6: Concert-Related Issues
Sub-Issue A: Soundcheck Queueing
12 February, 12:00 nn: MMMPH Admin talked with WL Staff regarding soundcheck queueing. We were informed that it is NOT free seating and once inside, VIP moos will have to find their seat before soundcheck starts. After being provided with this info, admin posted this announcement.
12 February, 3:00 pm: However, we were informed by security stationed at Red Gate that it will be free seating. At this time, VIP moos were already being ushered inside. MMMPH Admin messaged WL Staff, who then confirmed that it will be free seating instead, contrary to what they said earlier. WL Staff reasoned that when they first talked to MMMPH Admin, they actually did NOT know the seating arrangement. After requests for reconsideration, no replies have been received by MMMPH admin. As a result, most staff and volunteers of MMMPH were at the end of the queue and at the back during soundcheck since we only went in line when we received confirmation from WL that it will not be reserved seating.
Sub-Issue B: Post-Soundcheck Queueing
12 February, 5:00 pm: After soundcheck, VIP moos were ordered to exit the venue and wait for further announcements. After more than an hour of waiting, MMMPH Admin contacted WL Staff. She answered that they are actually waiting for RBW's go signal as well. MMMPH Admin also relayed the complaint of a Gen Ad Moo that their area is overcrowded and lacks proper ventilation.
Issue #7: Transparency, Accountability and Responsibility
On 20 February, a Moo tagged us on a thread, calling out the fan club's transparency as [sic] "nowhere to be found." The following statements aim to answer some of the comments made by OP:
- We updated the fundraising sheet every week from the date we posted the Google Sheets. Sometimes, even during weekdays whenever our admin has time (as she has full-time and part time jobs as well). It was updated until February 11.
- We also included the budgeting sheet to inform everyone when the next update will be released, so that donors can expect the next updates.
- If OP thought that the report that we made was "barely understandable and informative to begin with", it would have been helpful if they informed MMMPH so that we can improve the report. We believe that we have answered moos' questions regarding the fundraising and fan projects prior to con day, and if we remember correctly, we also received suggestions before that which were added to the report.
4. As for the absence of a progress report, the fan project slides, which we always include in our thread of fundraising updates, were updated simultaneously with the fundraising excel. We updated it with the final designs, and the disapproved food support for moos, among others. The budgeting tab was also updated in the same Google Sheets, where we include if the said project was already paid for, delivered, or still pending.
Furthermore, we did ask for receipts prior D-day for those suppliers who were already paid in full. Other suppliers were only paid during or after concert day, the reason why we only requested receipts then. MMMPH admins in contact with the rest of the suppliers were supposed to get in touch with them again after the con and their rest.
As for the posting of receipts, we understand that the funds we are handling are from moos and we give great importance to the funds. Time and patience were all we asked of our fellow moos who questioned MMMPH starting a few days after con day and demanded that the report be updated immediately.
We believe we tried our best to be transparent with Moos through our social media pages and our public documents. However, if some Moos think that our efforts are not enough, we take the accountability for our shortcomings. It would really help the fanclub if you share your thoughts and recommendations with us so that we can improve and change for the better. This is why MMMPH posted a feedback form which we will use as basis for improvements and possible solutions that we can discuss within MMMPH. Please note that we posted this form even before the criticisms were made known to MMMPH.
This is also why, even though we do not agree with some of the comments made by OP in their call-out thread, we are still grateful because she has raised valid points and legitimate concerns that we were unaware of that became the basis of issues raised in this document.
OTHER MATTERS
How about the other issues not addressed here?
We are aware that there are other issues that we did not include in our statement. Depending on the nature of the complaint/issue, we may:
- reach out to the concerned person privately
- reply to their tweet publicly
- ignore them completely (especially if we believe that their tweet is not constructive criticism and any explanation from our side will not be accepted by the other party)
Why we did not update the report immediately:
Please note that creating a liquidation report together with the receipts from staff, admins and some volunteers is not easy. In addition to that, some receipts were not issued right away by suppliers, thus, staff and volunteers involved had to review purchases and gather receipts from the same. Follow-ups were made so that we could complete our transparency report and post it tonight, February 28.
Furthermore, before being admins, we are also MOOS. We also experience PCD as all Moomoos have experienced after the concert. Some of us still can't believe that indeed we got to see Mamamoo live for the first time last February 12! The main reason why we decided to take a rest for a while and post PCD-related moments on Facebook and Twitter in the meantime. Apologies if you think we are unprofessional regarding this matter.
All of us are thrilled and excited to see our girls perform here in Manila. We waited patiently for how many years. That is why we did our best, exerted our utmost effort, and worked untiringly to serve our fellow Moos from ticket selling up until after the concert.
And before we are Moos, we are also HUMANS. The concert was held on a Sunday, and the next free day of our staff is the weekend. Unlike our service in MMMPH, we have actual jobs where we get paid for our efforts.
And all humans need REST. We have and will always apologize for our lapses as MMMPH staff, but we will never apologize for prioritizing our HEALTH. From late-night meetings to not eating anything at all during concert day, we have only been able to rest completely and recover after the concert. We did not publicize anything but some of our staff were sick the next day, to the point where an admin was rushed to the hospital after the con due to overfatigue.
What will happen to the remaining funds?
We will be sending an email blast next week to all the sponsors so that they can vote on possible plans for the remaining funds. For transparency, the poll may include but not limited to: MMM anniversary ads in June and donation to charity (either for animals or for people).
What's next for Mamamoo Philippines?
At the moment, we are quite unsure. We have been discouraged and disheartened and have been doubting to continue our journey as admins of this fanclub. We are aware that we signed up to be part of MMMPH and no one forced us to fulfill our roles and the responsibilities attached to them. As it is our first time experiencing being a quasi-organizer of a concert, we believe that we have exerted our best efforts. We are aware of our lapses, but we also know that we cannot please everyone and there is no perfect person/organization.
Yes, we should be accountable, especially since we have received the biggest funding since we opened this fanclub. However, the hurtful comments and parinig were too much for us to bear, to the point that it affected our mental health and inner peace. Everything that we were passionately doing for Mamamoo has now been taxing to do.
So we have decided to take an INDEFINITE HIATUS while we reflect on our lapses and go back to our "why"s - why we became admins. We'll still answer DMs, clarification about these statements and our transparency report, and post updates about Mamamoo whenever necessary.
Again, we deeply apologize to every moo who has been disappointed with our decisions, execution, and action with all things related to the concert. If and when we do come back, we hope to have learned from our mistakes and be a better fanclub in the future, for our fellow fans and for Mamamoo. Thank you for everyone's support constructive criticisms and understanding to Mamamoo Philippines!
Thank you!