Ian Veneracion’s supposed P500,000 talent fee request belied

Ian Veneracion. Image: Instagram/@ianveneracion1

The organizers of Tarlac City’s Kaisa Festival dismissed claims that Ian Veneracion asked for a P500,000-talent fee for a two-hour public appearance, saying they had “no communication” with the actor or his team.

Talks on Veneracion’s supposed half-a-million talent fee arose on social media after writer-director Ronaldo Carballo claimed that he spoke to the talent coordinator who reached out to the actor. 

“Ang mahal pala ni Ian Veneracion for a public appearance,” Carballo said on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Jan. 16. “Requested siya kaya kinukuha siya ng Tarlac Festival, to be held on [the] last Sunday of January 2024.”

(Ian Veneracion’s talent fee for a public appearance is so expensive. The Tarlac Festival organizers reached out to him because some requested for him to be the celebrity guest in the event on the last Sunday of January 2024.)

“Sasakay siya sa float at ipaparada siya sa bayan ng Tarlac City. Kakaway-kaway lang siya, ni hindi siya kakanta,” he continued. “Sabi raw ng road manager ni Ian, ‘P500k si Ian in two hours sa parade at ‘pag lumagpas ng two hours, may P100k additional per hour.'”

(He was just asked to ride a float and join the parade in Tarlac City. He would just wave at the people; he was not even asked to sing. Ian’s road manager told them, “Ian’s rate is P500,000 for a two-hour parade. A P100,000-additional fee will be charged for every exceeding hour.)

Carballo added that the road manager allegedly demanded that Veneracion should have his own float, a separate one from other celebrities’ floats.

“‘Siguraduhin mo din na may pangbayad ang mga producer, 50 percent down payment upon contract signing. Bago sumampa si Ian sa float, dapat fully-paid na siya,'” Carballo quoted the road manager.

(Make sure that the producers can afford Ian’s talent fee. 50 percent down payment shall be given upon contract-signing. His fee must be fully-paid before he gets on the float.)

The director then claimed that the Tarlac Festival organizers decided not to continue their negotiation with Veneracion after the talent coordinator’s conversation with his road manager.

“Sabi ko lang in this true story: OA ang P500K for a parade kahit limang oras pa,” Carballo said, adding how he gave Veneracion the benefit of the doubt and thought that the road manager must have been the one making the demands.

(What I can say regarding this true story is that a P500,000 talent fee even for a five-hour parade is too much.)

“‘Hindi. Si Ian talaga ‘yun. Na-experience ko na rin si Ian noon. Talagang ma-kwenta siya at nagbibilang talaga siya ng oras,'” the talent manager allegedly told the director.

(No, it was really Ian giving the demands. I have experienced working with him before. He’s really very strict in counting his work hours.)

No communication

The Tarlac City Information Office then released a statement on the matter via its Facebook page on Thursday, Jan. 18. 

“Contrary to a Facebook post suggesting Ian Veneracion’s participation in the Tarlac City Kaisa Festival’s Grand Float Parade, the festival organizers confirm no communication with Mr. Veneracion’s team,” it read.

“His negotiation with a private company seeking his participation was not completed,” it added, opting not to state the company it was referring to.

Veneracion’s team has issued a statement contesting Carballo’s claims, and saying it is “exploring legal options” against the writer-director.

Meanwhile, Carballo appeared to have disabled his Facebook messenger, as of writing.