A photography service and a caterer issued apologies following backlash over a concept in which staff were made to appear as “human trays” and “standing lamps” at an event.
Nice Print Photo, a popular photo and video service provider, said the concept “was intended as an artistic performance” and that it was “never” its intention to be “insensitive.”
“Regarding our 20th Anniversary event, we would like to address the conversations surrounding specific segments of our food service and entertainment presentation,” the company said in a statement on Sunday, March 22.
“While the concept was intended as an artistic performance, we duly recognize that the execution was perceived by some as insensitive and may have caused discomfort. This was never our intention,” it added.
“We sincerely apologize to those who may have felt discomfort as we fell short of the care and respect we strive to uphold. We value your thoughts and will use this as an opportunity to reflect and be more mindful in how we bring creative concepts to life moving forward. Thank you for allowing us to grow,” it said.
Juan Carlo, the catering service at the event, also apologized for how the creative concept was implemented.
“We have seen the concerns raised regarding our service presentation at the recent Nice Print 20th Anniversary, and we hear you,” the caterer’s statement on Monday, March 23, read.
“As a catering team, we take full responsibility for how our service is experienced. While the presentation was part of a broader creative direction for the event, we recognize that it may have caused discomfort to some,” it added.
“We sincerely apologize to those who felt uncomfortable. We appreciate the feedback and will be more mindful in how we execute future experiences,” the caterer said.
“Taking this moment to listen, reflect, and move forward with greater care,” the caterer captioned its post.
Content creator Toni Sia, whose post about the event went viral, also issued a statement after sharing an Instagram Story that drew criticism from Filipinos.
“I sincerely apologize to everyone who felt hurt, offended, or uncomfortable because of it,” she said in another Instagram Story on Sunday.
“I attended an event to celebrate an important milestone in their field. In the moment, I felt overwhelmed by the scale and atmosphere of the event, and I posted a video with a caption that did not fully reflect the respect I have for the people and work involved,” the content creator said.
“It was never my intention to belittle or disrespect anyone. I take full accountability for my lapse in judgment and for the impression it caused. I have taken time to listen, reflect, and learn from this experience so I can be more mindful moving forward,” Toni continued.
“To everyone affected, I am truly sorry. I appreciate the feedback and will continue to reflect on my actions. Humihingi po ako ng paumanhin sa inyong lahat,” she added.
The event
Online posts from the event was shared by some attendees, drawing backlash from online users who questioned the execution of the concept.
It involved some staff acting as “human trays” and women dressed to appear like “moving lamps.”
The trays were fitted around their heads, while the women’s faces were covered by lamphead costumes.
“The people who thought of this and thought that it was cool, even ‘bongga’, need an honest soul-searching. What values and principles do you have as persons? The same applies to those in the event who did not find this appalling, at the very least!” an online user wrote.
The people who thought of this and thought that it was cool, even “bongga”, need an honest soul-searching. What values and principles do you have as persons? The same applies to those in the event who did not find this appalling at the very least! pic.twitter.com/JTNmDDL8YK
— Fr. Myke, MSC (@popmonkph) March 20, 2026
Another attendee shared a photo from the event showing women posed as background accents.
They didn’t stopped at human trays. They also had human vending machine and human lamps. LMAO pic.twitter.com/7xQKFXzTyq
— FKA Carter (@jombaclatt) March 20, 2026
They were also seen dancing in a TikTok clip.
who approved this? wtf. we need katniss everdeen. https://t.co/LXJ12Bo1h5 pic.twitter.com/Cz6hi8HAue
— @robismore on ig (@robismore) March 20, 2026
“The message: We treat other people like objects. Such degrading display of humanity,” another commented.
“May mesa naman?! B*i*it talaga ‘tong mga mayayaman na out of touch na masyado, nawawala na ang pagiging makatao,” a different online user said.
“It looked disgusting. Nasa 2026 na tayo. Let’s respect people with dignity. Hindi sila gadget, hindi sila figurine. These are people with [two] hands. Let them serve with their hands [because] tao sila,” another Pinoy commented.
“Ang dehumanizing naman nito huhu, ewan, kairita ‘yung nag-pitch ng idea,” another wrote.
Nice Print Photo’s social media posts do not show the controversial setup involving the servers and the female dancers.
