Category: MTRCB

Antidote to inane and offensive TV shows : Don’t watch

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PBB737

PBB737

A number of parents and single adult friends who happened to watch some episodes of Pinoy Big Brother 737 were appalled by the very sexual behavior of housemates, who are all teenagers –the youngest are 12 years old.

Which made me wonder, if the audience have that reaction watching the reality show, how about the parents of those housemates?

PBB 737 is the 12th PBB. Most of the previous shows were in the higher age brackets.

Big Brother is a reality game show franchise created by Dutch John de Mol. A group of people called “housemates” live together for a long period of time (In PBB 737, it’s seven weeks) in a specially constructed large house.

During their time in the house they are isolated from the outside world. Contestants are continuously monitored by in-house television cameras as well as personal audio microphones during their entire stay.

It’s supposed to be a test of character.

Every week, a housemate/ contestant is evicted by votes from the viewers. The last remaining contestant becomes the grand prize winner which includes cash and a house and lot. The TV exposure has helped winners including non-winners carve out careers in show business.

MTRCB stepped into the picture upon getting complaints about the show from parents saying that it failed to protect the welfare and development of minor “housemates” as well as the general viewing public.

MTRCB said the complaints cited scenes offensive to the sensibilities of the viewing public such as but
not limited to the alleged “bromance” – love and affection between two males – between housemates a Karlos Lorerzo “Ker:zo” Gutierrez, 18, and l2-year old Bailey Thomas May.

They also cited the huddling together and engaging in flirtatious talks and actions among male and female housemates; the indecent proposal by housemate Ryan to his co-male housemate if the latter could be his “mistress; the Iack of privacy of a young Muslim woman and interaction with non-Muslim males.

One viewer said he was turned off by the flirtations of a teenage housemate who is a single mother with another housemate.

MTRCB Chair Eugenio Villareal.

MTRCB Chair Eugenio Villareal.

MTRCB called executive of ABS-CBN involved in the controversial show , Dr. Zandro G. Rapadas
of the U.P. College of Mass Communication and Ms. Arlene S. Lacson, who had complained about PBB737; and resource persons, among them, E arl P. Saavedra, of the Commissioner of the National Youth Commission; Georgina Gozo-Oliver of the Philippine Psychiatric Association; Director Jose Javier Reyes; psychologist Fr. Filoteo Mangulabnan, S.J.

The meeting resulted in MTRCB ordering ABS-CBN to institute remedial measures which include “To immediately cease and desist from requiring participants to engage in activities and tasks which may be deemed to be hazardous to their life and safety, or prejudicial to their physical, psychological, emotional, moral, spiritual, and social well-being.”

The show’s rating was changed from Parental Guidance (PG) to Strict Parental Guidance (SPG).
Programs classified as “SPG” may contain more serious topic and theme, which may not be advisable for children to watch except under the very vigilant guidance and presence of a parent or an adult.

Isn’t it ironic that these teen housemates, if they were the TV viewers, should not be watching these shows without the guidance of an adult when inside the Big Brothers house they are on their own, on display to the public.

MTRCB also limited the ABS-CBN’s application for permit to exhibit to seven episodes per application in order to ensure the correct and proper implementation of the committed remedial and self regulatory measures.
Many are asking, “why doesn’t MTRCB just order the scrapping of the show?”

The Philippines is still a democratic country and the Board is conscious of every citizen’s right to freedom of expression. Besides MTRCB, by its name, does classification of movies and TV shows to better guide the public for a more intelligent and worthwhile viewing.

It’s really up to the public. Don’t watch shows that are not worth watching.

Feel bad TV reality show

Ellen Leave a comment

Chairman Eugenio “Toto” Villareal of The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board is not happy with what ABS-CBN in their Pinoy Big Brother reality show did to the two female housemates.

He will meet with “PBB:All In” executives today about its June 4 and 5 episodes wherein Big Brother or “Kuya “ challenged housemate Jamey Jalandoni to pose for a nude painting as part of her weekly tasks.

Jayme Jalandoni. (From ABS-CBN PBB website)

Jayme Jalandoni. (From ABS-CBN PBB website)

Media reports said Jalandoni, known to be a religious person, was initially reluctant to perform the challenge, saying “Kuya, ayoko maghubad (Kuya, I don’t want to take off my clothes).”

Big Brother sternly told her: “Marami ang nakasalalay rito; ang inyong weekly task, ang tulong na maibibigay sa pintor at sa kaniyang adbokasiya… Bibigyan kita ng oras para makapag-isip (There is a lot riding on your decision; your weekly task, the help you can extend the painter and his advocacy… I will give you time to think).”

Apparently feeling the pressure, Jalandoni wavered and agreed. She was told to choose three other housemates to join her as nude models and she chose s Michelle Gumabao, Daniel Matsunaga and Ranty Fortento , who initially agreed but later changed their mind.

Michelle Gumabao

Michelle Gumabao

Gumabao was seen crying.

Jalandoni changedher mind after she was allowed to discuss the task with her father in the confession room. She told her housemates,“Sabi ko na mag-no-no ako, kasi gusto ko respetuhin ‘yung daddy ko (I said ‘no’ because I wanted to respect my dad).”

Villareal said, “The pressure exerted upon said housemates arguably constitutes moral and psychological violence upon them and may violate their dignity as human persons. “

In summoning ABS-CBN executives, Villareal said the MTRCB invokes its 2012 Memorandum of Understanding with the station and other networks for the positive and non-derogatory portrayal of women in television in support of The Magna Carta of Women of 2009. “More the conflict with religion and the incursion into otherwise harmonious family relations can also border into insensitivity toward the Filipino values of faith and family.”

Gross insensitivity indeed for the sake of ratings.

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) is alarmed by what PBB, a franchise from a Dutch-based Endemol, did to Jalandoni and the other housemates. In its statement, the government agency said it saw nothing wrong with women posing nude for art, but it should be her free choice to do so.

Big Brother, it said, violated Jalandoni’s right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion, and belief.

It reminded ABS-CBN executives the provision in The Magna Carta of Women that states: “No individual, television show, or entity has the right to cause discrimination, insecurity, discomfort, offense, or humiliation to any woman.”

The public can do their bit not to encourage shows that promote questionable values and dysfunctionalism: Turn off your TV. Don’t watch.

Hindi Indie

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Villareal with Andrews explaining MTRCB guidelines to Dilson Theater operator.

Villareal with Andrews explaining MTRCB guidelines to Dilson Theater operator.

Listening to MTRCB Chair Eugenio “Toto” Villareal narrate his inspection of moviehouses in Sta. Cruz, Manila, was fun and enlightening.

I learned other meanings of “Indie.”

I have always equated “Indie” films with art films, the kind of movies that are produced by dedicated, passionate film makers like Brillante Mendoza and Aureus Solito. The kind that are shown in Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival.

After all Indie, comes from the word “Independent” , not controlled by major studios whose primary aim is to make money.

Villareal said as part of their “Matalinong Panood” campaign, he and MTRCB board member Bobby Andrews, went to Sta. Cruz two weeks ago and inspected New Vista, Roben, Dilson, Amigo, and Isetann theaters.

Roben Theater

Roben Theater

“We are almost through with mall cinemas, so we are now doing the stand alone theaters, “Villareal said.
The movie houses they visited were showing rated R-18 : only those eighteen years old and above can be admitted to the theaters because they deal with themes, language not suitable for individuals below 18 years old. The movies could contain scenes of violence, nudity, sex, horror and drugs.

One theater operator told Villareal that they specialize on “Indie films.”

Alam mo ba ang ibig sabihin ng “Indie”, Villareal asked.

“Hindi negative,” the operator replied.

Merry Christmas in March at Amigo Theater.

Merry Christmas in March at Amigo Theater.

When Villareal was telling me this, I equated the word “negative” to themes, as opposite of the word “positive.”

I was wrong. Villareal said what the theater operator meant about “Indie” movies was they are not on film.

Before the digital age, movies were shot on films which were very expensive which gave rise to a very interesting practice of “Lagare”. To save on expenses, film producers printed few copies of their movies. A movie consisted of several reels of film. Since the movies were shown simultaneously in several theaters, a lagarista (film reel courier) transported by bicycle reels of film from one movie to another. After the first parts were through in one theater, the lagarista brought the film reel to another theater.

I was told there was a movie , Lagarista, starring Piolo Pascual.

Villareal said he asked the same question, “alam nyo ba ang ibig sabihin ng “Indie film” to another movie operator in the province. His reply: “Hindi po.”

Classic.

Vista TheaterVillareal said during their Sta. Cruz visit ,they called the attention of the theater owners to the publicity materials which should be of General Patronage because they can be seen by everybody, even those who will not be entering the movie houses. GP means it should be suitable for all ages.

The “Matalinong Panoood Para sa Pamilya ni Juan at Juana” campaign was started by Sen. Grace Poe Llmanzares when she was MTRCB chair because the Board believes that for the rating system to be effective, it should be easily understood by the moviegoers.

Villareal said through the Matalinong Panood campaign, “MTRCB fulfills its mandate and goal to empower the public and to protect the welfare of the viewers, especially the children, women, PWDs, and elders as regards the media and entertainment they see.”

MTRCB’s goal: build a culture promotive of human dignity

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MTRCB Chair Eugenio Villareal in a dialogue with TV5

MTRCB Chair Eugenio Villareal in a dialogue with TV5

On July 17, the Movie and Television Review Classification Board will conduct a Child and Family Summit at Balay Kalinaw at the University of the Philippines, Diliman.

Participants will be parents and other family members including kasambahays. A workshop will be held and the output will be presented to networks and movie and TV producers.

This activity is in line with the pro-active role that the current MTRCB leadership is undertaking. It actually started under the term of now Senator-elect Grace Poe which Chairman Eugenio “Toto” Villareal is continuing.

Villareal, a lawyer, sees the role of MTRCB as not just as regulatory but developmental as well.

“We want to create a culture where contemporary values are upheld and maintained, “ he said.

He said in the discussion among members of the 30-man MTRCB board, they asked themselves, “Why don’t we teach these values and build a culture with these values in media and entertainment so that we lessen if not totally eradicate cases of violations .”
He added that our society should develop a culture “which is promotive of human dignity.”

That summit aims to empower members of the family and kasambahays to understand very well the MTRCB rating system. Like, what’s the difference between R-16 and R-18 classifications for movies? (R-16 – Only viewers 16 years old and above can be admitted while R-18 are only for viewers 18 years old and above.) The restrictions is MTRCB’s way of advising parents and supervising adults that the film may contain themes, language, violence, nudity, sex, horror, and drugs that may not be suitable for children below the specified ages.

Journalist Mario Hernando,MTRCB board member.

Journalist Mario Hernando,MTRCB board member.

Villareal said they have color coded the TV and movie ratings (Green for General Audience, Blue for Parental Guidance, Yellow for R-13, Orange for R-16 and Red for R-18) so that it would be understandable even for those who are not so literate.

In the wake of the controversy caused by the comedy bar jokes of ABS-CBN talent Vice Vulgar with GMA7 broadcast journalist Jessica Soho as subject, MTRCB has started meeting with TV network executives on the migration of comedy bar materials, which are strictly for adults, to television. He stressed the importance of self- regulation by networks.

“MTRCB is always interested for the good of the industry. We wrote ABS-CBN and relayed to them the complaints that we have been receiving. In MTRCB, we teach a child “galangin ang matatanda, huwag apihin ang may kapansanan, don’t embarrass anyone.’ If they are watching this type of (comedy) humor in TV, then there would already be a contradiction, at the very least confusion in the minds of children,” Villareal said.

Related to this, Villareal revealed that up for review in the next few weeks is ABS-CBN’s comedy show “Going Bulilit” as they have received some complaints about “For Adults only” jokes being portrayed by children.

He said, “We have the Best Practices conference last year.They have come up with some solutions. We will now evaluate.”
***
A blogger ,Alsan820, commented on my column last Wednesday , “Does MTRCB have a say on pay-per-view?”

His view: “I think pay-per-view may be considered private and therefore may be beyond the jurisdiction of MTRCB. If a person wants to spend money to view a ‘vulgar show’, that is his or her business.

“However, I believe that money is not the only consideration here, although that is the main goal of ABS-CBN and Vice Vulgar, to make much money from the concert. The vulgar concert went beyond the boundaries of good taste and standards of propriety. Weighed against these standards (and possibly against the Magna Carta of Women), I think this show should be banned for showing for all types of media. ABS-CBN should be faulted for allowing itself to be a party to such vulgarity.

“The network should be ashamed to use the word ‘kapamilya’. Without ABS-CBN and the sponsors (again the source of revenue for the network and the vulgar vice), Vice Vulgar would be relegated to comedy bars, where he rightfully belongs.”