Movie and Television Review and Classification Board Chairman Eugenio “Toto” Villareal
MANILA, Philippines — The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has summoned executives of a television network over a children’s show that has allegedly been showing “disturbing scenes” in several of its episodes, which has “compromised the innocence of both child-actors and child-viewers”.
In a statement, the MTRCB said it called the producers behind ABS-CBN’s “Goin’ Bulilit” to a mandatory conference at 10 a.m. this Monday.
In a separate statement, ABS-CBN has accepted the invitation from the MTRCB to a conference next week to discuss some issues related to ‘Goin’ Bulilit,'” said Bong R. Osorio, head of Integrated Corporate Communications.
The MTRCB alleged that “the scenes [in Goin’ Bulilit] make children mouth language about topics like inflicting physical harm on others, put-downs on one’s spouse, cheating in elections, and the commission of wrongdoing.”
“There are also alleged showings of religious insensitivity,” said the MTRCB, which hosted a Family and Child Summit last week, where experts, educators, and parents expressed “very grave concern” over the nature of young children to assimilate and imitate what they hear, see, and experience in media”.
“The MTRCB looks forward to the network’s and the program’s staff’s cooperation in Monday’s conference. This is further to the MTRCB’s thrust to promote authentic self-regulation balanced with encouraging still free expression and creativity, it said. Allan Policarpio