PBB: Our goal is character-building; MTRCB: Adult guidance needed

MTRCB executives and resource persons meet with ABS-CBN officials over “Pinoy Big Brother 737” controversies. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/MTRCB

“Our goal is character-building.”

This is the argument of the management of ABS-CBN on “Pinoy Big Brother 737” (PBB) amid complaints that some of the scenes in the reality show offend the sensibilities of viewers.

Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chair Eugenio “Toto” Villareal said ABS-CBN Corp. and PBB officials, in a conference on Thursday, explained that PBB 737’s goal was character-building.

“But then again, the question is, are we equipped to deal with this kind (of program)?” Villareal said in an interview with Radyo Inquirer 990AM.

“First of all, they are in a house that is not familiar surrounding for them. There is hardly any, if none, adult supervision, it’s just the voice of Big Brother,” he said.

The MTRCB official said adults should not “expect minors to develop on their own.”

He said the MTRCB ordered PBB to “immediately cease and desist from requiring participants to engage in activities and tasks which may be deemed hazardous to their life and safety, or prejudicial to their physical, psychological, emotional, moral, spiritual, and social well-being.”

He added the order was in accordance with Republic Act No. 7610 or the Anti-Child Abuse Law.

The reality show, Villareal said, must have a “closing out discussion” by a subject matter expert after every task undertaken by the participants.

“Kailangan may closing out discussion by the subject matter expert within the program at supervised sila,” he said.

He also said the contestants of PBB 737 were minors except for an 18-year-old male.

Villareal said the MTRCB had changed the application permit of the show from one whole season or sometimes two in advance to seven episodes per application.

“Therefore, kapag naubos ’yung seven episodes na ’yun, balik sila sa amin. In effect, may post-review na nangyayari,” he said.

MTRCB ordered PBB 737 to establish self-regulatory measures, undergo audience sensitivity seminars, and closely collaborate with the censors’ board.

The censor board added the reality show should “institute remedial and self-regulatory measures to ensure the protection, welfare, and development of all the participants.”

It said the show’s management should submit the measures for approval within five working days after the order’s release. With a report by Mary Gillan Frances Ropero