“It’s Showtime” hosts. Image: Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin
MANILA, Philippines — The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) decision to suspend noontime variety show “It’s Showtime” for 12 airing days was only aimed at protecting children from indecency, Manila 6th District Rep. Bienvenido Abante said on Monday.
Abante in a statement claimed that MTRCB’s decision is justified as the body has a mandate to protect Filipino children from programs that show obscenity or content inappropriate for young viewers.
“(MTRCB’s decision to suspend ‘It’s Showtime’) is justified as it sends a very clear and very loud message to television show producers and artists who oftentimes forget that their content is inappropriate for young viewers,” Abante, who heads the House committee on human rights, said.
“The MTRCB has a mandate to protect Filipino audiences against indecency in our airwaves and to protect our children against obscenity. They did the right thing,” he claimed.
According to Abante, Filipino audiences may have been numb to such kind of content already because of the frequent bombardment of lewd material on television and social media.
“It is so commonplace now that we have become accustomed to double entendre and veiled indecency intended to catch the attention of Filipino audiences. I believe, it’s too much already. It is time for the government to step in and promote positive values, to protect our families,” he added.
“It’s Showtime” was suspended by MTRCB last September 4 for 12 airing days after it received multiple complaints over the alleged “indecent acts” of hosts Vice Ganda and Ion Perez, including other warnings of “inappropriate language” in previous episodes.
“Viewers have lodged multiple complaints before the MTRCB concerning the show’s July 25, 2023 episode wherein the program’s hosts allegedly acted in an indecent manner during one of its segments, ‘Isip Bata’,” MTRCB said in a statement.
“The said case was referred to the MTRCB’s Hearing and Adjudication Committee which heard the case and required the respondents to submit their position papers, following a procedural process,” it added.
ABS-CBN, which produces Showtime, said that they will file a motion for reconsideration over the suspension.
However, Abante believes that the MTRCB drive should even be intensified, suggesting that the current administration’s ‘Bagong Pilipinas’ rally call “should incorporate efforts to promote traditional Filipino family values if we want to transform our society for the better”.
“Faith and family values are the foundations of a great nation. We should vigilantly guard against the erosion of these values because if we teach our people to accept minute doses of immorality, they will eventually develop a tolerance to immorality on a grander scale,” Abante said. je/EDV