MTRCB denies appeal to reverse ruling on ‘Private Convos with Doc Rica’

INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

The Movie Review and Classification Board is standing by its decision to ban the airing of the sex education show “Private Convos with Doc Rica,” which features conversations mostly about its guests’ sexual experiences.

In a decision issued on Thursday, March 14, the MTRCB rejected the motion for reconsideration submitted by the TV program and its broadcast network, Cignal TV Inc., which sought the reversal of the regulatory board’s January 15, 2024 decision.

The MTRCB said it is “unconvinced” of the respondents’ counterarguments as the TV program, hosted by sex therapist Dr. Rica Cruz, continued to provide explicit content on graphic sexual experiences during child-viewing hours.

“The welfare of the Filipino child should not be undermined. As a Regulatory and Developmental Board, the MTRCB ensures that content under its jurisdiction fosters positive values and contributes to the moral development of children,” said MTRCB Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Lala Sotto.

The board underscored its duty to protect children from inappropriate content that does not encourage the promotion of quality television programs and the protection of children’s moral development, adding that the use of uncensored discussions on sexual experiences has no place in children’s viewing rights.

“’Private Convos with Doc Rica’ purely appeals to ‘prurient interest’ in violation of P.D. No. 1986 and does not abide by the Board’s commitment to ‘parens patriae,’ thus maintaining its original position to cease the show’s airing,” said the MTRCB.

The regulatory board revealed in their report on January 24 that they received several complaints from “concerned parents,” as one of the show’s episodes contains discussions on sexual awakening, with mentions of “self-masturbation, anal sex, and oral sex,” which demands immediate action.

“The Board determined that the respondent ‘Private Convos with Doc Rica’ television program format involved detailed discussions of guests’ sexual awakenings, leading to explicit narrations of intimate experiences, and employed language deemed unsuitable for broadcasting,” the MTRCB said.