Angeli Khang. Image: Instagram/@angelikhang_
The revelation of Angeli Khang that she felt taken advantage of while filming Vivamax movies raised an alarm with the party-list group, Gabriela, which called for protection of women in the entertainment industry.
Vivamax is a subscription-based app by Viva Films that allowed subscribers to access old and new movies on its platform, but is now more known for content for adult viewers. Aside from films, it has crossed over streaming.
Khang made headlines after recently admitting in an interview that she felt violated “a lot of times” while filming love scenes for the adult platform, as some of her co-stars went overboard in being intimate with her.
In a Facebook statement on Thursday, August 8, Gabriela expressed concern over Khang’s filming experiences while stressing that it’s proof of the “pervasive exploitation” that women face in show business.
“We are concerned over the recent revelations made by actress Angeli Khang regarding her experiences in the film industry. Her admission of feeling “taken advantage of” while filming for Vivamax movies is a manifestation of the pervasive exploitation that women continue to face,” Gabriela wrote.
The political party said actors “overstepping and initiating intimate scenes” with Khang without “directorial cues” shows a violation of consent and “professional ethics.”
“We are alarmed by Ms. Khang’s disclosure that she frequently felt violated during filming, with co-actors overstepping boundaries and initiating intimate scenes without directorial cues, leaving her feeling violated,” it said.
“Such behavior represents a gross breach of consent and professional ethics that cannot be tolerated in any workplace, much less in an industry that wields significant influence over societal norms and values,” continued Gabriela.
Citing Khang’s experiences, Gabriela pointed out that their concerns will be raised to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) in hopes of pushing for measures addressing the safety of actresses in local show biz.
“We will raise these concerns during the budget hearing with the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). We will also introduce legislative measures that will address women’s concerns in the local entertainment industry,” it said.
The party-list group for women also vowed to continue to fight for women’s rights in hopes of contributing to a society that “values women for their true worth.”
“We stand in solidarity with Ms. Khang and all women who have experienced similar abuses. Your voices matter, and we will continue to fight for your rights and dignity. It’s time to put an end to this system that exploits women and create a society that will value women for [their] true worth and contributions,” it said.
Khang is headlining a Vivamax film titled “Unang Tikim” with fellow actress Robb Guinto. It was the first movie to have a theatrical release, compared to the platform’s previous releases.
The actress also made a brief appearance in the GMA action drama “Black Rider.”