Social media group lauds ‘Willing Willie’ suspension

MANILA, Philippines—A social media group has welcomed the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board’s (MTRCB) decision to suspend and put on probation TV5’s “Willing Willie” show.

At the same time, the Facebook group Para Sa Mga Bata Movement commended the terms of probation imposed by the MTRCB, putting the show on a “per broadcast permit” status and a vow to closely monitor its compliance of television regulations.

“This means that Willing Willie faces the additional burden and responsibility of creating a show that will pass MTRCB’s broadcasting standards each and every day. This will help ensure that the further abuse, degradation and humiliation of contestants, especially of children, will be prevented from happening again on this show,” said the group, whose campaign last month pressed major advertisers to pull out their ads that forced the show to go off air.

The MTRCB on Tuesday released its decision suspending “Willing Willie” for one month over a body wave dance performed by a six-year-old boy in its March 12 episode.

In a 14-page decision, the censors board said the live show failed to exercise self-regulation when in a “lengthened scene” it showed the boy gyrating like a macho dancer.

The Para Sa Mga Bata Movement, which has over 14,000 members, stressed that the “fight does not end here.”

“It is incumbent upon us, the members of this community, as well as media institutions, government agencies, and other responsible sectors of society, to remain vigilant and focused on the issue of children’s sexualization in media,” it said.

“The MTRCB acknowledged as much in its decision, citing the need to ‘fight for a TV industry that does not only make us ‘eat for a day,’ but an industry that inspires, transforms, and moves us, to live better lives,” the group said.

The group lauded the MTRCB for taking “the first step towards effecting positive changes in the media landscape, and it is now up to us, to all of us, to continue the struggle.”