MTRCB: 'It's Showtime' suspension and its 'no work, no pay' issue are 'separate and distinct matters'
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) said its decision to suspend ABS-CBN's It's Showtime for 12 days is different from the show's supposed "no work, no pay" issue that may affect several workers.
"The suspension, in fact, underscores the broader and more pressing matter of contractualization within the entertainment industry. The issue deserves sincere attention from the producer," the MTRCB said in a statement on Oct. 1, as it noted the two things are "separate and distinct matters."
Sen. Bong Revilla on Sept. 29 asked the Office of the President, where the MTRCB is under, to consider the effects of the suspension on workers.
But the MTRCB in its statement stressed that it's the show's responsibility to regularize employees.
"The practice by the producer, or management to not regularize their employees, even when a show has been airing live for six days a week, for over a decade, highlights a much bigger problem than the show’s 12-airing-day suspension," it said.
"We sincerely empathize with the hardworking individuals who will be affected once the suspension takes effect."
The board said the management's inability to provide regular employment "should not impinge on the duty of the MTRCB to uphold its mandate."
"It remains the prerogative of the producer/management to suspend/sanction erring host/s as they deem fit," the MTRCB said, "which has been the practice of other noontime shows, as hosts are beyond the jurisdiction of the MTRCB."
The suspension resulted from hosts and real-life couple Vice Ganda and Ion Perez's supposed indecent acts in a July 25 episode.
They were sweet toward each other, with Perez holding a cake and using his fingers to taste the icing. He closed his eyes as he slowly licked the icing off his fingers. He then approached Vice, who took some of the icing from his fingers with her own before tasting it.
The MTRCB noted they violated Section 3c of Presidential Decree No. 1986, which states that it has the power to "approve or disapprove, delete objectionable portions from and/or prohibit the importation, exportation, production, copying, distribution, sale, lease, exhibition and/or television broadcast of the motion pictures, television programs, and publicity materials."
The "power" is supposedly in line with "contemporary Filipino cultural values as standard" when the portions are deemed "immoral, indecent, contrary to law and/or good customs, injurious to the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines or its people, or with a dangerous tendency to encourage the commission of violence or of a wrong or crime."
ABS-CBN applied for a motion for reconsideration but was denied. The media company said it's "exploring all remedies and options," though noted that the imposed suspension is not yet final and executory.
As it stands, the network said It's Showtime will still air on television channels Kapamilya Channel, A2Z, and GTV as well as social media platforms Kapamilya Online Live, iWANTTFC, and TFC.