Unilever Phils Suspends Ad Placements on Reality Shows Across Networks

Unilever Phils has finally responded to the deafening calls of the online community regarding the Willing Willie Child Abuse Incident. Below is the official statement of the Unilever Phils. 

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8th April 2011, 1:30PM

Press Release: Unilever’s Sponsorship on Live Game Shows

This is to make public a set of actions taken by Unilever Philippines after an incident in a popular TV show a few weeks ago. The incident featured a 6-year old boy doing a dance number as part of a reality game show.

We recognised that this incident has drawn mixed reactions from different sectors in the society.

In Unilever Philippine’s view, it was a serious incident and as a result, we acted by immediately engaging the network authorities, expressing our serious concern and demanded assurance that similar incidents would not happen again.

TV5, the network, has apologized to us and committed to a series of “self-regulation” measures including the appointment of an internal ombudsman to supervise stricter program guidelines and impose a moratorium on the presence of kids in their live reality shows until a complete investigation is finished. This seems to have been validated by MTRCB as per article published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on April 6, 2011, Page F3.  

We see all these actions as positive steps, but we also look forward with great interest to the prospect of MTRCB strengthening regulations on content across all live game shows and making clear the potential sanctions for erring programs.

In support of the above, Unilever Philippines has decided;

1. To temporarily suspend effective Monday, April 11, 2011, our participation in ALL reality-based live game shows across all networks. This measure will be in place until we observe stricter and objective self regulatory guidelines across networks and proper enforcement by the relevant government agencies of existing content regulations.

2. We will actively seek for PANA’s (Philippine Association of National Advertisers) involvement and leadership to help the networks develop a strict and consistent self-regulatory framework. We expect this to be in place no later than one month.

3. In all these, Unilever Philippines actions are oriented to:

a. protect the rights of contestants (especially women and children),

b. provide responsible content for TV viewers, and

c. ensure a safe communications environment for sponsors and brands.

With these actions, we expect something good will come out of this incident.

Unilever Philippines will continue to positively influence the media landscape and work on strengthening our long-standing partnership with all TV networks.

If you have further queries please feel free to email us in media.affairs@unilever.com or call:

Chito Macapagal

VP for Corporate Affairs

Liz Vengco

External Communications Manager

+6325887342

Proctor and Gamble Suspends Advertisements in Willing Willie

After Jollibee Foods Corporation and Del Monte Philippines withdrawn their ad placement in the controversial primetime variety show Willing Willie, Proctor and Gamble follows suit this morning in response to the growing online unrest against the TV host Willie Revillame regarding the child abuse incident last March 12.

In an email exchange with Sol Liboro, Consumer Relations Manager, P&G Philippines, says that they "have suspended advertising on the show beginning April 7, 2011 while the incident is being reviewed and investigated by authorities". Here is the screenshot of the said email (courtesy of Paul Farol, pinoybiz.blogspot.com):

On the other hand, MTRCB will give it's verdict late, 3PM, in response to the regarding incident.

I hope this will turn out in favor of the advocates against child abuse. It gladdens my heart that our advocacy had made its little steps in order to fight child abuse, in every facets of it. For more information, you can drop by the Para Sa Mga Bata website. Updates can be seen in this Facebook page.

Body of Proof: A Nice Alternatice to House, MD.

Desperate Housewives star Dana Delany returns in the television with a medical-legal drama that would surely  make the viewers think and analyze who is the culprit for the murder. Dr. Megan Hunt (Delany), a world renowned neurosurgeon five years ago, find herself as a court-medical expert works to determine the cause of death of the victim purely based on her cunning medical instinct. She finds clues within the body itself and tries to explain the why's and the who's regarding the case. As she struggles to rebuild her career, she is also confronted with personal issues that pushes her to heal the wounds of the past.

Together with Nicolas Bishop, Jeri Ryan, John Caroll Lynch and Sonja  Sohn, this new series offers mind-boggling crime scenes and drama that will surely touch everyone's heart. Catch Body of Proof in ABC, Sundays 10|9pm ET/PT . For non-US residents, you can track the show Sidereel.Com 

Open Letter to the CBCP Re: Child Abuse in Willieng Willie

 The Bishops of the Philippine Catholic Church: 

   

      These past few days, there has been an ongoing stir in the news that started when people of the social media started to voice out their opinion on an episode of Willieng Willie  aired March 12 (The video clip is posted in YouTube  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YRCxh9q64w. In the said episode, a six-year old boy named Jan-Jan was shown repeatedly  dancing in a sensual manner as to what a male stripper would do, while the audience and the host are obviously entertained with this display of "talent" egging him on while the boy was already in tears. What caused the unrest in the social media is that the boy was clearly humiliated, consciously or not, in front of hundreds of live audience and of thousands of families in their home watching on their televisions. 

     Because of this disturbing clip, a group of concerned citizens drafted a letter (Read full letter here :http://dementedlittleboy.blogspot.com/2011/03/final-complaint-letter-re-child-abuse.html) which was sent to several government agencies like DSWD, MTRCB, etc.

The letter quoted a provision from Republic Act 7610, otherwise known as  which states that: 

Article V, Section 9: “Obscene Publications and Indecent Shows. – Any person who shall hire, employ, use, persuade, induce or coerce a child to perform in obscene exhibitions and indecent shows, whether live or in video, or model in obscene publications or pornographic materials or to sell or distribute the said materials shall suffer the penalty of prison mayor in its medium period. 

If the child used as a performer, subject or seller/distributor is below twelve (12) years of age, the penalty shall be imposed in its maximum period"

Clearly, the said episode broke the law with regards the quoted provisions.

     It is admirable that the DSWD and the MTRCB to reply immediately. Sec Dinky Soliman of DSWD has condemned the abuse evident on the video clip and "wish[es] to raise [her] concern that the show tends to cash in on the plight of the poor. There are other ways of helping the poor without having to degrade their dignity and earn money out of it."

Also, Chairman Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares of the MTRCB has looked into the situation and a complaint filed by the MTRCB Legal Counsel is set for a Preliminary Conference on April 4, 3PM. The letter also received numerous replies from other organizations, all condemning the host, Mr. Willie Revillame; the show, Willieng Willie; and the network, TV5.

While the network has issued a public apology immediately, Mr. Revillame ‘s public apology  exhibits no sincerity, no recognition of the abuse that was done, and has tried to rationalize everything, including our outrage as a personal issue against him. A few days later, the network issued an addendum to the public apology and even created an "Internal Ombudsman" to supervise the content of the show so as to prevent future repetition of what happened. While we welcome this latter development, there still has been no indication that the prime instigator of this outrageous deed, Mr. Revillame, will be facing consequences of his actions.

     In this regard, we ask the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines to make a statement regarding the situation. Clearly, it is vital for the CBCP as a representative of the Philippine Catholic Church to take a strong stand on this issue as this involves questions of morality on the most basic level. I believe that the Church has the duty to keep Her members' moral standards. The indecency and the bad taste of the said show challenges the Church's moral standards as it exploits the marginalized sector, especially the minors, by making fun of themselves in exchange for a meager amount in order to produce a very low form of entertainment for the public. 

      We are expecting the CBCP's  immediate reply and action on this subject. We will be continuously monitoring this issue and will be continue to gather support from the general public to the Facebook Group (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Para-kay-Jan-jan-Shame-on-you-Willie-Revillame/102087546543288) we have started, as well as the mainstream media.

Sincerely

Cristy Fermin's Uncalled Tirade to Aiza Seguerra

The Willie Revillame Alleged Child Abuse situation clearly has divided the entire nation as the issues now becomes a national issue. Why it is a national issue is based on the primary principle that Children Welfare and Human Rights are all together a national interest. I can't help it but to feel sad on how some people could not see the subtleness of the vicious act of exploitation on that moment and rather than stopping it, people ended up looking at a gyrating minor as an entertainment. With the swiftness of words as it travels through the seemingly frictionless social networks had this issue branched out and the situation grows sadder as some people (well, they are of WR's side) resort to uncalled ad hominems to retaliate. What should have been a discourse discussed purely by minds is being turned to mudslingings by those who keeps standing their ground for their "loyalty" to WR.

I am talking about Cristy Fermin and her seriously uncalled comment on her radio show. In her defense to Willie Revillame, Fermin said that a "singer" (yes she didn't directly named who) has no right to talk about morality because "the singer" lives an immoral life. I know I would be filling in the blanks here but the context of the statement clearly points out to Aiza Seguerra. So, what does Cristy Fermin try to insinuate in this statement? Obviously she is referring to Aiza Seguerra's sexuality and the message that came to me on that instant Fermin said that statement was that she equalizes being homosexual to immorality.

This is totally uncalled for. Clearly, for a lack of better argument, Fermin just carelessly, again, threw mud in the wrong direction. First and foremost, it is out of the topic talking about immorality and homosexuality. Secondly, it is disgusting that she equated gay as immoral.

This has disturbed me and it hurts for me to hear this kind of statements. As a proud homosexual, the struggle to find my sexuality and identity is hard enough, not to mention the name callings I am getting for being gay. In this era of modernization and freedom of expression, anti-gay statements are totally a no-no as they are a form of discrimination. I know that Fermin knows this but she seems off the line as she only saying this to desperately cover Revillame's ass. She can definitely defend Willie to all of her liking but it is not right for her to comment on things that is not a part of the issue at discourse. We are supposed to be talking about the existence of "child abuse" on that night of March 12 when Jan Jan gyrated in the national television.

There are a lot of discourse going on everywhere. Call it a circus, but I know for a fact that this issue will end at a point where we are all learned a lesson. For this case, the circumstances teaches us that Child Abuse is not limited to physically harming a child but the definitions extends to cases where in the "abuse" and "exploitations" are so sublime that we can easily overlook on to this. If we are going to discuss things and provide evidences to prove our argument, let's maintain the discourse in an intelligent level and not to resort--ever-- to name callings and ad hominems. And as for Fermin, I think it must be proper for her to apologize to Aiza Seguerra and to the LGBT community for what she has said.