MTRCB to watch ‘Pinoy Big Brother 737’ more closely

MANILA, Philippines – The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) will closely monitor the content of Pinoy Big Brother 737 starting Friday, July 10.

In a report signed by  MTRCB co-chairperson Ricardo Salomon, Thursday, July 9, the board instructed the people behind the show and ABS-CBN “to enter into a strict and close collaboration with the Board, beginning today (July 10) until the end of the PBB 737 season” to make sure self-regulatory measures are followed.

MTRCB has also instructed all story editors of the show to undergo a “Matalinong Panonood” and audience-sensitivity seminar with the chairperson of the board, Eugenio “Toto” Villareal, every Thursday of the month at 2 pm. They are given 5 days to submit the list of story editors who will attend the session and specify what days they will be coming. 

The board also asked the show to stop all activities that may harm its participants. The board likewise asked ABS-CBN and Sky Cable to put up the reminder “This program may contain sensitive material. Viewer discretion is advised.”

MTRCB also elevated the classification of PBB 737 Gold from “PG” or “parental guidance required” to “SPG” (special parental guidance). The show must have the descriptors “theme”, “language” and “sex” starting July 10. For Jeepney Cable, the SPG pictogram must also be displayed.

Other measures ordered by the board include a comprehensive “closing-out” discussion after each task done by the housemates and a limit of 7 episodes to ensure that prescribed measures are implemented.

The order was issued after the board called a  developmental conference Thursday, July 9, after receiving complaints about the show’s content. Complaints were about the scenes that depicted 18-year-old Kenzo Gutierrez and 12-year-old Bailey Thomas May as being close friends. A number of false rumors about the two have been posted by social media users online, according to an ABS-CBN statement.

Last week, ABS-CBN announced it was shutting down the livestream of the show after the controversy. – Rappler.com