Advertisers pulling out from "Willing Willie"

CEBU, Philippines - In response to the controversy surrounding the “Willing Willie,” major advertisers, including multinational companies, are pulling out their placements from the beleaguered TV5 program.

It was Jollibee Foods Corporation that first announced last Saturday that it was “holding off” ads of its newly-acquired Mang Inasal restaurant chain from the show.

This was followed by Procter & Gamble Philippines which explained last Tuesday that it has suspended its ads as the incident is “being reviewed and investigated by authorities.”

Del Monte Pacific Ltd. also decided to withdraw its sponsorship, as well as Cebuana Lhuillier, which explained its reasons for doing so in its Facebook page last Friday. “While we support programs that give hope to Filipinos here and abroad, we expect our business partners to promote good values, protect children’s rights and exercise prudence in communicating to the general public,” its statement said.

The latest advertiser to stop its ad placements is Unilever Philippines, although its decision encompasses all existing game shows. In a statement released yesterday, it said: “Unilever Philippines has decided 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.”

The “Willing Willie” episode in contention was the one aired last March 12, which showed a crying six-year-old boy simulating a striptease, and controversial TV host Willie Revillame laughing out loud and goading the child in the background. The episode elicited public condemnation as well as censure from government’s rights and social welfare agencies, like MTRCB, DSWD, CHR and Unicef Philippines.

TV5 has since apologized for the said episode and formed an internal ombudsman to avoid a repeat of the incident. (FREEMAN)