MTRCB calls attention of ‘Bubble Gang,’ gives ‘Unang Hirit’ team seminar

MANILA, Philippines - The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) called the attention of GMA gag show “Bubble Gang” after a “crass” humor in one of its segments last Nov. 29.

In the statement posted by the MTRCB on its Twitter account, it said the segment “typecast the woman as a mere sex object – thus depriving her of dignity.”

The MTRCB added that the segment "gives a bad example to our youth, who have the right to be edified and formed to respect women and not treat them as objects.”

The board asked the “responsible officers” of the show -- Jose Mari A. Abacan, Uro Dela Cruz, Ceasar Cosme, Beethoven Bunagan, Mesdames Marivin T. Arayata, Eva Arespacochaga, Junalyn Navarro and Rufa Mae Quinto -- to appear at a mandatory conference on December 9.

In a tweet on Dec. 8, the agency added that the show shall “submit proposed measures to ensure gender-sensitive content by 16 December 2013.”

“Bubble Gang's submission of proposed initiatives shall, of course, be w/out prejudice to such other measures to be determined by MTRCB,” it said in another post.

Meanwhile, the board also announced on Twitter Tuesday that the staff members of GMA’s morning show “Unang Hirit” have attended the required seminar on “media & the legal profession in the context of audience-sensitivity & admin of justice.”

Related: MTRCB summons Clavio for 'rude' language

The seminar was imposed on the morning show in relation to Arnold Clavio’s interview with Atty. Alfredo Villamor, who is the lawyer of Janet Lim-Napoles in their Nov. 5 episode.

Clavio had issued a statement apologizing for his behavior during the interview.