Could recent controversies finally spark a #MeToo Movement in the Philippines?

CEBU, Philippines — It took exposés from The New York Times and The New Yorker in 2017 to bring down not only the empire of disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, but also cause a domino effect in the media, politics, and other sectors worldwide.

Through the MeToo movement, the phenomenon became a platform for survivors to share their stories of sexual abuse, shifting public perception and pushing for serious accountability.

One famous example in the post-MeToo era outside Hollywood was the Burning Sun scandal, in which many South Korean celebrities saw their careers end due to the controversy.

However, the response to MeToo in the Philippines has been muted. While there have been rumors of actresses and matinee idols being coerced into performing sexual favors to advance their careers, there has been little-to-no accountability in addressing the culture of sexual abuse in the Philippine entertainment industry.

“It’s a major structure where embedded violence has been going on for the longest time. These celebrities have a voice, but if they are up against bigwigs in the industry, they are going to crush their career aspirations,” said Archill Capistrano, a political science assistant professor and commissioner of anti-sexual harassment at the University of the Philippines-Cebu.

“Sexual abuse is quite rampant here in the Philippines, but it’s often not talked about because we have this culture of silence,” said Leny Godinez Ocasiones, chairperson of the Department of Anthropology, Sociology, and History at the University of San Carlos.

“We don’t talk about sex because it’s taboo. How much more when someone has become victimized? It would mean the reputation of the family is tarnished. The instinct is to keep quiet, so the family’s reputation will remain intact. This goes both ways for the victim and the perpetrator.”

Could a series of showbiz controversies, starting with a high-profile case involving a newbie actor from a prominent showbiz dynasty and two creatives, spark a shift in how Filipinos perceive sexual abuse —enough to inspire a local #MeToo movement, seven years after its peak?

Recapping the controversies

Earlier this year, Kapuso actor Sandro Muhlach and his father Niño filed charges against GMA independent contractors Jojo Nones and Richard Cruz for rape, which allegedly occurred in a hotel room following a lavish network party.

Acknowledging that this was an issue during their prime, Senator Robin Padilla held hearings to address the culture of sexual abuse in the Philippine media industry and explore how the laws can be strengthened to combat it.

While the hearings mainly focused on the case between the Muhlachs and the contractors, singer Gerald Santos also testified before the Senate that he was raped by a musical director when he was 15 years old.

Amidst the media frenzy surrounding the hearings, Angeli Khang, dubbed the Queen of Vivamax, came forward with her own experience during an interview with Toni Gonzaga of an incident on the set of one of her films when an actor involved became aroused during a scene, leading to a plaster falling off his body.

Recently, actress Rita Daniela filed a case against fellow “Widows’ War” castmate Archie Alemania for lascivious behavior during and after a thanksgiving party organized by Bea Alonzo.

Given the series of incidents in the industry in the same year, some wonder whether this could spark a MeToo-style movement in the country.

Ocasiones responded to the news about the young Muhlach, saying, “I salute Sandro because he is standing up against an injustice that happened to him; it will inspire many. Maybe not to the same degree as the MeToo movement, but I am sure it will have a positive impact.”

She further explained that Muhlach was likely vulnerable to manipulation by Nones and Cruz, who took advantage of his aspirations.

“He is a newbie in showbiz and was trapped in that unequal relationship with those contractors. Sandro sees them as instruments to be famous, and these two take advantage of his vulnerability,” she added, noting that Muhlach was offered a role by Nones shortly before the alleged incident.

As a lawyer, Capistrano criticized the way the Senate hearings were handled.

“It was sensationalized because it’s supposed to be a private matter. If we are careful about the feelings of the victim-survivors, I think [Sandro’s father] should have gone through the proper channels first,” she said.

Capistrano also disagreed with Senator Padilla’s push for higher penalties for rape. “He is just increasing the penalty and making justice more punitive. No matter how much we can increase the penalty, will it stop predators in the entertainment industry? I don’t think so.”

“People consume sensationalized information as soon as it happens but are not keen on making long-lasting solutions that will help make the laws operate on the ground. There should be other types of justices that should allow a greater reflection of where the violence is coming from,” she added.

How MeToo changed sex scenes

One of the impacts of the MeToo movement was the introduction of intimacy coordinators. These professionals are present on set during scenes involving sexual activity to ensure consent in choreographed movements.

The concept received mixed reactions. "Game of Thrones" actor Sean Bean criticized it, stating that intimate scenes would be ruined by “technical exercise.” On the other hand, "House of the Dragon" actress Emily Carey said that intimacy coordinators helped calm her nerves.

Filipino director Christian Paolo Lat previously told The FREEMAN that he doubled as an intimacy coordinator in his film “Sugar Baby”, using rhythm-based counting for his sex scenes, which he drew from his background as a dancer.

Despite his experience shooting sex scenes, Quark Henares shared with The FREEMAN that he entrusted the filming of a sex scene in his film “Marupok A+”, which involved a transgender woman, to his friend, transgender rights activist Rod Singh. Henares emphasized the importance of “certain sensibilities” to ensure the scene was done in good taste.

Capistrano stated, “From a labor perspective, the Safe Spaces Act says that the workplace should be a safe space, and that includes movie sets.”

While she has mixed feelings about the effectiveness of intimacy coordinators, particularly out of concern that actors’ nudity might be commodified, she believes it is still better than having no solution at all.

Regarding Khang’s experience, Capistrano noted that while the actor involved couldn’t control his bodily response, how he acted afterward was crucial.

“A proper gentleman would ask ‘Direk, cut,’ to restore the safety and respect to both him and his co-actors space. He owes her an apology for the distress he caused. That responsibility also falls on the director’s end.”

Not a trend, but long-term solutions

Both Ocasiones and Capistrano stressed that any potential #MeToo movement in the Philippines must aim for lasting change, led by genuine people committed to long-term solutions.

An example of how a movement can falter is the downfall of Time’s Up, an organization founded by female Hollywood celebrities in response to MeToo to combat sexual abuse in Hollywood and other sectors.

The group became embroiled in controversy after being involved in a cover-up of sexual harassment allegations against New York City politician Andrew Cuomo in 2021, two years before they eventually disbanded.

“It’s easy for movements to die a natural death. They forget why they exist in the first place,” said Ocasiones. “In an organization, you need clear goals and direction. Time’s Up didn’t have that.”

Capistrano agreed, saying, “Time’s Up started well, but it became corrupt. It’s all about how you manage the organization.”

She used Gabriela Women's Party as an example of a solid organization, acknowledging that Ocasiones is the 10th nominee in next year’s elections.

“Gabriela's representatives made their stances clear and outlined their non-negotiables. There might be compromises, but you can see how consistent their stance is when they go through policymaking because they were clear with their non-negotiables, which was not manifested in the Time’s Up movement,” Capistrano explained.

Capistrano also pointed out that the #MeToo movement, despite its origins with Black activist Tarana Burke in 2006, was popularized by Alyssa Milano, a white actress.

“There is this tendency to focus on the lens of the most privileged figures because they have a following. They can easily compromise because they have privilege. Because of that, they might not emphasize completely those who don’t have the privilege.”

She also stressed the importance of allyship from those who are privileged to help movements navigate their cause but emphasized that it should be headed by those who are most affected.

“It should be led by those who are victim-survivors, who know what their non-negotiables are. If you let privileged allies negotiate and compromise your core values, all the other things will fall to pieces. You end up becoming the very thing you are fighting against,” she lamented on Time’s Up’s pitfall.

For Ocasiones, the Philippines already has a form of a #MeToo movement through organizations like Gabriela and other NGOs such as Women’s Resources Visayas.

“You might not see nor hear them, but they are in the communities doing the painstaking work of organizing and educating people. That might not be as famous as the MeToo movement, but it’s also making changes brick-by-brick,” she said.

Capistrano also highlighted the #BabaeAko movement in 2018, a response to former president Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks that a woman should not be the next Chief Justice.

Capistrano concluded, “Movements don’t need a name to make an impact. It’s the actions that matter most. The change is happening right before our eyes. We just don’t put a name to it, and we don’t need to.”  — (FREEMAN)