The case of a 6-year-old boy’s tearful dance number before a cheering studio audience has caught the attention of the United Nation Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) and the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA). On Tuesday, PANA President John V. Rojo informed the administrators of the “Para Kay Jan-Jan" Facebook community page that the online group’s March 28 open letter entitled “Child Abuse on Willing Willie show in TV5" was already being “circulated to the representatives of PANA member-companies." Rojo attached an email to that effect sent by PANA Executive Director Digna Santos the previous day. Advertisers for championing ‘values formation’ Rojo and Santos explained that the information was being shared consistent with their group’s mission statement: “PANA aims to be an association of advertisers providing leadership, guidance and support in the promotion of effective, truthful and responsible marketing communications, championing self-regulation, consumer protection, values formation and the advancement of the practice of marketing communications to global standards." Rojo added: “With this information, we trust that our members will be guided accordingly on the best decision to take. Rest assured that the management of TV5 has also been contacted regarding our member advertisers’ concern on this." On Tuesday – or a day after the PANA email began circulating – Willie Revillame said on his television show that he was aware of efforts to get at him through advertisers on the “Willing Willie" program. “Alam ninyo, kapag binoycott kami ng mga advertisers, yung mga nagmamahal sa amin di naman bibilhin ang mga produktong yan (You know, if advertisers boycott our show, then those who love us won’t buy their products)," Revillame told his studio audience on camera. In an official statement released on Thursday, CDO-Foodsphere, Inc. – whose products are advertised in the portion where Jan-Jan showed his “talent" – “decided to continue [its] sponsorship with TV5 until the end of [its] prior advertising commitment with them" and is not yet pulling out its sponsorship of Revillame’s program. The food manufacturer admitted that the controversy “has, no doubt, jolted us out of our comfort zones as an advertiser in the top-rating show." CDO maintained that it “is after all against abuse and exploitation." But it said it was “not in the position to pass judgment on the incident – which is now under investigation led by the network’s Chief Legal Counsel and Chief Operating Officer." (Please see side-bar.)
TV5 imposes moratorium on minors, appoints ombudsman
TV5 on Wednesday evening imposed a moratorium on the participation of minors in all contests and game shows" and began preparing “stricter guidelines on the appearance and performance of minors, particularly children" on all its television programs. TV5 said that it welcomed the hearings of the MTRCB and other bodies “as opportunities to further thresh out the issues and find solutions," even as the incident was under “thorough investigation" by the network itself under the helm of its Chief Operating Officer, Roberto V. Barreiro, and Chief Legal Counsel, Christine C. Ona. TV5 also designated Ona as the network’s internal Ombudsman to review any incidents of this nature and to whom any complaints may be referred for immediate disposition.
“Not withdrawing does not mean CDO will tolerate the show or its host to go against the values we stand for," read the CDO statement. “We believe that issues can be addressed through dialogues with utmost objectivity and temperance. Let us sow love and not provoke anger in these controversies."
Govt agencies acting on the complaint PANA’s email was forwarded to the CWC, then it was also forwarded to the National Council for Children's Television (NCCT), which CWC and PANA are part of as members of the NCCT Advisory Committee. CWC Deputy Executive Director Ma. Elena S. Caraballo said that Social Welfare Secretary Corazon “Dinky" Soliman, who also sits as CWC Chair, has already sent a letter to TV5 owner Manuel V. Pangilinan on Tuesday, and has also indicated that DSWD social workers will do home visits to Jan-Jan's family for appropriate counseling especially to Jan-Jan. Carballo said that aside from actions already initiated by the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), hearings on the complaints have already commenced at the Movie and Television Ratings and Classification Board (MTCRB), per NCCT Advisory Committee, according to MTRCB lawyer Eric Mallonga. She added that the Special Committee for the Protection of Children chaired by the Department of Justice has scheduled the case for discussion in its meeting on 18 April “for the needed follow-through action/s." On Thursday, the MTRCB released a “Second Update" stating that: “In connection with the complaint filed by the MTRCB’s Legal Counsel on the offensive scene of child abuse …, the Board’s Hearing and Adjudication Committee has set the case for Preliminary Conference on 04 April 2011 at 3:00 P.M." The Hearing and Adjudication Committee is composed of three Board Members designated by the Chairperson, at least one of whom must be a lawyer and act as a Presiding Officer. The function of the Board’s Hearing and Adjudication Committee is akin to the Courts of Law, tasked to determine the innocence or guilt of the respondents.
UNICEF response to inquiries UNICEF Philippines also released on Wednesday a statement “in response to the many enquiries we have received in relation to the six year old boy who was subjected to ridicule and humiliation." UNICEF said it “fully supports the actions taken by the DSWD and Commission on Human Rights and other concerned groups to ensure the child’s right to protection from exploitation and abuse and to counsel the family involved in this incident." The UN body added that it “is also advocating for the media, particularly for the broadcast TV networks, to take a careful look at the values and behaviors that are being promoted in some of their programs." UNICEF pointed out that under Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), “the most widely adopted human rights treaty in the world," children must be protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parents, legal guardians or any other person who has the care of the child. The CRC also provides for prevention and for identification, reporting, referral, investigation, treatment and follow-up, including judicial processing as needed, of instances of child maltreatment. UNICEF noted that Article 11 of the Kapisanan ng mga Broadkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Broadcast Code of 2007, on Children’s Programs and Welfare, expressly prohibits television programs that “depict inappropriate sexual subjects or violent actions" and “material that are physically, mentally, morally and psychologically harmful to children." UNICEF said: “The power of television to influence and shape public attitude and opinion is incomparable. UNICEF is willing to work with concerned agencies and institutions to promote best practices on how children should be treated and depicted both as guests and actors in the media."
—JV, GMA News 
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