MTRCB chair Grace Poe-Llamanzares

MANILA, Philippines – The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) is set on securing the welfare of children appearing on TV, in view of the issues involving a “macho-dancing” six-year-old boy and a recently pulled-out McDonald’s advertisement featuring kids.

The board’s chairperson, Grace Poe-Llamanzares, said that an “agreement on children” will be created to set guidelines on the portrayal of and by children on television.

The said “agreement,” Llamanzares said, will “uphold [the] dignity” of children, as well as determine the kind of portrayals suitable for them on TV.

“Katulad niyan, isa sa mga puwede nating talakayin [ay] kung ang isang bata ba ay hindi naintindihan ang kanyang ginagawa o kaya hindi ito ang normal na ginagawa ng bata sa pang-araw-araw, kailangan ba itong ipaganap sa kanya, sa isang pelikula o isang television show,” the chairwoman explained during a live phone interview with ABS-CBN’s “Umagang Kay Ganda,” April 14.

One of the first steps she took since she and the board members assumed their posts in MTRCB was the creation of the Committee on Child Protection, Llamanzares related.

The concerns of the committee include the improvement of the ratings system in TV and organization of dialogues among industry players, “para magkaron ng pagkakaintindihan sa mga bagay-bagay,” said Llamanzares.

Llamanzares did not comment on the McDonald’s ad---which has earned criticism from the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) for what they believe as the inappropriate message it imparts in terms of courtship---as she has not seen it.

The Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) and the Advertising Standards Council (ASC), she noted, are in charge of advertisement regulation. “Hindi po dumaan sa’min (MTRCB) ‘yan (commercial),” added Llamazares.

In the said fast food chain ad, a girl asked a boy if she can be his girlfriend. The latter refused, saying that girls are demanding. Frowning, the girl said she only wants McDo French fries, which seemingly relieved the boy. The ad ended with the young pair, who look to be grade schoolers, almost holding hands.

Following the flak from the church sect, McDonald’s voluntarily pulled out the controversial ad on April 12.

"We recognize and respect the stand of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) and have stopped airing the said commercial across all television stations as of noon today," said the company in their statement posted on abs-cbnNEWS.com.

The CBCP appreciates McDo’s move to self-regulate.

"Nakakatuwa na may positive reaction from them. Pero sana lang 'wag nang dumating ulit sa puntong ito. Sana on their own, 'yung kanilang sensitivity sa culture, sa faith ng isang bansa ay kilalanin," said Fr. Melvin Castro, executive secretary of the CBCP Episcopal Commission on Family Life, in an article posted on abs-cbnNEWS.com.

Llamanzares said that the MTRCB may also intervene with the airing of advertisements on some instances as it is technically within the scope of the board.

“Pag matigas ‘yung ulo kunyari ng gumawa ng commercial… May mga commercials na rin na kinausap ng MTRCB para hindi na maipalabas sa telebisyon noon katulad nung ‘Nakatikim ka na ba ng kinse anyos?’” she related, pertaining to a controversial ad of an alcoholic drink several years back.

Meanwhile, Llamanzares said that the MTRCB’s investigation on the escalating issues relating to the young boy’s performance on “Willing Willie” is still ongoing.

She hopes that resolution will finally be reached on the matter, but explained, “Medyo mas napapahaba [ang hearing] dahil ayaw naman nating sabihin na nire-railroad natin ang pagdinig. Kinakailangan ay nasa tamang procedure po tayo,” Llamanzares said on "UKG."