‘Character-building a lifetime project, needs proper guidance’
THE MOVIE and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has been recently reported in several media outlets, expressing serious concern about the welfare of minor housemates in the reality show “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB).”
After reading “PBB: Our goal is character-building; MTRCB: Adult guidance needed,” a news report that appeared last July 10 in Inquirer.net, we could not resist putting our two cents in.
We all know how “PBB” works and how its shows are run.
Character-building can never be its goal. Character-building is a lifetime project and requires proper guidance, first of all as in this case, from the parents who are the best educators of their own children.
As one good author advises parents:
- Remember that you’re raising adults, not children. When you think of your children’s future, picture character as well as career. Your job is not to keep children amused and busy. It is, rather, to lead your children to become competent, responsible, considerate, and generous men and women who are committed to live by principles of integrity. Think of what your children will be, not just what they will do.
- Teach the great character strengths (virtues): prudence, justice, fortitude, temperance and charity. In today’s terms, these are called sound judgment and conscience, a sense of responsibility, courageous perseverance, self-mastery, and respect for the rights and sensibilities of others. You teach these strengths in three ways: by your personal example, your direction of your children’s behavior, and your verbal explanations of right and wrong. But you teach mostly by example. Remember that conscience is the memory of our parents’ voices, their loving lessons of right and wrong taught to us in our youth.
Certainly, these are not present in “PBB.”
Obviously an extract from a press statement quoted in another article: “ABS-CBN vehemently condemns these irresponsible social media posts that malign the reputation of the housemates. We are concerned with the welfare of our young housemates and it is our responsibility to protect them. We will not allow them to be subjected to cyberbullying.”
These social media posts happened simply because the sensibilities of the viewers were offended. ABS-CBN explained that the termination of “PBB 24/7” livestreaming was their way of protecting the reputation of the housemates. But this came about only after the MTRCB summoned executives of ABS-CBN over complaints about the show.
We salute the MTRCB, its chair and all its collaborators for being vigilant and firm; after all, it is the children, the hope of the future, who are at stake.
Hopefully, the same or similar “PBB” series will not be repeated!
—GERLY DE CASTRO and EVELYN MENDOZA,
TV Advocacy Group Alabang
