The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) responded to an online account’s post about a celebrity’s brand endorsement.
The account on the X app, which can no longer be accessed, claimed that MTRCB flagged Vice Ganda for his manner of eating fried chicken as shown in the latest commercial with McDonald’s Philippines.
In a statement last Sunday, MTRCB dismissed this claim as “malicious and false.” Neither Vice Ganda nor McDonald’s were mentioned here.
“The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) debunk social media posts claiming that the Board has summoned a certain celebrity who appeared in a recent Television (TV) Commercial of a Fast-food chain. Such claims are malicious and false,” it said.
The board also advised the public to verify information first before spreading it.
“In this digital age, it is crucial to verify the news and be mindful of sources of information before sharing. This incident underscores the importance of Media Literacy and Critical Thinking,” MTRCB said.
“The MTRCB supports President Marcos Jr.’s administration and the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) in its campaign to combat disinformation and misinformation. We believe that we must put an end to the era of fake news and let truth prevail,” it added.
While some Filipinos expressed support for the agency, others criticized it for reacting to a post of an account known for its satirical content.
“She reacted over satire? Ang lala,” a user named John Paul Tanyag said.
“It was a joke girl everyone got it,” another Pinoy named Jai Cabajar commented.
“Bakit walang media literacy and MTRCB chairperson?” an X user also asked.
The Supreme Court previously defined satire as a form of literary work that “seeks to effectively communicate a greater purpose, often used for ‘political and social criticism because it tears down facades, deflates stuffed shirts and unmasks hypocrisy.”
It is also a protected speech provided by the Supreme Court ruling in the case between the Diocese of Bacolod versus the Commission of Elections in 2015.
READ: It’s protected speech, MMDA’s Pialago told as satire account gets serious
In recent years, multiple social media accounts that post satirical and comical content have run into trouble with government officials and their supporters.
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Even if satire has been around for ages and merely took up space in new forms on social media, some Filipinos could not discern truth, fake news and satirical posts.
This development, meanwhile, came after ABS-CBN’s “It’s Showtime” returned to air on October 28 following a 12-day suspension meted out by the MTRCB.
McDonald’s latest advertisement featuring Vice has since garnered 649,000 views on Facebook so far.
Here, the veteran comedian is endorsing the fast-food giant’s new recipe for its signature Chicken McDo.
