Coco Martin’s hit primetime drama Sigabo underwent a compliance seminar conducted by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) after the agency received complaints alleging the program’s repeated and excessive depiction of violence.
The compliance seminar for CCM Film Productions, founded by Martin, was held at the MTRCB office in Quezon City.
According to the MTRCB, the seminar was prompted by numerous complaints regarding the teleserye’s alleged excessive violent content since it premiered on June 22.
In her opening remarks, MTRCB Chair Lala Sotto emphasized that the agency’s goal is to support the television industry in producing high-quality programs while ensuring they remain appropriate for younger audiences under proper parental guidance.
“I just want to make it clear that the reason why we are having this compliance seminar today is because we want to help you. We want to help the production. We want you to understand where we are coming from, and we also want to better understand the production,” Sotto said.
“The scenes and the storylines may be very socially relevant, and we understand and fully support that. But there are always limitations. Everything has its limitations,” she added.
Sigabo, which also stars Julia Montes, is co-produced by ABS-CBN’s Dreamscape Entertainment and CCM Film Productions.
The compliance seminar was led by MTRCB Vice Chair Juan “Johnny” Revilla, together with Board Members Ricardo “Jojo” Salomon, Eloisa Matias, and Robert “Bobby” Andrews, under the agency’s Responsible Guidance initiative.
According to the MTRCB, the seminar was a prompt response to more than 10 complaints concerning Sigabo, which airs on the free television channels ALLTV, A2Z, and TV5.
The complaints cited alleged excessive depictions of violence, physical fights, brutal torture scenes, and violent language in the series.
The MTRCB previously assigned Sigabo a Strong Parental Guidance (SPG) rating.
Programs with an SPG classification contain mature themes that may not be suitable for children unless viewed under the strict supervision of a parent or a responsible adult.
In assigning an SPG rating, the MTRCB evaluates a program’s purpose, genre, time slot, and its portrayal of themes involving violence, drugs, language, sexuality, and horror.
Some of the complaints also urged the MTRCB to closely review primetime television dramas that contain violent content.
CCM Film Productions welcomed the compliance seminar and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to discuss the concerns raised against Sigabo.
According to Malu Sevilla of CCM Film Productions, the production team understood the MTRCB’s objectives and was able to explain the creative direction and intentions behind the teleserye.
Sevilla added that the company is now even more committed to ensuring that its programs comply with MTRCB standards, particularly with regard to content that may be viewed by younger audiences.
“We are all here to help this industry. If we fall short in any way while trying to raise the level of entertainment, we appreciate the guidance and assistance,” Sevilla said.
