MTRCB bars minors in 'GGV' audience

Vice Ganda performs during his sold-out concert at the Araneta Coliseum in May 2013. Photo by Nimfa Chua for ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA - The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has ordered ABS-CBN to undergo "remedial and self-regulatory measures" for three months after it received complaints against two programs hosted by comedian Vice Ganda.

The regulatory agency said the complaints were in relation to insulting scenes and words with double meaning on both the noontime program "It's Showtime" and the late-night talk show "Gandang Gabi Vice."

In connection with this, the MTRCB has ordered ABS-CBN to no longer accommodate minors in the audience of "Gandang Gabi Vice," which airs taped episodes on Sundays.

The MTRCB also recommended that Vice Ganda, whose real name is Jose Marie Viceral, and the staff of both programs should undergo a seminar about audience and child sensitivity.

ABS-CBN, which assured MTRCB of its cooperation for the benefit of its audience, is set to submit its self-regulatory recommendations on September 1.

The MTRCB earlier had Vice Ganda and ABS-CBN staff attend a dialogue with the Ateneo Human Rights Center and the National Counfil for Children's Television. -- Report from Mario Dumaual, ABS-CBN News