MTRCB orders 'It's Showtime' to tighten compliance after Vice Ganda racist joke controversy

The Philippines' Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) held a hearing on July 29 following public complaints about a July 24 episode of the noontime program ‘It’s Showtime’. Viewers alleged that comedian Vice Ganda made a racially insensitive remark during the “Memerimar” segment.

The MTRCB Hearing and Adjudication Committee gave the program’s producers and representatives of ABS‑CBN, GMA Network, Zoe Broadcasting and ALLTV seven days to file a verified Joint Position Paper and a Joint Undertaking outlining concrete steps to improve compliance with broadcast standards, especially for live and improvised comedy. The board also ordered the appointment of an On‑Air Compliance Officer to monitor live broadcasts and intervene when necessary. The complaint remains pending while the committee reviews the submissions and evidence.