[OPINION] PBB Unlimited: Violating Basic Human Rights??? {Comments Off}
PBB Unlimited has finally stepped overboard with their latest punch at trying to save the show’s overall ratings. Their strategy…bringing in ex-housemates from prior seasons who have, at one point or another, “helped” drag the show’s ratings up. This season, the entrance of the so-called “M6″1 caused quite a stir within the show’s avid viewers. However, things are quickly turning sour as viewers watched a new twist come to life only a day after the supposed exit of the M5 during last night’s 13th eviction night, wherein Seiichi was voted out of contention for a slot in the show’s Big Night.2
Just hours ago, two of the now defunct M5 have once again entered the PBB House as the “Don” and “Donya” of the PBB Hacienda.3 Their roles: to order the remaining housemates around as their slaves. For lack of a better storyline, the show’s creative staff did not stop there. In fact, they had to bring back in the latest evictee of the house, Seiichi.
In this new twist, the housemates are treated very inhumanely:
- Beauty4 orders the male housemates to strip naked from the waist up whenever she is in their presence.
- Baron5 orders housemates to literally kiss Beauty’s feet as retribution for eating their food without their permission.
- Seiichi is made to bark like a dog by Baron, as part of his new character “Oto-san”6
- Ordering Carlo to dance provocatively7
- Ordering Tin to slaughter a live chicken while cameras are rolling/recording/broadcast simultaneously via 24/7 live streaming8
Watch this video clip that shows three out of the five defamatory treatments stated above:
While it is Baron and Beauty who are doing this injustice to the housemates, the responsibility falls on the show’s staff and management to maintain the dignity of the housemates’ well-being while part of the show. The whole scenario brings us back to the era of Spanish Rule where Filipinos were treated as slaves in our own country—a memory that still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.
If the show’s aim is to have the housemates re-live their experience inside Looban save for its new location (the “Hacienda”), they could have done it with more class and finesse. Instead, they push it to the limit by treading dangerous waters: violating basic human rights.
ICCR Article 7 – Prohibition of torture or cruel, inhuman, degrading punishment or treatment: all persons deprived of their liberty must be treated with humanity and respect for dignity or human person, no justification or extenuating circumstances may be invoked to excuse torture, cruel, inhuman, degrading treatment or punishment.
While the housemates are part of this reality show, they have been deprived of their right to liberty—they subject themselves to the orders of “Kuya” whose rules and orders are absolute while inside the PBB House. Sadly, by the housemates’ act of signing the MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) provided to them prior to the start of the show, they have voluntarily subjected themselves to possible human rights violations as such mentioned above.
The show’s housemates all come from decent families, regardless of social standing. Whether or not their education has made them aware of their basic human rights, as people with independent minds and feelings they will be able to distinguish whether they have been wronged or not. It will be interesting to see how they will react to this kind of treatment when they will be given the chance to express their thoughts and feelings regarding the matter. However, the show’s patriarch (Kuya) is unfortunately (or coincidentally???) not available; and his supposed right hand “Big Utol” is in his place. For sure, trust issues will be raised, especially by some of the remaining housemates who are very vocal and up front about everything. Expect Slater, Divine and Carlo to lash out when given the chance.
The show’s intentions of trying to reel back in good ratings has now become a moral issue. Teaching them moral values is one thing, but the manner of teaching makes a huge difference. It defines the difference between right and wrong.
Is it right to treat these individuals (housemates) like such? Do the housemates deserve to be humiliated on national television and via the internet9 like they are now? Will their families, fans and the general viewing public allow such kind of social imprudence to be taken lightly as “part of the show?”
All of us have the basic right to be treated fairly and our dignity preserved. Whether or not the housemates signed up for such treatment, the violation of such rights can still be questioned. Now, it is up to us viewers to put a stop to this degrading and defamatory treatment that the management and staff of Pinoy Big Brother has subjected the housemates in. This is supposed to be a reality show, not a concentration camp!!!
To the viewers:
If you truly love and care about your favorite housemate, help make your voices heard. Let us put a stop to this madness of a show once and for all. Email, tweet, bombard your complaints against these bullies. If you don’t make a stand, this kind of behavior will be repeated again and again in the seasons to come.10
To MTRCB:
We implore your help in putting a stop to this grave injustice to the housemates, as well as the huge insult to the viewers’ intelligence. If the industry thrives on its viewers and supporters, then it is just right to hear and give importance to viewers’ opinion.
- “Memorable 6″, a group of ex-housemates who were known as the most notorious in their season of Pinoy Big Brother, which eventually became 5-strong as Kigoy was again force evicted as a result of violence [↩]
- The results of text/online votes are still very much in question as to its validity and authenticity as hints of foul-play have been suspected over the last few weeks of the show. [↩]
- part of the PBB complex, that now is located where the activity area used to be [↩]
- PBB Teens Edition Season 2 ex-housemate [↩]
- PBB Celebrity Edition Season 2 [↩]
- a modern adaptation of “aliping namamahay” [↩]
- ala “macho dancer” or in English, male stripper [↩]
- in the US, PETA would be breathing down their necks and their faces slapped with a fine and possible jail time, in especially since it is aired live via the internet [↩]
- via 24/7 live streaming [↩]
- especially when the creative staff runs out of ideas to bring in ratings [↩]
