Actor-turned-Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada recently called out popular adult streaming service VMX (formerly Vivamax) for its graphic content.
“Bagama’t may mga comedy, drama, romance, at horror movies sa site, ang unang bubungad sa subscriber ay ang tinatawag nilang sexy contents,” he related.
As a champion of strong family ties and values, Estrada lamented the irresponsibility given to such, noting how the site could easily be accessed by minors.
“Wala po akong nakikitang redeeming values na mapupulot ang mga manonood kundi ang pagsilbihan ang mga tumatangkilik ng kalaswaan, kawalan ng respeto sa dignidad ng tao at pagkakitaan ang ganitong klase ng pelikulang ipinalalabas sa streaming platform,” he maintained.
The lawmaker went on to stress that the normalization of such content erodes the fundamental principles of decency.
He urged, “As consumers of digital content, we must be vigilant and discerning about what we watch and share.”
“Content creators must likewise recognize their responsibility in shaping public discourse and cultural norms,” he added.
Estrada made clear he is not out to suppress artistic freedom and creative expression.
“Artista rin tayo. Alam natin ang kahalagahan nito sa ating sining pero nga, these should come with boundaries,” he said. “Dapat alam natin kung hanggang saan lang dapat tayo. We should not undermine our society’s moral fabric.”
Estrada also critcized VMX for alleged exploitation of its talents, revealing how the company only pays each of them 15,000 pesos daily in the course of shooting a film, which he claims, only lasts for two days.
“Kaya hindi nakakapagtaka na madali silang makapag-produce ng ganitong klaseng (palabas) sa loob ng maiksing panahon,” Estrada said.
VMX is yet to respond to the issue.
Meanwhile, Lala Sotto-Antonio, Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) MTRCB chief, aired her support relating Estrada’s apprehensions.
She said in a statement, “We share Senator Jinggoy Estrada’s concerns that we need to protect our viewers, especially children, in this digital age. As one of its proactive steps, the MTRCB called the attention of subscription-based platforms and encouraged them to observe our standards.”
The agency’s mandate, as defined under Presidential Decree 1986, is limited to regulating content on traditional platforms like television and cinema.
