Philippine Senators Slam Podcast Over Remarks About Kristina Aquino's Son; Pod Network Drops Show
Key Takeaways
- •Three Philippine senators—Erwin T. Tulfo, Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, and Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel—condemned the Machong Chismisan podcast over remarks about Joshua Aquino-Salvador, a person on the autism spectrum.
- •Co-host Tito P joked in a now-deleted episode that Joshua Aquino-Son was 'walang kwenta' (useless) compared to his brother James Carlos 'Bimby' Aquino Yap, Jr.
- •Senator Villanueva said deleting the episode is insufficient, calling for clear content standards from production companies and action from digital platforms against discriminatory content.
- •Tito P has publicly apologized and said he is reaching out to those directly affected by the remarks.
- •The Pod Network announced on Thursday that it had formally terminated its contract with Machong Chismisan and removed the show from the network effective immediately.
Three Philippine senators on Thursday condemned the hosts of the all-male podcast Machong Chismisan over remarks directed at Joshua Aquino-Salvador, the son of Kristina Bernadette C. Aquino, a well-known Philippine television and film personality, and a person on the autism spectrum, saying ableist behavior has no place in Philippine society or online spaces.
The controversy stems from a now-deleted episode in which Tito P, one of the show's five co-hosts, joked that Joshua Aquino-Salvador is "walang kwenta" (useless) in comparison to his brother, James Carlos "Bimby" Aquino Yap, Jr. Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior, and the senators framed the remark as part of a broader pattern of treating persons with disabilities as material for punchlines.
Senators Erwin T. Tulfo, Emmanuel Joel J. Villanueva, and Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel called the remark offensive in separate statements. All three denounced the practice of turning the lives and experiences of persons with disabilities into punchlines.
Mr. Villanueva, a father of two, said it was painful to hear a child with a disability being mocked. He reminded production companies that deleting an episode after a controversy is not enough, noting that clear content standards are required. Digital platforms must also take action against discriminatory content, he added.
"Parents, siblings, and caregivers spend years building a world that is kinder to their loved ones, and they should not have to watch that world be ridiculed for views," Mr. Villanueva said.
Tito P has since apologized publicly, saying in a statement that he is "reaching out to those who were directly affected by the remarks."
Also on Thursday, The Pod Network said it had terminated its contract with Machong Chismisan after reviewing the episode. The decision places accountability with the network itself, while Mr. Villanueva's remarks extend the same expectation to the digital platforms through which such shows reach their audiences.
"We have formally terminated our contract with the Machong Chismisan podcast, and are consequently removing the show from the network, effective immediately," the network said in a statement published on Instagram. — Francessca S. Abalos, BusinessWorld
