Press Release
September 3, 2007

TRADE C'TEE TO STRENGTHEN GAME SHOWS REGULATION
HIGHLIGHTS NEED TO PROTECT CONTESTANTS WHO ARE ALSO CONSUMERS

Senator Mar Roxas, chair of the Senate committee on trade and commerce, today filed a resolution seeking an inquiry, in aid of legislation, into how to strengthen protection of consumers or contestants who join television game shows.

"Millions of Filipinos watch these game shows and send text messages or purchase products so they could become contestants, hoping that they win and uplift their lives with the prize money," he said.

"We must look into how to ensure fairness and transparency in television game shows, and the kind of government action needed to regulate the same and ensure the protection of consumers or contestants joining these game shows," he added.

The Senator, in filing Senate Resolution No. 111, added that the inquiry would aid the trade committee in further strengthening Republic Act 7394, or the Consumer Code of the Philippines, which regulates "sales promotions" at present. The committee, he said, could also look into new measures to strengthen regulation of television game shows.

"The Consumer Code was crafted in 1992, 15 years ago. There have been so many changes in technology and in the way sales promotions are done. Certainly, the law must be updated to reflect these advancements in order to protect our consumers" he said.

Roxas said he called for a consultation meeting with officials of the Department of Trade and Industry scheduled tomorrow morning at the Senate. "The outcome of this meeting will determine parallel actions to protect our consumers and ensure that game shows do fall under the oversight function of the DTI. If the DTI says it can resolve this issue without the need for amendments to the Consumer Code, then I will withdraw my resolution but with a caveat that better standards must be established to prevent a repeat of the 'Wowowee' incident," he said.

He noted that game shows are closely monitored by government entities in other countries because the size of the prize money can be enticing enough to promote collusion or connivance. In a September 10, 2001 episode of the British Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, it was discovered that the winner of the 1-million pound prize had been coached by a fellow contestant, which led to a revocation of the prize, and the winner and his accomplices being brought to court.

"The easiest thing to do is to ignore the whole thing. But there is a gap in the law that needs to be addressed. We need to look at this matter objectively, guided solely by the need to protect our consumers," Roxas stressed.

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