This decision comes as a result of the program being deemed to purely appeal to “prurient interest” and its failure to adhere to the MTRCB Rating guidelines.

The ruling, dated January 24, declares, “In the exercise of its regulatory powers, the MTRCB hereby prohibits the television program "Private Convos with Doc Rica" from exportation, copying, distribution, sale, lease, exhibition, and/or television broadcast in all media platforms within the jurisdiction of the MTRCB, commencing from the finality of this decision.”

The MTRCB's Monitoring and Inspection Unit (MIU) initiated an Incident Report to the Office of the Chairperson on August 24, 2023, citing concerns about the content of the program.

The report highlighted episodes containing discussions on sexual experiences and fantasies, accompanied by the use of inappropriate language.

Specifically, the MIU flagged the September 6 episode, where explicit terms such as "self-masturbation, anal sex, and oral sex" were used during an interview on sexual awakening.

Numerous complaints were received by the Board from concerned parents in addition to the MIU's observations.

Following due process, a Notice to Appear was issued on September 28, 2023, requiring the Respondents to testify before the Agency’s Hearing and Adjudication Committee.

The Board thoroughly reviewed the content and assessed it against relevant provisions of the law, specifically Section 3 (c) of Presidential Decree No. 1986 (PD 1986) and Section 2, Chapter IV, in relation to Section 8, Chapter V of the law's Implementing Rules and Regulations.

After comprehensive analysis, the Board concluded that the "Private Convos with Doc Rica" television program involved detailed discussions of guests’ sexual awakenings, leading to explicit narrations of intimate experiences and the use of unsuitable language for broadcasting.

MTRCB Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Lala Sotto, emphasized, "With the freedom to broadcast content comes a responsibility. We implore broadcasters and content providers to be circumspect and responsible in their creative processes, acknowledging the profound influence that on-screen content holds.”

The ruling deemed that the episode’s explicit terms and the actions and expressions of the host and guests "fall within materials which appeal to the prurient interest of the average person."

Additionally, the Board disagreed with claims of the program having "educational and social value."

Concerns were raised about the appropriateness of the chosen medium and time slot for dissemination, considering the explicit discussions on sexual experiences. The ruling also criticized the respondents for complete defiance and non-adherence to the MTRCB Rating, violating Section 2, Chapter IV in relation to Section 8, Chapter V of PD 1986.

The ban on the TV program takes effect upon the finality of the decision, covering exportation, copying, distribution, sale, lease, exhibition, and/or television broadcast in all media platforms within the jurisdiction of the MTRCB.