A psychologist who reviewed an episode of "It's Showtime" that involved cake-icing fingers from Vice Ganda and Ion Perez maintained that she found no concern when it comes to the conduct of the television hosts as well as the participation of the children during the program's segment.

Last Sept. 18, ABS-CBN filed a motion for reconsideration to the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). Attached is the position paper of Dr. Camille C. Garcia, CEO/Administrator of the Clinic of the Holy Spirit, Inc., who made a comment on the matter. A copy of the MR was obtained by Manila Bulletin Entertainment.

Garcia, who has been a resource person for other TV programs, explained:

"This is about the licking of icing incident at Showtime last July 2023 allegedly an indecent act of Vice Ganda.

"A person's individual experience or circumstance shapes his or her perception including that of sexual activity or malice.

"In this case, a person, especially a child, who does not (sic) yet have sexual awareness will not perceive the act of licking food/icing from one's finger as malicious or sexual.

"Therefore, the children present during the subject show (who were seven years old and below) and even the children watching will not ordinarily perceive the subject conduct as sexual or malicious."

Garcia is the program's resident clinical psychologist to guide the program in crafting the mechanics of the segment "Isip Bata" to ensure the well-being of the children involved.

She also said that her three clinical psychology interns regularly conduct pre-briefing with the children before they participate in the program.

They also monitor the children during the program/segment and conduct regular debriefing afterward, the paper also stated.

For the specific segment, Garcia's interns conducted their usual pre-briefing monitoring and debriefing of the children involved.

Said interns had no significant observations or concerns even during the children's participation in the show's segment, it also said.

Parents of the kids who participated in the "Isip Bata" segment also expressed their support for the noontime show, saying they did not find the incident malicious.

ABS-CBN maintains that "It's Showtime" did not violate MTRCB rules during the July 25 episode.

At the same time, the broadcast network assured the classification board that the program never intended to offend audiences. The network said its purpose has always been to entertain, give hope, and make the audiences happy.

In a motion for reconsideration filed before the MTRCB on Sept. 18, 2023, ABS-CBN has sought to reconsider the board's decision to suspend the airing of the noontime show for 12 days.