A stampede resulting from poor management and uncontrolled crowds killed 74 people and left more than 350 others injured in the Philippines. The shocking tragedy over what was supposed to be the first anniversary special of a noontime game show “Wowowee,” known for giving cash prizes to impoverished audience, showed the desperation of the Philippine poor to uplift their life.

Target: Women

According to the latest death report, 71 out of the 74 people killed in the ABS-CBN stampede were women.

The show has a huge following among women, including housewives and the elderly, who are at home at noon, when the show is aired. Many watch the show as it offers them a chance to contribute to the family’s earnings by being regular contestants or home partners. More women are also willing to line up for hours. According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, “Women have provided much of the studio audiences for similar shows and more so in outdoor presentations.”

Evidence of women as target audience can also be seen in the type of advertisements aired: products for children, household consumer items (like dishwashing liquid and fabric softener), and beauty products (shampoo, soap, etc.).

Source: Contreras, Volt &* Ramos, Marlon. February 9, 2006. “Feminine Face of Poverty: Only 3 Men Died at Ultra.” Downloaded from Philippine Daily Inquirer website, <http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php? index=1&story_id=65582>.
As many as 50,000 people lined up for days to get into the Ultra Stadium on February 4, 2006 in Manila. When the steel gates were finally opened, people at the back pushed to get ahead, crushing those in front, mostly elderly women.

To be given away in the game show were vehicles, a house and lot, consolation prizes of PHP 20,000 (USD 384), and a jackpot prize of PHP 1 Million (USD 19,230). The regular noontime show airs from Monday to Saturday at 1 p.m. on ABS-CBN Channel 2 locally, and is shown on The Filipino Channel (TFC) worldwide.

The show’s organisers said they only wished to entertain people, to help the poor and give them hope of a better life. “We just wanted to make them happy,” said host Willie Revillame. “In our own little way,” he added, “we are helping the government. Every day, jobless Filipinos have make a career out of joining our game show. Is it a sin to give people hope? ”

In a country where 40%of the population live on PHP 100 (roughly USD 2) a day, any amount is a lure. But media critics claimed the show promotes mendicancy, offering quick-fixes, and promises of fortune. Columnist Neal H. Cruz wrote, “The people need jobs, not handouts. They prefer to work for their food. So give them jobs, not handouts, and they would be more grateful. Handouts fill hungry stomachs temporarily, but they strip people of their self-respect.”

With as many as 5,000 people lining up to watch the regular airing everyday at the ABS-CBN station, and thousands more watching the show from their houses, television has become one of the most pervasive influences on millions of lives. An AC Nielsen Study on Media Penetration (2002) reports that 80% of Filipinos own TV sets, much more than radio and other media. Filipinos watch about 200 minutes of television daily with peak viewing times between noon and 1 p.m. and prime time from 7 to 10 p.m.

With a far-reaching and influential medium, stations are responsible for programme content. How can popular noontime game shows like “Wowowee” address this culture of dependence in their audiences, which they themselves have bred?

How responsible are media?

Commentaries from leading Philippine columnists stated basically the same criticisms: shows like “Wowowee” sensationalise the plight of the poor, giving illusion to millions of viewers that the unemployed and illiterate can change their lot by winning the jackpot. But they have to regularly watch the show.

Rina Jimenez-David, Opinion columnist for Inquirer, attributed the tragedy to “greed born of desperation” among the crowds and “commercial greed” on the part of the network. “Facing a competitor which had ruled the time slot for decades, and against which it had mounted show after show, only to fail miserably in the ratings, ABS-CBN conceptualised ‘Wowowee’ which was a game show only in name, as Revillame himself confessed, and instead relied on drawing an audience – and the ratings – by throwing money at people.”

Initial findings from the Task Force’s investigation could hold ABS-CBN, the show’s organisers, and even host Revillame liable.

Meanwhile, Chairman of ABS-CBN Eugenio Lopez III has declared that the station would do its part to address the needs of victims of the stampede. His statement read: “ABS-CBN management deeply regrets the very unfortunate incident that happened at the ULTRA as thousands of people flock to watch the 1st anniversary celebration of ‘Wowowee.’ We sympathise with the families and loved ones of the victims, and grieve over the loss of lives. Management assures the public that it will do everything it can to provide assistance and support to those affected.”

In the past few days, ABS-CBN designated Bantay Bata 163 (a children’s welfare group funded by the station) to assist family members of the victims. They deployed 12 teams of social workers and volunteers to visit the victims’ families and take care of wake and burial arrangements. Another team was assigned to visit hospitals and funeral parlours to gather information. The network also said it is providing continued medical treatment to the injured and traumatised.But many ask, are these efforts enough?

Not a quick-fix

Critics have been saying that the station is capable of doing more to address the health needs and burial expenses of the stampede victims.

In 2003, the advertising rate for an ABS-CBN primetime program was PHP150,000 (USD 2,884) per 30 seconds. Network officials say that in May 2003 the station earned a record PHP1 billion pesos (over USD 19 million) gross in airtime revenues. A popular segment in “Wowowee” has Overseas Filipino Workers giving out a few dollars to greet family members and join the games. Donations are said to reach up to millions of pesos daily.

The Task Force reports that the show’s announcement that the first 300 people who lined up would get to participate in a portion of the show (and win cash prizes) caused crowds to swell.

“Offering so few tickets to so many people may be likened to offering a small piece of meat to a pack of hungry wolves,” said Interior Secretary Marius Corpus during a press conference on the Task Force’s findings.

“ABS-CBN wanted a spectacular crowd inside and outside the arena, and that was what they got,” noted Jimenez-David. “It’s only right – and obligatory – for the giant network to say they would pay for the funeral and burial services of those who died in the crush, and for the hundreds more injured.”

Apart from the quick-fix solution and the damage control that is necessary for such a tragedy, what is the network doing to prevent another incident like this from happening?

Will networks rethink their game show/noontime formulas in responding to people's needs? Or, in a few weeks time, will it continue as always? After saying a short prayer for the departed, with the show’s host shedding a few tears, the program will most probably move on. The public will most likely see the return of the dancing girls and cash prizes, and business will go back to normal.

Indeed, just the next night after the Wowowee stampede, thousands gathered on Roxas Boulevard to watch 14 celebrities enter Big Brother’s house for 56 days in the hopes of winning a few million pesos in prizes.

Sources:
BBC News. February 4, 2006. “Manila Stadium Stampede Kills 73.” Downloaded from BBC News website, <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4680040.stm>.

Bordadora, Norman, Avendano, Christine, & Nocom, Armand. February 9, 2006. “Stampede Prober Says Sorry, but...” Downloaded from Philippine Daily Inquirer website, <http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=65569>

Cruz, Neal H. February 5, 2006. “As I See It: Stampede Shows How Desperately Poor Pinoys Are Downloaded from Philippine Daily Inquirer website, <http://beta.inq7.net/opinion/index.php?index=2&story_id=65233&col=56>

Felipe, Cecille, Suerte. February 6, 2006. “ABS-CBN Security Chief Blames ‘Unruly’ Crowd.” Downloaded fronm The Philippine Star website, <http://www.philstar.com/philstar/News200602060401.htm>.

Inquirer News Service website, <http://www.inq7.net/ent/2003/may/30/ent_5-1.htm>.

Jimenez-David, Rina. February 7, 2006. “At Large: They Were Invited. ” Downloaded from Philippine Daily Inquirer website, <http://news.inq7.net/opinion/index.php?index=2&story_id=65347&col=79>

Lopez, Eugenio III. “Official Statement of ABS-CBN: ABS-CBN Assures Help to Wowowee Tragedy Victims.” Downloaded from ABS-CBN website, <http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/topofthehour.aspx?StoryId=29130>.

Salterio, Leah. May, 30, 2003. “ABS-CBN Earned P1-B in May Alone, Says Exec.” Downloaded from Del Puerto, Luige, Tandoc, Edson C. & Contreras, Volt. February 5, 2006. “Game show stampede: 74 dreams crushed.” Downloaded from Philippine Daily Inquirer website, <http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=3&story_id=65164&published_site=16>.

San Diego, Bayani Jr. February 7, 2006. “Revillame: We Are Not Exploiting People’s Poverty. Downloaded from Philippine Daily Inquirer website, <http://news.inq7.net/express/html_output/20060207-65364.xml.html>

“Why Megamanila Ratings Are Very Important” posted on June 17, 2005. <http://pinoyexchange.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9032044&postcount=4598>.

Numbers Game

PHP 1 billion (USD 19 Million): Earnings of ABS-CBN in May 2003 alone in gross airtime revenues
PHP 1 million (USD 19,230): The raffle prize jackpot
PHP 150,000 (USD 2,884): The cost of a 30-second advertisement during primetime slots
30,000-50,000: Crowd estimates that lined up to watch the anniversary show
17,000-18,000: Total seating capacity of stadium (including bleachers)
5,000: Usual number of people who attend the regular show’s airing
350: Number of people injured in the stampede
200: Time (in minutes) Filipinos spend watching TV
PHP 100 (USD 2): Average daily income of Filipinos
74: Number of people who died in the stampede
71: Number of women who died in the stampede
4: Age of youngest casualty crushed to death

Sources:

Salaverria, Leila & del Puerto, Luige. February 6, 2006. “Stampede Probers Find Lapses in Security Setup.” Downloaded from Philippine Daily Inquirer website, <http://news.inq7.net/nation/index.php?index=1&story_id=65253>.

“Why Megamanila Ratings Are Very Important.” Posted on June 17, 2005 at <http://pinoyexchange.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9032044&postcount=4598>.