Former PBA Reporter Alleged "Fat-Shaming" In TV Network

A new controversy has surfaced regarding the treatment of a PBA repporter in the hands of TV5 management because she was, take note of this, overweight. It was revealed by Ira Pablo that she was fired from covering PBA games two years ago when the management thought that she was too fat for the job, as posted by Spin.ph.

Pablo, who is the daughter of former PBA star and Shell player Vic Pablo, thought she had finally reached one of her life's objectives when she was hired as courtside reporter in 2022. But her joy turned to grief when, after reporting for some 10 games, she was unceremoniously yanked off her job and was not told officially why.

It was only later that she concluded that the reason she could not get another gig was because she was overweight.

In her Facebook page, Ira said: "Sharing something I wish I had the courage to share 2 years ago — I became a PBA courtside reporter tapos tinanggalan ako ng trabaho kasi 'mataba' daw ako."

Pablo wrote. "After covering just about 10 PBA games, all of a sudden, wala na akong assigned games."

Pablo said she could not think of any other reason why she was fired as a courtside reporter where her image is on full view on TV, other than her physical appearance which she believed some bigwigs at the company that covers PBA games deemed to be inappropriate for the task at hand.

She said she had prepared well for the job, dreaming about it specially after seeing her father play in the PBA, spending his best years in the league with Shell.

"To those who saw me grow up, alam nila na elementary palang ako gusto ko na mag-cover ng PBA. Watching my dad play was my biggest influence. In fact, the only reason I signed up as a collegiate courtside reporter, was to practice and prepare myself for the PBA," she said.

Pablo, who built her reputation as a courtside reporter for National University in the UAAP before transitioning to the professional league, stated that "a female" was involved in the decision to cut her stint short after just 10 games in Season 47 in 2022.

"After about ten games, my time with the PBA ended. It was a male who got me into the PBA, but it was a female who let me go. It’s disappointing,” she said.

TV5 management, which control most of the personnel in broadcasting the PBA games, have yet to issue any statement about the matter.