THE Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has rebranded and expanded its office to Davao City to provide avenues for swift reporting and policing at a local level.
According to Rico Pableo, board member of MTRCB, the agency has prioritized value-oriented content which will help develop the character and values of viewers.
“We have rebranded to ‘Responsableng Panonood.’ Before it was ‘Matalinong Panonood’ which is very good because it sounds interesting by guiding the viewers. But with ‘Responsableng Panonood’, we want more value-oriented contents, which is not just a view or a mindset but also develops the person,” he said.
“We want entertainment that develops one’s character and values,” he added.
Under Presidential Decree No. 1986 signed by the late President Ferdinand Marcos, MTRCB is mandated to regulate and classify movies, television programs, related publicity materials, and/or promotional materials thereof.
Pableo also bared that MTRCB has established regional offices in Cebu and Davao in accordance with the vision of Diorella Maria Sotto-Antonio, chair of MTRCB,
“The purpose of the expansion is for issues and concerns by viewers to be immediately addressed...But most of our transactions are done online,” he said.
Moreover, Pableo underscored the roles of parents in regulating what their children consume.
“We want to help parents understand what values are being instilled into the minds of their children. We also want to provide guidelines for the viewers to know what is suitable for them,” he said.
“We will be rolling out our Responsableng Panonood program in different areas through media presentations... We will launch in Davao on April 21,” he added.
“Responsableng Panonood” is a developmental program of MTRCB to help viewers develop their character and values.
On top of their efforts to ensure viewer protection in the mainstream media, Pableo said MTRCB has developed partnerships with streaming sites such as Netflix, HBO Go, and Vivamax to ensure that their contents are properly aligned with the agency’s expectations.
“We want to regulate the contents of streaming sites through partnerships. For example, Netflix has parental control which only allows limited access,” he said.
Pableo said violators of the guidelines will be penalized according to the law. Closure, aside from monetary penalties, will be imposed as a last resort for violators.
Intensified monitoring of movies played in buses and hotels is currently being conducted. JDC