Senate bill strengthens MTRCB amid film industry backlash

DESPITE strong opposition from various entities in the film industry, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has said that they will “respectfully defer to the wisdom of lawmakers” on the matter of expanding the board’s mandate to include streaming platforms in its regulatory powers.

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Sponsored by actor-turned-politician Robinhood C. Padilla, Senate Bill No. 2805 was approved on June 2, with the goal to “further protect viewers, particularly youth, while ensuring creative expression in the fields of television and film.”

Mr. Padilla further explained on his Facebook page that the proposed amendment is not “a fight against the arts and film-makers.”

“This bill aims to protect families, the youth, and our culture. Let us not separate the arts from society. When there is proper discipline and guidance, art will be more powerful,” he said.

Streaming platforms in the Philippines that will fall under the law include Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, and Prime Video, among others.

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The MTRCB has noted that the bill has yet to pass at the House of Representatives, where it will be “subjected to deliberations and further discussions.”

“The amendments seek to establish appropriate mechanisms for cooperation with online streaming platforms and online curated content providers (OCCs) and streaming videos on-demand (SVOD),” the board said.