Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) members have proposed new rules to govern the content of services like Netflix.
In a Senate hearing for the proposed Internet Transactions Act, MTRCB chief of legal affairs Jonathan Presquito testified that the MTRCB law defines motion pictures as a succession of images exhibited on any screen, regardless of whether the screen is color or silent.
Companies and organizations that create films or television series must register with the board so that regulators can verify that their products are suitable for all audiences, don’t include any offensive material, and are distributed by legitimate channels.
Presquito emphasized the need for MTRCB regulation, saying that many people used services like Netflix and iFlix to “keep their sanity” during the prior lockdown.
Presquito added that the MTRCB rule prohibits the release of films that the board has not rated. He further stressed that the MTRCB must be consulted before any publication or sale in the Philippines.
In an interview, the bill’s primary author, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, clarified that it only applies to the purchase and sale of VOD content and that a new statement will be needed to address the problems of film classification and streaming platform regulation.
Additionally, Presquito emphasized the significance of finding a balance between unduly stringent regulation and inhibiting the development of streaming services. As an illustration, he used South Korea as an example. In that country, the government watches and approves all Netflix videos before they are made available to the general public.
