DGPI against Senate bill ‘strengthening’ MTRCB, cites censorship issues

 — The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc. (DGPI) opposed the passage of a Senate bill expanding the powers of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), citing concerns about censorship overreach.

The organization released a statement signed by its Board of Directors detailing why it was not in favor of Senate Bill No. 2805, filed by Sens. Grace Poe, Sherwin Gatchalian, Francis Tolentino, Robin Padilla, Lito Lapid, Bong Revilla, and Joel Villanueva.

Padilla, Lapid, and Revilla are all actor-politicians, while Poe is the daughter of acting legend and National Artist Fernando Poe Jr.

Signatories of the statement include Keith Sicat, Carlos Siguion-Reyna, Mark Meily, Baby Ruth Villarama, Ma-an Ascuncion-Dagñalan, Sari Dalena, Ed Lejano, Ruel Bayani, and Joel Lamangan.

A key portion of the Senate bill grants the MTRCB more power to regulate even online streaming platforms.

The measure has been slammed by opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros for its broad usage of terms that may be subject to abuse and censorship.

The DGPI said the bill will see the MTRCB become a “parens patriae” (parent of the country), a “self-anointed role as guardian of public morals.”

“The DGPI stands for the broader interest of those who prefer to do parental duties by themselves, and rely on the MTRCB only for guidance through a genuine classification system (without censorship power) to facilitate these duties, possible only in a climate of free expression and free access to expression,” it added.

While it supports classification like PG or R-13 ratings, the DGPI strongly opposes the bill’s retention of the X-rating, which “bans exhibition of provocative or unorthodox content to adults who have the right to decide what they should or should not see.”

The organization said such actions framing the MTRCB as “protector of children” only reveal it as seeking “unbridled control of Filipino hearts and minds through censorship of material.”

The DGPI also found it ironic that the bill seeks to sabotage initiatives to re-energize the creative industtry with draconian provisions, evident in the “unnecessary drain of finances” to be allotted for MTRCB board members.

“There is no need to create a redundant new law such as Senate Bill 2805 that would further destroy content creators’ rights to free expression and viewers’ rights to free access to expression,” said the DGPI.

To refute beliefs that the bill’s supporters think the viewing community is not mature, prepared, or responsible enough for self-regulation and freedom of expression, the DGPI noted that National Artists like Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, and Ricky Lee suffered censorship with works that brought honors locally and internationally.

“Let us not hinder our current and future creatives from freely exploring and sharing their experiences with these unnecessary and artificial barriers,” it added.

The DGPI reiterated it opposes the MTRCB expanding its jurisdiction into streaming platforms, as viewing content on such a “largely private” and do not count as “public exhibition.”

“No to censorship, state control of hearts and minds, discrimination, use of the MTRCB as cash cow, and the MTRCB’s incursion into streaming. Yes to freedom of expression, freedom of access to expression, respect for the filmmaker’s and the public’s hearts and minds,” the statement ended. — with reports from Jean Mangaluz