MTRCB does not support ban on violent movies, TV
EM - News Moderator 
IN LIGHT of suggestions to ban violent movies and television shows because of several recent incidents involving minors, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has said that it does not support that option. Instead, it is encouraging increased supervision of children by their parents and schools.
The MTRCB “believes that banning movies and television programs with violent themes is not the appropriate solution, as this could infringe upon the constitutional right of Filipino creatives to freedom of expression and creation,” it said in a statement released to the press.
It is instead urging “the active participation of parents and educators in ensuring that children are properly and adequately supervised while watching TV shows or movies, or while viewing content on social media platforms. This is so that children properly understand the context of what they are watching, while allowing parents and guardians to further instill Filipino values and culture in their children.”
It “considers the protection of Filipino children from harmful content as a shared duty of the government, parents, educators, media practitioners, digital influencers, and stakeholders from the film and TV industry.”
The agency’s mandate, as per Presidential Decree No. 1986, is to assign age-appropriate classifications to movies and TV shows while supporting the growth of the entertainment industry. It said that it “actively partners with stakeholders in the movie and TV industry in ensuring that Filipino cultural values are upheld and respected” while at the same time “advocating for a culture of authentic, responsible self-regulation.”
This comes as Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez, Jr. said they may recommend a ban on “excessively violent” TV shows and restricting violent content on social media platforms as among the steps needed to address the rising number of violent incidents involving minors.
“Maybe we can recommend banning movies and TV shows with a lot of violence. We can make a similar recommendation for social media apps and other solutions. It is not only limited to that,” he said during a press briefing on Aug. 3.
Among the recent incidents, was a mass shooting in a high school in Tacloban City, Leyte on June 22 where three students were killed and more than 20 others wounded when two young teenagers opened fire. There have also been several stabbings, the most recent of which was in Las Piñas when a 13-year-old Grade 9 student was killed by his 14-year-old classmate.
