Palace to MTRCB: Study lawmakers’ views on streaming platforms

Malacañang on Monday advised the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to consider the sentiments of lawmakers regarding the agency’s plan to regulate streaming platforms like Netflix.

Some lawmakers have slammed the plan with Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano accusing the MTRCB of lack of jurisdiction over Netflix and other online content and having an “outdated mindset of information regulation and censorship.”

Senator Franklin Drilon questioned if the MTRCB can review every single content, adding the agency should continue to allow streaming platforms to self-regulate content.

“Bagama’t hindi po nanghihimasok ang Presidente, hindi po nagma-micro manage ang ating Presidente, eh i-consider po ang mga suggestions ng ating mga mambabatas, dahil sila naman po ang nagpupondo ng ating mga ahensiya,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a televised briefing.

“Evaluate carefully po, lalung-lalo na iyong sinabi ni Speaker Alan Cayetano na hindi na kinakailangang gawin iyan. But we respect and bow to your discretion.”

MTRCB Legal Affairs Division chief Jonathan Presquito told senators on September 3 that movies on streaming services, being "unrated," have to be regulated.

The MTRCB later clarified that it will not review materials before they are shown on streaming services.

MTRCB chairperson Rachel Arenas said last Friday that what the board proposes is for platforms to align their motion picture ratings and classifications to the contemporary values of Filipino viewers. — DVM, GMA News