Filipino filmmakers praised a bill filed in Congress seeking to reorganize the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), in order to address censorship problems in the country.

The bill revises provisions of current "censorship laws" created under Presidential Decree No. 1986 in the Marcos era and seeks to clarify the system of classification used by the MTRCB for films and television shows in the Philippines.

The bill was introduced by party-lists representatives Satur Ocampo, Teddy Casiño and Neri Javier Colmenares of Bayan Muna; Liza Maza and Luzviminda Ilagan of Gabriela Women’s Party; Rafael Mariano and Joel Maglunsod of Anakpawis and Raymond Patalino of Kabataan Party-list. Under the act, the present MTRCB will be renamed Movie and Television Classification Board o MTCB.

According to filmmaker Dino Manrique, the bill is an answer to the needs of the country's rapidly growing filmmaking community.

No more X-ratings

One of the highlights of the bill is that it seeks to phase out the "X-rating" which will be replaced by a longer but more politically correct term “Certified Not For Regular Theatrical Release.”

“Masyado kasing exploitative and salitang 'X.' Pag na-rate ang isang pelikula na X, kahit talagang wala namang redemptive value, nagagamit para makapang-exploit sa publicity,” said Nonoy Lauzon, a member of the Young Critics Circle.

The bill also emphasizes the importance of academic and cultural freedoms in the exercise of classification.

This early, the Task Force Free the Artists has also been organized to enhance the anti-censorship movement.

According to Manrique, this is the time for all filmmakers to give their full support to the initiative. “We really need your help as we want to present to the media and the rest of the country, that we, filmmakers and artists, are united in this endeavor,” he said in his manifesto.

Initially, the coalition includes organizations like Free Expression Philippines, CAP, Tudla Productions and other interested groups.

The bill's filing was witnessed by internationally acclaimed filmmakers Lav Diaz and Carlitos Siguion-Reyna, critic Beinvenido Lumbera, directors Paolo Villaluna and Ellen Ramos, 2009 Cannes Palm D’Or Best Director Brillante Mendoza and many more.

Other features

 Another salient feature of the bill is the creation of a Managing Board, a Classification Committee and a Secretariat supposedly to produce a more systematic, non-arbitrary, judicious and independent way of classifying films and shows.

The Managing Board shall be composed of eleven members, one of whom will be appointed by the President as chairperson. The board members will come from a variety of institutions, including the University of the Philippines Film Institute, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Independent Filmmakers Cooperative, and the Diectors Guild of the Philippines, among others.

The Classification Committee, which will compose 60 members, will be chosen by the board according to pertinent qualifications. Half of the membership will handle film classification while the other half will take care of television shows.

According to Lauzon, the board members will not be given regular salaries, but will paid according to the number of films they review. “Makakatipid pa ang gobyerno sa ganitong paraan dahil per review ang bayad,” said Lauzon.

Half of the committee members will come from film and television with at least 5 years experience and of proven competence in any of the film or television fields of directing, writing, acing, cinematography, editing, production design and musical scoring. The other 30 should have college degrees in any of the following courses: film, literature, journalism, broadcast communication, creative writing, or humanities.

The committee is also given the right, if they deem it necessary to consult a particular sector of sectors that may be affected by the material subject of the classification.