Ini-announce ng Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) noong Oktubre 22, 2022 ang pakikipag-partner nila sa Subscription Video-on-Demand (SVOD) platform na Netflix upang i-promote ang Responsableng Panonood (Responsible Viewership) sa mga manonood.
Read: MTRCB at Netflix, sanib-pwersa para sa responsible viewership
“I’m so thankful!” bulalas ni MTRCB Chair Lala Sotto sa courtesy call ng Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd) nitong Nobyembre 9, 2022, Miyerkules, sa tanggapan ng MTRCB, Timog Avenue, Quezon City.
“It’s such a great opportunity that we were able to come up with this partnership with Netflix.”
Dala-dala ni Chair Lala ang dilaw na aklat kaugnay sa mandato ng MTRCB.
“This is the charter that we follow. Our mandate is to deliver of course value-based media and entertainment,” pagmumuwestra ng 46-anyos na si Chair Lala.
“And of course to protect the minds of our children from anything that may cause their minds any form of disturbance.
“And so this is the Presidential Decree No. 1986. According to the PD 1986, the MTRCB Charter — walang malinaw na guidelines as to our jurisdiction over online streamers or on-demand video providers because it was created during the time when there was no internet yet.”
May “interconnected networks” na sa ilang mga bansa noong 1980s na nag-umpisa ang MTRCB, pero ang may access pa lang noon ay researchers at academicians.
Noong 1989 lumutang ang commercial Internet service providers (ISPs) sa USA at Australia, at unti-unting lumaganap maging sa Pilipinas noong kalagitnaan ng 1990s.
Pagpapatuloy ni Chair Lala, “Pero actually, technically, meron, e, di ba? Kasi pelikula pa rin siya.
“But of course, we want to be very clear. We want clear guidelines. That’s why we are proposing an amendment to the charter.
“But with the Netflix, it’s been great. That’s why we’ve been fostering partnerships with the online streaming providers gaya ng Netflix, Amazon Prime, and all the others.
“We’ve already started to reach out and we’re already in dialogues, but it all began talaga with Netflix.
“So I’m just thankful because this is a good way, di ba? When you’re partners, you work together and you understand each other better.
“Communication lines are open without the animosity, without having to go against each other. So you have healthy discussions. And that’s what Netflix and MTRCB is today.”
CONSTANT COMMUNICATION
Resistant ba noong una ang Netflix sa pakikipag-partner sa MTRCB?
“No!” mabilis na tugon ni Chair Lala.
“No. We’ve been in constant communication with them. We’ve been in dialogues with them.
“And I appreciate them so much because they respect the mandate of the MTRCB.”
Ano na ang napagkasunduan ng MTRCB at Netflix?
“As I’ve said, we’re in constant communication. They’re updated with our programs and our projects,” pagtatapat ni Chair Lala.
“So we’ve turned out to be very good partners with them. So they’re aware of the Responsableng Panonood program that I have started, OK.
“So, Responsableng Panonood is all about empowering and equipping the parents, engaging the parents, encouraging them to be very much involved with their children’s viewing habits.
“And so it’s surprising to learn that other supervising adults and parents are not aware of parental control features in most of the apps.
“So I really want them involved because I understand also from the point of view of a mother. I have a 20-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old boy.
“So si 20, she’s above 18, she can decide for herself. She can choose whatever she wants to watch.
“Pero si 10-year-old boy, talagang I’m very particular with the kind of material that he sees.
“And that’s what I want the parents to know, that they have that power and they should exercise that right of theirs to be able to choose the kind of content that their children are exposed to.”
Ikinatuwa ni Chair Lala na naiintindihan ng mga taga-Netflix ang core Filipino values.
Pagdidiin ni Chair Lala, “Netflix will take into consideration in their classification ratings whatever material or film that they will be choosing to exhibit in our country.
“They’ll be considering these core Filipino values, and they support the Responsableng Panonood program.”
Matagal nang may parental control sa Netflix. May option sa umpisa pa lang kung pang-Kids lang ba ang maa-access sa nasabing streaming platform.
Napatango si Chair Lala, “Yes, and that’s why we’re going to be holding workshops and summits that will be with Netflix also.
“Aside from that, that will be part of the Responsableng Panonood program, we’ll be having a Family Summit to explain to them extensively, comprehensively how to best utilize these tools.”
Mino-monitor ba ng MTRCB ang Netflix?
“Actually, I cannot sat the word ‘monitor.’ We cannot monitor. We’ll just based it on feedback,” pag-amin ni Chair Lala.
“If there’s a concern… which has happened already. The MTRCB forwarded to them a particular concern from a particular material, and they were able to take action. So it’s a very healthy way.”
CONSERVATIVE LEADER
Liberal ba siya o conservative bilang pinuno ng MTRCB?
“I’m not liberal. I am conservative. It’s just that I want everything to be done legally. So what’s in our charter is what we follow,” pahayag ni Chair Lala.
“The MTRCB is not a censorship board. We are a classification board, which means we only rate and classify the material according to the age appropriateness that we apply.”
Sa pagkakaalam ni Chair Lala, wala pang na-X ang MTRCB sa ilalim ng kanyang pamumuno.
“The highest rating we’ve given is R-18. They come back for a second review,” sambit ni Chair Lala.
“We appreciate that the producers themselves do their own self-regulation in order to get a lower classification. So that’s what’s happening.”
Maraming gustong ipa-amend si Chair Lala sa charter ng MTRCB.
Aniya, “I believe I’m not at liberty at the moment to discuss in particular the specifics of the amendments to the charter.
“Because we have yet to complete the draft of the amendments that I will be submitting to our lawmakers.
“Matagal na proseso ito but I’m so thankful that our lawmakers are very supportive, and they themselves have their own amendments.
“And of course, the MTRCB will always abide by the law.”
MTRCB BUDGET
Kumusta ang budget na ipinagkaloob sa MTRCB? Sapat ba?
Napabuntong-hininga si Chair Lala, “The MTRCB budget, kami naman yung nagpo-propose. And we just ask for what we really need.
“Fortunately, we only get the personal services from the national government.
“The MTRCB has its own income. We have our own revenue, and that’s where we get our MOOE [Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses], our prgrams and projects and our capital outlay.
“But of course with the permission and in coordination with the DBF [Defined Benefit Fund], kaya hindi ganun kahirap ang budget ng MTRCB because we get it from our own funds.”
Maganda ang relasyon ngayon ng MTRCB sa iba pang mga ahensya ng gobyerno na may kinalaman sa pelikula at telebisyon.
“Lalung-lalo na yang FDCP [Film Development Council of the Philippines],” sabi ni Chair Lala.
“Of course, si Tito Pip [Tirso Cruz III] yun, e! Kaya we’re really very comfortable working together.”
MTRCB ON MMFF
Ongoing ang reviews sa official entries ng 2022 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).
“The Chair does not review. It’s the board members who review the materials,” saad ni Chair Lala, na member ng MMFF 2022 Executive Committee.
“But I am aware of who reviews what, and when, and the rating classification that is given to each film.
“Exciting nga, I’m so excited for the MMFF. Kasi, this is the first time na we’ve gathered a lot of films, di ba, tapos may variety.
“And nabubuhay ulit yung ating cinemas, yung ating movie industry.”
Mukhang mag-iingay sa MMFF 2022 ang mga pelikulang gaya ng Mamasapano: Now It Can Be Told at My Father, Myself.
Natawa si Chair Lala, “Hindi pa tapos, e, yung aming reviews sa MMFF. Kasi, they have the right to ask for a second review if they’re not satisfied with the particular rating classification that the MTRCB has given them. So, may process.”