Nag-agree si MTRCB Chairperson Lala Sotto sa assessment ni FDCP Chairman Jose Javier Reyes na "bad year" ang 2025 para sa Philippine movie industry.
“Sad to say that, you know, it is a fact,” malumanay na sambit ni Chair Lala noong Pebrero 4, 2026, Miyerkules, sa MTRCB office, Timog Avenue, Quezon City.
Kabilang ang PEP.ph (Philippine Entertainment Portal) sa mga nag-interbyu kay Chair Lala nang mag-courtesy call sa kanya ang Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd).
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Pagpapatuloy ni Chair Lala: “I think it’s important for us to accept the fact that there is a problem.
“Because we cannot address the problem, we cannot solve the problem if we won’t be admitting it to ourselves.
“So number one, yes, there is a problem. And it’s not just in the Philippines. Lahat naman ng movie and television industry, kinakaharap ang problemang ito.
“Because there is the presence of the online streaming app which is a competition. That’s number one.
“Another would be the ticket prices here in the Philippines, especially that we got a lot of complaints.
“But it’s unfortunately not up to the MTRCB. It’s up to the cinema operators and the owners of the cinemas.
“With regard to the content naman, the most we can do is encourage our content creators, the producers and the directors, to create quality films. Quality materials.
“And we can give them the lowest rating possible for the available material submitted to us.
“But we cannot compromise the Presidential Decree 1986, so mahirap talaga.”
Ang tinutukoy ni Chair Lala na "Presidential Decree 1986" ay
Presidential Decree No. 1986 (PD 1986) empowers the Movie and Televisions Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) to classify motion pictures, television programs and similar shows into categories screen and determine which are safe for public viewing or should be restricted.
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TICKET PRICES
Nag-meeting kamakailan ang apat na ahensya ng gobyerno na may kinalaman sa pelikulang Pilipino.
Ang mga ito ay ang Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP), Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP), at Movie Workers Welfare Foundation, Inc. (Mowelfund).
Napag-usapan nila ang kani-kanyang sakop na responsibilidad sa local movie industry.
Ano ang maitutulong ng mga ahensyang ito upang mapababa ang presyo ng tiket ng sine?
“The most we can do is to highly encourage cinema operators, but it’s still up to them, final decision,” saad ni Chair Lala.
Ibinaba ng Viva Films sa PHP275 ang ticket price para sa pelikulang A Werewolf Boy na ipinalabas sa mga sinehan noong Enero 14, 2026. Iyon lang ang pelikulang Pinoy na nag-open last month sa local cinemas.
Binabaan din ng Viva Films sa PHP275 (Metro Manila) at P230 (provinces) ang ticket price para sa Valentine movie na The Loved One starring Anne Curtis, Jericho Rosales, and Catriona Gray.
“Regal did that also. It also depends on the producer but in fairness to the producers, they cannot keep doing that also,” sabi ni Chair Lala.
“I mean, they can find ways to do so. But it cannot be the decision of the producers to lower the ticket prices for every movie.”
Sabi-sabi, malaking bahagi ng buwis sa ticket price ay napupunta sa local government unit (LGU). Dapat bang mag-adjust ang mga LGU sa sinisingil nila?
“Well, it will help but galing din ako ng LGU. May dahilan din kasi sila,” Chair Lala points out.
“Di ba? There are also a lot of factors for the LGUs to consider. So we cannot put really the blame on anyone, e…
“Kailangan talagang magtulungan yung stakeholders and the agencies concerned.”
Si Chair Lala ay dating naging konsehal ng Quezon City.
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RESPONSABLENG PANONOOD
Para sa taong 2026, mas palalawakin daw ng MTRCB ang pakikipag-ugnayan sa stakeholders sa industriya ng pelikula at telebisyon.
“We want for the consumers and distributors to have a better understanding of the MTRCB, what we really are here for,” lahad ni Chair Lala.
“To make them understand that the MTRCB is not here to police but to help guide the Filipino families especially with the ever evolving changes in the audiovisual landscape.
“It’s very important to take again that whole-of-nation approach. Hindi kakayanin na certain sectors lang.
“Hindi puwedeng parents lang. Hindi puwedeng LGU lang. Magsisisihan lang at end of the day kapag ganoon.
“So with the emergence of the online streaming, the OTTs over-the-top social media services, user-generated content platforms — I’m sorry to say but it could be very dangerous for children.
“So that’s what the Responsableng Panonood is all about.
“It’s about equipping and empowering the parents, going around the country, different provinces, municipalities, barangays and involving the communities and the parents.
“Supervising adults. To teach them on the safeguards, security measures, parental control features that they can utilize to protect their children, and to equip their children also.
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RESPONSABLENG PAGLIKHA
Maganda ang pakikipag-ugnayan nowadays ng MTRCB sa producers ng movies and TV programs.
“Exactly, meron tayong Responsableng Paglikha!” bulalas ni Chair Lala.
“We’re always here to guide them. Alam naman nila yan. Usually hindi na namin inilalabas sa media.
“But pinalalabas lang namin na it was just a meeting. ‘Oh, it was just a courtesy visit.’ But it’s really to inform them that we are concerned about certain things.
“And again, for a better communication and working relationship with them. We’re here to guide them.”
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DREAMBOI
Dalawang beses na-X ng MTRCB ang Dreamboi na isa sa pitong kalahok sa inaugural Cine Silip Film Festival na tinampukan ng VMX stars.
Sa premiere ng Dreamboi noong Oktubre 22, 2025 sa Market! Market!, minura ni Sassa Gurl ang MTRCB at inokray si Chair Lala.
Nag-public apology afterwards si Sassa Gurl, na may cameo sa Dreamboi.
Nakipag-dialogue kay MTRCB Chair Lala noong Nobyembre 12, 2025 ang VMX festival na si Ronald Arguelles, ang Dreamboi director na si Rodina Singh, at ang Viva executive na si Vincent del Rosario Jr.
Hindi nakadalo si Sassa Gurl dahil sa prior commitment.
Naayos ang gusot sa nasabing dialog.
Read: Dreamboi, dalawang beses na-X ng MTRCB bago nabigyan ng R-18
“Yes, maganda yung pinag-usapan. I think, na-misinterpret din ng iba when we said that we called for a meeting with the Dreamboi production,” pahayag ni Chair Lala.
“I think na-misinterpret nila. Parang lumalabas ay pinatawag ng MTRCB at they were summoned, no.
“That dialog… my board knows this, they all know that when I feel we need to talk, or when I am able to identify that there is a problem, my default is to engage in a conversation, or a dialog with the concerned group, or persons, or stakeholders para ma-iron out.”
Read: Dialogue ng Team Dreamboi at MTRCB, natuloy na
PINOY BIG BROTHER
Palaging nakikipag-dialog ang MTRCB kung may isyung dapat linawin o ayusin.
Nakailang meeting sila sa FPJ’s Batang Quiapo. Hindi singled out ang Dreamboi, ika nga.
Tumango si Chair Lala: “Lagi talaga, oo. Lagi naman may dialog. Akala agad nila parang… iba ang dating.
“PBB, we had a dialog with the PBB also. We’re very much concerned because the girls, yung cast na girls sa PBB, they expressed how offended they were.
“So we just wanted to insure with the production that they are observing the Safe Spaces Act.
“That it should be a safe environment for the girls. Because imagine they’re stuck in one house for a certain period of time.
“So, gusto lang naming i-insure na safe talaga yung working environment for them, because that’s where they’re living.
“Maayos naman, nagkaayos din.”
LIVE SHOWS
May trend ba sa TV programs recently, as far as MTRCB is concerned?
Napangiti si Chair Lala: “All programs are very well-behaved. Ha! Ha! Ha! Lately. I’m so thankful!
“Alam na nila ang gagawin nila, e. Kasi, wala namang perfect na program, especially yung mga live shows.
“And they immediately apologize on air. So that’s a very big factor for the MTRCB. Lalo na hindi mo naman kontrol.
“Yeah, hindi talaga kontrol ng host and that’s the best the host can do and I admire them for that.”
Hindi na sila nakikipag-dialog kung nag-apologize agad ang host kaugnay sa untoward incident?
“Hindi, hindi na. Lalo na hindi naman host ang maysala or may ginawa or may sinabing mali,” pagmamatwid ni Chair Lala.
“Yung iniinterbyu ang guest, yung contestant.”
Sa ibang sports events na may live coverage sa TV, andaming nagmumura…
“Yes, napapatawag din sila. And they’re very apologetic and cooperative naman,” sabi ni Chair Lala.
“Minsan naiintindihan din natin. Dala ng bugso ng damdamin. Pero apologetic sila and cooperative.
“Nagiging OK talaga kaya I’m so happy, kasi behaved talaga lahat.”