JERRY OLEA
Pakiwari ni MTRCB Board Member Nestor Cuartero, maganda ang relasyon ngayon ng MTRCB sa mga taga-industriya ng pelikula at telebisyon.
Napagsama-sama ng MTRCB sa isang patalastas ang stakeholders, kabilang ang producers, mga artista, at ang First Family.
“I think really, it’s important to really work together,” sabi ni MTRCB Chairperson Diorella Maria “Lala” Sotto-Antonio noong Pebrero 4, 2026, Miyerkules, sa MTRCB office, Timog Avenue, Quezon City, nang mag-courtesy call ang Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd).
“And encourage again the Filipino families to go back to the cinemas and enjoy that communal experience with their loved ones.”
Read: MTRCB Chair Lala Sotto concedes 2025 "bad year" for local movies
MTRCB: KALABAN O KAKAMPI?
Hindi na "kontrabida" ang imahe ng MTRCB sa mga taga-entertainment industry?
“Hindi masyado!” natatawang sambit ni Chair Lala.
Dati, kalaban ang tingin ng mga taga-industriya sa MTRCB.
Tumango si Chair Lala: “Iyon talaga ang tingin nila sa amin. Pero kami, alam namin dito sa loob — na kami ay allies.
“But hindi naman maiiwasan to feel that way and, you know, everybody’s entitled to think what they want to.
“So… we’re just doing our job.”
Read: To abolish or to retain: Is MTRCB censorship still relevant in the digital age?
MTRCB ON ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Noon pa man ay concern na raw ng MTRCB ang Artificial Intelligence (AI), lalo pa’t patuloy na lumalaganap ang deepfakes.
“It is still very much concerning especially today,” saad ni Chair Lala.
“We are very much involved with the efforts of the DOJ [Department of Justice]. Maraming efforts ang DOJ when it comes to the wrong and abusive use of AI.
“DOJ and the DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology] as well.”
May mga effort daw ang DOJ at DICT kaugnay rito, pero walang liberty si Chair Lala upang isiwalat ang mga iyon.
“MTRCB’s role is to help create that awareness sa public and letting them know na this is concerning, we have to monitor these things also.
“To address misinformation, disinformation, and fake news,” lahad ni Chair Lala.
Tuluy-tuloy ang mga pa-seminar ng MTRCB sa iba’t ibang panig ng bansa?
“Oh yeah, neverending seminars and trainings because like I said in one of the hearings at the Senate, there’s no one to train us here.
“Because we are the regulators already. So we have to equip ourselves and keep on researching, keep on learning also, and compare notes and share best practices with the other regulators in the other countries.”
May online app na ang MTRCB. Doon na nagsusumite ng report ang deputy card holder matapos manood ng movie.
Ani Chair Lala: “One of the reasons kaya we came up with the MTRCB app ay alarming kasi ang gumagawa ng fake IDs. Binebenta sa labas nang mahal. May ganun.
“Dahil sa MTRCB app, mahihirapan na sila [fake card holders] ngayon. May control, may verification process. Mahihirapan talaga.”
Read: MTRCB 40th anniversary: Highlights and sidelights
NOEL FERRER
May power ba silang i-amend ang by-laws ng Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB)?
“We have the power to make a few changes in the IRR [Implementing Rules and Regulations] siguro,” tugon ni Chairperson Lala Sotto.
“By the memorandum circulars. But we cannot change the law. Kinakailangan ng amendment to the charter.
“We don’t have that power. That power belongs solely to the House of Representatives and the Senate to be approved by the President.
“Kung may gustong baguhin, ginagawa lang namin sa abot ng aming makakaya. Nagpapasa kami ng mga memorandum circular and board resolutions.
“Pero yung talagang pakikialaman ang batas? Hindi puwede. Kinakailangan ng amendment to the charter.”
Yung mga nananawagang i-abolish ang MTRCB, puwede ba iyon?
“Puwede naman KUNG papasa both sa Congress and Senate at aaprubahan ng Presidente,” sabi ni Chair Lala.
“Kailangan both Senate and Congress ang magpapasa ng bill. It’s really up to them.”
Ang kasalukuyang Senate President na si Tito Sotto ay ama ni Chair Lala.
Read: Directors Guild, tinutulan ang MTRCB Act: "NO TO CENSORSHIP!"
GORGY RULA
Mabilis silang nabibigyan ng budget? Madaling naaaprub ang kanilang budget?
“Mabilis at madali kaming naaaprub because we base it on the recommendation of the DBM [Department of Budget and Management],” tugon ni Chair Lala.
“And I’m very kuripot. I’m very matipid. Ha! Ha! Ha! Sobrang laki ng savings namin at bawal galawin.
“PHP670M na ang nase-save namin at bawal galawin. Ha! Ha! Ha! Unless kailangang-kailangan.
“Our MOOE [Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses] and capital outlay, diyan kinukuha. Monitoring and operational expenses.
“Lahat ng expenses ng MTRCB ay galing sa sarili naming savings.”
Bawat gagastusin ng MTRCB ay kailangan daw iaprub muna ni Chair Lala.
“Pag sinabi kong, ‘Hindi kailangan ito,’ hindi natin ire-request ito. Mas masaya kasi, di ba, pag malaki ang savings?” sey ni Chair Lala.
“Gustung-gusto kong nakikita na malaki. Ha! Ha! Ha! Ang saya!”
Ngayon lang ba iyon nangyari sa kasaysayan ng MTRCB?
“I’m not privy. But I know, of course, lahat naman ng chairman, iyon ang gusto — na maka-save ang ahensya.”