'Alipato at Muog' reclassified to R-16 following second review of MTRCB

"Alipato at Muog" has been reclassified to R16 following the second review of the five-member board committee of the Movie and Television Review Classification Board (MTRCB).

According to a statement, the committee "considered the importance of balancing the interests not only of the constitutionally protected right to freedom of expression with the State’s interest in
maintaining public order and integrity."

It added, the review committee also determined that "a more mature viewer is necessary to understand, dissect, and grapple with the serious issues presented in this documentary, without compromising their own faith and confidence in the government."

R-16 rated films are only suitable for audiences aged 16 and above.

At the Senate finance subcommittee's hearing on the agency's proposed P164 million budget for 2025 earlier this week, MTRCB chair Lala Sotto-Antonio justified its decision to give the film an X rating, saying "freedom of expression is not absolute nor limitless." 

On social media shortly after the hearing, "Alipato at Muog" director JL Burgos refuted the decision, saying ""Alipato at Muog is a stand against enforced disappearance and human rights violations."

"Our documentary is not fiction. It is a story of a family searching for their missing loved one. It is about human rights and the pursuit for justice," he said.

He made sure to clarify the PG rating the film received in the recently concluded Cinemalaya Film Festival was self-rated and explained they were able to screen the documentary at the University of the Philippines because state universities and colleges are not covered by MTRCB's jurisdiction.

In its statement, the MTRCB clarified that "while the Board supports academic film showings which serve as an avenue for meaningful fora and film appreciation, it is to be understood that public exhibition of films in the academe still falls under the jurisdiction of the MTRCB."

"Alipato at Muog" is an independently produced documentary film which centered on the search for truth behind the abduction of activist Jonas Burgos in 2007. Jonas is the brother of JL Burgos, the director of the film.

The documentary film premiered in this year's Cinemalaya Film Festival and was awarded with the Special Jury Award for full length film.

The second review, which took place today, was done by the board committee comprised of Review Committee Chairperson lawyer Maria Gabriela Concepcion, and Members lawyer Paulino Cases, Jr., film and TV producer JoAnn Bañaga, executive and music producer Eloisa Matias and retired educator Maria Carmen Musngi.

— LA, GMA Integrated News