MTRCB says online content currently not under agency’s mandate

Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) Chairperson Lala Sotto-Antonio issued a statement after Senator Jinggoy Estrada expressed concern over alleged obscene materials released on streaming platforms, including Vivamax.

“Currently, online curated content does not fall within the MTRCB's mandate. This is why we are grateful to the entire Senate for supporting amendments to the MTRCB charter to expand our scope,” Sotto-Antonio said.

Per Sotto-Antonio, the MTRCB shares Estrada’s concerns that the agency needs to protect viewers, especially children.

“As one of its proactive steps, the MTRCB called the attention of subscription-based platforms and encouraged them to observe our standards,” she said.

The MTRCB head also assured that they are doing their best “despite the limitations of its current powers under [Presidential Decree] 1986.”

According to "24 Oras" on Monday, Estrada said during his privilege speech that uploading such digital content has become normalized, making it easier for children to access these.

"While I acknowledge the importance of artistic freedom and creative expression, these should come with boundaries, especially when they begin to undermine our society's moral fabric," he said.

"This situation is even more concerning because many of these materials are easily accessible and may target younger audiences who are more susceptible to influence."

GMA Integrated News has reached out to Vivamax for comment and has yet to receive a response.

In September, MTRCB proposed mechanisms for content control with online streaming platforms.

"What we were proposing, maybe to appropriate mechanisms for content control in a way that we want to ensure that there would be a cooperation with the online streaming apps, with the online curated content providers (OCCs), by using safeguards, ensuring that there is safety by design and that we are able to establish with them a feedback mechanism," Sotto-Antonio said.

She added that MTRCB has already entered into dialogues with the owners of Vivamax and "they have been trying their best to cooperate."

— Carby Rose Basina/CDC, GMA Integrated News