In its core, film making and other forms of expression through media has always been radical. Evident throughout history that a tyrant’s fear roots down to people who are brave enough to be the biggest critics of a leadership built from fear and violence. But when an agency built and sustained from a dictator’s legacy manages films and other media in the country, historical revisionism spreads. And with the likes of the proposed Senate Bill No.2805, another threat to the creative freedom of artists are introduced.
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), established during the time of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. as dictator, a period plagued with human rights violations, killings and corruption, was built to manage films and television media contents. Promised to promote safe television, it was masked to manage contents but was used in ways to keep the power of the Marcos’ in place. With countless history of censorship, historical revisionism and other ways to clean the names of the late dictator and his family, MTRCB is not made for a safe television for the Filipinos, it was made for the Marcos family.
Now, with the proposed Senate Bill No.2805, which aims to extend the regulatory reach of MTRCB to online platforms such as Netflix and Prime, a major threat to the creative freedom of artists is once again introduced. By approving the bill, MTRCB’s reach will have a major influence on the content that will enter the country, may it be from a foreign state or a local production. This bill does not promote safe television, rather, it aims to further spread disinformation and prevent the masses from getting access to content that challenges questionable actions from the state, may it be in our local networks or online.
Evident throughout the board’s history that it is plagued with cases of approving contents that distorts real-life happenings from the country’s history. Historically inaccurate films such as ‘Maid in Malacanang’ were approved by the agency despite its inaccurate depiction of the 1986 People Power Revolution–a fact that further solidifies MTRCB’s negligence and selective censorship.
When an agency that promised to promote a thriving media industry and safeguard audiences is the main promoter of historical revisionism in the country, it is not built to promote safe television–it is built to prevent the masses from knowing the truth. Because a radical media is a media that has the ability to take down a tyrant.
Some might say that the MTRCB helps the media by censoring films that are not meant to be witnessed by the masses. By allowing MTRCB to operate, inappropriate films can properly be censored. But this can not be further from the truth. Because when the masses are stripped out of their right to know the truth, and artists are suppressed of their creative freedom, a country that is blinded is created. By allowing MTRCB to continue operation, creative freedom and freedom of expression will continue to be oppressed.
Abolish the MTRCB–this must be the call. By getting rid of an agency notorious for historical revisionism, a safe media landscape free from propagandas and fake news is made. Because when a dictator’s legacy is still alive today, history will always repeat itself.
Written by King Razon, Insight PH
King Razon, Insight PH is a dedicated campus journalist and contributor. Their insightful writing sparks meaningful conversations and keeps the community informed.
