World Censors

Philippines President Benigno Aquino III has appointed Law professor Eugenio "Toto" Villareal as chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB). He replaces Grace Poe-Llamanzares, who resigned to run for senator in 2013.

An Opus Dei member, Villareal addressed concerns that the MTRCB will become conservative under his watch. Villareal claimed:

There will be no censorship. We will just classify content. Grace's advice was to wear a parent's hat.

We want the MTRCB to have an impact on the common tao (people), promoting matalinong (smart) parenthood. We want to empower every Juan and Juana to know if a movie or TV show does not go against Filipino values.

Finally, we wish to engage all networks and film producers in this mission, knowing that better content means a better entertainment industry.

Prior to his appointment, Villareal was already an MTRCB board member and spokesman.

Philippine's Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has announced that its classification system now includes R-16 . This adds to the existing ratings General (G), Parental Guidance (PG), R-13 and R-18.

Outgoing MTCB Chairman Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares said that R-16 is an intermediary rating that the board arrived at following discussions with film makers and psychologists about its necessity.

Poe hopes that aside from being a more specific advisory, the R-16 would encourage filmmakers to release work that caters to people ages 14 and 15 now that such a product has better chance of penetrating theaters that don't screen R-18 films.

MTRCB Vice Chairman Emmanuel Borlaza has also signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) which allows it to screen at designated venues the films that need not be rated by the classification board. He said that the agreement will especially benefit film festivals organized by the FDCP in that they can now tell even filmmakers from abroad that their work can be screened in the Philippines without undergoing classification.

Borlaza has been recommended by Poe to take her place in MTRCB now that she is running for senator. He said that he intends to carry out the plans that she has made for the board.

Philippines' Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has launched its revised classification ratings for television programs.

The new TV ratings will be:

• General Patronage (G)
• Parental Guidance (PG)
• Strong Parental Guidance (SPG)
• Banned for Airing on Television (X)

MTRCB said the program advisories were designed to empower parents to exercise caution and vigilance with the viewing habits of their children.

A full-screen written and verbal advisory of the program's classification rating must be shown for at least 10 seconds immediately before the opening credits. Then a standard pictogram advisory must be superimposed on screen throughout the program.

Update: Accepted

29th December 2011. See  article from  bworldonline.com

The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has issued guidelines for the implementation of an additional classification rating for television programs that contain more serious topics and themes. The Strong Parental Guidance (SPG) tag is given to programs that may not be advisable for children to watch except under the very vigilant guidance and presence of a parent or adult.

Programs under the SPG classification contain more explicit content than those under Parental Guidance category, which is currently the only warning issued by the MTRCB for television shows.

It was approved on Dec. 1 by the MTRCB and becomes effective on Jan. 7.

A program advisory showing the capital letters SPG on a red box with the phrase Strong Parental Guidance Striktong Patnubay at Gabay at the bottom shall be clearly superimposed at the bottom right corner of the TV screen throughout the entire showing of the program.

The full screen advisory shall specifically declare the content descriptors pertinent to the program being shown, whether it be drugs, violence, sex, horror or language. A voice-over to the effect that the program is classified as SPG shall be broadcast for at least 20 seconds immediately before the opening credits and midway in the full airing of the show.