PORMAL na naglabas ng pagtutol ang Directors’ Guild of the Philippines (DGPI) sa napabalitang plano ng Movie Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) na palawakin ang papel nito sa pagre-regulate ng online streaming platforms.

Bilang ahensiya ng gobyerno, sinabi ni MTRCB Executive Director at Spokesperson Benjamin Benaldo sa pakikipag-usap sa ilang entertainment editors na miyembro ng SPEEd (Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors), balak ng MTRCB na i-regulate ang mga palabas sa Netflix, Vivamax at iba pang online streaming sites.

Kaya sa inilabas na official statement ng DGPI, sinabi ng grupo na tutol sila sa censorship.

“The Directors’ Guild of the Philippines (DGPI) reiterates its disagreement over the expansion of MTRCB’s censorship efforts and additional areas of jurisdiction, such as incursion into online streaming sites — platforms that already carry classification guides, content warnings, and parental controls.

“We believe that adults have the right and capacity to choose viewing materials for themselves and their children.

“Presidential Decree No. 1986 envisions the MTRCB as a partner of the film and TV industries toward realizing their authentic self-regulation, and encouraging the growth of both industries and the viewing public in an atmosphere of free expression — all the more necessary at this time when Congress has reached out to the film industry to facilitate and further develop its contributions to the creative economy.

“In this spirit, industry stakeholders welcome a serious dialogue with the MTRCB on issues that limit freedom of expression. This freedom, whose inclusion in the 1987 Constitution our National Artist Lino Brocka fought for, is crucial for the arts and media to truly mirror social realities.

“Let us not fear our own reflections,” ang sabi ng grupo sa opisyal nilang pahayag.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Ian F. Fariñas