The bill that would enshrine the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) in legislation and expand its authority to streaming services has drawn the ire of filmmakers, artist groups, and guilds, calling it a step backward for the already struggling local industry.
Senate Bill 2805, which passed on its third and final reading near the end of the 19th Congress, would retain the MTRCB’s power to ban films and television programs that the board may deem politically subversive and “contrary to good morals,” among other reasons.
At least a dozen industry groups have come out in opposition to the bill, describing it not only as an affront to freedom of expression, but also as a deterrent that would create more bureaucratic restrictions, especially for independent filmmakers who are already being pushed out by the current review system.
It costs between P6,161 to P12,675 to have a film rated and approved for theatrical exhibition by the board as of 2025. This does not include additional costs to register the production company, and to rate other materials such as trailers and posters.
Many independent producers say they are already facing situations where they do not have room in their stretched budgets to apply for an MTRCB permit. They often rely on grants from other government agencies and film festivals like Cinemalaya and QCinema for funding.
For small productions like 2024’s “Tumandok,” costs like the MTRCB review fee can add up fast. “We wanted to earn from it (the film) kasi nag-re-raise kami ng funds for the indigenous people community of Iloilo,” Arden Rod Condez told the Collegian.
But their P2-million budget — still considered low — was not enough during production, Condez said, leaving them with next to nothing come distribution outside their Cinemalaya run.
“Bakit sa amin manggagaling [yung gastos]?” Condez said. “Parang binabayaran mo pa sila para katayin yung alaga mo.”
In the first quarter of 2025 alone, the agency reviewed nearly 70,000 materials, including 159 films. With the bill now requiring streaming services like Netflix and iWant to register with the MTRCB, such an expansion could generate more revenue for the agency, should it pursue a review of their content catalog.
A provision in the bill would grant a “reasonable” honorarium to each of the board’s 30 members for every material they review, which the Directors’ Guild of the Philippines Inc. (DGPI) described in its statement as an “unnecessary drain of finances.”
This triggered a response from the MTRCB, which called the claims irresponsible. “But clearly the DGPI was calling a spade a spade,” Sari Dalena, UP film professor and DGPI board member, told the Collegian.
Groups such as DGPI have said that the MTRCB's review process sabotages initiatives to vitalize the industry and encourage international co-productions.
“It will absolutely kill all of these efforts in one swoop,” Dalena said. “Why would any producer want to come to a country where they will have to pay extra for the material they shoot to be reviewed by a censoring agency that can deny them the material they have invested in? It makes absolutely no sense.”
The bill did not reach the House of Representatives, and whether it will be refiled in the next Congress is uncertain, but advocates are continuing to push for alternatives to government regulation that would not impede local productions. The UP Film Institute has outright called for the agency’s abolition — a position it has long held as an academic institution exempt from oversight by the MTRCB.
“I say no to film censorship and push for reforms in the classification system and policies, with a regulatory body represented by industry members, educators, professional stakeholders, and free from government influence,” Dalena said. ●
First published in the June 19, 2025 print edition of the Collegian.
