MTRCB inspects 5 Manila theaters, spots violations

By: Maricar B. Brizuela - 11 years ago

MTRCB Chairman Eugenio “Toto” Villareal FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — As part of its campaign to protect the rights of movie viewers in the country, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) conducted a surprise inspection of five cinemas in Sta. Cruz, Manila, on Monday afternoon.

MTRCB Chairman Eugenio “Toto” Villareal led the team of inspectors in checking the five theaters in Sta. Cruz area namely the Vista Theater, Roben Theater, Dilson Theater, Amigo Theater and Isetann Cinema. Most of the movies shown in these cinemas are Rated 18 or those with themes, language, violence, nudity, sex, horror and drugs not suitable for individuals below 18 years old. Entrance fees for movie viewing in the cinemas range from P110 to P150.

“This is not just an inspection but also an information drive for all cinema owners to make sure that they are abiding by the rules of the board,” Villareal told the media during the surprise visit.

The MTRCB chairman, accompanied by actor Bobby Andrews, also an MTRCB board member, and other personnel, checked the posters on the entrances of the theaters to confirm if these were the materials approved for posting.

The team also went inside the cinemas and the projection rooms to verify that the copy being shown to the viewers was also the exact copy reviewed and approved by the MTRCB.

Villareal advised the staff operating the projection rooms to properly document the movie copies given to them for their own protection against possible charges, which could possibly be filed if they were accused of breaking the law.

Among the major violations found during the inspection was the use of publicity materials not approved by board.

“We also discovered that some cinemas do not display the prescribed standees displaying the film rating and its corresponding advisory on the theater lobbies,” Villareal added.

In October 2012, the board released Memorandum Circular No. 10-2012, which revised the rules and guidelines for the proper display and exhibition of classification ratings for motion pictures and color-coded film ratings advisory.

Under the said memorandum, theaters “shall display on a movable three-foot standee on the theater lobby the film classification and its rating advisory.”

Villareal added that cinema owners were properly informed of the new rules as copies of the memorandum were distributed to all theater associations.

However, some of the theater managers claimed that they were not aware of such policy and that they were still following the rules approved more than 10 years ago.

Roben Theater manager Eddie Evangelista told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that they had not been properly informed of the process of approving movie posters.

“The movie materials we post outside the cinemas are just given to us by film producers,” Evangelista explained and added he thought the materials handed to them have already undergone approval and scrutiny of the MTRCB.

Villareal asked cinema owners to immediately pull down the disapproved posters to avoid facing additional violations.

“We will refer the said violations to an adjudication committee, which will decide whether cinema owners will be fined, suspended or if criminal prosecution is necessary,” the MTRCB chairman noted.

Villareal also said that the cinema inspections aimed to check that there were no minors inside the theaters, which have been located near universities and colleges in the city.

“The MTRCB wants to make sure that during the exam week students are focused on their studies and not get distracted with these Rated R films,” he explained.

Andrews said that the checking of such movie houses should serve as a lesson to cinema owners in strictly complying with the rules and laws prescribed by the board.

Last year, the MTRCB also made rounds on the cinemas in Davao and Capiz for the same periodic inspection and checking.

“We do not single out small cinemas like these theaters in Sta. Cruz because we also conduct inspections on the cinemas inside big malls in the metropolis,” Andrews explained.