Human rights center to work with MTRCB

Atty. Eugenio H. Villareal. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Human-rights experts are expected to join seminars, workshops and discussions to be organized by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), according to its chair, Eugenio Villareal.

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) that he signed on April 4 with the Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC) allows the board to tap into the AHRC pool of resource persons and materials on human rights issues relevant to strengthening the MTRCB’s ratings and classification system, Villareal said.

Rights-based

During the signing held at the MTRCB office in Quezon City, Villareal said the MOU paves the way for the “adoption and development of rights-based approach to media-related

issues and concerns involving women, children, PWDs (persons with disabilities) and other vulnerable sectors.”

Villareal told the Inquirer, “With this approach, participants of MTRCB-initiated discussions will have a clearer perspective of the importance of protecting the rights and dignity of these sectors.”

He cited as an example the depiction of rape cases in media. “After several sessions with AHRC resource persons, we’ve realized that the common concept of a rape victim is that of a barrio lass. This means that a woman who dresses provocatively cannot be a victim. This is a good subject for discussion.”

There should likewise be “heightened sensitivity” in handling issues concerning children, Villareal stressed. “Do we allow young talents to portray adult roles? Should we permit them to crack naughty jokes?”

According to the MOU signed by Villareal and AHRC executive director Ray Paolo Santiago, the latter will provide the board with resource persons and materials “on matters pertaining to the proper appreciation and undertaking of human rights issues in movies and TV programs.”

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