Regulating content of livestreaming platforms ‘a very complicated issue,’ says MTRCB chief Jaro

Jeremiah Jaro
MTRCB Chair

More discussions and research have to be done in order to come up with a win-win solution on the issue of how to regulate the content of livestreaming platforms available in the country, according to Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) chair Jeremiah “Ogie” Jaro.

“It’s a very complicated issue,” Jaro said in a recent interview with Inquirer Entertainment. “The board members are always discussing it. We are actually collaborating with agencies both local and international in order to really figure out what we need to do about the situation.

“Right now, we’re relying on the promise that online streamers will self-regulate. In all fairness to them, they’ve been very receptive. We’ve had discussions with some of these streamers. Hopefully, we will be able to work out something that will be a win-win situation for everyone,” said Jaro, admitting that coming up with one would be “a long process.”

“Our main concern is for their content to not reach the young audience. I think it’s also in their interest—it’s their social responsibility—to protect the kids. This is not just on us,” said the MTRCB chief.

Controversial Netflix series

Late last year, the MTRCB ordered Netflix to pull out two episodes of the series “Pine Gap” in Philippine territory for showing a disputed map based on China’s claims to the South China Sea. The agency’s authority to regulate the content of livestreaming platforms has been the subject of debate even during the time of Jaro’s predecessor, Rachel Arenas.

Since most of Luzon province is now under alert level 1, Jaro and his team have all resumed work at their office in Quezon City. “We’re required to go back to work, except for board members who have comorbidities. We don’t force them to go to the office if they’re not comfortable,” he explained.

Jaro also reported that “more movies are coming in. We have more movies and TV shows to review now. It’s like everything is going back to what we call the ‘old normal.’”

Sadly, though, Jaro said there aren’t enough local films being reviewed. “We get mostly foreign films. Hopefully, with the deadlines set by the organizers of the Metro Manila Film Festival, more local producers will contact us,” he said.

More local films

“I’m not sure about the difficulties that local producers go through while filming. Hopefully, they’ll find their footing soon. As a film lover, of course, I want to see more local films. It’s just that I don’t think it’s right to pressure them to come up with new ones because we’re still recovering from the pandemic. Personally, the more Filipino movies the better,” Jaro stressed.

The MTRCB chief likewise reported that a new infomercial, which will feature him, will be released soon. “I was sworn in late last year, in November. We experienced delays because we had an Omicron surge in January. Now, production is back on track. We hope to come up with a new one in the next two months. All government agencies have been affected by the pandemic.” INQ