INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines — The Movie and Television Review and Classification (MTRCB) would rather go after a specific online content, violating existing laws, rather than block or take down an entire website.
“Bagamat ang concern po namin talaga ay the total child protection, we want every member of the family to have a safe and comfortable viewing experience,” MTRCB chairperson Diorella Maria “Lala” Sotto-Antonio said during Monday’s joint hearing on bills strengthening the agency’s mandate.
(While our concern is total child protection, we want every member of the family to have a safe and comfortable viewing experience)
“We’re only after the content and not the whole site so magkaiba po yun,” she added.
Sotto-Antonio made the remark after the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) told the committee that it is already blocking or removing websites found to be violating the Anti- Child Pornography Act.
While its has yet to finalize its stand on these bills, the DICT through its representative in the hearing, Aldin De Leon, expressed readiness to help the MTRCB monitor and possibly block online platforms violating existing rules.
“Ang kailangan lang po ng DICT ay legal basis para ito po ay gawin,” said De Leon of the DICT legislative liaison division.
(What the DICT needs is a legal basis to do it)
He noted that under the proposals, the MTCRB may direct the removal of website or streaming services, and the DITC could help them execute the order.
It was at this point that Sotto-Antonio clarified that they would only go after a specific online content, and not the removal of an entire website.
She said they would nevertheless discuss with the DICT as the MTRCB would have to establish a complaints mechanism if the bills would be approved in Congress.
The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), meanwhile, backed the measures.
Like the DICT, the NTC also expressed readiness to help the MTRCB go after violators as long as such power would be provided clearly in the proposed law.
At present, Atty. Lucky Joy Domingo of NTC pointed out that their office has no capability to filter or block websites as it could only get a list from agencies and endorse them for blocking.
“So in case po na magkaroon tayo ng batas na bibigyan ang MTRCB na mag regulate ng mga online content, susuportahan po namin yun at maghihintay kami ng listahan na manggagaling sa MTRCB for blocking. Basta hiling lang po namin bigyan lang kami ng legal basis para lang po sa proteskyon din namin,” Domingo said.
(So in case we have a law giving MTRCB power to regulate online contents, we will support it and we will wait for a list from the MTRCB for blocking. Our only request is give us a legal basis also for our own protection.) EDV