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(NAR) VOL. 6 NO. 3 / JULY - SEPTEMBER 1995

[ MTRCB, July 03, 1995 ]

GUIDELINES FOR THE MTRCB LOCAL REGULATORY COUNCILS (REVISED AS OF JUNE, 1995)



Pursuant to Section 3 (h) of Presidential Decree 1986 dated October 5, 1985, there is hereby created in each of the cities and municipalities in the Philippines where motion pictures are publicly exhibited in theaters and similar establishments a Local Regulatory Council (LRC) which shall assist the MTRCB in implementing its purposes and objectives under the law and its rules.

1. The Local Regulatory Council shall be composed of a chairman and not less than four members to be designated by the City or Municipal Mayor from local government agencies and civic, educational and youth organizations. The persons so designated shall serve without compensation during the term of the City or Municipal Mayor who appointed them unless sooner removed by the Mayor or the MTRCB Chairman. More members may be appointed later as the need arises.

2. The Local Regulatory Council shall assist the MTRCB in implementing any act, resolution, decision or award of the Board and, pursuant to this, it shall see to it that:

  1. Theater Registration — All theaters are required to annually-register with the MTRCB, in the same manner that they are required to get their local Mayor's or business permit. A registered theater will have a small diploma-like MTRCB Certificate of Registration. All theaters are required to register with the Board within the first three months of the year (except for newly opened theaters) to avoid surcharges. The Council shall monitor theaters to make sure that only registered theaters exhibit films. Upon verification that an unregistered theater is showing a film, the Council shall seize the film with the help of any law enforcement agency and report immediately to the MTRCB Chairman.

  2. Movie Permit Requirements — No motion picture may be exhibited in any theater or moviehouse without a Permit to Exhibit issued by the MTRCB covering such picture. This permit, which must be valid (see expiration date) must be posted in front of the ticket office. In case a motion picture or film is being exhibited without a valid permit (pornographic films, long or short, fall under this category), the exhibition is criminal and illegal and violates Section 7 of Presidential Decree 1986 (pornographic films are also a violation of Article 201 of the Revised Penal Code). On actual verification, the Council shall seize the film with the aid of any law-enforcement agency in the area and report immediately to the MTRCB Chairman.

  3. Movie Classification/Admission Into Theater — All Permits to Exhibit issued by the MTRCB shall carry any one of the following classifications:

    G, General Patronage or Pang Pamilya
    — A classification of motion pictures admission to which is open to persons of all ages subject only to limitations prescribed by other laws or ordinances.

    PG 7, Parental Guidance 7 or Pambata
    — A classification cautioning parents on the need for parental guidance in the appreciation of the film. This movie is open only to children 7 years of age and above, provided children between 7 and 12 are accompanied by an adult. No one below 7 should be admitted even if accompanied by an adult.

    PG 13, Parental Guidance 13 or Pang Tinyedyer
    — Admission is limited to 13 years old and above with no adult companionship required. Children below 13 cannot be admitted even if accompanied by an adult.

    R 18, Restricted For Adults Only or Pang Wastong Gulang
    — A classification admission to which is limited to person 18 years of age and over. The motion picture classification shall determine who may be admitted into the theater to view the exhibition. The Council shall check compliance with this requirement and upon seeing any such violation shall order the theater to immediately cause the expulsion of person of the wrong age who had gained admission into the theater and immediately report to the MTRCB Chairman. A city or municipal ordinance penalizing the admission of the wrong aged audience is a good step to undertake to make this violation easily controllable from your level. A monetary fine for such violation can also help earn funds for your city or municipality perhaps for incidental expenses of the LRC itself.

  4. Classification Standee or Sign — The movie theater is required to maintain a 3-feet tall standee sign in the lobby announcing the MTRCB's classification of the film being shown to easily guide the public. Where two films are presented as double features, the more restrictive classification shall govern the announcement and the admission into the theater. Example: If one movie is rated PG 13 and the double feature is rated PG 7, the classification to be posted and observed is PG 13 since it is the more restrictive classification.

    In the absence of the required standee in the lobby, the Council shall call the attention of the theater owner or operator to the omission. If the omission is not promptly rectified within a reasonable time, the Council shall report the matter to the MTRCB Chairman.

  5. Publicity Materials — Still photos displayed at the lobby, posters and billboards must be General Patronage or safe for all to see. The Board does not allow frontal nudity, gory and bloody scenes, hostage scenes, guns closely pointed at victims and the like for publicity materials. The Council shall monitor such publicity material and confiscate those that are obviously objectionable and report at once to the MTRCB Chairman.

  6. Executive Order No. 99, issued by President Fidel V. Ramos on June 12, 1993 requires the playing of the National Anthem for sign-on and sign-off purposes in all cinema houses. The national anthem shall be in accordance with the musical arrangement and composition of Julian Felipe in other words, the original martial version. The playing of the National Anthem should be preceded by an announcement and the people in the theater asked to stand and to place their right hand over their left chest.

3. The Council shall also monitor television programs which should conform to the MTRCB Guidelines for Television Classification and report to the Board any objectionable TV programs.

4. In all cases of violations, the Council shall immediately submit to the MTRCB Chairman, at Francisco Building 1373 E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City, a brief written report of the violation with details as to the title of the film, the theater where it was being exhibited, the owner's name and the date and time of the violation for appropriate action by the MTRCB. The Board shall furnish you with sample forms for violations which you may want to adopt for your own use. You may mail your report or fax it to us at Fax No. 721-31-06. You may also call up at tel. no. 721-31-03 if the need arises.

A quarterly report on the situation in your area should also be sent to the MTRCB. All materials seized by the Council shall be safely kept in the custody of the Council until further notice from the MTRCB Chairman.

5. The Council has no power to order the closure of any theater nor to suspend or cancel the Permit to Exhibit. This power is exclusively reserved by law to the MTRCB Board.

6. The Council shall submit to MTRCB a list of the theaters in its area including address, owners name, whether air-conditioned or not and whether registered with MTRCB for the current year.

7. The Council shall perform such other functions as may be assigned to it by MTRCB Chairman from time to time.

Adopted: 3 July 1995

(SGD.) ATTY. HENRIETTA S. MENDEZ
Chairman

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