• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) and the local government unit of Victorias City in Negros Occidental, yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to promote “Responsableng Panonood (Responsible Viewership)”, which is aimed at empowering families to become discerning and informed media consumers.
Mayor Javier Miguel Benitez, who signed the MOU with the MTRCB, headed by Diorella Maria “Lala” Sotto-Antonio, said that Victoriasanons believe what MTRCB stands for, which is protecting youth and children from things they are not supposed to be exposed to, especially in social media, aside from the contents of movies and television programs.
Sotto-Antonio said this was the first time that such an MOU was signed outside Metro Manila, which was in partnership with Quezon City and Paranaque governments, as she intends to replicate it in other areas of the country.
“Parents who are responsible for the viewing habits of their children, cannot do it alone. We need the support of the government, especially the LGUs,” Sotto-Antonio stressed in a press briefing after the signing of MOU, which also attended by Vice Mayor Abelardo “JunB” Bantug III and members of the City Council, and witnessed the representatives of the Department of Education and parents, at the Marjhuns Restaurant Function Hall in Victorias City.
While they have no jurisdiction over the social media, except for movies and television programs, Sotto Antonio said “that is why we are conducting Responsableng Panonood to teach the parents, teachers and supervising adults on the security measures and safeguards that we could utilize for social media services, online curated contents, user generated services and online streaming apps.”
As stipulated in the MOU, the MTRCB, to effectively achieve its mandate, will collaborate with government units and agencies, as well as private institutions and organizations, to implement the mechanisms for audience sensitivity and empowerment, consistent with its norms under PD 1986.
The MOU aims to establish a framework of cooperation and dialogue to strengthen coordination of efforts to fulfill the State’s policy of promoting the movie and television industries as viable sources of fueling the national economy and to uplift the Filipino cinema community.
It will also develop and conduct cooperative activities and support any and all efforts, initiatives and activities relating to Responsableng Panonood campaign gearing towards the Bagong Pilipinas Campaign of the current administration, which calls for a deep and fundamental transformation in all sectors of society and government.*
