Toni Fowler and Freshbreed's "MPL" did not receive a Strong Parental Guidance (SPG) rating from the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) contradictory to one of its cast's claim that the agency granted the said rating to the music video
"The MTRCB wishes to inform the public that MPL did not undergo MTRCB review and classification, hence, it was not given any rating by the Board. We assure the public that had the MTRCB been given the opportunity to rate the same, it would have been given a NOT FOR PUBLIC EXHIBITION (“X”) rating," the agency said on Tuesday, Feb. 21.
This statement was released after an online article was published where the said cast was quoted claiming that MPL was rated SPG by the board.
"In an online article published by Bandera, 1 one of the personalities that appeared therein, Ms. Papi Galang, was quoted alleging that the song 'MPL' and its music video was rated as STRONG PARENTAL GUIDANCE (SPG)," it said.
MTRCB then appealed to Galang and news organizations to "practice responsible journalism by fact-checking their reports before publication."
This information may cause the public to believe the MTRCB had given its highest allowable rating for airing content on television to the said material, it added.
"We also would like to remind the public that they may use the report/flag option on Youtube and other online platforms to flag or report content they deem inappropriate or offensive to their sensitivities. We are working on proposed amendments to our charter that is both fair to the creative industry and mindful of the needs of the Filipino viewing public," MTRCB said.
What are the jurisdictions of MTRCB?
MTRCB's authority covers movies, television programs, and radio programs aired on TV.
It has no jurisdiction over online streaming platforms like Youtube and the like.
Last September, Senator Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla called for the expansion of MTRCB's power over online platforms such as TikTok and Youtube to stop inappropriate content from being streamlined.
Padilla and his committee will set an inquiry together with the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas and representatives from these platforms to discuss the proposed action.