MTRCB slaps 'X' on docu showing nine-dash line
By Neil Ramos
The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has banned the documentary “Chasing Tuna in the Ocean” from domestic exhibition.
This, for a scene that depicts the nine-dash line, one of many names for a controversial Chinese maritime claim that encroaches on the exclusive economic zones of of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.
An arbitral tribunal ruled it invalid in 2016.
In slapping the documentary with an X rating, MTRCB Chairperson and CEO Lala Sotto said, "As Filipinos, we shall not tolerate any content that undermines the prestige of the Republic of the Philippines."
She made clear producers could still apply for another review, provided "they submit a revised material with the contentious scenes deleted to adhere to the MTRCB Charter."
Created by Jing Jianmin of Weihai, China, "Chasing Tuna in the Ocean" highlights the hardships of tuna fishermen.
It is meant to promote Chinese ocean culture globally.