TO PROTECT the youth from shows and programs with sensitive content, Senator Robinhood Padilla has emphasized the need to bring streaming and online media under the jurisdiction of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB).

In his sponsorship speech for Committee Report 311, which proposes amendments to the 38-year-old MTRCB charter, Padilla stressed the importance of updating the agency’s mandate to address contemporary challenges.

“Much has changed, but the MTRCB charter is outdated. That is why our committee has focused on amending Presidential Decree No. 1986 to adapt the MTRCB’s powers to the contemporary challenges we face today,” said Padilla, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media.

Padilla pushed for the inclusion of on-demand online streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Vivamax, and iWantTV under the MTRCB’s jurisdiction.

He acknowledged that while it may be impossible for the MTRCB to review all streaming content, the agency still needs the legal authority to monitor and conduct post-reviews based on concerns and complaints from viewers.

Padilla also cited data from the Council for the Welfare of the Children, based on a UNICEF report, showing that one in three children aged 0-18 uses the internet. Additionally, a National ICT Household Survey indicated that 60% of youths aged 10 to 17 have access to and use the internet.

“There is no doubt that as digitalization continues to evolve, it is only right that we strengthen our efforts to protect our youth,” he said.

Padilla also advocated for allowing the MTRCB to provide scholarships and aid to members of the movie and TV industry, as well as to former and current members of the Board, in accordance with Commission on Audit regulations.