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>Firing squad in lieu of movie board? > >First posted 01:49am (Mla time) June 15, 2005 >Inquirer News Service > >Editor's Note: Published on page A16 of the June 15, >2005 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer > >I BEG to disagree with the statements made by >Representatives Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna and Crispin >Beltran of Anakpawis that the Movie Television Review >and Classification Board (MTRCB) should be abolished. > >According to Casiño, Presidential Decree 1986 is "a >Jurassic, Marcosian fossil that should be done away >with if we value our rights and freedom and if we >truly detest autocracy.” Beltran, in turn, said that >the MTRCB memo is “a sign of burgeoning dictatorial >rule.” > >Both statements are out of synch. Casiño and Beltran >do not know what they are saying. There is no country >in the world without a TV film regulatory board very >similar to our MTRCB. PD 1986 is a law the movie and >television industries had asked President Marcos to >issue in 1985. I inherited the law when I took over as >MTRCB chair in 1986, after the Edsa People Power >Revolution. But in fairness to President Ferdinand >Marcos, he being a lawyer, PD 1986 is only a >redefinition of the Revised Penal Code. Even during >President Diosdado Macapagal’s term, it was the same >and one can go back as far as 1929. > >The State has the right to regulate all the industries >for the sake of the people. For example, the >Department of Transportation and Communication, the >Department of Trade and Industry and all other >departments are there precisely to regulate the >industries that fall under their jurisdiction. The >Bureau of Food and Drugs protects us from the risk of >eating food and taking medicines that are harmful to >our body. In like manner, there must be an MTRCB to >ensure that our people get the right kind of products >to feed their minds. > >Isn’t the film industry an industry? You will agree >with me that it is not an asylum for the insane. As >such, the film industry must also be regulated by the >State for it can cause far greater damage by attacking >the minds of our people. > >I have often said before that it would be better to >suffer from physical defects -- a gangerous foot, a >kidney disease, inflamed tonsils, appendicitis, etc. >-- because they can be extracted and remedied. But >once you destroy the minds of the people, there is no >cure for it. That’s how important the role of the >MTRCB plays in our people’s lives. > >China is the only country I know without an MTRCB. In >that country, a film producer who does not follow the >law is simply executed. Lewd movies are prohibited in >China and anyone who indulges in pornography and gets >caught will have to face the firing squad. > >Why don’t we adopt that policy to satisfy the desire >of Casiño and Beltran? > >MANUEL L. MORATO, Doña Consuelo Building, 192-194 >Tomas B. Morato Ave., Quezon City

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