THE Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) greeted the new year with an announcement that it had reviewed 171,972 materials in 2025, a significant drop from the previous year when it reviewed over 267,000 materials.
The total, it said, was made up of 127,704 television programs, 40,505 TV plugs and trailers, 1,695 publicity materials, 10 optical media materials, 1,380 movie trailers, and 671 films, of which 311 were locally produced movies and 360 were foreign titles.
In a statement released this week, the MTRCB noted that despite the drop in the total number of materials reviewed in 2025, there was an increase in the number of film submissions and movie trailers.
DROP DUE TO METHOD CHANGEThe decrease in the total number can be attributed to the lower number of plugs for television that were submitted for review, due to changes in how they are recorded by the board.
“In FY 2025, a new policy was implemented by the Board through Memorandum Circular 04-2025 which prescribes that the validity of all plugs for television shall be valid for one month,” the MTRCB said in a Viber message in response to BusinessWorld’s inquiry regarding the lower figures last year.
The board used to record plugs per episode, which led to the overall decrease (127,704 television programs reviewed, down from 264,424 last year).
“This policy requires the submission and review of a sample plug on a monthly basis to maintain the ratings of plugs relevant as the themes and stories of the television programs progress,” it said. “The result of the data decreased not because fewer materials are submitted for review but the manner how it is being recorded changed.”
MORE FILMS REVIEWEDThe board pointed out an increase in the number of films (671 from 592 last year) and movie trailers (1,380 from 549 last year) submitted for review.
Of the movies reviewed, 48 films were classified as G (suitable for all audiences), 359 were PG (Parental Guidance needed), 268 were R-rated films (for adults only), and three were given an X rating (not suitable for public viewing).
“These figures signal an encouraging indication of renewed activity and momentum within the film industry,” MTRCB Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Diorella Maria “Lala” Sotto-Antonio said in the statement.
She highlighted that the MTRCB’s role extends beyond mere regulation, emphasizing that “content classification allows parents and viewers to make informed decisions about what to watch while respecting creative freedom.”
One of the three materials given an X rating in 2025 was The Carpenter’s Son, an American biblical horror film, which was banned in December “for offending and ridiculing religious beliefs.”
In October, Dreamboi and Haplos sa Hangin, two films that were part of the lineup in VivaMax’s inaugural CineSilip Film Festival, required re-submissions before getting their X ratings overturned by the MTRCB. The festival showcased adult films by emerging Filipino directors that explored mature themes and unconventional storytelling.
The board members of the MTRCB are lawyers Paulino Cases, Jr., Gaby Concepcion, Cesar Pareja, Ricardo Salomon, Jr., Frances Hellene Abella, Pedro Cesar Solidum, and Mynoa Refazo Sto. Domingo; retired educator Maria Carmen Musngi; film and TV producers Josefina Annabel Bañaga, Wilma Galvante, and Eloisa Matias; film and TV directors Joey Romero IV, Antonio Reyes, and Neal Del Rosario; actors Bobby Andrews, Jan Marini Alano, Mark Anthony Andaya, Johnny Revilla, Richard Reynoso, Valmar Sotto, and Almira Muhlach; film and TV editor Katrina Angela Ebarle; advertising expert Angel Jamias; cinema exhibitor executive Evylene Advincula; journalists Alfonso “Al” Mendoza, Nestor Cuartero, Maria Rosario Fabregas, and Maria Cecilia Villarosa; public servants Racquel Maria Cruz and Fernando Prieto; entrepreneurs Jose Alberto V, Glenn Patricio, and Federico Moreno; and mental health expert Lillian Ng Gui.
The board said in the statement that the figures highlight their “evolving role in protecting viewers, especially children, while remaining supportive of the creative industry.”
BusinessWorld reached out to the MTRCB via e-mail and Viber to comment on the decrease in the television programs and overall materials reviewed, as well as how members are delegated to review materials, but did not receive a response as of press time. — Brontë H. Lacsamana
