Entertainment in the Philippines

Located around 500 miles off Asia's southeast coast, the beautiful archipelago country of the Philippines includes over 7,000 islands. It is Asia's largest Christian majority nation with a population of 93 million. Filipino society is shaped by nearby Japan and China as well as India, the Middle East and Borneo. It is also interesting to note major Hispanic influences in the country's culture and ethnicity owing to its former colonial occupation.

English is the official language and is compulsory in schools. Unsurprisingly, English language literature and entertainment are quite popular. With over a thousand movie theatres, cinema is the most popular entertainment. The regulating organization, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), monitors the country's content.

Keeping in mind that the Philippines culture is more West leaning compared to other Asian countries, exceptions exist on what is acceptable. The MTRCB raised concerns about the following films.

The Da Vinci Code (2006)

Before the Tom Hanks film release in the country, the Philippine Alliance Against Pornography (PAAP) appealed to the then-president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo against its screening. PAAP called the film "the most pornographic and blasphemous film in history." The reason being that the film's story, like book upon which it is based, suggests Jesus was married. The film's screening was also opposed by the Roman Catholic population and the Muslim community citing blasphemy. Keeping popular public opinion in mind, the MTRCB gave " The Da Vinci Code " a R-18 rating.

Abominable (2019)

For those unfamiliar with the issue of the Nine-dash line, it is an undefined, vaguely located, demarcation line used by China for their claims over the major part of the South China Sea. This claim has been disputed by many countries for many years. So, when US-Chinese-made animated movie " Abominable " showed the disputed Nine-dash line map in support of the Chinese claims to almost all of the South China Sea, Philippines was one among many that objected. The board swiftly issued a statement that the film would be removed from the theatres.

Schindler's List (1994)

The Hollywood cult classic came under scrutiny over a short sex scene with brief nudity. The board asked for objectional segments to be cut from the film. However, after director Steven Spielberg refused to make the cuts, the then-president, Fidel Ramos settled on a compromise. He decided to go forward with the release of Schindler's List giving it an R-16 rating, forgoing any cuts.

As the top content regulating body, The MTRCB is responsible for monitoring television and film that might violate contemporary values. As a country, the Philippines often asserts its cultural and artistic openness, which its media reflects. It will be interesting to see how the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board adapts to that evolving societal expression.

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