. ;.,. 
ir. 
.., 
r 
13TH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHLLIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
P.D. 1986 which creates the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board 
(MTRCB) does not authorize it to prescribe ratings for violence in television programming and 
rules for signals containing specifications for blocking violent programming in apparatuses with 
such technical capability. R.A. 7925,'also known as the Public Telecommunication Policy Act of 
the Philippines does not give such authority to the National Telecommunications Commission 
(NTC) for broadcast operations of public communications entities. 
On several occasions since 1975, the Journal of the American Medical Association has 
alerted the medical community to the adverse effects of televised violence on child development 
such as an increase in the level of aggressive behavior among children who view it. A report 
dated May 1993 of the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation in the United States reveals that 
there is an irrefutable connection between the amount of violence depicted in the television 
programs watched by children and increased aggression among them. 
This bill prescribes television violence rating codes for children and prohibits violent 
programming on television during certain hours. For those apparatuses equipped with technical 
capability for blocking signals, the bill authorizes the MTRCB and the NTC to jointly prescribe 
rules for transmission. 


13TH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR JR. 
AN ACT LIMITING EXPOSURE OF CHILDREN TO VIOLENT 
PROGRAMMING ON TELEVISION AND CABLE SYSTEMS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the “Children’s Media Protection 
Act.” 
Section 2. Declaration Policy. It is the policy of the state to protect the welfare of 
children by limiting their exposure to violent programming on television and cable systems. 
Section 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act: 
Cable Operator - any person or group of persons: 
(a) who provides cable services over a cable system and directly or through one or 
more affiliates owns a significant interest in such cable system, or 
(b) who otherwise controls or is responsible for, through any arrangement the 
management and operation of such a cable system; 
Cable System - any facility consisting of a set of closed transmission paths and associated 
signal generation, reception, and control equipment that is designed to provide cable service 
which includes video programming and which is provided to multiple subscribers within a 
community, but such term does not include-- 
(a) a facility that serves only to retransmit the television signals of 1 or more television 
broadcast stations; 


. 
D 
(b) a facility that serves only subscribers in 1 or more multiple unit dwellings under 
common ownership control or management, unless such facility or facilities uses any 
public right-of way; 
(c) a facility of a common carrier, except to the extent such facility is used in the 
transmission of video programming directly to subscribers; or 
(d) any facility of any electric utility used solely for operating its electric utility system. 
Programming - includes advertisements but does not include newscasts, news interviews, 
and news documentaries. 
Public telecommunications entity - any person, firm, partnership or corporation, 
government or private, engaged in the provision of telecommunications services to the public for 
compensation. 
Section 4. 
Establishment of Television Violence Rating Code. 
The Movie and 
Television and Classification Board (MTRCB) and the National Telecommunications 
Commission (NTC) shall, jointly prescribe, in consultation with television broadcasters, cable 
operators, concerned non-government organizations for children, and interested individuals from 
the private sector, rules for rating the level of violence in television programming including rules 
for the transmission by television broadcast systems and cable systems of signals containing 
specifications for blocking violent programming. 
Section 5. Elimination of Violent Programming on Television During Certain Hours - 
The MTRCB and the NTC shall, within 30 days from the effectivity of this Act, pass rules and 
regulations prohibiting the broadcast on commercial television ad public telecommunications 
entities, including the broadcast by cable operators from, 6:OO a.m. to 1O;OO p.m. inclusive, of 
programming that contains very violent scenes for children in accordance with the rating code 
established pursuant to the preceding paragraph. 
Section 6. 
Separability Clause. 
If any provision, or part hereof, is invalid or 
unconstitutional the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 


Section 7. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree, or issuance, executive order, 
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with, the 
provisions of this Act, is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
Section 8. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,