FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

House Bill No. _ L672

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Presidential Decree No. 1986, which creates the Movie and the Television
Review and Classification Board (MTRCB), does not authorize the MTRCB to
prescribe ratings for violence in television programming and to promulgate rules
for signals containing specifications for blocking violent programming in
apparatuses with such technical capability. Neither does Republic Act No. 7925,
also known as the Public Telecommunications Policy Act of the Philippines,
provide such measures for broadcast operations of public communication 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, including 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 program
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 prescribed rules for transmission.

The approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

RUFUS B. ROPRIGUEZ

“Wi

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
First Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1672

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, 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.”

SEC. 2. Declaration of 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.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. For purposes of this Act:

Cable Operator - any person or group of persons who (a) provides cable
service 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
fesponsible 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 terms does not
include (a) a facility that serves only to retransmit the television signals of 1 or
more television broadcast stations; (b) a facility that serves only subscribers in | or
more multiple units dwelling under common ownership, control management,
unless such facility or facilities use 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 advertisement but does not include newscast,
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.

SEC. 4. Establishment of Television Violence Rating Code. - The
Movie and Television Review 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 the transmission by television broadcast systems and cable systems of signals
containing specifications for blocking violent programming.

SEC. 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 and public telecommunications entities, including the broadcast by cable
operators, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. inclusive, of programming that contains
very violent scenes for children in accordance with the rating code established
pursuant to the preceding paragraph.

SEC. 6. Separability Clause. If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise
affected shall remain valid and subsisting

SEC. 7. Repealing Clause. Any law, presidential decree, or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule of regulation
contrary to or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act, is hereby repealed,
modified or amended accordingly.

SEC. 8. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.