On Thursday, February 16, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) issued an official statement and signed by the Agency’s chair Diorella Maria G. Sotto-Antonio that read, “It is mindful that discriminatory and offensive portrayals of Filipino Muslims harm our Muslim brothers and sisters and also run counter to the call of President Marcos, Jr. for national unity.”
The Honorable Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong found the depiction of Muslim characters in the action series Batang Quiapo, starring Coco Martin–is offensive.
According to MTRCB, it is currently working on institutionalizing television and motion picture guidelines or policies to be responsive to the cultural and religious sensitivities of Filipino Muslim viewers.
CCM Film Productions, the production company behind Batang Quiapo, apologized to the Agency and committed to coordinate closely with MTRCB and avoid [similar] incidents in the future.
Nevertheless, MTRCB will also be issuing notice to the networks concerned to ensure that depictions of Filipino Muslims in their programs honor the culture, society, and special values of Islam and the Filipino Muslim community.
FPJ’s Batang Quiapo premiered on TV last Monday, February 13.
