We wish to inform you that the new Implementing Rules and Regulations of the MTRCB (1998), hereinafter referred to as RULES, shall take effect on Thursday, 13 August 1998, fifteen days after its publication in two newspapers of national circulation.

In this connection, the following changes in procedures shall apply in the registration and review procedures of all television programs, including motion picture prints and trailers intended for television broadcast, in accordance with the RULES.

1.         Television programs shall not be reviewed/classify television programs on a per-episode basis. All television program producers/blocktimers/distributors shall instead submit to the BOARD a sample episode representing the program ™s line-up for the coming season (three months). These sample episodes will be scheduled for review on a œfirst-come, first-served  basis. No application for review shall be acted upon by the Board unless the applicant has fully paid the prescribed application fee and settled all current accounts. Credit lines will no longer be extended.

2.         Regular review sessions shall be at 9:00 A.M. - 12:00 Noon and 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M., Monday to Friday. The MTRCB Chairman shall determine the composition of the Review Sub-committees and approve the schedule for review. Once approved, changes in the review schedule based on the approved application shall only be allowed in exceptional circumstances and shall require prior approval of the Chairman. In all cases, changes may only be allowed once, after which the application fee shall be considered forfeited and the applicant required to re-apply for a new schedule. œSwitching  of schedules shall not be allowed.

3.         Special reviews outside of the regular schedule shall only be allowed in exceptional circumstances and shall also require prior approval of the Chairman. Requests for special reviews, including requests for 2nd reviews, must be received at least twenty-four (24) hours before the special review schedule and shall be imposed the appropriate surcharges.

4.         Television programs so reviewed and approved shall be given a broadcast permit for three (3) months. Fees for each airing will be charged on a Pay Before Broadcast (PBB) basis.

5.         Program producers shall be required to make immediately available to the BOARD tapes of the program identified by the BOARD to have consistently violated the RULES shall be kept for a period of three months from date of broadcast.

6.  In cases where the program ™s episode may fall under two different classifications, the stricter one shall be applied over the whole program. In case of doubt regarding a particular program episode ™s classification after the program has been classified, the television program producers shall submit the said episode for proper review. The review of specified episodes shall be considered as special review sessions and shall be subject to the appropriate charges. 

Attached is a chart of the revised workflow for the Application of television programs for your reference. All provisions of Memorandum Circulars issued earlier which are inconsistent with the above are considered amended, superseded, or revoked accordingly.

Adopted: 10 Aug. 1998

(SGD). ARMIDA P.E. SIGUION-REYNA
Chairman