'Those deputy MTRCB cards'

THE issuance of deputy cards to individuals willing to
assist the Movie and Television Review and
Classification Board (MTRCB) is a big help in policing
the members of the film industry who continue to
disregard existing laws. They can easily monitor
erring producers and theater owners showing lewd
movies or pornographic scenes inserted into a reel of
film that was not viewed or approved by the MTRCB. 

When I became MTRCB chairman under President Aquino in
1986, I had to immediately change the deputy cards
issued by my predecessor. I had to do it to flush out
the undesirables who, instead of performing their
duties to help the MTRCB, were acting as protectors of
the violators. Some of them were also fleecing the
theater owners of money in exchange for silence
regarding violations. 


There is a need to change the cards once the problem
of undesirable MTRCB deputies become evident. I had to
change the cards three times during my six-year term
to do away with fake MTRCB cards which had
proliferated. 

When Chairwoman Etta Mendez took over during the term
of President Ramos, I was just too happy that the
deputy cards issued by me were phased out immediately.
I didn't want to be held responsible for those who
would abuse their privileges while I no longer had the
power to monitor and discipline them. It is only
proper that the incumbent chairman issues her or his
own deputy cards and be held responsible for the acts
of those cardholders. 

MANUEL L. MORATO, 
former MTRCB chair, 
Doña Consuelo Building, 
192-194 Tomas B. Morato Avenue, 
Quezon City

T h e  I n s i d e  W o r d

as presented in a local newspaper . .