MANILA, Philippines — The Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) has overturned its X rating decision on the documentary *Alipato at Muog* and has instead given the film an R-16 rating.
This means the documentary film can now be screened in cinemas nationwide.
“Kung hindi nag-ingay at nagsubmit ng second review sina JL Burgos, maaaring nanaig ang Marcosian provisions ng PD 1986. Natutuwa tayo na binaligtad ng MTRCB ang naunang X-rating. Pero laging panganib sa freedom of expression ang PD 1986. Dapat na itong ibasura at palitan,” Renato Reyes said in an X (formerly Twitter) post.
The news was shared by JL Burgos, the director of the film, on social media following their protest in front of the MTRCB office in Quezon City. Along with his family and other human rights activists, Burgos protested to lift the rating on the film with banners that read: “Defend freedom of expression” and “No to censorship!”
The filmmaker took to social media after Cinemalaya 2024 to announce that MTRCB had given an X rating to *Alipato at Muog*, meaning the documentary could not be screened in national cinemas. Following the X rating, Burgos temporarily screened the documentary at the University of the Philippines Film Institute, as the censors board has no jurisdiction over state universities.
According to the MTRCB’s initial decision, “the film tends to undermine the faith and confidence of the people in their government or duly constituted authorities. Therefore, the first Review Committee rated it X.”
The film chronicles the abduction and disappearance of activist Jonas Burgos, JL’s brother, who went missing on April 28, 2007, after being taken by an unknown group inside Ever Gotesco Mall in Quezon City.
To this day, Jonas remains missing. The film is a collection of footage from news clippings and interviews over the past 17 years, detailing Jonas’ abduction and why the Philippine government might be involved in his disappearance.
The film won the Cinemalaya 2024 Special Jury Award for Full-Length Film last month.
